Kentucky Books & Publications

Major Digital Libraries with Kentucky Content

The following sites host large collections of digitized books, county histories, atlases, city directories, and genealogical material that include Kentucky.

ExploreUK (University of Kentucky Libraries) — Manuscripts, local histories, photographs, and rare books relating to Kentucky.
Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) — Catalogs, research guides, and some digitized materials for Kentucky history and genealogy.
Kentucky Digital Library — Newspapers, yearbooks, local histories, and other Kentucky-focused publications.
Internet Archive — Search for “Kentucky” or a specific county to find digitized local histories, county atlases, and family histories.
Google Books — Many classic Kentucky county histories and biographical sketches are available in full view.
HathiTrust Digital Library — Shared digital collection of research libraries; includes numerous Kentucky-related titles.
FamilySearch Digital Library — Digitized local history and genealogy books from libraries worldwide, including Kentucky.

Finding Kentucky Books to Buy or Borrow

When you need a physical copy or a modern reprint, these publishers and tools can help you locate Kentucky-focused books and county histories.

University Press of Kentucky — Academic and popular titles on Kentucky history, culture, and biography.
Western Kentucky Books (Hopkins County Genealogical Society) — Publications covering Hopkins, Butler, Caldwell, Christian, Crittenden, Muhlenberg, Union, Webster, and surrounding counties.
WorldCat Library Catalog — Search for Kentucky county histories and see which libraries near you hold a copy.
Check the Kentucky genealogy and historical societies for locally published books and cemetery, church, or courthouse abstracts.
Many county-level KYGenWeb sites list books and local publications specific to that county. Visit the county selection page to explore.

Historical Maps, Atlases & Gazetteers

Maps and atlases often include town lists, landowners, and geographical clues that help explain where your ancestors lived and how county boundaries changed over time.

Kentucky Geological Survey Map Portal — Geologic, topographic, and historic map resources for Kentucky counties.
Library of Congress Map Collections — Search for “Kentucky” for historic county, railroad, and city maps.
David Rumsey Map Collection — High-resolution scans of historic atlases and maps, including Kentucky and surrounding states.