Lexington's Carnegie Library
Lexington's library has a long, distinguished history. Established in 1795, it is now the oldest institution of its kind in Kentucky and possibly the oldest in the west. The library was started with 400 books, which were added to the collection that already existed at the Transylvania Seminary. The library was based on subscription wherein people paid for the use of the library holdings. In 1898, Lexington was deemed a second-class city by the Kentucky Legislature and this classification enabled the city to acquire and conduct a free library.
The Carnegie Library, also known as the Lexington Public Library, was built in 1906 as a gift to the city of Lexington from the Andrew Carnegie Foundation. To receive its donation, the Carnegie Foundation required the city to provide a site for the library and to appropriate funds for the library's upkeep. The new building was constructed of Bedford limestone and was built for a sum of $75,000. Thereafter, the contents of the library were moved to their new home, a beautiful Neo-Classical building at the southern end of Gratz Park.
During the late 1980s the Lexington Public Library built a new, larger central branch on East Main Street to accommodate its growing collection. The Carnegie Library is now the home of the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. This organization provides many free, public programs to help spread literacy and to promote reading among children.
Maktaba ya Carnegie ya Lexington Maktaba ya Lexington ina historia ndefu, yenye kutokeza. Kuanzishwa mnamo 1795, sasa ni taasisi ya zamani zaidi ya aina yake huko Kentucky na labda ya zamani zaidi magharibi. Maktaba hiyo ilianzishwa na vitabu 400, ambavyo viliongezwa kwenye mkusanyiko uliokuwapo tayari katika Seminari ya Transylvania. Maktaba hiyo ilitegemea usajili ambapo watu walilipa kwa ajili ya matumizi ya maktaba. Mwaka 1898, Lexington ilionwa kuwa mji wa darasa la pili na Bunge la Kentucky na uainishaji huu uliruhusu mji kupata na kuendesha maktaba ya bure. Maktaba ya Carnegie, pia inajulikana kama Maktaba ya Umma ya Lexington, ilijengwa mnamo 1906 kama zawadi kwa mji wa Lexington kutoka kwa Shirika la Andrew Carnegie. Ili kupokea mchango huo, Shirika la Carnegie lilitaka jiji hilo litenge mahali pa kuweka maktaba hiyo na kutoa fedha za kudumisha maktaba hiyo. Jengo hilo lilijengwa kwa mawe ya chokaa ya Bedford na liligharimu dola 75,000. Baada ya hapo, vitu vilivyokuwa katika maktaba hiyo vilihamishwa hadi nyumbani kwao jipya, jengo maridadi la mtindo wa Neo-Classical kwenye ncha ya kusini ya Hifadhi ya Gratz. Katika miaka ya 1980, Maktaba ya Umma ya Lexington ilijenga tawi jipya, kubwa zaidi kwenye Barabara Kuu ya Mashariki ili kukaribisha mkusanyiko wake unaokua. Maktaba ya Carnegie sasa ni makao ya Kituo cha Carnegie cha Kujifunza na Kusoma. Shirika hilo hutoa programu nyingi za umma za bure ili kusaidia kueneza ujuzi wa kusoma na kuandika na kukuza kusoma miongoni mwa watoto.