September is National Library Card Sign-Up Month, and the Crown Point Community Library is celebrating all month long with new library card designs, a chance to win a Kindle, and an opportunity for community members to design a future library card.
Four New Library Card Designs Are Coming
We’re getting ready to introduce four new Crown Point Library card designs! Whether you are signing up for your first library card or already have one in your wallet, there will soon be even more ways to show your library pride.
But that’s not all—your design could be next!
Design a Future Library Card
The Crown Point Community Library is inviting community members of all ages to participate in the Library Card Design Contest. Participants from Kindergarten through adulthood are encouraged to submit their original designs for a chance to have their artwork featured on a future limited-edition library card.
One winning design will be selected and transformed into a new Crown Point Library card design.
Contest details:
Open to participants from Kindergarten through adults
Limited-edition card available: January 2027, while supplies last
This is a chance to leave your mark on the library and create a design that library patrons will carry throughout the community.
Check Out and Enter to Win a Kindle
Throughout September, library cardholders can also enter for a chance to win a Kid’s Edition Kindle Fire or a regular Kindle Fire.
Every cardholder who checks out materials during the month will receive one drawing ticket per visit. Each cardholder may receive one ticket per visit.
Using the self-checkout station? Show your receipt at the Circulation Desk to receive your ticket.
The winner will be drawn on October 2.
Celebrate the Power of a Library Card
A library card opens the door to books, movies, digital resources, programs, technology, and so much more. During Library Card Sign-Up Month, there has never been a better time to make sure you have a Crown Point Community Library card.
Stop by the library this September to celebrate, enter the drawing, pick up information about the Library Card Design Contest, and get ready for four exciting new library card designs!
Your library card is more than just a card—it’s your connection to discovery, learning, and your community.
Sign up to get your library card online or in person at either library location.
The Crown Point Community Library is heartbroken by the passing of country music legend, cultural icon, and champion of literacy, Dolly Parton.
Through her award-winning Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library, inspired by her father’s inability to read or write, Dolly helped put hundreds of millions of free books into the hands of children across America. She considered the program one of her greatest achievements, and her commitment to helping children develop a love of reading will be part of her legacy for generations to come.
The Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program serving the Crown Point Community Library District was created in 2014 by the Crown Point Rotary Club. Through the Crown Point Rotary Club’s fundraising efforts, the program has sent out an incredible 58,570 books since it began. Currently, 859 children are registered for the program, while 1,325 children have graduated after receiving books until their fifth birthday.
Despite Dolly Parton’s passing, Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library will continue as part of the Dollywood Foundation, ensuring that her extraordinary legacy of literacy continues to reach children and families for generations to come.
We are deeply grateful to the Crown Point Rotary Club, our local funding partner, for their continued commitment to bringing Dolly’s vision to children throughout our library district.
If you would like to help support Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library in our community, donations can be made to the Crown Point Rotary Club fund at the Crown Point Community Foundation.
Your support helps ensure that children in our community can continue receiving the gift of books and discovering the joy of reading.
For more information about Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library and the program in the Crown Point Community Library District, visit the Library’s website.
Our community has been through a difficult stretch following the severe storms and widespread power outage.
We know many families are still working to get back to normal. Below is a Community Resource Handout with helpful information and local resources available to residents during this time.
Please share this post with neighbors, friends, and family who may find these resources helpful.
Revised 8-22-2026
State Disaster Relief Fund – Individual Assistance
The State Disaster Relief Fund applies only to individuals who are uninsured or underinsured. State funding cannot replace insurance coverage, which is the primary and best source of protection from storm damage. The fund only covers the costs of repairing, replacing, or restoring the applicant’s primary residence and cannot be used to pay insurance deductibles.
In Indiana, if your power was out for at least four hours and your refrigerated or frozen food spoiled, you can get replacement SNAP benefits. You must report the loss to the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) within 10 days of the outage by calling
1-800-403-0864 and filing a food loss affidavit. For the recent outages, the date has been extended to Monday, August 31.
DownlThe Disaster Distress Helpline (DDH) is the first national hotline dedicated to providing year-round disaster crisis counseling. This toll-free, multilingual crisis support service is available 24/7 to all residents in the U.S. and its territories experiencing emotional distress related to natural or human-caused disasters.
The American Red Cross is urgently trying to locate homeowners and renters in Merrillville and surrounding communities whose homes were heavily damaged or destroyed during the recent severe weather event. Financial assistance may be available to eligible individuals and families.If your home or apartment sustained major damage or was destroyed, please get in touch with the American Red Cross as soon as possible.
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the rainforests of Costa Rica, experiencing the charm of Ireland, or witnessing the breathtaking beauty of America’s canyon country?
The Friends of the Crown Point Library are excited to announce three travel opportunities for 2027 through Collette Tours. These professionally guided tours offer travelers the opportunity to experience unforgettable destinations while supporting the Crown Point Community Library.
To introduce these exciting adventures, the Friends invite the community to attend a special Travel Presentation on Wednesday, August 12 at 6 p.m. at the Crown Point Community Library.
