The shelves
Explore our collections
Eight paths into literature, performance, history, and the stories we pass on.
The eight collections
African American Literary Legends
Novels, essays, and poems by writers who reshaped American letters and the language of freedom.
Music, Musicians & the Arts
Follow the sound from church and club to touring stage and recording studio.
Black History & Heritage
Read histories and firsthand accounts of freedom, institution-building, migration, and resistance.
Kentucky & Appalachian Voices
Explore work rooted in Lexington, the Bluegrass, and Black Appalachia.
Black Excellence & Innovation
Meet the people and institutions that advanced science, education, sports, and public life.
Young Readers & Families
Find picture books, graphic stories, and chapter books to read aloud or explore independently.
Art, Culture & Creative Expression
Explore the work of dancers, playwrights, artists, and the communities that make their art possible.
Biographies & Untold Stories
Follow lives in context through biographies, memoirs, and oral histories.
