Building Community, One Connection at a Time Inside the Scott County Public Library

Elizabeth Kozlowski, Executive Director of the Scott County Public Library, shares how community connections are shaping the library's future.

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My first year living and working in Scott County has been an experience I didn’t expect. When I moved to Georgetown and started my new career at the Scott County Public Library (SCPL) in June of 2025, I thought my first year would consist of learning the library system and getting to know the community. I never thought that in the process of doing that, my community engagement would open the door for two satellite libraries being started, new programs being implemented, and an engagement and marriage, all within 12 months!

I have worked in libraries for 19 years. It was during my very first part-time library clerk position that I came to fully grasp how much the library does for the community. Before then, I didn’t realize how the library reached so many age groups and individual needs. Once I had that understanding, it made me want to pursue a career in libraries. Regardless of what library I am working at, my thought process is always the same: what needs are there in the community that the library can meet?

I asked that same question when I first arrived at Scott County. Now, I have to say, Scott County Public Library already had a huge amount of existing programs and resources for its community. Many libraries are unable to offer the amount we have in Scott County. And while I am happy to say we have a great library system, I still wanted to see if there were more needs we could fill.

That is where learning about the community and making those connections come into play. I quickly realized that library services were lacking in parts of Scott County outside of Georgetown. I wanted to see about providing more services to Sadieville and Stamping Ground than just the bookmobile stops, which are often dependent on weather. A full building in those areas is what we need, but the cost of a building would be expensive. So, the idea of sharing a space seemed the best bet. Though I had this idea, it only came to fruition from the fiscal court connecting me with Jennifer Halsey, mayor in Sadieville, and Rob Jones, the magistrate from Stamping Ground. It was only through these community connections that we were able to open the two satellite locations.

Those two partnerships were just the start. I was able to meet with a number of Scott County School personnel to get the schoolbook delivery program set up for middle and high school students. Those students with library cards can have SCPL books delivered right to their school. This provides students who lack the means to travel to the library access to our collection. While that is just one partnership with the schools, I am continuing to work with them to hopefully expand this program and add some more initiatives.

I have to say, the connections I am making are almost too many to name. The chamber helped us promote our focus groups for our strategic planning process. Local organizations have partnered with us to offer experience passes, which are passes that patrons can check out to use for admittance to that facility. Some of our local passes include: Ward Hall, the Horse Park, Sparky’s Tinkery, Shaker Village, Lexington Children’s Museum, and more. And I have to say, going out and meeting people in the community even helped in my personal life, as that is how I met my now husband.

Now that the library’s strategic plan is finished, we have more information about the role we need to fulfill in the community. However, just as it takes a village to raise a child, it will also take this community’s support to help bring the library goals to completion. Just as I am amazed by what was accomplished through the connections I made the first year, I suspect them to bring great things this year as well. That is why I attend chamber committee meetings, luncheons, women in business meetings, and have signed up to attend Leadership Scott County. I truly believe that we will need these partners to help the library meet its future goals. Let’s work together to make this year even better.