Looking Back: Making Free Libraries Legal in 1902

Provided below is Kentucky’s enabling legislation for the establishment of free libraries. Prior to this the General Assembly had only granted incorporations to private and subscription libraries. The General Assembly passed three separate acts in order to speak to the disparity in size and resources between cities such as Louisville and communities the size of Corbin. Although much of the legislation is repetitive, significant differences can be found related to library funding and the composition of governing bodies.