Louisville Free Public Library facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Louisville Free Public Library |
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| Type | Public Library |
| Established | 1902 |
| Reference to legal mandate | KRS 173.105 |
| Location | Louisville, Kentucky |
| Coordinates | 38°14′39.98″N 85°45′28.23″W / 38.2444389°N 85.7578417°W |
| Branches | 17 |
| Collection | |
| Size | 1,208,715 |
| Access and use | |
| Circulation | 4,338,862 |
| Population served | 771,158 |
| Members | 316,153 |
| Other information | |
| Budget | $22,298,100 (FY '21) |
| Director | Lee Burchfield |
| Staff | 339 |
The Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) is the biggest public library system in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It officially opened in 1908. The main library building is located at Fourth and York streets in downtown Louisville. From 1908 to 1910, Marilla Waite Freeman was the Head of Reference. She later became one of the most famous librarians in the country.
Contents
History of the Library
Early Branches and Important Firsts
Over time, the library system added more branches. One important branch was the Western Colored Branch. This was the first Carnegie library in the United States built only for African Americans.
Thomas Fountain Blue became the head of the Western Colored Branch in 1905. He also led the Eastern Colored Branch when it opened in 1914. Mr. Blue started the first library training program for African Americans in the U.S.
Dealing with Floods
The famous Ohio River flood of 1937 caused damage to both the Portland and Main library branches. Before the flood, a museum was in the basement of the York Street branch. After the flood, this museum had to move. It later became the Louisville Science & History Museum.
In August 2009, the main branch flooded again. A big storm dropped 7 inches (18 cm) of water on the city very quickly. The library's computer servers, bookmobiles, and offices were under 6 feet (180 cm) of water. About 50,000 books were ruined. The building was badly damaged, costing about $5 million to fix. Many systems like electrical and computer networks were almost completely destroyed. The main library had to close for several weeks. Other branches in the system also closed for a few days. Even with all the damage, the library system kept offering services.
New Technologies and Growth
In 1950, the Louisville Free Public Library became the first library in the country to have its own FM-radio station, WFPL. A few years later, a second station, WFPK, also started broadcasting.
In 1969, a new building was added to the main library. This addition cost $4 million and gave the library an extra 110,000 square feet (10,219 square meters) of space. The original building had about 42,000 square feet (3,902 square meters).
Changes in Branches
At one point, LFPL had over 30 branches. However, some had to close because there wasn't enough money to keep them open. Today, there are 16 branches plus the main library. Internet services and inter-library loan programs help people get books and information even with fewer branches.
In 2007, people voted against a proposed tax increase to help pay for library improvements. But with help from the Library Foundation and community support, a new branch opened in August 2009. This $1.9 million branch in the Newburg area focuses on education and technology.
Library Branches
The Main Library is the central point for the entire system. It handles things like facilities, managing content, and administration. Besides the Main Library, LFPL has 16 other branch libraries. The main library building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1990.
- Crescent Hill
- Western
Staff and Union
Most of the employees at LFPL are part of a collective bargaining agreement. This agreement is between AFSCME Local 3425 and the Louisville Metro Government.
