Friends of the Lexington Public Library

01/17/2025

Happy New Year! For 2025, we'd like to introduce this new addition to the Friends Book Cellar - a map! Make sure to stick one of the provided pins into the map and mark where you're from, where you live, or where you're visiting from! We can't wait to see what locations start to fill up the map! Rick, one of our employees, is proudly representing his hometown of Paris, Kentucky. Whether you hail from a small town like Paris or a major city, we'd love to know where you call home!

We've also received a large donation of new high-quality Kentucky books recently. Covering a wide variety of subject matter, there's something in here for all sorts of local interests. From horses to politics, fiction to history, all sorts of local topics are represented.

Also take a look at our newly organized and recently updated children's and young adult books section! Our volunteers have been hard at work organizing this area and adding lots of new books. Whether you're looking for yourself or for a young reader, you're bound to find the perfect book here!

However, it isn't just this area that's recently been updated, our entire store is full of thousands of different books, music, media, and gifts. If you haven't been down to see us in the new year yet, why not make a trip to the lower level of the Central Library and see what we've got in-store? Remember, your purchase supports the Lexington Public Library.

01/09/2025

Every book is special, but we're bringing some EXTRA special books to Burl Brew's Book Fair this Saturday, January 11, from 12-4pm!
-The Illustrated Stephen King Trivia Book (signed by 3 illustrators)
-Hannah Coulter by Wendell Berry (signed 1st ed. 1st printing)
-The Best Loved Short Stories of Jesse Stuart
-The Greek Myths by Robert Graves, intro by Rick Riordan
-The Romance of Leonardo Da Vinci, Modern Library Edition
-The Heaven & Earth Grocery Store (signed by James McBride)
-Lightlark by Alex Aster
-The Idylls of the King by Alfred Tennyson, illustrated by Eleanor Brickdale
-Civil War: A Narrative by Shelby Foote (3 volumes in slipcase)

Check out the event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/1268310951136640

We continue to monitor the weather as we get closer to Saturday.

01/06/2025

We wil be closed today, January 6. If the library is closed, we are as well! Please stay safe and put a dent in those TBR books!

⚠️ ❄️ WEATHER UPDATE!

All library locations will remain closed tomorrow, January 6, due to inclement weather. Check our website or social media for the latest updates.

Stay safe out there, everyone!

www.lexpublib.org

01/05/2025

We will be closed today. Please stay safe and we look forward to your next visit!

UPDATE: All locations will remain closed tomorrow, January 6, due to inclement weather. Stay safe and warm!

01/03/2025

Start your 2025 reading goals with us one book at a time! We're open Sunday, January 5 from 1-5pm with our 1st Sunday sale for members.

Renew your membership here:https://www.lexpublib.org/friends -206320

January 11 meet us at Burl Brew for the Books & Brews event from 12-4! Our volunteer team is looking forward to bringing over 3,000 books from our brick and mortar spot to the great folks at Burl Brew!

12/22/2024

Thank you to our patrons and volunteers for allowing us to support our wonderful library system over the course of another year! The library's importance to our community cannot be overstated.

Visit us again January 5, from 1-5pm for our members first Sunday sale when we resume our normal hours.
Mark your calendar for our Books & Brews with Burl Brew on January 11 from 12-4pm!
Please no book donations while we are closed.

12/16/2024

We're open December 16 through December 21 with our best sale of the year! 30% off for current members and 15% off for non members. Membership is a great way to support the library and it's still only $10 per year. Renew in-store or at this link. https://www.lexpublib.org/friends -206320

Thanks to the Northside Branch Manager, Brian, for delivering some holiday treats for our 30+ volunteers! Northside Branch hosts the Digital Studio Lab, Family Play Patio, Luna Library collection of children’s books with an African American character focus, and a food pantry in partnership with God’s Pantry Food Bank. An amazing resource for our community.

Reminder we will be closed December 22 through January 4 to give the best volunteers in Lexington a break! We are excited to reopen for the first Sunday sale January 5 from 1-5pm.

12/11/2024

Check out our Friends of the LPL Wrapped!

What would your Top Book Reads of 2024 be?

