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Genealogy: Other Libraries

A guide to genealogical research resources with an emphasis on Kentucky and resources available at UK and nearby libraries.

Other Kentucky Libraries and their resources

-- Lexington Public Library: Kentucky Room

 Genealogy and Local History Resources

  • Ancestry Library Edition
    Large international genealogy database includes census images, vital statistics, family trees and historic records. Available only to customers inside the library branches. Most of the historical records on Ancestry.com are from 1790-1930.
  • HeritageQuest Online
    Research your family's history online using census records and rare published family and local histories. Includes PERSI (Periodicals Source Index) for genealogical and local history research magazines. (Can be accessed from any location with LPL card.)

-- Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives

The State Archives holds only state and local government records. For non-governmental sources, researchers can contact the Kentucky Historical Society. The Archives does maintain a small collection of historic newspapers on microfilm, mainly from Louisville, Lexington and Frankfort.

-- Kentucky Historical Society: Genealogy (Frankfort)

  • Schmidt Research Library and its Resources

    Located on the second floor of the Thomas D. Clark Center for Kentucky History, the Kentucky Historical Society Martin F. Schmidt Research Library contains over 90,000 published works, 15,000 reels of microfilm, 10,000 cubic feet of archival records including genealogical vertical files, manuscripts, photographs, maps and atlases, and 9,000 oral history interviews.

    For general information, contact library staff by calling 502-564-1792, ext. 4460, or e-mailing KHSrefdesk@ky.gov.

-- Lexington Kentucky Family History Center
    Part of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. Particularly useful for national and international coverage.

-- Kenton County: Local (Kentucky) History and Genealogy
Extensive collection of genealogical material of particular interest to those doing research on ancestors from the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky area.  Includes a number of locally-created databases as well as links to others. (Some of these resources require a Kenton County Library Card, which can be applied for here.) This site also lists print and microfilm resources that must be used at the Kenton County Library and contains quite a bit of information about genealogy methods. See also the Kenton County Regional Newspaper Index.

National Archives

Guides to Getting Started

If you are just starting your genealogy research, talk to as many immediate family members as you can and collect names, dates and places that relate to your family. Make note of everything they tell you--you never know what might prove useful. Dates and places are valuable to help you find published information. Copy any family documents you can, including family listings in Bibles and other resources, as well as birth, marriage and death certificates, and obituaries.