Lincoln Carnegie Library
🏢 Central Kansas Library System · Lincoln, Kansas
Lincoln Carnegie Library
Lincoln Carnegie Library stands at 203 S. 3rd Street in Lincoln, Kansas, in the original brick building funded by a $6,000 Andrew Carnegie grant awarded March 14, 1913. More than 110 years later it remains the public library of Lincoln County, serving the Smoky Hills community and listed among the surviving Carnegie libraries that continue operating as public libraries in Kansas.
🕑 Library Hours
| Monday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Tuesday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Wednesday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Thursday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Friday | 10am–5:30pm |
| Saturday | 9am–1pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Hours may vary on holidays; check the library site before visiting.
📍 Location, Contact & Directions
Address: 203 South 3rd Street, Lincoln, KS 67455
Phone: 785-524-4034
Website: lincoln.mykansaslibrary.org
Plus Code: 86F32VQ3+JM (Lincoln, KS)
📱 Scan for directions
Point your phone camera at the code to open turn-by-turn directions in Google Maps.
👋 Use the Library Online
📖 About Lincoln Carnegie Library
Lincoln Carnegie Library is the public library of Lincoln, Kansas, county seat of Lincoln County in north-central Kansas. Andrew Carnegie awarded the town a $6,000 library building grant on March 14, 1913, and the resulting brick building at 203 S. 3rd Street has served readers ever since — one of 59 Carnegie public library grants in Kansas. Lincoln County sits in the Smoky Hills region of the Great Plains, roughly 101 miles northwest of Wichita and 190 miles west of Kansas City. The library is a member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), a regional cooperative supporting libraries across 17 counties, which provides the shared Pathfinder catalog, interlibrary loan, and access to digital resources including Libby eBooks. Kansas residents also have access to the free Kansas Library eCard from the State Library of Kansas, which unlocks a broader collection of statewide databases and downloadable media.
⭐ What makes this library special
- Original 1913 Carnegie building — built with a $6,000 Andrew Carnegie grant, one of 59 Carnegie public library buildings funded in Kansas
- Continuously operating public library for over 110 years in Lincoln, the Lincoln County seat
- Member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), connecting 17 counties across north-central Kansas with shared catalog and interlibrary loan
- Free digital access: Libby eBooks & audiobooks and hoopla streaming via CKLS membership
- Located in the Smoky Hills region, 101 miles northwest of Wichita
📱 Digital Resources — Free with Your Library Card
Lincoln Carnegie cardholders can borrow, stream, and research free through Kansas statewide and CKLS digital collections:
📚 Services
- Public computers and free Wi-Fi
- Printing, photocopying, and fax services
- Interlibrary loan through the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS) courier network
- Reference and reader's advisory assistance
- Downloadable eBooks, audiobooks, and streaming media via Libby & hoopla
- Kansas Library eCard registration for statewide database access
🎸 Programs
- Children's storytime and youth programming
- Summer Reading Program
- Adult programs and community events
- Meeting space for local groups and organizations
📍 Nearby Libraries in North-Central Kansas
Distances are approximate straight-line miles from this library.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
Why is it called the Lincoln Carnegie Library?
The building was constructed with a $6,000 grant from Andrew Carnegie's philanthropy program, awarded to the town of Lincoln on March 14, 1913. Carnegie funded 59 public library buildings across Kansas between 1900 and 1916, and the Lincoln library is one of the original Carnegie buildings still operating as a public library — earning the Carnegie name as a permanent part of its identity.
What county does the Lincoln Carnegie Library serve?
The library serves Lincoln County, Kansas. Lincoln is the county seat of Lincoln County, located in the Smoky Hills region of north-central Kansas, roughly 101 miles northwest of Wichita.
Can I borrow eBooks or access online databases with a Lincoln Carnegie card?
Yes. Cardholders can borrow eBooks and audiobooks through Libby via the Central Kansas Library System's shared collection, and stream movies, music, and more through hoopla with no waitlists. The free Kansas Library eCard from the State Library of Kansas adds a broader range of statewide research databases and downloadable titles available to any Kansas resident.
Is Lincoln Carnegie Library part of a larger library system?
Yes — it is a member of the Central Kansas Library System (CKLS), a regional cooperative that serves libraries across 17 counties in north-central Kansas. CKLS provides interlibrary loan via a courier network, the shared Pathfinder catalog, technology support, and digital resources like Libby and Comics Plus, so Lincoln cardholders can request items from other CKLS libraries if needed.
🖨 This library offers printing, copying & fax. See how library printing, copying, scanning and fax services work — costs and mobile printing — and find other libraries that offer them printing & fax by state.
✎ Notice something out of date? Suggest a correction and we’ll verify and update it.
✓ Hours & details last verified from official sources in September 2026.
