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New Versailles Road Library Branch to be named Marksbury Family Branch
Lexington, Kentucky (March 9, 2022) – Lexington Public Library and Lexington Public Library Foundation are honored to announce that the Marksbury Family Foundation has committed the lead gift for the capital campaign to rebuild the library branch at the corner of Versailles Road and Village Drive. In recognition of their generosity, the new facility will be named the Marksbury Family Branch when it opens in 2024.
Lexington, Kentucky (March 9, 2022) – Lexington Public Library and Lexington Public Library Foundation are honored to announce that the Marksbury Family Foundation has committed the lead gift for the capital campaign to rebuild the library branch at the corner of Versailles Road and Village Drive. In recognition of their generosity, the new facility will be named the Marksbury Family Branch when it opens in 2024.
The Library purchased the site in late 2020 after leasing the facility for 15 years, with plans to demolish the current building. A new two-story facility will replace it with nearly triple the amount of space available for library services. The new building will include community and study rooms, a dedicated classroom, makerspace, outdoor reading area, expanded adult and children’s areas, and a drive-thru window where customers can pick up and return borrowed materials. The Library estimates that it will serve approximately 1 million visitors per year at this location. The Library Foundation has committed to raising $5.3 million in support of this $17 million project through a public-private partnership.
The Marksbury Family Foundation, founded by Davis Marksbury, invests in innovative projects that provide sustainable, life-changing opportunities for individuals and communities. “We are excited to invest in this community-wide resource, which offers countless educational resources to everyone in the greater Lexington area,” said Logan Marksbury, President of the Marksbury Family Foundation. “Our family has been very fortunate, and we love to provide new opportunities for others to succeed through our Foundation.” The Marksbury Family Foundation has supported the University of Kentucky, Lexington Leadership Foundation’s Woodhill Community Center, Blue Grass Community Foundation’s Good Giving Challenge, and many other projects in the educational and entrepreneurial spaces.
This donation is the single largest commitment in the history of the Lexington Public Library Foundation, which has supported our public library system since 1997. “The fundraising success of the Library Foundation speaks to the commitment of our donors and the impact of the Lexington Public Library system,” said Erin Serrate, Chair of the Library Foundation Board. “Like the individuals it serves, the Library has unlimited potential, and our role is to ensure that the Library has the financial resources it needs to meet our community’s educational needs.”
The Library Foundation supports new projects, capital needs, and specialty programs. Recent investments include Destination Kindergarten (with the PNC Foundation’s signature Grow Up Great initiative), the Eastside Branch (contributing $1.3M for the project), and the Kloiber Foundation STEAM Lab, which will open later this month.
“Our Library system thrives when our community comes together,” said Executive Director Heather Dieffenbach. “We are grateful for the support of the Marksbury Family Foundation and the leadership of the Lexington Public Library Foundation. Together, we will accomplish great things to support the citizens of Central Kentucky.” For more information about the project or to get involved, please visit www.lexpublib.org/village.
For general information on Lexington Public Library, their programs, and their partners, please visit www.lexpublib.org and their social media pages @lexpublib. Follow the Library Foundation on Facebook at @lexingtonpubliclibraryfoundation or visit www.lexpublib.org/foundation.
New Versailles Road Library Branch to be named Marksbury Family Branch
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New facility will remain at previous location with a larger footprint and expanded offerings
Lexington, Kentucky (August 18, 2022) – The Lexington Public Library broke ground on a new, significantly larger facility in the former Village Branch location on Versailles Road to better provide for the needs of the neighborhoods it serves. The new branch will reflect the community’s vision for a state-of-the-art community hub, one that offers robust resources and a myriad of program and service offerings. The groundbreaking ceremony was held on Tuesday at a media event featuring Library and City officials.
The Marksbury Family Foundation has committed the lead gift for the capital campaign to rebuild the former Village Branch and in recognition of their generosity, the new facility will be named the Marksbury Family Branch when it opens in late 2023.
“The Marksbury Family Branch will continue to serve as the cornerstone in LPL’s systemwide vision, just as the Village Branch has done since 2004,” said Lexington Public Library Executive Director Heather Dieffenbach. “Village Branch consistently delivered rich programming, library collections, and resources from its small space, and we are excited to see how services will be expanded with a new space,” she added.
A new two-story facility will replace the former Village Branch with nearly triple the amount of space available for library services. The new building will include community and study rooms, a dedicated classroom, makerspace, outdoor reading area, expanded adult and children’s areas, and a drive-thru window where customers can pick up and return borrowed materials. The Library estimates that it will serve approximately 1 million visitors per year at this location.
The Library Foundation has committed to raising $5.3 million in support of this $17 million project through a public-private partnership. Those interested in financially supporting the project may visit www.lexpublib.org/donate.
LPL began the development of a master plan in late 2018 to determine the vision and need for library space and facilities, and to provide a framework and guide for future improvements and growth. The planning process was highly participatory, striving to include as many voices as possible in the development of the plan. During the year-long planning process, more than 2,400 library staff, stakeholders, and community members engaged in the conversation about the vision for library facilities in Lexington-Fayette County. Overwhelmingly, the community supported a reimaging and expansion of this site as the future of the Lexington Public Library.
