April 10, 2024

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📚 Beyond the books

A wide shot of the louisville public library main branch.

The LFPL main branch has been ranked one of the most beautiful libraries in the US. | Photo by LOUtoday

April 7-13 is National Library Week, and the Louisville Free Public Library (LFPL) has plenty to celebrate. In addition to loaning out books and hosting community programming, LFPL has a number of lesser-known services that are just as useful. Here are four you can check out:

Geneology

If you’re undertaking the project of tracing your family’s history, LFPL can help. Cardholders can enjoy access to a wide range of local and regional history resources, including Courier Journal archives going all the way back to 1830, maps of more than 130 Kentucky towns, and census + cemetery records.

Research

Your LFPL library card gives you access to nearly 100 research databases of all kinds. Looking to fix your car? Try the Auto Repair Source database. Opening a small business? Get tips from the Small Business Reference Center.

Book Discussion kits

Attention Louisville book clubs, LFPL has you covered. Book Discussion Kits are available for reservation and can be checked out from any branch for up to six weeks. The kits contain 10 copies of a book (or 30 copies for children/teen kits), plus author info, reviews, and suggested discussion topics.

Languages

The LFPL catalog contains material in Spanish, Arabic, Swahili, French, Nepali, and more. If you want to learn a new language, take advantage of Transparent Language, which has over 110 different courses.

Hands on

If you like to learn with your hands, both the Northeast Regional and South Central regional libraries have maker spaces available to all cardholders. These labs contain everything from 3D printers to sewing machines to computers equipped with the Adobe suite. If you didn’t get enough cosmology from Monday’s eclipse, consider checking out a telescope from the Main, Northeast, Southwest, or South Central libraries.

If you still don’t have a library card, what are you waiting for?

Events

Thursday, April 11

Guided Art Tour | Thursday, April 11-Thursday, Dec. 19 | 5-6 p.m. | 21c Museum Hotels, 700 W. Main St. Louisville | Free | Explore Louisville’s art hotel and learn about the artists behind the works with these weekly Thursday tours.
Music Without Borders: Bridging Beats | Thursday, April 11 | 7:30 p.m. | Jeffersontown Branch Library, 10635 Watterson Trail, Louisville | Free | Experience a fusion of classical and hip-hop music featuring the Louisville Orchestra Rap School.

Friday, April 12

Sippy Cup Strolls - Camouflage | Friday, April 12-Saturday, Oct. 12 | 8:30-10:30 a.m. | Louisville Zoo, 1100 Trevilian Way, Louisville | $12-30 | Enjoy an early morning walk through the zoo with your 2-6 year old, plus activities highlighting a new animal each week.
Giving Loving Heartfelt Prom Dress Giveaway | Friday, April 12-Saturday, April 13 | Times vary | Ashley Community Center, 1115 Penile Rd., Louisville | Free | Find free prom dresses, shoes, makeup, and purses for all.

Saturday, April 13

Sip, Shop & Shine for Derby Time | Saturday, April 13 | 11 a.m.-8 p.m. | Shine Salon & Spa Venue Space, 200 Breckinridge Ln., Louisville | Free | Shop handmade crafts and Derby-inspired treats and meet Keith Anderson, the artist behind two Kentucky Derby Woodford Reserve bottles.
Practically Perfect Spring Craft Fair | Saturday, April 13 | 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | Mary Queen of Peace, 4005 Dixie Hwy., Louisville | Free | Shop local crafts + gifts, and receive a free swag bag if you’re one of the first 20 shoppers.
Cardinals Women’s Volleyball vs. Tennessee Volunteers | Saturday, April 13 | 5 p.m. | L&N Federal Credit Union Arena, 2100 S. Floyd St., Louisville | $5 | Catch some serves + spikes while you cheer on the Cards.

