East Washington Branch, Carnegie library in Indianapolis, United States.
East Washington Branch is a library building in Indianapolis constructed with dark red brick and decorative terra cotta details along its facade. The structure features a truncated hipped roof and sits prominently on East Washington Street.
The building opened in 1911 through funding from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation, which supported six branch libraries in Indianapolis. This reflected Carnegie's nationwide effort to establish libraries in communities across America.
The branch serves as a community gathering place where neighbors borrow books, join programs, and connect with one another. The interior draws people of different ages who use the computers and attend local events.
The library stands at 2822 East Washington Street. A 2016–2017 renovation added a rear addition with an elevator, making the building compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act, the last branch in the system to reach that standard. The new rear space holds a 2,200-square-foot computer room, and community space was created in the basement.
The two hooded monk sculptures flanking the entrance were carved by Alexander Sangernebo, a local artist; they sit among the terra cotta details of the Tudor Revival facade. The building was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2016, and a $2.4 million renovation reopened it in February 2017 with a 2,200-square-foot computer room and an elevator, the last branch in the system to become ADA compliant.
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