The Open Records Act
In 1976, the Kentucky General Assembly passed the Open Records Act (KRS 61.870 to KRS 61.884). This law gives people the right to access public records. Records that are prepared, owned, used, possessed, or retained by a public agency are public records; the Assembly believes that allowing free and open access to these records is important for the public.
There are 14 exclusions to this act, including public or private records, including books, papers, maps, photographs, cards, tapes, discs, diskettes, recordings, software, or other documentation regardless of physical form or characteristics, having historic, literary, artistic, or commemorative value accepted by the archivist of a public university, museum, or government depository from a donor or depositor other than a public agency. These items are available to the public without an open records request and can be obtained in the following ways:
1. Visit us in person - Click here for more information about our Frankfort campus.
2. Search our collections online - KHS maintains online catalogs of artifacts, books, manuscripts, rare books, and other collections, constantly updated with new materials. Click here to access our online catalogs.
3. Fee-based research services - our professional staff can help you navigate our collections to find what you need - Click here to submit a request for historical, legal, and/or genealogical research from the Kentucky Historical Society.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Open Records Request
To receive records maintained by and in the custody of the Kentucky Historical Society (KHS), please submit your request in writing, identifying the specific records sought. An open records request is not the same as a research request. We provide only specific records in response to specific identified documents or material in an open records request. We do not perform research as part of an open records request. You may perform research in person, online, or pursuant to a fee-based arrangement as set forth above. Please be sure to provide your name, address, and daytime telephone number in the event we need to contact you. All requests for records must be signed by the requestor.
Click here to download the Open Records Request form.
You may send your request by mail, fax or email to:
Records Custodian
Kentucky Historical Society
100 West Broadway
Frankfort, KY 40601
Fax: (502) 564-1079
KHS has five (5) business days from the date of receipt to respond to an open records request. If the documents requested are not available for release within five (5) days, a response will be provided informing the requestor of the approximate date on which the requested documents will be available for inspection.