Nothing is more important to the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library (KVML) than the health and safety of our community. We take seriously our responsibility as a civic institution that serves the public good.

Due to the health risks of the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the recommendations of health officials, we have decided to temporarily close Kurt’s Forever Home, the KVML at 543 Indiana Avenue, on March 17 at 5 pm. We look forward to the day when we reopen. Meanwhile, we are working to offer more experiences and content here on our website and via social media. Our online store is always open for business, so make sure to visit us often.

We are also busy planning some of our biggest events of our year: Night of Vonnegut, a Youth Writing Program we are launching with the help of author Dave Eggers, the unveiling of the first ever Slaughterhouse-Five graphic novel, Freedom to Read Week, and more. If you suddenly have time to volunteer to be part of one of the remote planning committees for these events, please email us at [email protected].

We’ll continue to update you about our status. You matter to us, and we hope you are able to follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): stay home and avoid close contact with others.

Programming

Please note below the current status of all upcoming KVML programs. Some events are slated to go on as planned. As a result of the guidance to practice social distancing and avoid larger gatherings, we have decided to postpone other events and offer some events online.

March 26: IUPUI Arts+Ethics Seminar

This event has been postponed. Please contact us at [email protected] if you registered for this event.

March 28: KURTCON 2020

We are absolutely going ahead with this exciting event but will postpone KURTCON until November and make it a major part of KVML’s annual VonnegutFest. The tentative date is Nov. 7. Please mark your calendars!

April 3: Arlene’s House of Music and Imperial Lounge First Friday Live Music Happy Hour

As of today, the show will go on from the museum’s balcony for all within earshot to enjoy. It also will be streamed online. We will update this information as necessary.

April 9: Veterans Writing Workshop Open House

This open house is now an online event, which can be attended remotely. Stay tuned for more details on how to sign up and join us.

We’re In this Together!

Thank you for your understanding and continued support of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. We encourage all of you to take care of each other and stay safe. 

Kathi Badertscher, PhD

Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy
Kathi Badertscher, PhD, is Director of Graduate Programs at the IU Lilly Family School of Philanthropy. Dr. Badertscher teaches a variety of BA, MA, and doctoral courses, including Applying Ethics in Philanthropy and History of Philanthropy. She has participated in several Teaching Vonnegut workshops and is a member of the Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library. Dr. Badertscher has been a guest speaker on ethics in philanthropy, including at the National Association of Charitable Gift Planners – Indianapolis Council; Association of Fundraising Professionals – Indiana Chapter; and Zhou Enlai School of Government, Nankai University, Tianjin, China. In 2019 she received IUPUI Office for Women, Women’s Leadership Award for Newcomer Faculty. In 2019 and 2020 she received the Lilly Family School of Philanthropy, Graduate Teaching Award.
Dr. Badertscher’s publications include “Fundraising for Advocacy and Social Change,” co-authored with Shariq Siddiqui in Achieving Excellence in Fundraising, 5th ed., 2022; “Insulin at 100: Indianapolis, Toronto, Woods Hole, and the ‘Insulin Road,’ co-authored with Christopher Rutty, Pharmacy in History (2020); and three articles in the Indiana Magazine of History: “A New Wishard Is on the Way,” “Evaline Holliday and the Work of Community Service,” and “Social Networks in Indianapolis during the Progressive Era.” Her chapters on social welfare history will appear in three upcoming edited volumes on the history of philanthropy, including “The Legacy of Edna Henry and Her Contributions to the IU School of Social Work,” Women at Indiana University: Views of the Past and the Future, edited by Andrea Walton, Indiana University Press, 2022 (forthcoming). Dr. Badertscher is also the Philanthropy and Nonprofits Consulting Editor for the forthcoming Digital Encyclopedia of Indianapolis, edited by David J. Bodenhamer and Elizabeth Van Allen, Indiana University Press, 2021. Dr. Badertscher is an active volunteer in the Indianapolis community. At present, she is a Coburn Place Safe Haven Board Member and a Children’s Bureau/Families First Brand and Marketing Advisor. Dr. Badertscher holds the MA in History from Indiana University and the MA and PhD in philanthropic studies from the Indiana University Lilly Family School of Philanthropy.

Volunteer With KVML

Kurt Vonnegut Museum and Library Volunteer Application

Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions about this application’s content.