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SCRC HIGHLIGHTS

The Special Collections Research Center collects, preserves, and provides access to materials documenting the social, cultural, economic, and political history of the Commonwealth of Kentucky. Our collections and resources support the research, teaching, and scholarship of the University community and scholars around the world. By serving as the essential bridge between past, present, and future, the SCRC provides rich opportunities for students to expand their worldview and for scholars to advance original research.

Visit the SCRC

SCRC has several unique resources for research, scanning, fine printing, recording, teaching, and more, including the Breckinridge Research Room.

Explore the Spaces & Technology in the SCRC

Contact

Margaret I. King Library
Lexington, KY 40506-0039

Innovative Centers for Research

Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History

Internationally recognized for collecting and preserving lived experiences through oral history, with a catalog of over 17,000 interviews.

Wendell H. Ford Public Policy Center

Preserving the history of Kentucky politics, government, and materials pertaining to the US Congress.

John G. Heyburn II Initiative for Excellence in the Federal Judiciary

Documenting Kentuckians who have served in the federal judiciary and their contributions to American legal discourse. 

Opportunities for Experiential Learning

Learning Lab Internship

A program unlike any other on campus, the Learning Lab Internship is a paid opportunity for undergraduates to pursue individual, long-term research projects, using rare and unique archival materials from our collections. Through hands-on training in archival management and research methods, interns get to know their chosen collection inside and out as they develop a creative research project showcasing their findings and promoting access to their materials.

A supportive peer environment and close mentoring make the Learning Lab Internship an invaluable personal and professional development experience.

View from entrance of Learning Lab, showing two females in discussion, table & chairs, and bicycle.

King Library Press

The King Library Press offers apprenticeship opportunities to students and community members interested in fine printing and book arts. Open to all majors at the undergraduate and graduate level as well as faculty, staff, and community members regardless of prior experience,  apprentices gain hands-on experience with many aspects of the book arts, including type distribution, printing, book binding, and decorative paper design depending on their personal interests and the needs of the press.

Apprenticeships can last for as little as a semester or as long as several years, and we have extensive experience arranging for course credit both within and outside the university. To get involved, email KLP director Paul Holbrook at peholbr@post.harvard.edu or come visit the press on a Tuesday or Thursday morning.

View of old printing presses in the King Library Press