The first Saturday in May unites Kentuckians across the state as we all gather to watch that famous run for the roses, The Kentucky Derby. But before the singing of “My Old Kentucky Home” or the loading of the starting gate, you’re invited to a special Derby Day Celebration at JCPL!
Join us from 12 pm to 3 pm on Saturday, May 2, for family-friendly fun with food and drinks provided by the Jessamine County Homeless Coalition.
more: Celebrate Derby Day at JCPL
A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts. These exercises can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing.
Brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.
Think your story doesn't matter? Author Willie Carver Jr. believes that "each of us has a story that can help contribute to the complexity of all of us...."
When Willie uses writing prompts to unlock his story, "they're almost always body related." That's because he thinks "the truth of things is already in your body."
On this episode, Willie shares a prompt that will help you discover what your body already knows. He also discusses his new book, Tore All to Pieces; why learning to write is like learning a foreign language; and more. Listen below!
more: Prompt to Page with Willie Carver Jr.
JCPL librarians bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them.
Give your reading a fresh start with the Spring Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge.
From now through June 30, 2026, keep track of books you read or listen to on the Spring Books & Bites Bingo Card. Complete all 9 squares for a chance to win a $50 Joseph-Beth gift card.
On this episode, we visit fictional small-towns from Mississippi to Northern Ireland.
Our picks include an emotional YA novel about close friendship; a tale of college football that will tackle you out the gate; and a dark comedy served with a side of curry chips.
more: Small-Town Reads for Spring Bingo
Up your reading game with the Spring Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge!
A reading challenge is a great way to set reading goals for yourself, discover new authors and genres, and have fun while doing it.
more: Spring into Reading with Books & Bites Bingo
A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts. These exercises can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing.
Brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.
Poet Kevin Nance uses writing prompts regularly because they "can take you places that you never could have gone any other way."
On this episode, Kevin discusses ways to access the part of the brain that author Marilynne Robinson believes is most creative—your "back mind." He also shares a prompt that helps his writing students "tap into their inner angst." Listen below!
more: Prompt to Page with Kevin Nance
JCPL librarians bring you book recommendations and discuss the bites and beverages to pair with them.
This month, we discuss books where the weather plays a major role, one of the prompts on the Winter Books & Bites Bingo reading challenge.
From hurricanes to snowstorms, this episode has all the major weather events covered!
If you're participating in Winter Books & Bites Bingo, don't forget to turn in your bingo card by the end of March. Turn your card in at the Customer Service Desk to receive your bookmark or use the online entry form.
more: The Forecast Calls for Books
In February 2019, the Jessamine County Public Library began recording oral history interviews with several current and former Jessamine County residents about their relatives who are buried in Locust Grove, an African-American cemetery in Nicholasville, Kentucky.
Condensed versions of the interviews were published as part of the Locust Grove Oral History podcast and later re-released as episode two of the Jessamine History Walks podcast.
Now the complete Locust Grove oral history interviews and transcripts are available in the Kentucky Digital Library (KDL). KDL aims "to enhance scholarship, research, and lifelong learning by providing access to shared digital archival collections in the Commonwealth of Kentucky."
These longer interviews help give researchers and community members a better understanding of Black life in Jessamine County.
more: Locust Grove Oral History Interviews Available in the Kentucky Digital Library
A JCPL librarian interviews published writers about their favorite writing prompts. These exercises can help inspire, focus, and improve your creative writing.
Brought to you in partnership with the Carnegie Center for Literacy and Learning.
Poet Shauna M. Morgan understands that feeling "weighed down by all of those things happening around us" can make writing even more challenging.
For her, it helps to remember "that generations of my forebears created art in times of abject crises and bore witness to what was happening."
On episode 53, Shauna shares what she calls the "weight prompt." It will help you reflect on subjects that feel heavy to you as well as subjects that feel light. Listen below!
more: Prompt to Page with Shauna M. Morgan
Join us for a screening of Lexington: Resilience in the Redline at our Black History Month Celebration!
On episode 110 of the Books & Bites podcast, we discuss books set on trains or ships.