Working Men's Institute
🏢 New Harmony, Indiana · Posey County
Working Men's Institute
Founded in 1838, the Working Men's Institute in New Harmony is the oldest continuously operating public library in Indiana. It still lends books, eBooks and media to the community from its 1894 Romanesque building, which also houses a museum of the town's utopian past.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | Closed |
| Tuesday | 10am–7pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–7pm |
| Thursday | 10am–7pm |
| Friday | 10am–4:30pm |
| Saturday | 10am–4:30pm |
| Sunday | 12pm–4pm |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 407 WEST TAVERN STREET, NEW HARMONY, IN 47631
Phone: (812) 682-4806
Website: workingmensinstitute.org
Plus Code: 86CJ43H7+HF (NEW HARMONY, IN)
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📖 About Working Men's Institute
The Working Men's Institute is the public library of New Harmony, a historic town on the Wabash River in Posey County, southwestern Indiana. It was established in 1838 by geologist and philanthropist William Maclure, who worked with Robert Owen's utopian community and believed in free access to knowledge for working people — making it the oldest continuously operating public library in the state. Maclure funded scores of similar institutes across Indiana and Illinois, but New Harmony's is the only one that survives. The library moved into its current Romanesque Revival building in 1894, and today it circulates physical books, magazines and DVDs, provides access to hundreds of thousands of downloadable eBooks, and offers public computers, copying, faxing, notary service and voter-registration help. Upstairs, a museum of New Harmony's Harmonist and Owenite history, natural-history specimens and rare archives shares the same landmark building.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Indiana's oldest continuously operating public library, founded 1838 by William Maclure
- Housed since 1894 in a landmark Romanesque Revival building in historic New Harmony
- Lends books, magazines, DVDs and hundreds of thousands of downloadable eBooks
- On-site museum of New Harmony's Harmonist and Owenite past, plus rare archives and manuscripts
- Notary service, faxing, copying, tax forms and voter-registration assistance for the community
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
A Working Men's Institute card and Indiana's statewide tools open up free digital borrowing and research:
📚 Services
- Book, magazine and DVD lending
- Downloadable eBooks and audiobooks
- Public computers, Wi-Fi, copying and faxing
- Notary service
- Tax forms and voter-registration assistance
- Museum of New Harmony history and rare archives
🎸 Programs
- Youth and children's reading activities
- Museum exhibits and rotating displays
- Local history and genealogy research
- Community and cultural programs
📍 Nearby Libraries in Southwestern Indiana
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
All libraries in NEW HARMONY · Browse all Indiana libraries →
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is the Working Men's Institute called Indiana's oldest public library?
It was founded in 1838 by William Maclure as part of the utopian experiment at New Harmony and has operated continuously ever since, making it the oldest continuously operating public library in Indiana. Maclure endowed many similar institutes, but New Harmony's is the only survivor.
Is there a museum inside the library?
Yes. The second floor houses a museum with artifacts from New Harmony's Harmonist and Owenite communities, Native American objects, natural-history specimens and rotating exhibits, all within the 1894 landmark building the library has occupied since it was built.
Who can get a free library card here?
Borrowing is free for residents of New Harmony and Harmony Township with ID and proof of address. Non-residents can buy a Public Library Access Card, and people who already hold a card from another Indiana library may qualify for reciprocal borrowing.
Does the library offer notary service?
Yes. Along with public computers, copying and faxing, the Working Men's Institute provides notary service as well as tax forms and voter-registration assistance for the community.
📋 This library offers notary services. See what a library notary can do — what to bring, fees and appointments — and find other libraries with a notary notary services by state.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in October 2026.
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