Franklin library now has a legal aid kiosk

The new ATM-like machine at Johnson County Public Library’s Franklin branch doesn’t dispense cash, but does it dispense legal help.

The library’s new Legal Help Kiosk gives free information some residents may find helpful, especially those facing eviction. It is part a $13.1 million federally funded initiative that paid for 120 kiosks across the state, according to Abbie Bush, director for civil legal assistance programs at the Indiana Bar Foundation.

Because the comes from U.S. Department of the Treasury’s emergency rental assistance program, the kiosks are targeted at helping people facing eviction. Bush stated that the kiosks were created through a partnership between Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA), and the bar foundation.

In a news release by the Indiana Bar Foundation, Suzanne Crouch, Indiana Lieutenant, stated that the kiosks will help to prevent evictions.

“This partnership furthers our mission of preventing eviction and promoting housing stability across our state,” Crouch said in the statement. “We are proud of this collaborative effort to provide pro bono legal services to Hoosiers navigating the courts.”

According to Indiana Legal Help, the kiosks have a computer that can search the website, a printer to print client documents, a scanner to allow clients to upload confidential documents, and a chat function to connect them with remote legal navigators. The funding has also made additional resources available through indianalegalhelp.org, including free legal help in the Johnson County area, Bush said.

“This connects Hoosiers to legal support and services. It can connect them to forms, guides and other tools to answer questions they may have about eviction,” Bush said. “Most of the kiosks are placed in courthouses and libraries, as well as some community organizations. The goal was to place them in public places where people can access them.”

The kiosk currently focuses on resources and topics related to eviction. However, Jody Veldkamp, a library spokesperson, stated in an email that the library will likely expand the range of services in the future.

“At the kiosk, community members will find a listing of free legal clinics, connections to civil legal aid organizations, and court forms and guides for self-represented litigants,” Veldkamp said. “The kiosk furthers JCPL’s mission to connect our community to valuable resources with the help of statewide partners. The kiosk provides information to a network of legal services, including brief advice legal clinics, legal aid attorneys and non-attorney legal navigators to support Hoosiers facing eviction.”

The kiosks are open to patrons whenever the library branch at 401 State Street is open. The branch is open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, 9 to 6 p.m. on Friday, 9 to 5 p.m. on Saturday, and 1 to 5 pm Sunday.