LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) – After nearly four decades of closure, the Parkland Library in Louisville is preparing to reopen its doors, thanks to millions in federal funding and private donations.
The library, which shut down in 1986 due to budget cuts, is now being restored to serve the community once again.
Mayor Craig Greenberg held his weekly update on Tuesday inside the library to showcase the progress.
"All of us who are here today are here to show off to the community just how close we are to bringing the Parkland Library back to the people of Parkland and the surrounding neighborhoods," Greenberg said.
The Parkland Library is just one of four branches undergoing significant renovations. The Portland and Main branches are being restored, and a brand-new library is being built in Fern Creek. Altogether, these projects are part of a $44 million investment, funded through federal COVID-19 relief funding and private donations from the Library Foundation.
"Enhancing public libraries is a key part of what we are doing as part of our commitment to making Louisville a safer, stronger, and healthier city," Mayor Greenberg added.
Parkland Councilwoman Tammy Hawkins echoed the mayor’s sentiment, emphasizing the library's role in reducing crime and providing a safe space for the community.
The Parkland Branch will offer various services, including books for children and adults, DVDs, CDs, and a focus on early childhood literacy. It's intended to be a place where people can come together, learn, and grow.
"Libraries are so instrumental in helping equip parents and caregivers to help children be ready to read when they start school," a library representative shared.
The reopening is particularly meaningful to former patrons like Edward Laster, who spent countless hours there as a child. "I would come down here and hide, and as long as it was a library, my mother didn't complain," Laster recalled. Now, he expresses his gratitude to those bringing the library back to life. "I applaud them. I applaud them," he said.
The Parkland Library is expected to reopen at the end of March, with plans to begin moving in books and other resources in November.
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- Ongoing multimillion-dollar Louisville library projects get financial boost
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