“This is a great opportunity to introduce the world to Lexington as they enter our city,” remarked the Library’s Foundation Co-Chairs, Ramsey Bova and Larry Smith. “The Marksbury Family Branch will be one of the first buildings people see as they enter Lexington from this corridor. It will stand as a clear demonstration of the vibrancy and diversity of our community and the value we place on education and culture.”
For more information about the project or to get involved, please visit www.lexpublib.org/village. For general information on Lexington Public Library, their programs, and their partners, please visit www.lexpublib.org and their social media pages @lexpublib. Follow the Library Foundation on Facebook at @lexingtonpubliclibraryfoundation or visit www.lexpublib.org/foundation.
For more information please visit the Lexington Public Library’s website at www.lexpublib.org and their social media pages @lexpublib.
New facility will remain at previous location with a larger footprint and expanded offerings
741.5 is written and designed by Lexington Public Library staff member Bill Widener. The inaugural issue came out in January 2017. Sub-titled The Comics & Graphic Novel Bulletin of the Lexington Public Library, its intent is to promote new arrivals to the Library's comics collections. 741.5 takes its name from the numeral designation within the Dewey Decimal System that covers comics and cartooning.
We are working to raise $5 million to build the library our community deserves — and we are over 80% of the way there! We need you to help us cross the finish line. Every contribution, no matter the size, will make a lasting positive impact on our community.
Your donation will support the spaces and programs the new library will bring to the community. Gifts are tax deductible and can be made over a five-year pledge period.
Thank you for investing in your public library. We can’t wait to welcome you to our grand opening in 2024!
Lexington, Kentucky (April 12, 2023) – The Lexington Public Library will be Fine Free for all materials, effective immediately, following a vote at today’s regularly scheduled monthly board meeting. Lexington Public Library customers will no longer incur fines for late, damaged, or lost library materials. Additionally, the Library has forgiven all current, outstanding fines
Lexington, Kentucky (April 12, 2023) – The Lexington Public Library will be Fine Free for all materials, effective immediately, following a vote at today’s regularly scheduled monthly board meeting. Lexington Public Library customers will no longer incur fines for late, damaged, or lost library materials. Additionally, the Library has forgiven all current, outstanding fines
Lexington Public Library is making this change because overdue fines disproportionally affect children and low-income households. Late fines may create a financial barrier for people in accessing library materials. Libraries that have gone Fine Free have reported less stigma and an increased likelihood for patrons to re-engage with their library and its services as a result.
The Lexington Public Library is a center of community life that connects people of all ages with information, engages them with the world of ideas and with each other, and enriches the community by supporting learning, promoting literacy, and encouraging creativity.
“This is our way of removing any reading barrier that we can to help increase childhood literacy and improve library access in Lexington,” said Library Executive Director Heather Dieffenbach. “Fines can potentially be an obstacle that disproportionately impact people without the means to pay. Removing these fines will allow more people to enjoy our materials for education, enrichment, and inspiration.”
Patrons are encouraged to return overdue items to make those materials available to others who would like to borrow them. The Library has been temporarily fine free since March 2020; today’s vote makes it a formalized policy for the benefit of all Lexington Public Library cardholders.
For more information and a full list of events, please visit www.lexpublib.org, call 859-231-5500, or follow us on social media at @lexpublib.
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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.
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All the Library Can Be
The library is essential to a thriving community, ensuring equitable access to information, education, and technology for all. We raise funds to support Lexington Public Library programs, services, and special projects that go beyond what public dollars alone can support.
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.
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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.
The archives have a simple keyword search, and it is possible to browse the collections by subject, area, or decade. The Lexington Public Library actively reviews and labels materials in our archives with statements that indicate how you may reuse the images, and what sort of permission, if any, you need to do so. Please check the information for each image to determine its legal status.
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Free program being offered at Northside and Village Branches
Lexington, Kentucky (December 20, 2022) – Lexington Public Library announced today that its popular LPL After School program will return in 2023, beginning January 2.
LPL After School is a FREE drop-in program for kids aged 5-12 that takes place after regular school hours, Mondays through Fridays from 4-6pm. The Library, in partnership with God’s Pantry, will provide snacks for all participants as well as STEAM and enrichment activities, homework help, and reading recommendations. And there’s no need to register—just show up!
Lexington, Kentucky (December 20, 2022) – Lexington Public Library announced today that its popular LPL After School program will return in 2023, beginning January 2.
LPL After School is a FREE drop-in program for kids aged 5-12 that takes place after regular school hours, Mondays through Fridays from 4-6pm. The Library, in partnership with God’s Pantry, will provide snacks for all participants as well as STEAM and enrichment activities, homework help, and reading recommendations. And there’s no need to register—just show up!
“Lexington Public Library is thrilled to once again offer our After School program to the community,” said Executive Director Heather Dieffenbach. “The Library and our partners are committed to being a resource to families here in the Bluegrass and providing a safe environment where children and youth are able to grow and thrive.”
For more information, please visit the Lexington Public Library’s website athttps://www.lexpublib.org/afterschool and their social media pages @lexpublib.
