News Release

WARSAW — Warsaw Community Public Library is one of 50 U.S. libraries newly selected to host “Americans and the Holocaust,” a traveling exhibition from the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the American Library Association that examines the motives, pressures and fears that shaped Americans’ responses to Nazism, war and genocide in Europe during the 1930s and 1940s.

Following a highly successful tour to 50 libraries from 2021 to 2023, the touring library exhibition — based on the special exhibition of the same name at the museum in Washington, D.C. — will travel to an additional 50 U.S. libraries from 2024 to 2026, covering wide distances from Hawaii and Alaska to Texas and New Hampshire.

“We are honored to be selected as a host site for this powerful exhibit,” said library director Heather Barron. “In addition to inviting the community to explore it, we will partner with local schools and offer educational and engaging events to accompany the exhibition. Visitors will have the chance to reflect on challenging questions and think about how those questions apply today.”

“Americans and the Holocaust” will be on display at Warsaw Community Public Library, along with a series of related special events, in the summer of 2026.

The 1,100-square-foot exhibition examines various aspects of American society: the government, the military, refugee aid organizations, the media and the general public. Drawing on a remarkable collection of primary sources from the 1930s and ’40s, the exhibition tells the stories of Americans who acted in response to Nazism, challenging the commonly held assumptions that Americans knew little and did nothing about the Nazi persecution and murder of Jews as the Holocaust unfolded. It provides a portrait of American society that shows how the Depression, isolationism, xenophobia, racism and antisemitism shaped responses to Nazism and the Holocaust.

In addition to the traveling exhibition on loan, Warsaw Community Public Library received a $3,000 cash grant to support public programs. The grant also covered one library staff member’s attendance at an orientation workshop at the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum.

For more information about “Americans and the Holocaust” and related programming at Warsaw Community Public Library, visit warsawlibrary.org. To learn more about the exhibition, visit ushmm.org/americans-ala.

“Americans and the Holocaust: A Traveling Exhibition for Libraries” was made possible by the support of lead sponsors Jeannie and Jonathan Lavine. Additional funding was provided by the Bildners — Joan and Allen z”l, Elisa Spungen and Rob, Nancy and Jim, and Jane and Daniel Och. The U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum’s exhibitions are also supported by the Lester Robbins and Sheila Johnson Robbins Traveling and Special Exhibitions Fund, established in 1990.

About Warsaw Community Public Library

Libraries have been an integral part of the Warsaw community since 1855, evolving over the years to meet changing needs. From unique beginnings in a three-story brick house to the construction of the Carnegie building in 1917 to the current 41,000-square-foot facility opened in 1998, Warsaw Community Public Library remains committed to its vision of engaging and equipping the community by providing inclusive, innovative and relevant services without barriers. With a rich history rooted in community engagement, WCPL continues to fulfill its mission of offering cultural, informational and recreational services for all, ensuring lifelong education, enlightened citizenship and the enrichment of personal lives.

About The United States Holocaust Memorial Museum

A nonpartisan, federal educational institution, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum is America’s national memorial to the victims of the Holocaust dedicated to ensuring the permanence of Holocaust memory, understanding and relevance. Through the power of Holocaust history, the museum challenges leaders and individuals worldwide to think critically about their role in society and to confront antisemitism and other forms of hate, prevent genocide and promote human dignity. For more information, visit ushmm.org.

About The American Library Association

The American Library Association is the foremost national organization providing resources to inspire library and information professionals to transform their communities through essential programs and services. For more than 140 years, the association has been the trusted voice for academic, public, school, government and special libraries, advocating for the profession and the library’s role in enhancing learning and ensuring access to information for all. For more information, visit ala.org.