1. What is a Hoosier?
   
2. Does IHS offer an interlibrary loan service?
   
3. Do you have Indiana newspapers?
   
4. When was the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument built?
   
5. How can I go about researching the history of my house or property and finding photos of it?
   
6. Does IHS provide information about preserving or renovating my historic home and can I register it as a landmark?
   
7. How do I research my family history?
   
8. Why hasn't the genealogy collection been moved from 315 W. Ohio Street to the new IHS headquarters?
   
9. Does IHS have Naturalization records?
   
10. What kinds of collections and research material does IHS have?
    
11. How can I get photocopies?
    
12. Have you heard of a town called [fill in the blank]?  I can't find it on any maps.
    
13. How can I preserve my great-grandmother's letters and papers so that they will last, and where can I get the supplies that I need?
    
14. I have what I believe to be an historically significant item can you tell me how much it is worth?
    
15. How did the Library get its name?

What is a Hoosier?

There is no single answer to this question, and many theories were presented through the years.  Most of the definitions are none too flattering, and a few are quite humorous. Among these was the belief that “hoosier” evolved as a term describing Indiana’s settlers as woodsmen or rough hill people. There is also a general belief that a Louisville contractor named Hoosier employed several Indianans, thus the moniker of “Hoosier’s men” was applied. Some propositions claim more validity than others, but one certainty is that this term has gained widespread use in popular culture to define a person as either a resident or a native of Indiana.  To explore the mysteries of this word and its origins in greater depth, it may be useful to consult the resources of the IHS Library. For more information visit the Hoosier essay on our popular history page.

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Does IHS offer interlibrary loan service?

IHS collections do not leave the building. A limited interlibrary loan service is provided only for manuscript collections which have both a positive and negative microfilm copy.  To borrow microfilm, the researcher must initiate the request through a local library.  At IHS, this service is coordinated through the Manuscripts and Visual Collections of the Library. There is a $5.00 service charge per reel loaned. No original research material (books, manuscripts, photographs, or artifacts) can be circulated outside of IHS. The Library has no circulating newspaper microfilm collection.

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Do you have Indiana newspapers?

At the present time, the IHS Library does not have an extensive newspaper collection. There are only a limited number of special edition copies of newspapers from representative towns and cities around the state.  These issues are original copies, not microfilm, and their focus is on community celebrations, anniversaries, and other special occasions.  They are not cataloged.  For further information, please contact the Curator of Printed Collections. The Society’s main involvement with newspapers has been in its operation of a newspaper microfilming project for many years.  The filming of Indiana newspapers is one of the key activities of the Preservation Imaging Department. Once microfilmed, newspapers are then deposited with the collection of the Newspaper Section of the Indiana State Library. This is the chief repository for newspapers in the state, and it does provide a limited interlibrary loan service for microfilmed newspapers. Please contact the Newspaper Section at (317) 232-3670 for specific titles and issues.

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When was the Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Monument built?

In 1888 ground was broken for construction of this 284.5 foot Indianapolis landmark. The cornerstone was set the following year and building began.  After several delays related to individual design elements in the monument, construction was finally completed in 1901, and the dedication ceremony, commemorating the monument to the “Silent Victors of Indiana,” was held May 15, 1902. The statue atop the monument is known as "Victory" and is symbolic of the ending of the Civil War and the ultimate victory of the North over the South.

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How can I go about researching the history of my house or property and finding photos of it?

There are many ways to pursue this research.  At the IHS Library, researchers may have success exploring city directories to find the location and previous owners of a structure.  Some local and area histories may include information about previous owners or photos of certain structures.  Maps from the Sanborn Insurance Company are useful in documenting the site of a structure and its physical surroundings from as early as the 1880s to as late as the 1960s.  This series of maps includes several cities and towns around Indiana.  Photographic and architectural collections in the library are often useful and very popular with researchers.  Please consult with library staff to search these collections.

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For the real novice, a strategy for starting one’s family history research might include attending genealogy workshops sponsored by the Indiana Historical Society’s Public Programs Department.  General sources about genealogy research methods, available at most public libraries, might also help the beginner.  An excellent starting place is the Genealogy Section of the Indiana State Library. IHS has a vast collection of manuscripts, visual materials, county histories, and rare published volumes which offer a unique perspective of how people lived, telling much about what their lives were like. For those who want to know how to conduct genealogical research using IHS resources please consult the “Family History Research” page.

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Why hasn’t the genealogy collection been moved from 315 W. Ohio Street to the new IHS headquarters?

There is very simple reason:  this collection does not belong to the Indiana Historical Society.  The Indiana State Library established this collection many years ago, so it will remain there.  In the past, there has been a common misconception that the Indiana Historical Society and the Indiana State Library were one and the same, perhaps because both were under the same roof, along with the Indiana Historical Bureau and the Indiana State Archives.  Many tenants and one building made for much confusion to the general public.  The Indiana Historical Society is a private, not-for-profit membership organization and is not affiliated with state government agencies.

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What kinds of collections and research materials does IHS have?

The IHS Library has a broad spectrum of material documenting the history of Indiana from its early exploration and settlement to the present. For more information on the types of materials collected by the Library and the means of accessing them, please refer to Collections.

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How can I get photocopies?

The Library has some very specific policies and procedures with regard to copying material from its research collection. Many items are eligible for photo-copying, though each request is handled on a case by case basis.  Printed sources and manuscript collections are not copied in their entirety.  Visual collections will not be photocopied, though images can be photographically reproduced.  The condition of any original material is paramount in considering its eligibility for reproduction in any manner.  In the event an item cannot be photocopied, requesting a photographic reproduction could be an option.  For more information, please consult  Collections & Library Reference Services, Copies, and Fees.

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Have you heard of a town called [fill in the blank]?  I can’t find it on any maps.

There are many Indiana towns, villages, burgs, and bumps in the road that are not widely documented or may have vanished from existence. Researchers often come across these names in the course of their research and seek further information on the location or history of these sites. The IHS Library has several reference sources that can assist with this documentation—some providing answers in just a few minutes. Please contact the reference desk at (317) 234-0321 to inquire about any of Indiana’s “mystery” towns. 

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How can I preserve my great-grandmother’s letters and papers so that they will last, and where can I get the supplies that I need?

The Library recommends that valuable materials like these be stored in a stable environment. That begins with placing such items in acid-free folders, boxes or containers. Different items may require different types of handling, treatment, and storage. Please consult the Conservation Department for information on treatment consultations available to the public and referrals to vendors and regional conservation laboratories.

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I have what I believe to be an historically significant item, can you tell me how much it is worth?

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How did the Library get its name?

William Henry Smith (1833-1896) was the father of Delavan Smith (1861-1922).  The younger Smith was the publisher of the Indianapolis News for nearly 30 years, and it was he who gave $150,000 plus a rare book collection (worth over $250,000 in 1922) to IHS, the core of the present rare book collection.  His father, William, was a historian, journalist and general manager of the combined Western Associated Press and New York Associated Press organization in 1883-1893 (the primary forerunner of the modern Associated Press formed in 1900).  The money and books left to IHS by Delavan were to be used to establish a memorial library to honor the elder Smith, thus, the William Henry Smith Memorial Library we have today.

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