LEXINGTON, Ky. (LEX 18) — The Lexington Public Library will receive a $10,000 gift from the Carnegie Corporation of New York, the foundation established by Andrew Carnegie, as part of a national celebration honoring Carnegie Libraries still serving communities across the United States.
The award comes through Carnegie Libraries 250, a special initiative celebrating the upcoming 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence and recognizing the roughly 1,280 Carnegie Libraries that continue to serve their communities nationwide, according to a release.
According to a release, the Lexington Public Library, which opened in 1905, is one of 23 Carnegie Libraries in Kentucky built through this historic program.
"We are deeply honored to be recognized as part of this national celebration of Carnegie Libraries," Heather Dieffenbach said. "Andrew Carnegie's vision of libraries as engines of opportunity and learning continues to inspire us today. This gift allows us to celebrate that legacy while continuing to serve our community with the same spirit of access, equity, and lifelong learning."
Dame Louise Richardson, president of Carnegie Corporation and former head of the University of Oxford, emphasized the democratic importance of libraries in Carnegie's original vision.
"Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, who championed the free public library movement of the late 19th century, described libraries as 'cradles of democracy' that 'strengthen the democratic idea, the equality of the citizen, and the royalty of man,'" Richardson said. "We still believe this and are delighted to celebrate our connection to the libraries he founded."
According to a release, the Lexington Public Library will receive the gift in January 2026, which may be used to celebrate the nation's 250th anniversary, further the library's mission, and benefit the community.
For more information, go to lexpublib.org/foundation.
