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Imperial Court of Kentucky
Founded in 1982 by Gigi Galore (Greg Butler) and Blanche Pink (Marlon Austin), the Imperial Court of Kentucky, Inc., is a nonprofit charity that supports the LGBTQ+ community of Kentucky “one dollar at a time” through drag shows, social programs, and fundraisers. The Court uses the modus of English peerage to establish male and female lines of descent, with the female line comprising of drag queens (i.e. performers in drag), with each year an empress and emperor being elected. These “royals” represent the court throughout the upcoming year. The Court is a charter member of the International Court System with kingdoms in the US, Canada, and Mexico. Member courts are autonomous organizations bound together in a shared structure, policies, and goals, fundraising for HIV/AIDS services, human rights advocacy, and other LBGTQ+ stakeholders.
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Kentucky Progress Magazine (1928-1936)
The Kentucky Progress Commission was formed in 1928 in order to draw tourism and business to Kentucky. It was formed by the Kentucky Legislature, and was a 12 person board. The “Kentucky Progress Magazine” was used by the board to promote Kentucky, and features local interest stories, photographs of people, places, and activities. It also features ads placed by various cities around the state. It was published monthly from September 1928 through August 1932, and continued quarterly until the Spring issue of 1936.
Some issues contain material that is under copyright, but qualifies for display by libraries under Section 108(h) of US Copyright Law. It is the user's responsibility to determine the copyright status of the material they want to use.
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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.
Wendi Keene retired from a thirty year career with the YMCA of Central Kentucky. She held many positions from early education teacher, camp director, and after-school site director until she worked her way to outreach programing. When she left the Y she had become the Executive Director of Community Initiatives for the total Y association with her focus on the arts, literacy and volunteers.
Marissa Webb is the Continuum of Care Coordinator within Lexington Fayette Urban County Government. In this position for over four years, Marissa's experience as a grant writer and administrator, as well as community service system coordinator, has fostered greater local government support for our neighbors residing unhoused. Prior to working within the Office of Homelessness Prevention and Intervention, she worked at the Human Rights Commission, conducting civil rights legal investigations concerning EEO and Fair Housing violations.
A born-and-raised Lexingtonian, Hunter attended Lexington Catholic High School and graduated with a B.S. in Economics from the University of Kentucky Gatton College of Business and Economics in 2015. He is currently a Senior Associate at BC Wood Properties, a commercial real estate investment company, where he manages 1.8 million square feet of commercial space throughout six states. Hunter has a passion for community involvement, serving on various boards for the Explorium of Lexington, United Way of the Bluegrass, University of Kentucky DanceBlue Marathon, and Make-A-Wish Kentucky.
Shawntaye Hopkins is the Marketing and Communications Director at the University of Kentucky J. David Rosenberg College of Law. Before landing at the University of Kentucky, Shawntaye worked as a newspaper reporter, a public relations specialist at another university, and as a communications associate for a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization serving state governments. Shawntaye has a bachelor’s degree in journalism from Western Kentucky University. Her hobbies include reading and writing about books, mostly fiction.
Melissa Coulston is Partnership Coordinator at Kentucky Refugee Ministries Lexington, where she has worked since 2022. Her role at KRM involves wearing many different hats depending on the day, but she primarily works to engage central Kentucky communities to support KRM's work to welcome forcibly displaced newcomers. Prior to her work in refugee resettlement and newcomer welcome, Melissa served in various positions in academic, public, and government libraries in Kentucky and South Carolina.
Dr. Rania Belmadani was born in Algeria, lived in Spain for more than 15 years, and now calls Lexington her home. She serves as a Language Access Specialist with GlobalLex. Rania is fluent in five languages – Arabic, French, Spanish, German and English. In addition, she holds multiple degrees from universities in both Algeria and Spain.
Lisa Smith is the Public Affairs Manager for Columbia Gas of Kentucky where she has held a variety of roles since joining the company in 1996. Lisa earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism and advertising from the University of Kentucky. A proud Lexington native, she has dedicated her time to volunteering and has served on the Boards of numerous organizations throughout her career.
Do you need to learn new software, technology, creative or business skills to achieve your professional or personal goals? LinkedIn Learning gives you unlimited access to a vast library of high quality video tutorials taught by recognized industry experts. You can work at your own pace with provided exercise files. Available on your personal computer or mobile device. (Note: To log into the mobile app, enter lex for your Library ID. You will be prompted to enter your library card number and PIN.)
