Success Stories
Kiosk
For more than 200 years, the Lexington Public Library has carried out its mission to link residents with the information they need to enrich their lives, facilitate their decision-making, and enhance their participation in community life. In the past decade, Lexington has witnessed rising statistics among the Hispanic population in Fayette County, and the Library has seen an indication of needs not being met within the community.
Many people who are new to this country are unaware of services offered to them by their library, as well as local and government agencies. To ensure that all people equal access to this information, the Library partnered with Verizon Superpages to create a Spanish/English Information Kiosk.
This e-branch of the Library not only links users to the Library’s web page, but to information on Health, Legal and Immigration services, Schools, Employment, and direct telephone access to many organizations.
Every site, both Spanish and English, is being used and figures have indicated a consistent increase from month to month.
This obvious need would not have been met without the generous $50,000 grant from Verizon Superpages. We were joined by the Northside Wal Mart who houses the Kiosk, rent free. This location serves 40,000 customers per week, 40% of whom are Spanish speaking.
James Earl Jones, Verizon spokesperson and renowned actor, was in Lexington to present this gift to the community. "Now everyone in this community, regardless of whether their first language is English or Spanish, will be able to access the magic of the Internet through this kiosk to find a fact or a library or a job. And at the same time, they’ll be improving their literacy skillsÂ…and I think we can all agree that reading literacy is a first step toward a promising future. But computer literacy is a second step, especially in a world that grows more dependent on technology."
Please visit our Kiosk at Wal Mart Supercenter, 500 West New Circle Road.
Worlds Largest Ceiling Clock & Foucault Pendulum
Thanks to the generosity of local philanthropist Lucille Caudill Little, the Central Library is privileged to house a five-story Foucault pendulum, the world’s largest ceiling clock, and a low-relief frieze depicting the history of the horse.
What began as a dream turned into reality when nationally recognized artist and project designer Adalin Wichman gave her time and experience to this project. In addition to her financial and personal generosity, Mrs. Wichman donated her hand sketches of horses and jockeys which line the rotunda and created the award winning terrazzo floor over which the pendulum oscillates.
The library is filled with vast knowledge and tools for learning. The Foucault Pendulum, so named by its inventor French physicist, Jean Bernard Foucault (pronounced foo-ko), is an outstanding example of art meeting education. As the Pendulum swings back and forth, it appears to be rotating in a circle. This is not an optical illusion, but proof of the earth’s rotation. The pendulum remains on course -it is the earth which is rotating around the pendulum!
This has proven to be an excellent learning tool for local schools. The Library has created a teachers guide, distributed to 206 schools in 17 counties and 8 home schools, as well as giving an average of one school tour per week.
While it took months to install this piece of scientific artwork, it will last for generations as a learning resource and visual joy for all that enter the library.
