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Celebrate Lexington, Kentucky’s 250th anniversary all year long. Join us for programs, galleries, podcasts, and more highlighting our city’s history, heritage, and legacy.
Search selected articles in Lexington newspapers about significant people, places, and events from 1787-2007.
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s historic LGBTQ+ places. The full tour is available as a single MP3, or you can download individual tracks. For the single MP3, music will play between the stops. You can pause the track while you walk between stops.
This tour covers a walking distance of 1.6 miles.
Description coming soon.
Stories of Lexington's history told through the Kentucky Room archives.
Together, we’ll enrich our Lexington Public Library for the next 230 years.
Tracing its history back to 1795, the Lexington Public Library is a gateway to knowledge, a bridge to opportunity, and a hub for community connection. The name of the society honors that legacy — when a small group of citizens came together to create something lasting for their community - a library positioned to evolve to meet the ever changing needs of our community.
Members of the 1795 Society are philanthropic leaders and dedicated library champions. Supporters make a three-year pledge of at least $1,000 per year - whether you are an individual donor interested in making an annual or monthly gift, you are making your estate plans, or you are a corporate partner looking to connect your organization to community impact, we invite you to join this legacy of connection, learning, and leadership in support of the public library!
Join the 1795 Society, a community who enable the Library’s critical work and build a legacy of learning, access and opportunity for generations to come.
Day 1 opens Friday with keynote speaker Patricia L. Hudson, author of Traces, a retelling of Daniel Boone's saga through the eyes of his wife, Rebecca, and their two oldest daughters, Susannah and Jemima.
Day 1 opens Friday with keynote speaker Patricia L. Hudson, author of Traces, a retelling of Daniel Boone's saga through the eyes of his wife, Rebecca, and their two oldest daughters, Susannah and Jemima.
This month's theme is American History. Pick any book you want that fits the theme and come discuss it with friends! Each month, we will discuss books in a different genre and everyone will talk about the book they chose to read. Spoilers may occur, so please be advised.
If you're not sure what to read, ask for a recommendation at the Beaumont Branch front desk.
Take a step into the past and see how Kentucky has changed through the lens of the Old State Capitol. Engage in a hands-on activity and experience writing with a quill and ink. Take on the role of a historian and analyze artifacts from the Kentucky Historical Society.
For large groups (10+), please call ahead. Visit lexpublib.org/summer for more Summer at the Library events.
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.
All databases are available from this page.
Celebrate National Poetry Month at LPL
The Lexington Public Library is celebrating National Poetry Month throughout April! Find reading recommendations, explore Lexington’s rich literary history, and discover fun ways to get involved.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
Apply to be a presenter at the 2026 Kentucky History and Genealogy Conference.