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Hamilton East Public Library reports rising use, new makerspace and youth partnerships
Summary
Library director Melissa Loisel told the council the Hamilton East Public Library served a territory of about 180,617 people, grew resident card holders to 95,684 (a 9% increase), circulated 2,247,338 items in 2025, and plans Fishers youth-services updates, an Ignite MakerLab and partnerships with local schools.
Melissa Loisel, director of the Hamilton East Public Library, presented the library's 2025 annual report to the council, highlighting growth in cardholders, circulation and community outreach.
"My name is Melissa Loisel, and I'm the director at the Hamilton East Public Library," Loisel said as she opened the presentation. She told the council the library's service territory covers four townships in Noblesville and Fishers, with a most-recent census population of about 180,617.
Loisel reported the library had 95,684 registered resident card holders in 2025, a 9% increase from the previous year, and circulated 2,247,338 items, roughly one-third of which were electronic materials. She said 60% of the library's operating budget went to salaries, insurance and benefits and about 25% to services and charges, which includes digital materials and capital outlay purchases.
The director highlighted program growth: an 18% increase in youth program attendance (about 6,000 more attendees in 2025) and a 39% increase in adult program attendance. Outreach staff participated in 334 community events in 2025, reaching more than 32,000 people. Loisel also described a recent launch of a new Ignite MakerLab at the Noblesville branch designed to support entrepreneurs, and ongoing updates to the Fishers youth services department targeted for completion before the summer reading program in June.
Loisel said the library is partnering with the City of Fishers and Hamilton Southeastern Schools to host kindergarten guaranteed educational experiences, bringing students to the library for arts-based field trips and Ignite MakerLab programming.
"We are the largest library in Hamilton County and the fourth largest library in the state," Loisel said, noting the library's efforts to adjust digital-material purchasing practices because of higher per-unit costs for electronic content.
Councilors thanked Loisel and library board appointees for the work; no council action was required on the report.
