Western Library
A restored Carnegie branch whose history, archives, and collections make it a cultural destination.
- History
- Landmark African American public-library history
- Research
- African American Archives Reading Room
- Collections
- Thomas F. Blue and Cotter family papers
- Access
- Wheelchair ramp from the street
Location
604 South Tenth Street, Louisville, KY 40203
Russell · Directions
LFPL identifies Western’s 1905 predecessor as the nation’s first free public library for African Americans staffed entirely by African Americans.
The renovated Carnegie branch includes an African American Archives Reading Room with the Thomas F. Blue and Cotter family papers and a broader African American collection.