Representatives from Collette Tours will provide an overview of each tour, discuss itineraries, accommodations, pricing, and available early booking discounts. The Friends are also partnering with All About Vacations, a local travel agency, to help promote the tours and assist travelers with questions and reservations.
Featured 2027 Tours
Tropical Costa Rica
March 8–16, 2027
Journey through one of the world’s most biodiverse destinations. Explore lush rainforests, encounter incredible wildlife, and experience the natural beauty and culture of Costa Rica.
Experience Ireland’s rolling green countryside, historic castles, charming villages, and vibrant culture on this unforgettable tour of the Emerald Isle.
When travelers reserve one of these Collette tours through the Friends of the Crown Point Library, the Friends receive a commission from Collette. Those funds are used to support library programs, services, events, collections, and community initiatives throughout the year.
By choosing one of these tours, you’ll enjoy an incredible travel experience while helping enhance the resources and programs that benefit our community.
Join Us for the Travel Presentation
Wednesday, August 12 6 p.m. Crown Point Community Library
Whether you’re an experienced traveler or simply curious about these destinations, we invite you to attend and learn more about these exciting travel opportunities.
Adventure awaits—and your next journey could help support your library.
Visitors to the Crown Point Community Library can explore two fascinating exhibits that highlight the history, determination, and lasting impact of the women’s suffrage movement. Both exhibits are on display through the end of July during regular library hours.
“A Right Worth Fighting For: The History of the League of Women Voters of the Calumet Area”
Located in the library’s display cases in the main lobby, this exhibit, presented by the League of Women Voters of the Calumet Area (LWVCA), tells the story of more than a century of civic engagement.
Through historical documents, photographs, clothing, and artifacts, the exhibit traces the founding of the local Leagues of Women Voters in the Calumet area, which eventually merged to become today’s LWVCA. Visitors will learn about the long struggle that led to women gaining the right to vote in 1920 and discover how the League has continued its mission of educating voters, encouraging civic participation, and protecting the right to vote for all citizens.
The exhibit serves as a powerful reminder that while the fight for women’s suffrage culminated with the ratification of the Nineteenth Amendment, the work of strengthening democracy continues today.
“Securing the Vote: Women’s Suffrage in Indiana”
Also on display through July is Securing the Vote: Women’s Suffrage in Indiana, a traveling exhibit from the Indiana Historical Society located in the library’s gallery hallway.
This compelling exhibit explores the history of Indiana’s suffrage movement, beginning with the state’s first Indiana Woman’s Rights Convention held in Dublin in 1851 and continuing through the passage of the Nineteenth Amendment in 1920.
Visitors will discover how Hoosier women spent more than 70 years organizing meetings, leading campaigns, and advocating tirelessly for equal voting rights. Despite numerous setbacks and defeats, they remained steadfast in their pursuit of full citizenship and the power to shape their communities through the ballot box.
Securing the Vote: Women’s Suffrage in Indiana is a project of the Indiana Women’s Suffrage Centennial, catalyzed by Indiana Humanities, the Indianapolis Propylaeum, the Indiana Historical Society, and the Indiana Historical Bureau, with support from Lilly Endowment Inc.
Both exhibits are free to view and will remain on display at the Crown Point Community Library through July 31 during regular library hours.
The Crown Point Community Library is honored to be recognized by the American Red Cross with a Certificate of Recognition for our commitment and dedication as a Premier Blood Partner.
In 2025, generous donors who rolled up their sleeves at library blood drives helped collect 507 units of blood, making a meaningful impact on patients in need throughout our region. Every donation has the potential to save multiple lives, and this achievement reflects the incredible generosity of our community.
We are grateful to every blood donor, volunteer, and American Red Cross staff member who has helped make our blood drives successful. Your willingness to give one hour of your time can provide hope to accident victims, surgery patients, cancer patients, and others facing life-threatening medical conditions.
Our Next Blood Drive: Thursday, July 9 from 12-6 p.m.
Our next American Red Cross Blood Drive will be held on Thursday, July 9, and appointment times are filling quickly.
As an added thank you, everyone who comes to donate (while supplies last) will receive an exclusive Looney Tunes-themed American Red Cross T-shirt.
Whether you’re a first-time donor or a regular participant, your donation can make a real difference. Summer is often a challenging time for maintaining an adequate blood supply, making every appointment especially important.
Help us continue our tradition of serving the community—both through books and by helping save lives.
The Crown Point Community Library is excited to once again partner with the City of Crown Point to bring families together for another season of free outdoor movie series at Bulldog Park.
From June through September, community members of all ages are invited to enjoy family-friendly movies under the night sky. Bring your lawn chairs, blankets, family, and friends for an evening of entertainment and community connection.
2026 Movie Schedule
GOAT Friday, June 26
Hoppers Friday, July 31
Zootopia 2 Friday, August 21
Bad Guys 2 Friday, September 4
All movies will be shown at Bulldog Park. Gates open at 7 p.m., and movies begin at 7:30 p.m.
