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Louisville Free Public Library
A long-running public library system in Louisville, Kentucky, it has grown from an early 1900s civic project into a major community resource with branches, programs, local history collections, and digital services across Jefferson County.
1 Audiobook
Colored Branches of the Louisville Free Public Library
by Louisville Free Public Library
About the author
The Louisville Free Public Library was established in 1902 by an act of the Kentucky State Legislature. In its early years, it merged with the Polytechnic Society of Kentucky, and public service began from the society’s collection before the Main Library opened on York Street in the first decade of the 20th century.
Its history includes some especially notable milestones. The system’s Western Branch is widely recognized as the first public library branch in the United States built for African Americans and staffed entirely by African Americans, making it an important part of both library history and Black history in Louisville.
Today, the library serves Jefferson County through a network of branches, public programs, research resources, genealogy and local history services, and online tools for readers, students, and lifelong learners. Its Main Library remains a central landmark, and the system continues to play a big role in the city’s educational and cultural life.