ABOUT US
Story Center launched in 2024 to promote local history and to preserve and share stories of life and culture in Boyle County. Its launch has been supported by a grant from the Mellon Foundation.
Story Center strives to collect, digitize and make the county’s history accessible through exhibitions and programming, building a unique physical and online presence.
Residents can use free technology to preserve photos, slides, home movies, video tapes, letters, recipes, and other records in the Memory Lab. The Center offers free equipment to record memories in its Oral History Studio. Story Center is also collecting a growing number of digitized records from the library’s special collections and archives.
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PCOMING HIGHLIGHTS
EXHIBITS: The Story Center's headquarters at historic Grayson's Tavern is the site for a new exhibit exploring the Political Club of Danville, a debating group that gathered at Grayson's Tavern from 1786-90, when Kentucky was a district of Virginia, the U.S. Constitution was being discussed, and movement was underway for Kentucky to become the first state established west of the Appalachian mountains. It Happened Here: The Political Club of Danville opens on this Thursday (June 25) at 5:30 p.m. featuring original documents from the Filson Historical Society in Louisville. Watch a short video.
Beginning July 2, a photo exhibit Danville, 1909 will be on display in the Georgia de Araujo Gallery at the Library. The show will display images of Danville from the year used as the setting for the 1946 novel The Iron Baby Angel, which has been adapted as an original production by Pioneer Playhouse this summer. An opening reception for the gallery exhibit will be July 2 from 5-6:30 p.m.
TOURS: We offer free Downtown Danville Walking Tours, highlighting historic connections and sites. Every Wednesday in June and July, tours depart at 11 a.m. Tours on July 1, 15, and 29 will leave from the Library Rotunda; tours on July 8 and 22 will depart from Grayson's Tavern at Constitution Square. On July 16 as part of Downtown Third Thursday activities, we will lead a Tipsy Town Tour at 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. departing from the corner of Third & Main Streets. Share our video!
HOURS OF OPERATION
| Story Center @ Grayson's Tavern* | Story Center @ BCPL | |
|---|---|---|
| Monday | By Appointment Only | 9:30 am-5 pm |
| Tuesday | 10 am-4 pm | 9:30 am-5 pm |
| Wednesday | 10 am-4 pm | By Appointment Only |
| Thursday | 10 am-4 pm | 9:30 am-5 pm |
| Friday | 10 am-4 pm | 9:30 am-5 pm |
| Saturday | 10 am-1 pm | By Appointment Only |
| Sunday | Closed | Closed |
Story Center is located on Constitution Square at 105 E. Walnut St.
CONTACT STORY CENTER
Phone: (859) 757-0191 | Email: storycenter@boylepublib.org
SERVICES AND PROGRAMMING
- Memory Lab - The Memory Lab is available at two locations! Digitize your records at the Library or at the Story Center facility at Grayson’s Tavern. Visit the Memory Lab page to learn more and to book an appointment.
- Oral History Studio – Help us record stories of the community by scheduling an appointment at the Oral History Studio at Grayson’s Tavern. Record your own history using questions and prompts provided, allow us to interview you, or interview someone close to you.
ALWAYS SEEKING PARTNERS AND VOLUNTEERS
Story Center offers programming on local history, digital and digitization literacy, and best practices in collections care and preservation. We work with the public, teachers, organizations, and more Check the BCPL Events Calendar for information on specific programs.
Two recent community projects, the Community Collections initiative and the Community Curators initiative, have offered new ways to volunteer and collaborate with the Boyle County Public Library. For more information about how to get involved, email us at storycenter@boylepublib.org.
