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Celebrate Lexington, Kentucky’s 250th anniversary this April with a full month dedicated to the history and heritage of music, poetry, and literature in and around Lexington with events hosted by the Lexington Public Library, the City of Lexington, 21c Museum and Hotel, the Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning, Institute 193, and the Pam Miller Downtown Arts Center.
Discover unique resources in our Digital Archives that tell the story of Fayette County. Visit cemeteries throughout Central Kentucky using our cemetery maps. Contact our resident experts in the Central Library's Kentucky Room with questions. The Lexington Public Library is a FamilySearch Affiliate Library.
Queer, Here, & Everywhere: The Roots of Kentucky’s LGBTQ History is the first comprehensive exhibition of Lexington’s LGBTQ history, showcasing the importance of the queer community in this city
Highlighting key moments and figures in Lexington's LGBTQ history, from Sweet Evening Breeze's drag performances in the 1920s to the passage of the Fairness Ordinance in 1999, this exhibit celebrates the resilience and contributions of the queer community. By shedding light on these often overlooked narratives, we hope to foster a greater sense of belonging for LGBTQ individuals in Lexington while also promoting understanding and appreciation among the broader population.
Learn more about this exhibit here.
Join us for updates on library happenings, book recommendations, interviews, and more!
Search selected articles in Lexington newspapers about significant people, places, and events from 1787-2007.
Lexington Herald-Leader full text article search beginning from April 25, 1983.
These tours are guided audio walking tours with a variety of topics focused on Downtown Lexington, KY. Music will play in between each stop, and the listener can pause the track while walking between stops.
Want to learn about new tours as they become available? Subscribe to our Genealogy & Local History newsletter.
Classical Music Sundays presents live classical music the third Sunday of every month, September through May, with EKU music professor Bernardo Scarambone as emcee.
This month features a string quintet led by Nathan Jasinski on cello. They'll be performing Franz Schubert's String Quintet in C Major. Classical Music Sundays presents live classical music the third Sunday of every month, September through May, with EKU music professor Bernardo Scarambone as emcee.
The Undesign the Redline project unearths the deep and systemic history of structural racism and inequality in the United States. This interactive exhibit explores policies like Redlining, their implications for today, and what we can do to undesign them.
The exhibit was created by social impact design studio designing the WE and has been invited to dozens of cities across the country. A local advisory group has helped to produce local history and stories about Redlining in Lexington.
The Community Collections consist of objects shared from local community residents and organizations. Individuals have lent items of local significance to the library to give the larger community awareness and access.
This is your gateway to our most popular resources. Search for books and eBooks, access tools for research and learning, and discover our unique collection of genealogy and local history materials.
All databases are available from this page.
Participants are welcome to drop-in anytime between 3:30-5:30 pm and stay as little or as long as you would like!
Children 7 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver.
If you are planning on bringing a large group (10+ people) please contact our Experiential Learning Associate for accommodations. (859) 231-5500 ext. 1147
Participants are welcome to drop-in anytime between 3:30-5:30 pm and stay as little or as long as you would like!
Children 7 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver.
If you are planning on bringing a large group (10+ people) please contact our Experiential Learning Associate for accommodations. (859) 231-5500 ext. 1147
The Lexington Public Library’s Digital Archives provide open access to researchers and students to learn more about the rich history of Lexington and Fayette County. It contains a fraction of the Library’s physical holdings, which are housed and available for reference in the Kentucky Room at the Central Library. New material is being digitized and added constantly, so there's always something new to find.
Help us make digital archives searchable, from anywhere.
Description coming soon.
Wonderful podcasts and walking tours have been created by our staff. Please enjoy!
Join us for Kentucky Legends: a series of programs exploring Kentucky culture, history, and lore. Programs include author visits, Chautauqua performances, live music, activities and crafts, and more.
The Lexington Public Library is home to four collaborative creative spaces for making, learning, exploring, and sharing. These spaces offer a variety of events, high-tech and low-tech equipment for patron use, and serve as a space to build community, explore your creativity, and develop personal interests.
Sample projects
Film a music video, 3D print a fidget toy, digitize old family photos, sew a costume or mend your favorite pair of pants, embroider a t-shirt, comb bind a book, start a podcast, record in the audio booth, create content with the green screen, make custom magnets or buttons, engrave a keychain, print a poster, make custom stickers, and more.
