When Danville Public Library, also known as Danville-Center Township Public Library, was first…read morecreated in 1902, Danville was home to Central Normal College. Local businessmen felt that the community should also finally have its own public library. Danville received a grant from philanthropist Andrew Carnegie (the first of four Carnegie libraries in Hendricks County), and the library was birthed in 1903 with 1,000 books. Over the years, the library has grown with additions in 1979, 1999, and in 2016.
Now, the library offers books, audiobooks, e-books, DVDs, magazines, newspapers, streaming digital services, and computer access/free wi-fi.
While the library wasn't accessible in its early days, with each subsequent addition that has improved. While you still get the historic facade (and lots of steps), it's pretty easy to get into this two-story building now.
As Katherine A. noted in her review, adult books (get your mind out of the gutter) are on the second floor, kids are on the first floor, and there are study areas and a classroom. There's a small parking lot and the area around the library is pretty good with access.
I'm also a big fan of the Indiana Room, a source for genealogy (especially Hendricks county related) with cemetery records, court records, land records, church records, newspapers, and more.
As an out-of-towner, sometimes you feel awkward when you go into a different town/city's library. I do it often when I'm on one of my Tenderness Tour events because they tend to be a safe place to rest, use internet, and use a restroom. Yet, I found folks here to be friendly and welcoming. I definitely would return when I'm in the area.
Yes, this is a smaller library. If you're expecting to compare it to Indy's libraries, you'll likely be disappointed (except some of Indy's smaller branches like Spades). However, it's a lovely library with friendly people and even the patrons I met here were quite hospitable.