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The Lexington Public Library’s Digital Archives provide open access to researchers and students to learn more about the rich history of Lexington and Fayette County. It contains a fraction of the Library’s physical holdings, which are housed and available for reference in the Kentucky Room at the Central Library. New material is being digitized and added constantly, so there's always something new to find.
The archives have a simple keyword search, and it is possible to browse the collections by subject, area, or decade. The Lexington Public Library actively reviews and labels materials in our archives with statements that indicate how you may reuse the images, and what sort of permission, if any, you need to do so. Please check the information for each image to determine its legal status.
![Henry Clay High School Postcard](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/hchs.jpg?itok=RrpV8Ouz)
Lexington's school system dates back to the city charter of 1831, and it first school opened in 1834.
The Lexington Public Library has made an effort to ensure that all of our digital collections are public domain, or that we have gotten approval from the copyright holders to display their work. Most - but not all - of these collections, to the best of our knowledge, have no known US copyright restrictions. Some items in the collection are under copyright but qualify for online display by libraries under Section 108(h) of United States Copyright Law. Some of the collections provided in the Library's Digital Archives are made available under an assertion of fair use, which does not necessarily apply to an individual's use of them.
![Sample directory page](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/group-collections/92hamilton004_03.jpg?h=a535e6aa&itok=k9Ch0FWt)
The library has a variety of directories and yearbooks with local information. In the library's current digital collection, there is a selection of residential and street directories, yearbooks, school directories, and organizational directories. These are all fully word-searchable.
![The map in the 1942 street directory shows horse farms and major roads.](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/lexmap.jpg?h=9915c5b7&itok=784W249c)
The Kentucky Room's collections contain Lexington's residential directories going back over 200 years, and are some of the most useful resources for researchers looking for family information, neighborhood histories, and house histories.
![City of Lexington map, 1855](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/citylex.png?h=0ac108c1&itok=3qYMBP8W)
![Digital Archives logo](/sites/default/files/database/images/Digital_Archives_logo_400.png)
Discover unique resources in our Digital Archives that tell the story of Fayette County. Visit cemeteries throughout Central Kentucky using our cemetery maps. Contact our resident experts in the Central Library's Kentucky Room with questions.
![The 'Daniel' window in stained glass, 2nd Presbyterian Church](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/daniel.png?h=dc581508&itok=IDlMTZe2)
Fayette County churches contain some of the earliest records and information preserved about central Kentucky history. The digital archive contents include church ledgers, minutes, directories, and informational brochures.
![Odd Fellows Widows' and Orphans' Home](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/oddorphan.jpg?itok=_qw5qa33)
Fayette County's buildings contain a great deal of history about the region and its inhabitants.
![Beaumont Farm postcard](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/post035.jpg?itok=MzxqizQD)
The Fayette County Postcard collection contains images of well-known sites in Central Kentucky, such as Keeneland, Transylvania University, Ashland, and many others.
![1918 Bowling Green Business University](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/bowl.jpg?h=35b10ea6&itok=nhUYUFSP)
The collection contains non-Fayette County school yearbooks and images, dating from 1878-1968.
The materials in these collections are physically housed in the Kentucky Room at the Central Library and can be viewed during the Central Library's open hours.
For more information about a specific item, including any copyright restrictions on that item, please click on the information button:
![Fayette County History](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/group-collections/car.jpg?h=1e47220f&itok=4v4lAphp)
Fayette County, Kentucky, has changed enormously since it was created in 1792. This collection contains government documents for the city of Lexington, for Fayette County, and for the merged Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, as well as funeral notices, club directories, scrapbooks, image collections and a history of Lexington Public Library.
Use this form to add a digital version of your library card to your digital wallet.
The Digital Studio provides people of all skill levels the tools for filmmaking, photography and digital art, music making, and media preservation.
An eligible parent or legal guardian can complete this form to apply for a digital library card for a juvenile.
Eligible applicants can complete this form to apply for a digital library card.
Thanks for your interest in joining the Lexington Public Library! Your library card is the key to checking out books, downloading audiobooks, taking online classes, and much more. Please check here to find out if you qualify for a library card and how to apply.
![Lexington Herald-Leader Digital Issues logo](/sites/default/files/database/images/Herald_Leader_Digital_Issues_logo_400_1.png)
![Farmer's Bank building, 1897 Sanborn Map](/sites/default/files/styles/d02/public/KRDA/bathcolib_0.jpg?h=5263ba0b&itok=jXtWSpsi)
The Central Kentucky Cemeteries Maps are powered by Google Maps. Counties include: Fayette, Bourbon, Clark, Garrard, Harrison, Jessamine, Lincoln, Madison, Mercer, Montgomery, Nicholas, Powell, Scott, and Woodford.