Sunday, April 14

Movement in the Museum: Hatha Yoga with Carly | Sunday, April 14 | 12-1 p.m. | Speed Art Museum, 2035 S 3rd St., Louisville | Free | Enjoy a slow-paced and breath-focused yoga class — bring your own mat.
Botanical Body Polish | Sunday, April 14 | 10:30 a.m.-12 p.m. | Yew Dell Botanical Gardens, 6220 Old Lagrange Rd., Crestwood | $35-$45 | Learn to make your own cosmetic with salts, essential oils, and botanicals.

Events calendar here

Click here to have your event featured.

News Notes

Drink

Ale-8-One has teased the return of it’s limited edition blackberry flavor in an eclipse-themed Facebook post. The blackberry variation first launched in May 2022, and according to the results of the historic Kentucky soda company‘s recent flavor bracket, blackberry is the favorite.

Event

Norton Healthcare Sports and Learning Center’s Kentucky Derby Festival block party is returning for a third year.. The free event this Saturday, April 13 will feature minority-owned businesses, food trucks, and live entertainment. The event will be held at 3029 W. Muhammad Ali Blvd., 10 a.m.-8 p.m.

Art

The Speed Museum’s Native American galleries reopened last week. The exhibit has undergone changes in adherence to new federal guidelines for the display of Native American cultural objects. The Speed’s curatorial team is working closely with 50 tribes to ensure all objects in the collection are being displayed with proper consent. (Louisville Public Media)

Transit

A newly-formed chapter of American Disabled for Attendant Programs Today is calling for improvements to TARC and TARC3 services in Louisville. At a protest on Monday, the group highlighted bus delays as a significant barrier to transportation for disabled Louisvillians. (WDRB)

Try This

Did you know that it’s National Poetry Month? If you’re a poet and totally know it, try your hand at our LOUtoday Poetry Contest. The catch? You can only use words found in our Wednesday, April 3 newsletter. Learn more + submit your poem by Sunday, April 14.

Legacy

Three-time Dainty champion Bertrand Aloysius Robben died Saturday, April 6 at the age of 81. Robben was born in Louisville and won the 1989, 2002, and 2003 Dainty championships.

Sports

The Cards roster just keeps growing. Get game coverage, analysis, insights, interviews and more from local experts of the Cardinals with Locked On’s daily podcasts.

Finance

Cue drum roll. 2024 is here, and the personal finance experts at The Ascent have sorted through hundreds of credit cards to do the work for you. Presenting: These four credit cards, among the best bonus cards the experts have ever seen.*

Sports

And in this corner...

Black and white image of Muhammad Ali in the corner of a boxing ring.

Ali’s white trunks were his signature look. | Photo via Muhammad Ali Center

“In the red corner, weighing 224-and-a-half pounds, wearing white trunks with black stripes, from Louisville, Kentucky, USA, the heavyweight champion of the world, Muhammad Ali.”

With those words, ring announcer Joe Cantada introduced boxing legend Muhammad Ali at the 1975 “Thrilla in Manila” match against Joe Frazier. Now, ~50 years later, those white trunks with the black stripes are on the auction block — for almost $4 million.

“Thrilla in Manila” was the third and final match between Ali and his rival Frazier, with Ali defending his heavyweight title by defeating Frazier in 14 rounds. The shorts, produced by boxing equipment company Everlast, now feature Ali’s signature and info about the match.

The auction for Ali’s shorts closes this Friday, and the final bid is expected to be $4-6 million. If they go for more than $5 million, they would be one of the most expensive pieces of sports memorabilia ever.

Asked

When was Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier’s first fight?

A. March 8, 1971
B. January 28, 1974
C. October 30, 1974
D. February 11, 1968

Throw your punch

The Buy

This under-cabinet pots and pans organizer. We love how it actually utilizes the vertical space in kitchen cupboards and (bonus) can be turned on its side to use as a lid organizer.

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The Wrap

Today’s edition by:
Declan

From the editor

While researching LFPL’s many services, I learned that the Western Library branch, opened in 1908, was the first free public library in the nation staffed entirely by Black librarians. It now houses LFPL’s extensive African American Archives.

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