The Putnam County Public Library is now home to a digital kiosk offering legal resources and services for free to Putnam County residents and visitors.
This new resource is located on the upper level of the library, near the reference desk.
Officials from the Indiana Bar Foundation (Foundation), Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA), and Indiana Supreme Court unveiled 120 IndianaLegalHelp.org kiosks in November. Kiosks are now being installed across the state, including at PCPL.
“We are excited to have been chosen as a kiosk location,” said Library Director Matt McClelland. “Navigating the legal system can be a challenge. Hopefully this kiosk will be a great resource for our patrons who need it.”
The kiosks provide a way for Hoosiers to easily access IndianaLegalHelp.org, a Foundation program connecting Hoosiers to legal resources and services. The IndianaLegalHelp.org website, which has seen over one million visits since its launch, includes legal forms, instructional videos, referrals to free and low-cost legal services, and a statewide calendar of free legal advice clinics. The IndianaLegalHelp.org kiosks will initially focus on serving Hoosiers facing eviction or housing instability and will expand to include other legal topics later this year.
“Through IndianaLegalHelp.org and a network of statewide partners engaged in assisting Hoosiers facing housing-related civil legal issues, the Foundation is uniquely positioned to expand services statewide and connect underserved communities with services not previously accessible,” said Foundation President & CEO Charles Dunlap.
In Indiana, housing evictions are considered a civil matter, meaning individuals are not provided legal representation and are often left to navigate the legal system independently. Resources like the IndianaLegalHelp.org kiosks are critical in helping Hoosiers access the civil legal system and make the resources on IndianaLegalHelp.org available to individuals who don’t have access to reliable internet at home.
Indiana Chief Justice Loretta Rush explained, “These kiosks are an example of the courts embracing innovative solutions to increase access to justice. Indiana has some of the highest eviction rates in the country. To ensure solutions we must implement an avenue for people in the justice system to seek help.”
Last year, the Foundation received a $13 million contract from IHCDA to fund housing stability legal services across the state. Kiosk development and deployment come from this two-year contract.
In addition, the Foundation and seven statewide partners are collaborating to offer a network of legal services, including brief advice legal clinics, legal aid attorneys, and non-attorney legal navigators to support Hoosiers facing eviction. The partners include:
- Indiana Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Inc.
- Indiana Legal Services, Inc.
- Indianapolis Legal Aid Society, Inc.
- Legal Aid Corporation of Tippecanoe County
- Legal Aid Society of Evansville, Inc.
- Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic
- Pro Bono Indiana, Inc.
Individuals needing legal help with an eviction or housing instability are encouraged to access resources offered at IndianaLegalHelp.org.
