More popular than Keeneland Racetrack, better attended than University of Kentucky basketball, older than Henry Clay's Ashland Estate, the Lexington Public Library is part of the fiber of life in Lexington. Our strong foundation in the past gives the Library a sense of history. The Lexington Library Co. was established in 1795, and Henry Clay became one of our early subscribers, helping to raise $500 to buy 400 books. The library also plays a vital role in Lexington's present. The collection exceeds 700,000 items, with an annual circulation well over two million. We serve Lexington with a 110,000-square-foot Central Library and five branches. Today's library is a place for children to discover the joy of reading through story times and the Summer Reading Program. The Central Library is home to the Kentucky Room, with local materials dating to 1787, and to unique services like Book Buddies, delivering library materials to the homebound.