The city’s Main Library on York Street will be temporarily closed for at least a year beginning on December 1 while a construction crew works on inside repairs, Louisville Mayor Craig Greenberg announced Monday.
The decision comes after contractors uncovered “new issues” that would make the renovations unsafe for visitors, Greenberg said during his weekly media briefing on Monday.
“Now let me be clear, this was the absolute last thing I or anyone else wanted to do,” he said. “But after we questioned the contractors about other alternatives, it became very clear that this was the only prudent option.”
Here are the main areas that renovators will be working on over the next year:
Renovations are already underway, with part of the building closed to the public. The project will include:
- The creation of more than 16,000 square feet of usable public space by opening the existing historic “closed stacks” area of the 1906 Carnegie Library building.
- A fully accessible entrance to the historic York Street building.
- Renovation and reopening of the Main Library’s third floor, closed to the public in 2018 due to budget cuts.
- Expanded meeting and study spaces.
- New furniture and finishes.
The anticipated $8 million improvements are funded by private donations to the Louisville Free Public Library Foundation and federal money from the American Rescue Plan.
During the closure, some 25 Main Library staff members are anticipated to be transferred to other locations, but no one will lose their job, according to Greenberg.
LFPL will extend its services at other branches during the Main Library’s closure. These branches will remain open Monday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
“This adds 12 service hours at the Western Library alone, which is the closest branch to where we stand today at the Main Library. It’s only six blocks from here,” Greenberg said.
Expanded social and digital services
To support those who rely on the Main Library, the city will expand social services along the Broadway corridor. Highlights include:
- Computer access: Goodwill Industries of Louisville will expand computer access at its East and West Broadway campuses, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., and at the East Broadway location on Saturdays, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., thanks to funding from the Louisville Hotel Partnership.
- Re:Center Ministries: (757 S. Brook Street) will add Saturday and Sunday hours for women and children. Their Saturday hours are 8 a.m. to 2 p.m., Sunday hours are 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.
- Remote computer center: LFPL will open a center at 721 South Brook Street to offer free computer and internet access, printing, and faxing services to adults, Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., and four hours on Saturday (exact hours to be determined based on need). A UK School of Social Work in Libraries Fellow will be on staff.
- Day shelter: St. Vincent de Paul will expand services by adding a new day shelter program.
- Transportation: Expanded offerings in partnership with TARC, HEART, Block by Block, and Goodwill will be provided for individuals in need of transportation to services.
Mayor Greenberg emphasized the importance of partnerships during the closure. “As soon as it became clear that keeping our doors open to the public during an active construction project of this magnitude was not going to be safe, the decision was made to temporarily close the building to the public,” he said.
“We understand this will have an impact on people that use the Main Library, which is why my team and I immediately began discussions with Library staff and our community partners to find the best ways to serve those needs while we are closed to the public.”
Below are renderings after renovations have been completed:
Library system changes
Other library branches will adjust operations to help minimize disruption:
- All LFPL locations now operate 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Friday and Saturday, adding 12 service hours each week at Western Library and Fairdale Library.
- Portland Library is scheduled to reopen the first week of December following its own renovation.
- Highlands-Shelby Park Library and Portland Library will offer Sunday hours from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. for the duration of the Main Library closure.
- Four bookmobiles, including a new addition from September, will provide access to library materials throughout the city.
For more information and renderings of the renovation, visit LFPL.org/MainLibraryProject
This article appears in Nov. 1-30, 2025.