1872
Free public library service in Mishawaka and Penn Township was a grassroots movement. Development was slowed due to the disastrous Mishawaka fire of 1872. The fire destroyed most of the business area of the town, including a small library purchased with funds from the estate of William Maclure of New Harmony, Indiana. It also destroyed a small township library that was organized in the 1860’s.
1873
A library was started by a society of women who paid membership dues to support the institution known as the “Ladies Library.”
1900
The “Ladies Library” was dissolved in 1900 due to lack of membership. Its books were donated to the Methodist Episcopal Annex Library (First United Methodist Church) and the Lounge of the Mishawaka Woolen Manufacturing Company (later known as Uniroyal). Mishawaka would remain without public library service for seven years.
1906
Positive action for library service came when the Mishawaka School Board levy assessed a two-cent fee to be used for library purposes.
1907
On September 13, 1907, a 28 sq. ft. library opened in a room on the second floor of City Hall.
1916
The Women’s Club, the Men’s Civic League, and available funds from the Carnegie Foundation spurred the impetus for a library building. These groups, combined with a gift of the property on the corner of Hill and First Streets from Mr. and Mrs. Fred G. Eberhart, made the Mishawaka Carnegie Library building possible. It opened on May 5, 1916.
1932
The library moved from being the responsibility of the School Board to an independent library with its own established board. It presently operates under provisions of the Public Library Law of 1947.
1938
During the 1930s, heavy use necessitated expansion of the Carnegie Library. With funds from the Works Progress Administration and a local bond issue, the building was remodeled in 1938 to allow the Children’s Division to move to the lower level with its own First Street entrance.
1943
An Osceola Branch opened in a small store building on Lincolnway West.
1950
The North Side Branch opened. It served from 1950 through 1968 in a storefront building at 117 East Mishawaka Avenue.
1955
The Osceola Branch moved to the former Moran home at 206 Beech Road to serve Penn Township patrons. A collection of books loaned to classrooms and libraries in 26 public and parochial schools created additional service to the community for the next 13 years until media centers opened in all schools in the Mishawaka and Penn Township school systems.
1961
The Library recognized the need for additional space and established a Library Improvement Reserve Fund. With that fund as a base — plus a bond issue - the Library Board and the City Administration agreed on the current site at 209 Lincolnway East. Construction began.
1969
The original portion of the Mishawaka Library opened on July 26. In closing the Carnegie Library, employees pushed loaded book carts down Lincolnway to the new building.
1974
A bookmobile named the Wheel-borrow began serving five areas once a week. All stops were inside the city limits.
1977
Due to lack of usage, bookmobile service was discontinued in July. During this time, the Mishawaka Public Library Board and the Penn Township Trustees began the process of turning the Library into a joint Mishawaka and Penn Township Public Library.
1978
The process of creating a joint Mishawaka and Penn Township Public Library became reality in November, with the library becoming the Mishawaka-Penn Public Library.
1982
The Library Board had a feasibility study conducted in 1980 that determined the need for a new branch. Cole Associates of South Bend was selected to be the Library’s architect, and a site was purchased at 602 Bittersweet Road. The planning was enlarged to include a major renovation of the downtown Library, and a $3 million bond issue was sold.
1983
On March 24, 1983, ground was broken for the renovation of the downtown Library with Ira Mast & Son as general contractor. An addition of 9,525 sq. ft. was built at Mishawaka, and the entire interior was renovated. On March 31, 1983, ground was broken for the new 19,000 sq. ft. Bittersweet Library with Rome Builders as general contractors.
1984
On April 15, 1984, rededication ceremonies were held in the downtown Library. In December 1984, the new Bittersweet Branch Library was opened.
1985
The Bittersweet Branch held a dedication on January 6.
1986
Because the Bittersweet Branch was built to serve the eastern part of the township, the Osceola Branch closed in October.
1994
Plans began for further growth. The Paul F. Jernegan building was purchased for $85,000. As plans were made for a new police station, a deal was made with the City for the Library to purchase the old station (which was also the former Post Office) for $10. These additions would give the Library the entire “200 block” of Lincolnway East.
