Sara Bein Scholarship

Sponsored by the Friends of the Library, the Sara Bein Scholarship offers annual stipends up to $500 each, available to LFPL employees who wish to pursue a degree in higher education. Since 2007, over $45,000 has been awarded to Library employees to assist with tuition and course fees for college and university work. Active employees at LFPL are eligible to apply. Scholarships may be awarded to applicants annually at the recommendation of the Library Director.

​​This scholarship honors Sara Bein, a long-time Friends member, who served as treasurer during the 1980's and 1990's. Her volunteer efforts for LFPL included campaigning for the Library in multiple tax referendums; sorting books and staffing book sales; delivering books to homebound residents; typing bibliographic data when the Library moved to a computerized card catalog.  She was an avid reader and frequent patron at the Main Library. Ms. Bein also volunteered for Louisville Downtown Residents Association, Preservation Alliance, Main Street Association and Everyone Reads for JCPS. In 1992, she received the Mayor's Good Neighbor Award for the 10th Ward.

In 2023, Sara Bein Scholarships were awarded to five LFPL staff members, representing branches throughout the system:
Aria Baci, Newburg; Cheyenne Hill, Fairdale; Isabella Smith, Bon Air; Derek Wilcher; Fairdale; Jessi Jones, Jeffersontown.