The mission of the Library's Kentucky History & Genealogy Collection is to ensure that residents of Metro Louisville and users living far beyond its borders will have reliable access to primary and secondary source materials of historical and genealogical value well into the future.

In the Kentucky History Room (located on the 2nd floor of the historic Carnegie-built south section of the Main Library), patrons have access to valuable historical resources such as city, CrissCross, and telephone directories, vital records, military records, Ancestry.com, Draper Manuscripts, maps and atlases, and clippings files.

Library card holders may also employ an array of research tools from home while researching genealogy or local history. Databases include HeritageQuest, Courier Journal 1830-Present, and Sanborn Maps.

Staff are happy to help with any questions you may have and you can reach us via the Ask-A-Librarian form.

Digital Collections

LFPL's digital collections relate to Kentucky history and culture and feature materials that are both unique and not widely available.

Kentucky Digital Library: Built to enhance scholarship, research and lifelong learning by providing access to shared digital archival collections in the Commonwealth of Kentucky.

1937 Flood Collection: A collection of reports by various institutions including eyewitness accounts, personal experiences, and services rendered during the January 1937 Ohio River Valley flood.

Louisville Newspaper Obituary Index 1918–1987: Contains an index of obituaries published in various Louisville newspapers, most notably the Louisville Courier-Journal.

Sanborn Maps: A valuable historical resource featuring detailed fire insurance maps that document the urban development and infrastructure of cities and towns in the United States during the late 19th and 20th centuries.