University of Kentucky vs University of Louisville

UK Libraries’ mission is to ignite the human drive to discover, create, and connect by facilitating access to information, empowering learners, and collaborating with the communities to advance knowledge, enhance scholarship, and preserve the history and culture of the Commonwealth.

The University of Louisville library system is a member of the Association of Research Libraries. Louisville's main library branch is the William F. Ekstrom Library. The four-story building finished an has shelving capacity to over 1.3 million books. It is one of only five universities in the U.S. to have a robotic retrieval system, which robotically places books in humidity-free bins. 

There are five other libraries at the university, with a combined total of more than 400,000 volumes of work.

Lexington blends influences from the South and Midwest to create a cultural identity all its own. A college town, Lexington is home to the University of Kentucky, which is the city's largest school and employer. The university plays an important role in the city by providing a constant influx of young, educated people into the culture and economy. Lexington is serious about college basketball. Residents support the University of Kentucky Wildcats with a fervor that surpasses the fan base of some professional teams. Kentucky fans camp out for tickets to "Big Blue Madness," the official kickoff to the season, which features an exhibition-style team scrimmage. When UK is playing, streets and restaurants are deserted, and when they win a national championship, the downtown streets look like New Orleans during Mardi Gras. Lexington's population is growing, which has contributed to a slow increase in the cost of living. Despite this, Lexington is still very affordable compared with other metro areas around the country. Due to the city's large college population, rental housing is abundant and inexpensive. Whether renting or purchasing a home, your dollar will go further in Lexington than in many other U.S. cities. However, like with many other metro areas in the country, housing prices in Lexington have seen an increase in recent years.

Sitting along the Ohio River, which divides the northern and the southern U.S., Louisville is a modern metropolitan area steeped in tradition. Each neighborhood offers unique things to do and has its own flavor.  The weeks-long Kentucky Derby Festival enhances the region's appeal, attracting visitors from all over the world to gamble and drink mint juleps. Locally owned restaurants and coffee shops make Louisville a culinary destination, with restaurants serving bourbon, produce, meat and dairy products. Home of boxer Muhammad Ali and the Louisville Slugger baseball bat, Louisville has long loved sports. Anything competitive – whether it's the Cards and Cats rivalry, horse racing, college basketball, football or baseball – is bound to bring Louisvillians together. The cost of living in Louisville is below the national average, and home costs are below the national median sale price.