Louisville Free Public Library to renovate, reopen and build libraries in 4 locations

A $1.5 million grant from the James Graham Brown Foundation will help the Louisville Free Public Library renovate itself along with the Parkland and Portland locations and build an 18,000-square-foot library in Fern Creek.

The James Graham Brown Foundation is focused on "supporting projects and institutions that enable transformative change that leads to more prosperous and equitable communities, improve the image of Louisville and highlight Kentucky's unique assets," according to its website.

"All of that is now possible thanks to the support from the foundation, some great supporters and from the support of Metro Government," Louisville Mayor Craig Greenburg said. "As we move forward, we also need to make sure that we continue to support the operations of the library as well."

Members of the community were encouraged to donate money to the project's $3 million goal.

"Three million could sound like a lofty goal," Mason Rummel, president and CEO of the James Graham Brown Foundation, said. "With today's announcement, we are already halfway there. When you make a donation of any size, the James Graham Brown Foundation will match it dollar for dollar."

No start or completion date was set for the project.

This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Louisville Free Public Library renovations get first look