The Carnegie Center
for Literacy and Learning’s mission
is to empower people to explore
and express their voices through
imaginative learning
and the literary arts.
The Carnegie Center for Literacy & Learning is a 501(c)(3) non-profit community learning and literary arts center with local, state, and national awards for programming excellence. The Center offers seasonal classes in writing, publishing, and languages; tutoring for students grades K-12; vibrant youth and family programs and exhibits; outreach programs for children and adults; readings from established authors and local literary icons; and other programs and events designed to encourage people to explore and express their voices through imaginative learning and the literary arts.
Many classes and events at the Carnegie Center are free, and wherever low-cost registration fees are required, scholarships are available. The Carnegie Center has long been a haven for writers and readers, and we have built on that tradition to become a home to diverse groups of people who love to read, to discuss, to explore, to play, to create, and to learn. There’s something for everyone at the Carnegie Center, where learning lives.
Visionary Goals
- Encourage active, critical, and creative learning
- Promote the components of literacy, including reading, writing, speaking, listening, viewing, & technology
- Provide educational opportunities for people of all ages and levels of learning
- Establish partnerships with artists, educators, and community groups
- Support and promote Kentucky writers and artists
- Engage the imagination through literary arts
- Preserve and enhance the historic Carnegie building for the benefit of the community
Anti-Bias Statement
The Carnegie Center considers the diversity of its students, volunteers, and staff to be a core strength and to be critical to our mission. We have a zero-tolerance policy regarding harassment, intimidation, and discrimination.
This includes all any discrimination made on the basis of race, age, sex, gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, medical condition, religion, class, body size, veteran status, marital/domestic partnership status, citizenship or any other marginalized identity.
Harassment includes oral comments, written comments, displayed images, or behaviors such as deliberate intimidation, stalking, unwelcome photography or recording, sustained disruption of talks or other events, inappropriate physical contact, unwelcome sexual attention, and bullying or coercion of any kind.
Plan Your Visit
Parking Information
The Carnegie Center relies on street parking. Street parking is generally available on either side of Gratz Park or neighboring streets.
LexPark recently adjusted their parking meter rates and times for 2023. The street parking map below is the most up-to-date offering from the LexPark website.
Look at the top of map (in the middle) and you will find Transylvania Campus (a beige square). Zoom in to see the Carnegie Center located just below Transylvania Campus and indicated in red.
Holiday & Special Events Closures
Upcoming building closures in 2024:
Friday, Dec. 20, 2024 – Wednesday, Jan. 1, 2025: Closed for Winter Break
Monday, March 25th: Building closes at 5:00 PM
Memorial Day on May 27th
Juneteenth on June 19th
Independence Day on July 4th
Labor Day on September 2nd
Thanksgiving Day & the Friday after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
History of the Building
Housed in the original Lexington Public Library building, the Carnegie Center loves to share in the rich history of our location. The library building is one of 2,509 Carnegie libraries built between 1883 and 1929 with money donated by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie. The building’s cornerstone was laid in 1902 and opened to the public in 1905. This library was loved and enjoyed by many Lexingtonians throughout the 1980’s. Our patrons fondly remember climbing to the children’s library section, which is now home to the Center’s Tutoring Room.
After Lexington Public Library moved to a larger location in 1989, the original Carnegie library building quickly deteriorated, showing signs of neglect. Some people wanted to demolish the building; others wanted to renovate it for condominiums. People like Lexington Mayor Scotty Baesler wanted to see the building restored for public use. The Mayor created a committee of community leaders and asked them to find a new use for the building. In keeping with the beliefs of the original funder, Andrew Carnegie, the group decided to create a community learning and arts center like no other in the country.
In a state known for illiteracy and where school test scores on writing are low, there are also a surprising number of nationally recognized writers. This knowledge helped shape the Carnegie program design.
After an extensive restoration, the building was ready for its new resident: The Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning. First Lady Barbara Bush, who was the guest speaker at the 1992 dedication, said, “This center is going to reach out to everyone—families, workers, students, and teachers. And that’s what communities throughout the nation need to learn to do.” Since that time, the center has helped thousands of people of all ages, races, income levels, and educational backgrounds with their goals for writing, reading, and learning new things.
Registration / Cancellation Policy
There are three ways to register for classes and events (when required):
- Register online to make a credit/debit payment, or to sign up for free classes.
- Call us at 859-254-4175, ext. 221 to make credit/debit payments, or to sign up for free classes. Please leave a voicemail with your name and number. We will get back to you as soon as possible.
- Stop by the front desk during Carnegie business hours to make credit/debit, check, or cash payments, or to sign up for free classes.
Full payment reserves your space in class. A $20 fee is assessed for returned checks. Purchase orders or intent to pay are not accepted. We accept checks, money orders, cash, Visa, MasterCard, American Express, and Discover. Registration is required for all classes and events, unless noted otherwise. If you register within a week of the first day the class, please call the Carnegie Center to confirm that the class is meeting as planned.
For online classes, registration closes at 4:00 pm the day before a class begins. We are unable to accommodate joining a class after the start date without special permission from the instructor.
Early Learners, Kids, & Teens:
To streamline communication, please only register your student(s) for classes designated for their current grade level, regardless of ability. Students who are not in the designated grade(s) will be un-enrolled. Only children 16+ may take adult classes with special permission from the instructor.
Refund Policy:
All class withdrawals for any reason will result in the retention of 15% of the class cost and a standard credit card processing fee. No refunds may be issued within three business days prior to the start of a class as a commitment to pay the instructor has already been made. We cannot prorate class fees for sessions missed by the participant.
Cancellation Policy:
The Carnegie Center reserves the right to cancel a workshop if minimum enrollment is not met. It is best to register early to help our instructors prepare and to ensure the class does not get cancelled. We evaluate registration numbers between 6-2 business days before a class starts to decide whether we can hold the class. Classes that do not meet minimum enrollment will be cancelled six-two business days prior to the first class meeting. All participants will be notified by email and will receive full refunds.
Scholarships:
Fee assistance is available for most classes. If you are in need of a scholarship, please email info@CarnegieCenterLex.org or call 859-254-4175, ext. 221 to request an application.
Questions?
Contact our registrar at (859) 254-4175 ext. 221 or info@CarnegieCenterLex.org.
