Missing Folders Lightroom Classic

I am not sure if it was post a recent apple system update or not but in Lightroom classic my library folders no longer show up.

LrC is not a file browser like Windows Explorer or Mac Finder. Folders in your operating system do not have to show up in the Folder Panel, and will not show up unless Lightroom Classic thinks at least one photo in the catalog is in that folder.

If I go to import I can see all the missing folders listed in my hardrive under the lightroom tab where I'd expect them to be. They are also all listed as destination file on the right hand side. I am able import them again to a different new folder name ...

All of this is expected behavior of LrC.

Anyone experienced similar or have any ideas when dealing with Lightroom classic installed on a Mac? thanks in advance for any suggestions.

I think you have (accidentally?) imported the photos using COPY instead of ADD. If you did this, then LrC thinks the folders are somewhere else, the place where the photos were copied to, and it doesn't think the photos are in the folder you think the photos are in.

You need to find these photos in Lightroom Classic. Follow all four of these steps in order and report the results:

1. In the Lightroom Classic Library Module, on the left, under Catalog, click on All Photographs
2. Turn off all filters (Ctrl-L once or twice)
3. Turn off all stacking (Photo->Stacking->Expand All Stacks)
4. Search for at least one of these photos by file name using the Lightroom Classic Filter Bar

So the folders showing on the left in Lightroom are those newly created in the last week or so. When i go to the import page the panel on the right shows all my old folders under the lightroom tab but these are all the old folders built up over several years that no longer show up on the regular folders panel within lightroom. Any help appreciated, thanks in advance.

Sounds like Lightroom Classic created a brand new catalog. That happens sometimes during an update. Look in your Pictures folder to see if you can find the correct catalog, then open this one from within Lightroom Classic (or double click it to launch Lightroom with it).

Please show us a screen capture of the problem in the Lightroom Classic folder panel, so that we can see the "library folders no longer show up". Please use the "Insert Photos" icon to include your screen capture in your reply. Do not attach files.