September 30, 2015. This year, the Indianapolis Public Library system formed a strategic partnership with its city’s sister cities program. Over the course of several months these institutions laid the groundwork for successful collaborations with eight international cities that are part of Indianapolis’s sister cities network.

Despite language barriers, this led to a number of exciting programs, such as exhibits being staged in Indianapolis’s libraries and in the library facilities of its sister cities. Librarians and staff members from Indianapolis and its sister cities of Cologne, Germany and Hangzhou, China also took part in exchange programs. These international trips proved to be especially fruitful, with the Cologne exchange resulting in a shared reading program.

This initiative is a key attribute of the city’s larger goals of making Indianapolis a global city and more welcoming to international visitors. It also serves as a key example for how civic institutions can form mutually beneficial partnerships that push their communities forward. For the full story please click here.