Many materials held in the Hartfield Library are of a special nature. These items include books and magazines that deal specifically with the tri-county region (Henderson, Union, and Webster counties), Kentucky, or the tri-state region (Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky) and have been brought together to comprise the library’s Special Collections. These are housed in the Patsy Y. Thomas Room that is located on the library’s second floor next to the elevator. Items in the Special Collections offer a rich selection of resources for patrons interested in the history and development of this area. Patrons interested in family histories will find this collection particularly useful.
Items found in the Special Collections include books written (and sometimes autographed) by local authors, compilations of marriage/census/cemetery records for Henderson and other nearby communities, an atlas of the local counties, and local histories. A number of items in the Special Collections are focused on some of the more famous residents of this area such as John James Audubon or Admiral Kimmel (the commander of the U.S. fleet at Pearl Harbor). Other items include rare and out-of-print works. In addition to these books, the Special Collections also include back issues of such periodicals as The Register of the Kentucky Historical Society, The Filson Club Quarterly, and Kentucky Ancestors. Collections of private papers can also be found in the Special Collections.
The nature of these materials is that they are rare and often would be difficult to replace. As a result, the items in the Special Collections do not circulate; they are to be used within the library only. Given their age, some of these materials are also fragile, so before photocopies are made, please consult with a member of the Library Staff to see if it us safe to photocopy the material.
Finding
materials in the Special Collections is very easy. To find items, use Voyager, the library’s
online catalog. Items dealing
with local history can be found easily when using search terms like
“Henderson and history” or “Union County.”
If the “Location” display on the Voyager record reads
“Henderson CC Special Collections,” then that item can be found in the
Special Collections.
Some
potentially useful books that can be found in the Special Collections are:
Arnett,
Maralea. The Annals and
Scandals of Henderson County, Kentucky, 1775-1975.
Blue,
J. L. 1850 Union
County U.S. Census. Special.
Collections F457 .U5 B55 1995
Gibbs,
Liston T. and Pritchett, Mary Edith Forester.
Measured by a Grapevine: A
Kirchner,
Dennis. Centennial History
of Sturgis. Special
Collections F457 .U5 B55 1995
Kirchner,
Dennis. Marriage Records,
1871-1875, Union County, Kentucky.
Special
Kirchner,
Dennis. Vintage
Biographies of Webster County, Kentucky.
Special
Webster
County Church Histories. Special Collections BX9211
.W4 1991