Main Library - Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) — Attraction in Louisville

The Main Library is just as beautiful as I remember it being as a child, and perhaps even more so now that I appreciate its history and architecture as an adult! My mother brought my siblings and me here years ago to pass the time in an educational and inexpensive way after school and during the summer. It had been years since I visited.

For this occasion, the Main Library had a Blu-ray DVD that I intended to pick up.

Normally you have to pay for parking at this location. I took my chances and put on my hazard lights at a metered parking spot since I was picking up a DVD and coming right back out. The library does have a map on their website that displays paid parking locations nearby. There are prepaid lots as low as $1.50 per day on this map, but the map hasn't been updated since 2014, so I'm not sure how accurate it is.

The DVD I came to check out wasn't where the librarians thought it would be. It took longer than expected for them to find it, but they were nice about it and didn't give up. Waiting allowed me to walk around a bit. They have a fun "Where the Wild Things Are" banner on the wall of the kid's section- a classic! There were even fun decorations up for the holiday season. They also left paintings untouched on the walls from when, I'm assuming, the library was initially built.

This library still makes me...

Of all the libraries in Louisville, this is the one which has the most likelihood to have whatever it is I'm currently looking for. They've got extensive collections of CDs as well as books and records. Whenever I used to have to order a book at my old library's location, they'd order it from this one; the main one. The building is so vast that it echoes, and made of ancient, gorgeous stone.

It's in an area that is a little dangerous and desperate, so I always watch everyone carefully. But other reviewers mentioned prostitutes and I have been there dozens of times and never met even one? I am appalled by the lack of humanity from other reviewers on here; homeless people are not somehow inanimate, distasteful lawn fixtures to be complained about, worthy of down-rating the place they've chosen to try to survive near. None of them have ever even approached me, much less been trouble; the library is a temperature-controlled, public place.

As to the people working there, they've always been very cordial. They don't make exceptions, if you don't receive their emails and thus return your items late; I ended up paying quite a lot in the discovery that I shouldn't rely upon their emails. But the library staff have always been quite helpful. Apparently the library also has a 3D printer, although I'm unsure...

Louisville Free Public libraries are an extraordinary resource and contribution to the social and learning fabric of the greater Louisville community. I have visited most, if not all, the Louisville library branches; and everywhere I've been, the staff have been helpful and professional. The main library and branches host many informative and entertaining events available for anyone to attend. The main library, especially, has forums with authors and other informative and interesting lectures and seminars. The Louisville library program coordinator, Tony Dingman, must work very hard because he puts together some of the most amazingly informative and entertaining public events, which range from single lectures by university professors as well as other well-informed professionals and experts on topics of presentations, as well as theater events. The main library offers learning events called, MyLibraryU, offering one-time courses and multi-week courses covering various topics of general and practical information helpful and beneficial to everyone. The Louisville library system is an extraordinary resource which strengthens the value of the greater Louisville community....