The State Law Library of Kentucky has a long tradition of meeting the legal research and reference needs of Kentucky judges, state legislators, public officials and citizens. The library offers access to electronic legal databases and a large collection of legal print resources and historic publications. The library is located on the second floor of the state Capitol in Frankfort. Changed little since its completion in 1909, the historic room features a glass mezzanine and original grain-painted steel shelving.
Reference & Research Assistance
Library staff are available to provide research and reference assistance and are committed to helping patrons find the information they need. While library staff welcomes reference requests from the public, staff cannot provide legal advice, interpret laws, or comment on active litigation.
Electronic Resources
The library offers HeinOnline and Westlaw Patron Access for on-site use by the public.
Print Resources
The library houses an extensive collection of current and historical legal materials.
The Kentucky primary legal collection includes a complete set of Kentucky Acts, House and Senate Journals from 1801, Statutes, Kentucky Reports and Decisions and Attorney General Opinions. The collection also includes historical Kentucky legal texts, such as prior versions of the Kentucky Statutes, Court Rules and Codes of Practice. Many of these historical resources are not available online, such as the 1854 Kentucky Codes of Practice and Kentucky Statutes before 1970. The library's comprehensive Kentucky legal collection allows researchers to trace legislation to its early origins.
The library also houses federal materials and a large collection of secondary legal resources, including both Kentucky and general treaties.
The library's rare book collection includes biographies of notable Kentuckians, Kentucky histories, prior editions of state directories, the debates of both the 1849 and 1890 Constitutional Conventions and many other rare publications. Visitors can view an original 1783 Acts of Virginia signed by Kentucky's first United States Supreme Court Justice, Thomas Todd.
Whether you are conducting legal, historical, or genealogical research, the Kentucky State Law Library has resources for you.
Circulation and Collection Care
The collection is not available for circulation and materials must remain in the library. Patrons are welcome to copy or scan pages on the photocopier free of charge. Please ask a staff member for assistance.
Patrons are welcome to bring snacks and closed drinks into the library, but eating or drinking is not permitted while handling library materials.
Many items in the library are over 150 years old. To help preserve Kentucky's legal heritage, please handle the library materials carefully.