The Marksbury Family Branch Makerspace, located at 2197 Versailles Road, is an inclusive space where customers of all ages can come to learn, create, and explore together, free of charge. Outfitted with current high-tech and low-tech tools, the Makerspace is designed to promote education and cultivate a do-it-yourself spirit for the whole family. Customers ages 7 and under must be accompanied by a responsible caregiver. Planning to bring a group of 10 or more? Please contact us by calling 859-231-5500 ext.2822 or using the link below.
Sample projects
Engrave a bookmark for your next read, design matching t-shirts for your family vacation, personalize a coffee mug, embroider a t-shirt, or print fun stickers for your new business.
The Eastside Branch Makerspace, located at 3000 Blake James Drive, is a collaborative workspace for ages 13 and up to make, learn , explore, and share, free of charge. Staff are available during open studio hours to assist in projects of all kinds, or contact Makerspace staff to schedule one-on-one help. Not sure where to start? The Eastside Makerspace also offers regular workshops that introduce participants to new skills, technology, and equipment. Planning to bring a group of 10 or more? Please contact us by calling 859-231-5500 ext.2207 or using the link below.
Sample projects
Engrave a welcome sign, 3D print a business card holder, laminate a sign for your classroom, print a banner for your next event, make a personalized magnet for your refrigerator, sew a quilt block, or cut a vinyl design for your water bottle.
The Digital Studio provides people of all skill levels the equipment, software, and AI creative tools for filmmaking, photography and digital art, music making, and media preservation.
The William Stamps Farish, III Theater at the Central Library is available to the community for lectures, live music, community forums, film festivals, small theatrical productions, dance performances, literary readings, debates, and other creative uses.
Your tax-deductible gift to the Lexington Public Library Foundation funds innovation in our public library system. We raise funds to support Lexington Public Library programs, services, and special projects that go beyond what public dollars alone can support, today and for generations to come. The Library Foundation will send you an email confirmation of your gift and a year-end summary and tax acknowledgement receipt.
We stand for free and open access to information. That starts with removing unnecessary barriers to our educational resources and technology. The Lexington Public Library no longer charges fines or fees for late, lost, or damaged material.
Our commitment to listening, learning and changing is ongoing and our work is never complete. We affirm that we achieve more together because of our differences, not despite them. When all voices are heard, we are stronger.
Sam'l D. M'Cullough's Reminiscences of Lexington
This is a handwritten series of lectures detailing Samuel D. McCullough's memories of his childhood and life in Lexington, Kentucky, accompanied by letters and a photograph of his house. The lectures were apparently delivered before the Historical Society of Fayette County of which McCullough was a member. The lectures begin with a discussion of McCullough's early childhood, followed by reminiscences on local inventors, railroads, turnpikes, jails, punishment of crimes, mills, and the theater. Among Lexington inventors, McCullough details the careers of acquaintances Thomas H. Barlow (1789-1865), John Jones (d. 1849), Edward West (d. 1827), and Nathan Burrowes (d. 1846) Correspondence (2 items; 1869, 1870) consists of a note accompanying the donation of a pamphlet to the library and a letter to fellow members of the historical society concerning an historical map of Fayette County which McCullough proposed to create. Samuel D. McCullough was born in Lexington, Kentucky in 1803 and attended Transylvania College, graduating in 1824. For fourteen years he conducted a female academy, after which he engaged in the manufacture and sale of mustard, having inherited a recipe from a relative, Nathan Burrowes.
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If books are your thing, this is your place. Browse the newest titles in our collection, take a deep dive into comics and graphic novels with the 741.5 bulletin, request a personalized "bag of books," and more.
Everyone deserves a place to discover something new. The Lexington Public Library stands for free and open access to information. We’re a safe, welcoming space for neighbors to come together — opening the door so all Lexingtonians can find what they’re looking for.
Read articles from magazines and journals, learn a new language, or locate a newspaper article. These resources can't be found with a search engine but are available for free with your library card.
Friends of the Lexington Public Library provides financial, advocacy and volunteer support to the Library. Shop at the Friends Book Cellar in the Central Library for a great selection of used books, magazines, CDs, DVDs, audiobooks, and vinyl records, all at discounted prices.
Learning doesn’t stop at the end of the school day. The Lexington Public Library is here to support your education at every level, from birth through college, with skill-building tools, live tutoring, standardized test prep, after-school programs, and more.