Library Frequently Asked Questions

The Keeneland Library is a non-circulating collection.  The Library Staff can help you find libraries which do circulate their equine industry materials.

The Library Staff are always delighted to provide tours.  Call the Library Director, Roda Ferraro, at 859-288-4223 to make arrangements in advance. Each tour is customized to the group.  We are also available to give orientation tours of the Research Room to first-time Library users.

Call the Library Director, Roda Ferraro, at 859-288-4223 or contact her by email ([email protected]) to set up a research consultation.

The Library offers photocopy services for research-related purposes. We restrict the photocopying of personal documents.  You may use cameras to make reference copy images for your research purposes only and not for subsequent distribution.

The public photocopier offers duplex copying.  It also permits copying to letter, legal and ledger-sized paper.

Keeneland Library offers access to a public wireless network.  The Library Staff can provide assistance in accessing the network.

We provide research services to locate information and/or photos about people, horses andplaces in the equine industry. We check our indexes, journals, books, photos, and historical archives to locate sources.  The more specific your question, the more likely we can find relevant results.  Be ready to supply names, dates, alternate locations, and any other information that may prove useful.

Contact the Library Director, Roda Ferraro at [email protected], to discuss in-kind donations of books, journals, photographs, art and/or artifacts.  All gifts are documented by a Deed of Gift signed by the donor and the Library representative. The Library does not provide appraisals.

Please consult the Library Staff before your visit to discuss your scanning needs.  The permission to use personal scanning or photographic equipment depends on the purpose of the reproduction, the copyright parameters, and the condition of the collection.  It is permissible to used cell phone cameras to make images for reference purposes only and not for subsequent distribution.

Free parking is available year-round at the Keeneland Library. Handicap parking spaces are available too.

Please feel free to make a suggestion to any of the Library Staff.  You may also email our Research Services Librarian, Kelly Coffman, at [email protected].

Yes, we hold the largest collection of Daily Racing Form in hard copy from 1896 to the present. Additionally some of the Form is online at https://drf.uky.edu

We maintain a subscription to Newspapers.com which can be used onsite. A Librarian will log you into the resource.

Yes, the Library has the American Racing Manual from 1904 to the present. In addition we have the Daily Racing Form Monthly Charts which provides race results.  The free online resource Equibase provides information about recent ownership, race results, and pedigree.  The Library maintains a subscription to Equineline’s American Produce Records which can be used onsite after a Librarian logs you into the resource.  

The Lexington Public Library created an index to the Lexington Herald and the Lexington Leader.  The index provides the full headline, first sentence, and a citation for the articles. The articles can be found on the newspaper microfilm at the Lexington Public Library and the University of Kentucky’s Young Library.  

We recommend that you use the American Institute for Conservation’s “Find A Conservator” website. Conservators work with a variety of media such as books, paper, textiles, photographs, artifacts and more. 

Access to view and requests to reproduce and/or license photographs and still images in the Library’s collections are mediated by Library staff. The Library respects the rights of photographers, artists, and other still image content creators who have participated in the creation of the materials in the Library’s collections. If the materials you wish to copy or use are protected by copyright, we are often able to grant requests for digital or print copies if the Library owns the copyright or manages it on behalf of its owner. Fees and restrictions may apply (see fee structure below). 

Some materials in the Library’s collections may have copyrights that are held by unknown or unreachable owners, and the Library generally does not grant requests for copies of such materials. If you wish to use these materials for an educational or research purpose, please contact us and we will review whether the Library can accommodate your request.

View Fee Structures

Contact the Library by using the contact the library form.

As a service to the industry and community on behalf of Keeneland Association, our research librarians can conduct research for distance patrons at no cost for up to 8 hours within a 30-day period. After the initial 8 gratis hours, the following rates apply:*

Standard research rates after 8 hours of gratis research services: $25 per hour

Expedited/rush (same or next day) research rates after 8 hours of gratis research services: $50 per hour

*Research services are tracked in 15-minute increments.

Time restrictions may be placed on a project.

In addition to the time spent researching, tracked services include retrieving and preparing materials for distribution.

Patron will receive an invoice for billable services rendered, even if 1) the requested information is not found and/or 2) the requested information is found but not used by the requesting patron.