1996
With a $6.335 million bond, an expansion plan was approved in March 1996 to create a 62,000 sq. ft. building incorporating the police station.
1997
A groundbreaking ceremony took place on Thursday, May 22, 1997, and demolition of the Jernegan building, along with unused portions of the post office/police station, began.
1998
The Library closed for the week of September 12 to move all the materials from the old section of the building into the new during the old section’s renovation.
1999
The new local history and genealogy section, named the Heritage Center, was opened in January 1999. During April 18 – 24, 1999, the Library held a Grand Opening Week.
2001
In January, the Mishawaka-Penn Public Library was approached by Harris Township with a request to develop a plan to provide library services. On February 28, 2001, the Harris Township Advisory Board accepted the Library’s plan, and Harris residents, for the first time, were eligible to receive Library cards without paying a non-resident fee. The Troyer Group of Mishawaka was selected to be the project architect, and plans were immediately begun for a branch library in Harris Township. Land was purchased on Elm Road, just north of the Harris Township Fire Station.
2004
The Harris Branch, a 24,400-square-foot building with a cost of approximately $5 million, opened in August. The system was now the Mishawaka-Penn-Harris Public Library.
2007
The library celebrated its centennial anniversary throughout the year. On September 13, post office representatives canceled postmarks with a library centennial logo hand stamp. In October, an invitation-only gala was held at the Mishawaka Library followed by a celebration for the patrons the following day.
2008
Indiana enacted a property-tax-reform law, referred to as the “circuit breaker,” which created tax cuts for property owners and resulted in less tax revenue for public libraries.
2015
The financial impact of the state’s 2008 and 2010 circuit breaker tax caps resulted in a reduction of hours across the system as well as each branch closing one additional day during the week (the Harris Branch on Wednesdays and the Bittersweet Branch on Fridays).
2016
MPHPL received approval for a $2 million bond to go towards renovations at the Mishawaka Library.
2017
Funding for renovations at Bittersweet Branch was secured through an additional $2 million bond approved by the County Council in October. Plans included the creation of a revitalized outdoor space, including significant courtyard repairs.
2019
Major renovations at the Mishawaka Library were completed including HVAC improvements and relocating the Youth department to the main floor for easier access and improved security.
2020
MPHPL closed to the public from March 17-June 1 due to the coronavirus pandemic. The Bittersweet Branch underwent renovations from August through November and completed a new teen area.
2021
A courtyard grand opening celebration was held in June at the Bittersweet Branch. A local jazz band performed on the newly stepped amphitheater. The Common Area at the Mishawaka Library reopened in September, providing additional solo and collaborative spaces. In October, the former Heritage Center was reopened as the Heritage Room, the library’s official quiet space offering displays dedicated to the history of Mishawaka’s prominent families and industries. At the end of the year, the library secured a $4.2 million bond to focus on upgrades to the Harris Branch, including a new roof and interior reconfiguration, as well as future LED lighting for the Mishawaka Library.
2023
The Harris Branch closed in July for the major portion of interior renovations and reopened in October with a celebration that was attended by hundreds of patrons. The LED conversion project at Mishawaka began in September.
2024
The new youth courtyard at the Harris Branch officially opened in August. The conversion to LED lighting was completed at the Mishawaka Library. In September, the County Council approved a $4.2 million bond for library improvements, including new roofs at the Mishawaka Library and Bittersweet Branch, as well as HVAC and lighting upgrades at the Bittersweet Branch, and construction of an off-site garage.
2025
MPHPL launched new hours that included the branches reopening on Wednesdays (Harris) and Fridays (Bittersweet).
What's Next?
- The library’s new sprinter van is currently undergoing the conversion process to turn it into a bookmobile for lobby stops at preschools and senior centers as well as visits to underserved communities.
- The Mishawaka City Council approved a lease of land near the Central Services building to the library for the purpose of building a garage to hold library vehicles, including the new bookmobile.
- Discussions continue with DLZ, a local architecture firm, on the projects identified for the 2024 bond.