Admission is free, and no registration is required.
Guests are encouraged to bring chairs or blankets for seating. Please note that pets, outside food, and outside beverages are not permitted. Concessions will be available for purchase during each event.
Community Partnerships Make It Possible
The Library is grateful to the City of Crown Point for partnering with us to host this popular community event. By working together, local organizations can create opportunities that bring residents together, strengthen community connections, and provide accessible family entertainment for everyone to enjoy.
We would also like to extend our sincere thanks to the Friends of the Crown Point Library, whose sponsorship of the movie licensing fees helps make this series possible. Their ongoing financial support allows the Library to offer enriching programs and events beyond what traditional funding can provide.
Why Support Matters
The Crown Point Community Library is more than a place to borrow books. It serves as a community gathering space where people can learn, explore, connect, and create memories together. Programs like our Free Movie Nights demonstrate how community partnerships and philanthropic support directly benefit local families.
We invite everyone to join us this summer at Bulldog Park and experience firsthand the impact that community partnerships can have.
We look forward to seeing you for Big Stories Under the Stars!
Due to the severe weather advisory and in the interest of public safety,
the Crown Point Community Library has rescheduled its Summer Reading Kick-Off Celebration.
The event will now take place on Monday, June 15, from 4 to 7 p.m. at Bulldog Park.
Get ready to dig into a summer full of reading, discovery, and adventure!
The Crown Point Community Library invites families of all ages to join us for our 2026 Summer Reading Kick-Off Celebration on Monday, June 15 from 4-7 p.m. at Bulldog Park. This free community event launches our Summer Reading Program, “Unearth A Story,” and is packed with activities designed to spark imagination and encourage a lifelong love of reading.
We’re grateful to the Crown Point Rotary Club for sponsoring this year’s Kick-Off Celebration and helping us create a memorable experience for families throughout our community. Their generous support helps make this event possible and demonstrates their continued commitment to literacy, education, and community engagement.
In partnership with the City of Crown Point, attendees can enjoy a variety of hands-on activities, including:
Adopt-A-Dinosaur
Fossil Dig
Bounce Houses
Face Painting
Summer Reading Registration
Library Card Sign-Up
And more exciting activities!
Whether you’re a longtime library user or visiting us for the first time, the Kick-Off Celebration is the perfect opportunity to learn about Summer Reading, sign up for the program, and start your journey toward discovering new stories all season long.
Summer Reading is open to all ages, and participation is completely free. Readers can earn prizes, attend engaging programs, and discover new adventures through books all summer long.
Mark your calendars and join us as we kick off a summer of reading, learning, and exploration! We look forward to seeing you there as we unearth a story together this summer!
Every summer, thousands of children and teens from birth through age 18 sign up for the Crown Point Community Library’s Summer Reading Program. They’ll attend exciting programs, earn prizes, discover new books, and cheer on their schools in our community-wide reading competition to see which school logs the most reading hours.
From the outside, it may look like a season filled with fun and games—and it is. But Summer Reading is about much more than entertainment. Behind every storytime, every book checked out, every reading log completed, and every hour recorded is a larger purpose: helping students stay engaged in learning during the summer months.
Educators often refer to the “summer slide”, the loss of academic skills and knowledge that can occur when students are away from structured learning for an extended period. Reading is one of the most effective ways to combat that slide. Just a few minutes of reading each day can help children retain critical literacy skills, strengthen comprehension, expand vocabulary, and maintain the learning momentum they’ve built throughout the school year.
That is why the library invests so heavily in Summer Reading.
Our goal is not simply to fill summer days with fun, free, family-friendly activities. Our goal is to help students return to school in August ready to succeed. When children continue reading throughout the summer, they arrive back in the classroom with stronger skills, greater confidence, and a head start on the new school year. Not school yet, the same activities help to build the skills children need to be kindergarten-ready.
Just as importantly, Summer Reading helps nurture something that lasts far beyond a single summer: a love of reading. Children who discover books they enjoy are more likely to become lifelong readers, curious learners, and engaged citizens. Those are benefits that extend well beyond school and into every stage of life.
So yes, Summer Reading is packed with fun programs, friendly competition, and memorable experiences. But at its heart, it is one of the most important educational initiatives the library offers each year.
This summer, every page turned matters. Every minute spent reading counts. And every child who participates is building skills and habits that can last a lifetime.
P. S. The library also provides an Adult Summer Reading Program, too!
Four New Library Card Designs Are Coming
Design a Future Library Card
Check Out and Enter to Win a Kindle
Have you ever dreamed of exploring the rainforests of Costa Rica, experiencing the charm of Ireland, or witnessing the breathtaking beauty of America’s canyon country?
Visitors to the Crown Point Community Library can explore two fascinating exhibits that highlight the history, determination, and lasting impact of the women’s suffrage movement. Both exhibits are on display through the end of July during regular library hours.
The Crown Point Community Library is honored to be recognized by the American Red Cross with a Certificate of Recognition for our commitment and dedication as a Premier Blood Partner.
