Welcome to the Monkey House

What is the Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library Foundation?

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library Foundation is a public benefit, nonprofit organization championing the literary, artistic, and cultural contributions of the late writer, artist and Indiana native Kurt Vonnegut, Jr. The Library Foundation is creating a library that will also serve as a cultural and educational resource center, functioning as a museum, art gallery, and reading room for readers, writers, and students. In addition, the library will support language and visual arts education for the local community.

What Will the Library Be Like?

The Kurt Vonnegut Memorial Library will serve as a memorial to the author’s literary greatness, his humanistic vision, and his adherence to quintessential American values. The library will exhibit literature, art, and personal items of Kurt Vonnegut. The library will serve both ardent Vonnegutians and newcomers to his unique wit and literary legacy. The library staff will act as docents at the library and coordinators for outreach activities. The library’s website will attract visitors to library events and assets.

In this unique artistic community center, visitors will be able to: browse a variety of books that are thematically linked to the life of Kurt Vonnegut; relax with a cup of coffee; view Vonnegut’s books, artwork, personal papers; attend a visiting writers lecture series; and participate in educational outreach through a partnership with local high schools, starting with the public school Kurt Vonnegut attended in Indianapolis, Shortridge High School. In 2010, The Foundation will make a presentation to Shortridge students on the life and works of Kurt Vonnegut as well as assist the school with the development of its student newspaper. The Library Foundation also plans to develop a literary magazine and to host writing events.