

Lexington’s African American Heritage Walking Tour
Join us for an on-demand walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s African American heritage sites.
Join us for an on-demand walking tour of Downtown Lexington’s African American heritage sites.
Explore topics related to Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math (STEAM) in this space for youth, grades 3-12.
Learn how the Lexington Public Library Foundation empowers change within our library system.
Learn or develop a personal or professional skill with LinkedIn Learning classes, available for free with your library card.
Did you know physical materials renew automatically if they don’t have a waiting list? Check your account online to see the status of your items.
Accessibility information for each of our locations, including parking, elevators, and restrooms.
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.
Destination Kindergarten is the library’s program aimed at preschoolers and their caregivers- trying to help them practice the skills they need to be ready for Kindergarten. During each Destination Kindergarten event, preschoolers and their caregivers can find a specalized area in the library with fun books, take-home activities, and information about development milestones and school readiness.
See below for more information on upcoming events and take-home packets and activities.
The materials in these collections are physically housed in the Kentucky Room at the Central Library and can be viewed during the Central Library's open hours.
For more information about a specific item, including any copyright restrictions on that item, please click on the information button:
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.
Thanks for submitting your library card application. You'll receive a status update soon at the e-mail address you provided. If you have any questions, please contact us.
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.
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 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.
How can we help you? We've gathered a variety of resources for readers, students and educators, job seekers. entrepreneurs and nonprofits, and English language learners.
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.
When you log into many of our services, you'll be asked to provide a PIN (Personal Identification Number) in addition to your library card number. Your default PIN is typically the last 4 digits of the phone number on file for your account.
Fayette County, Kentucky, has changed enormously since it was created in 1792. This collection contains government documents for the city of Lexington, for Fayette County, and for the merged Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, as well as funeral notices, club directories, scrapbooks, image collections and a history of Lexington Public Library.
PLEASE NOTE:
This application is only for volunteer opportunities with the Friends of the Library.
PLEASE NOTE:
This application is only for volunteer opportunities with the Friends of the Library.
Information about other volunteer opportunities is available here.
You will be contacted regarding this application and more information may be collected at that time. All volunteer positions will require a reference check and will most likely require a background check. Also note, if you are under 18 years of age, you may not be eligible for some volunteer opportunities.
Meet the Library's Board, Administrative Team, and Leadership Team. Apply to work or volunteer at the Library.
Get live expert help with homework and skill building, study tips and tools, and collaborate with friends on your computer or mobile device. Live Homework Help is available for K-12 grades from 2 pm - 11 pm daily with professional tutors. You must create an account on the Brainfuse site before you can log into the mobile app.
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You can request a "Bag of Books" to access our materials when you're unable to browse in person. Complete the form below, and we'll pull up to 10 items that match your specified interests. You can help us locate more items by keeping your requests general. Some examples of requests we can accommodate include:
Please note: While we will do our best, we may not be able to locate 10 items that match your request.
To use this service, you'll need a library card. Find out more here.
Need to request specific titles instead? Log into your account.
Library staff will contact you if they have questions about your request.
Requests are typically filled within 2-3 business days. You'll receive notification when materials are ready to pick up at the location of your choice. Need to change your notification method? Log into your account or give us a call at 859-231-5500.
Once ready, we'll hold your items for 7 days.
Questions? We're here to help! Ask us.
The Lexington Public Library is pleased to offer teachers, childcare providers, and homeschooling families the "Bucket of Books" service. To use this service, you'll need a Teacher Card.
The Lexington Public Library is pleased to offer teachers, childcare providers, and homeschooling families the "Bucket of Books" service. To use this service, you'll need a Teacher Card.
Need to request a specific title instead? Log into your account.
Library staff will contact you if they have questions about your request.
Requests are typically filled within 2-3 business days. You'll receive notification when materials are ready to pick up at the location of your choice. Need to change your notification method? Log into your account or give us a call at 859-231-5500.
Once ready, we'll hold your items for 7 days.
Books check out for 6 weeks on Teacher Cards and will auto-renew if no other customer has requested them.
Questions? We're here to help! Ask us.