Our Mission

The Special Collections Research Center sustains the Commonwealth's memory and serves as the essential bridge between past, present and future. By preserving materials documenting the social, cultural, economic and political history of Kentucky, the SCRC provides rich opportunities for students to expand their worldview and enhance their critical thinking skills. SCRC materials are used by scholars worldwide to advance original research and pioneer creative approaches to scholarship. Special Collections Research Center is home to UK Libraries' collection of rare books, Kentuckiana, the Archives, the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History, the King Library Press, the Bert T. Combs Appalachian Collection, the John G. Heyburn II Initiative for Excellence in the Federal Judiciary, and the Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Research Center.

SCRC collects,preserves, and provides access to materials documenting the social, cultural, economic, and political history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Materials are acquired regardless of format and include both primary and secondary sources; Kentuckiana is collected comprehensively. SCRC maintains the University Archives and records management program for all records generated by the University and serves as its archival repository for permanent records. SCRC advances and supports the research, teaching, and scholarship of the University and beyond by preserving and providing access to its holdings.

Associate Dean Deirdre A. Scaggs

Materials at the Special Collections Research Center do not circulate.

Online requests for research materials, reproduction orders, and other services are provided through your online researcher account and in the Breckinridge Research Room.

Online digital materials and finding aids are available on ExploreUK.

• Abolition/Abolitionists: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• African American Primary Resources in Special Collections
• Architecture and Design: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• Asian/Middle East History: Primary and Secondary Sources in Special Collections
• Authors/Literature/Writers: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• Banks/Banking: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• Businesses/Mercantile Enterprises/Entrepreneurs: Primary Sources in Special Collections

• Caribbean History: Primary and Secondary Sources in Special Collections
• Central American History: Primary and Secondary Sources in Special Collections
• Children's Book Collection in the Special Collections Research Center
• Civil Rights in Kentucky - Oral Histories
• Civil War (American) and Reconstruction Era, 1861-1877: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• Coal Mining: Primary Sources in Special Collections
• Complete list...

Special Collections Research Center
Front Desk and Main Entrance
Phone: (859) 257-1742
Fax: (859) 257-6311

Main Entrance open during regular operating hours:
Monday - Friday: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

For Research, Reference, or Collections-related Inquiries
Breckinridge Research Room
Phone: (859) 257-8611
Fax: (859) 257-6311
Contact Us via online form

Breckinridge Research Room staff available during open hours:
Monday - Friday: 10:00 AM - 4:30 PM
Saturday - Sunday: Closed

Campus Mail Code: 0039

Emergency Vehicle Response Location:
179 Funkhouser

Mailing Address:
Special Collections Research Center
Margaret I. King Library
University of Kentucky Libraries
Lexington, KY 40506-0039

Delivery Address:
179 Funkhouser Drive
Margaret I. King Library
University of Kentucky Libraries
Lexington, KY 40506-0039

Please visit the SCRC staff directory for individual contact and program information.