12/05/2024

December 5th is International Volunteer Day. The Friends of the Library wouldn't run without over 30 volunteers. We also raise a book to the hundreds that came before them since our inception in 1967 and our first $10,000 donation in 1972 to the Lexington Public Library 📖

Nancy and Peg volunteer on the register because, "Meeting book folks and library folks is one of the best parts of my day!" 😊

Jim and Ann like volunteering because it's never boring. "I'm always amazed at the variety of books that exist even though I have over 1,000 in my house!" 📚

Keith explained, "I like supporting the library through an annual donation to the Lexington Public Library Foundation, but also volunteering my time down here."📚

Neal likes guiding the history section, "And learning new things about my passion through the books down here." 👨

Thank you to all of our volunteers and to our members and patrons for helping us support all six amazing library branches and outreach services! The library is a true pillar of our community 📚

11/30/2024

📖 The first day of a new month is upon us, which means it's that time again: our monthly first Sunday sale! Tomorrow, December 1st, is the first Sunday of the month, and we're ready for another great sale!

Come by between 1 PM and 5 PM tomorrow, December 1st, to enjoy 30% off of everything in the store (members only). If you need to renew your membership, visit https://www.lexpublib.org/friends -206320

Whether it's an old book, a festive Christmas read, or an interesting local interest item, we've packed ourselves full of new stock, and Simon, Henry, and Abigail wanted to show off our new arrivals! 📕📗

We've stocked up on books for all sorts of interests, so whether you're looking for yourself or for the perfect Christmas gift for someone, you're sure to find it here! We can't think of a better way to spend a cold day than hanging out down here and shopping our selection. Remember, all purchases support the Lexington Public Library. 📚

11/21/2024

We're happy to announce another donation of $20,000 to the Lexington Public Library . The LPL does so much for the community at all 6 branches and the outreach van! From the Makerspaces and the foreign language groups, to free children's events and classes like Fiber Happy Hour and Adulting 101. There's something for everyone at the LPL.

A lot of books might have left the Friends, but we've also received a few! We're processing the best batch of "old books" we've ever received - stay tuned and stop by before the holidays.
Friends of Kentucky Libraries

Please note: We will be closed 11/22/24 for Staff Development Day and 11/28/24 for Thanksgiving

10/30/2024

Come out for our Bag Days starting Thursday, 10/31 through Saturday, 11/2! We're open 10am to 4pm. Vickie, Nancy, Janet, and Keith are preparing the bags and boxes for the next few days, as well as bringing in new books from the back.

Fill a bag for $5 plus tax with ANYTHING from our sale room. Bags provided as well as assistance to your vehicle. Stop by in costume for 30% off your purchase in the main store as well! 📚

10/25/2024

Despite there only being a week of the Fall book sale left, we're still completely packed with over 20,000 books and media! Rod and Brian, two of our volunteers, were excited to show off some of the interesting books they found while browsing! 📚😀

📖 If you haven't stopped by already, now's the perfect time do do so! Or, if you've already come to see us, why not come back and see what else you can find? The sale runs every day (except Sunday) between 10 AM and 4 PM until Saturday, November 2nd. October 31st to November 2nd are also our famous "bag days" - fill a bag of anything on sale for only $5! 🤑

We at the Friends Book Cellar would also like to extend a major THANK YOU to our amazing volunteer and board president, Rod. This upcoming week is National Friends of Libraries Week, and we can't think of a better way to celebrate than these delicious cupcakes. Thanks Rod, for all you do for us!

10/21/2024

Hi everyone! I Love Libraries and United for Libraries are celebrating and there's a lot to be happy about with us. Thank you to to an anonymous donor for the flowers delivered by Michler's Florist, Greenhouses, and Garden Design for the opening day of our huge sale. We wish we could thank you in person! Come by the lower level of Central Library to visit our sale that continues through November 2.

We want to celebrate our volunteer, John Louden, for winning the Friends of Kentucky Libraries 2024 Outstanding Friend award. His humble and hard working nature has elevated our chapter! We're proud of Simon as well for joining the FOKL board as Treasurer.
American Library Association

10/19/2024

Thank you to all the new and old friends that visited us on the first day of our book sale! It feels great supporting the library and getting affordable books out to the community. A benefit of being a FOL member is getting to come to the sale early. Today, Saturday, we're open 10-4 for members and Monday the public is invited! We are closed Sunday.