Free program being offered at Northside and Village Branches
Mariam interviews Ruth Gaylord about her life and work as Lexington Public Library’s first African American librarian.
The Lexington Public Library welcomes your time and talents! There are a number of volunteer opportunities available. Apply now.
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Wonderful podcasts and walking tours have been created by our staff. Please enjoy!
Mariam gives a brief history of the public schools in Lexington and Fayette County.
Amended and Restated Bylaws of the Friends of the Lexington Public Library, Inc.
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The governance of Lexington Public Library is under the direction of 7 Trustees and up to 10 Advisors who guide the long-term strategies for the Lexington Public Library, including the long range plan, annual budget cycle, advocating for the library and for library customers, and policy recommendations.
The Lexington Public Library opened a Carnegie library in 1905. It incorporated the collections of the former subscription Lexington Library Company (est.1801) and the former Transylvania Library (est.1795). The library became a free library in 1899, shortly before moving locations. When the city outgrew the Carnegie building, the Central Library was built and it opened in 1989.
The system contains six branch locations. The largest is the Central Library, located on E. Main St. The Beaumont Branch, located on Fieldstone Way just off Harrodsburg Rd., replaced the Southside Branch in 1997. The Tates Creek Branch, located on Walden Drive, replaced the Lansdowne Branch in 2001. The Village Branch, located on Versailles Rd. at Village Dr., opened in 2004, and is an English-Spanish bilingual branch, with bilingual staff. The Northside Branch, located on Russell Cave Rd., replaced the previous Northside location in 2008. The Eastside Branch, located on Blake James Dr., replaced the Eagle Creek Branch in 2016.
The contents of the library's digital collection contain some images and brochures at various points in library history. The typed library history by Mary K. Bullitt was a part of the library's cornerstone collection, which was buried in 1902, during the construction of the Carnegie building. It was opened in 1989 when the library moved locations. The other images depict the construction of the Central Library from 1987-1989.
The Lexington Public Library receives most of its operating funds from an Ad Valorem property tax. By State law, the Library receives five cents for every $100 of assessed property value in Lexington and Fayette County.
Thanks for your interest in joining the Lexington Public Library! Your library card is the key to checking out books, downloading audiobooks, taking online classes, and much more. Please check here to find out if you qualify for a library card and how to apply.
Jennifer and Erin review meat and vegetarian burger recipes from three grill-out cookbooks: Burgers: 125 Mouthwatering Recipes and Tips compiled by Good Housekeeping, Grilling Vegan Style: 125 fired-up recipes to turn every bite into a backyard BBQ by Joh
The Lexington Public Library has made an effort to ensure that all of our digital collections are public domain, or that we have gotten approval from the copyright holders to display their work. Most - but not all - of these collections, to the best of our knowledge, have no known US copyright restrictions. Some items in the collection are under copyright but qualify for online display by libraries under Section 108(h) of United States Copyright Law. Some of the collections provided in the Library's Digital Archives are made available under an assertion of fair use, which does not necessarily apply to an individual's use of them.
The Lexington Public Library offers an Interlibrary Loan (ILL) service which allows cardholders in good standing to borrow books and magazine articles we do not own and cannot purchase. The Lexington Public Library also lends our books to libraries both inside and outside the Commonwealth of Kentucky.
Are you just starting your family tree, or have you run into a brick wall tracing a distant ancestor? Join us to share tips and learn new research strategies. All levels of experience are welcome!
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Meet the Library's Board, Administrative Team, and Leadership Team. Apply to work or volunteer at the Library.
Mariam and Wayne talk about the history of Lexington Public Library spaces, from its beginning as a subscription library in 1795 to the building project for the new Marksbury Family Branch (formerly Village Branch) now in 2022.
Walking Tour
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s public art. 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 mile.
The music clips used in this tour are from “Walking Barefoot on Grass” by Kai Engel, and are used with a CCBY license. It is available here: http://freemusicarchive.org/music/Kai_Engel/
This tour has been updated to include the new mural at Stop #5, "In-Finito".
Join us for a walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s public art. 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.
Digital Archives - Collection
In the summer of 2019, the Lexington History Museum exhibited a 20th anniversary timeline and historical materials exhibit titled, Our Fair City: the 1999 Lexington Fairness Ordinance. The ordinance, Local Ordinance 201-99, passed on July 8th, 1999, and added sexual orientation and gender identity as explicitly protected classes against discrimination in Fayette County employment, housing and public accommodations.
From June 17 - July 19, 2019, the Lexington Public Library hosted the exhibit and several community events surrounding the anniversary. The exhibit also featured a community response section titled, "What Does Fairness Mean To You?" with an opportunity for attendees to give their own response. After the exhibit, the notes were collected and digitized, and are now available for viewing.
To view the 3D interactive exhibit, click here.
Wednesday, January 03 2024 5:30pm - 7:00pm
Happy New Year! Start 2024 out right by creating your own vision board at the library.
Saturday, December 09 2023 2:30pm - 4:00pm
Dress in your favorite Holiday seasonal wear for a free family photo at the Northside Library. Perfect for gifts or cards!
