Located in the Margaret I. King Library, the Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) offers unique resources to:
After signing in at the front desk, you can find curated exhibits of unique materials in the Lobby, make your way to the Ford Center Classroom and the Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History on the First Floor, or take the stairs to the Second Floor to find the Breckinridge Research Room, the Breckinridge Digital Studio, and the Great Hall. The King Library Press is located in the Basement. Lettering on the walls will assist you in wayfinding.
Dining tables and chairs outside the entrance provide a chance for a sunny respite or lunch with friends.
Located on the Second Floor of the SCRC, the Breckinridge Research Room is available to students, faculty, and community members for quiet study or to view SCRC materials.
The Breckinridge Research Room features:
To access the room, users must have a Research Services Account. Learn more about creating an account and planning a visit to the SCRC.
To help preserve the SCRC's delicate materials, please store backpacks, food and drink, and pens in the lockers provided. Laptops, phones, cameras, and pencils and paper are permitted for personal use. For detailed policies on using spaces and resources at the SCRC, visit our Policies page.
The Breckinridge Reading Room in the Special Collections Research Center.
The Louie B. Nunn Center for Oral History in the Special Collections Research Center makes recording equipment and interview studio space available to its oral history project partners. The Nunn Center provides:
The Nunn Center engages individuals and communities by recording their stories and houses a collection of over 17,000 oral history interviews accessible through SPOKEdb. Submit a project proposal, or contact Nunn Center director Doug Boyd at doug.boyd@uky.edu to explore oral history partnership opportunities.
Nunn Center partners can access a fully-equipped recording studio for oral history projects and interviews.
The Breckinridge Digital Studio, located in the Breckinridge Research Room on the Second Floor of the Special Collections Research Center, is a self-serve digitization studio available to all registered students, faculty, staff, and community members wishing to scan their personal research materials.
Specialized equipment includes:
Equipment is available on a first-come, first-served basis. We encourage users to supply their own storage devices, though 8 GB thumb drives may be borrowed from the research desk in the Breckinridge Research Room.
For detailed equipment specifications, visit our FAQs page.
Find specialized scanners at the Breckinridge Digital Studio.
Chet White
Located in the Basement of the Special Collections Research Center, the King Library Press offers lectures, one-day workshops, and apprenticeship opportunities to students and community members interested in fine printing and the book arts.
Training is required to operate the equipment, which includes:
The Press is open Tuesdays and Thursdays from morning to early afternoon.
Learn the art of fine printing at the King Library Press.
Located on the First Floor of the Special Collections Research Center, the Ford Center Classroom is available for small class sessions or lectures involving archival and primary source materials.
Features of the Ford Center Classroom include:
Find more information about how our librarians and archivists can help you integrate SCRC materials into your courses on our Teaching with Primary Sources page.
Primary source instruction sessions are often held in the Ford Center Classroom.
Located on the Second Floor of the Special Collections Research Center, the Great Hall is available for SCRC events and exhibits, or as classroom space for Teaching with Primary Sources.
This multipurpose room features:
Visit the Great Hall for classes, events, and exhibits at the Special Collections Research Center.
