LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the mid-1980s, Louisville's Parkland Library shut down due to budget cuts. But now, that's turning around.
Former state representative Attica Scott, who said she is a "proud Parkland resident," is excited to see the library return.
“This is going to be a gathering space," Scott said. "It's going to be a place where folks who are looking for work can come and get help with their resume writing. Or, I know, go to the Shawnee Library now on Tuesdays to do yoga with other Black women. Y'all can come right here to the Parkland Library and do yoga."
On the vacated first floor, there are still signs of what was left by the Louisville Metro Police Department’s Public Integrity Unit.
“Across the hall is where I actually had to look at pictures of police officers to say which one, actually, I was part of my complaint against," Scott said. "That's what this building holds, as far as that is concerned.
"It weighs heavily on me, and I know it weighs heavily on a lot of folks who had to come here for that reason. But I’m excited because of the joy that this building is about to bring as a library.”
Construction began for renovation in September 2022 and expansion to bring back library services.
“Unfortunately, in the 1980s, this library closed, and the neighborhood has not had a neighborhood library for over 30 years now,” said Lee Burchfield, director of the Louisville Free Public Library.
The library goes back to when wealthy industrialist-turned-philanthropist Andrew Carnegie donated funds before his death in 1919.
“What this represents for the Parkland neighborhood is this is a building where nobody skimped on it," Burchfield said. "They built something that would last, that was of a quality that would signal to the community that the community had value and that the library system valued the neighborhood and hoped that the neighborhood valued the library,” Burchfield said.
Along with books, the updated library will feature modern technology resources, materials and community rooms. Scott said it is important to her on several levels.
“Looking around and thinking about the stories that people shared here when they were filing their complaints against law enforcement," Scott said, "well, now, people are going to be able to share stories here about something new that they learned or a skill that they were able to develop or a resource that was shared with them by a librarian.
"It's totally going to shift the narrative of this building, this corner, this neighborhood and this space."
The Parkland Library is expected to open in early 2024. In 1908, the Carnegie Libraries were built.
Friends of the Parkland Library will host a meeting Nov. 28 at Maupin Elementary from 6-7 p.m. for updates on the project.