Digital Collections
Explore digitized images, documents, oral histories, videos, and more. Featured collections include The Mary Wheeler Collection, Paducah postcards, and newspapers and documents from area schools.
Archives
Search the library’s closed archives for descriptions of items and collections, as well as information about accessing these materials, by emailing [email protected].
Local and Family History Blog
Read curious stories from the interesting history of Paducah and the Jackson Purchase.
Genealogy Collection
Includes family histories, periodicals, birth and death indexes, and more.
Local History Collection
Includes the Irvin S Cobb and Mary Wheeler Collections, as well as subject files, city directories, newspapers, biographies, and more.
African-American History
Explore biographies famous African-American people and landmarks in Paducah’s history, as well as the history of the 8th of August Emancipation Celebration.
Online Resources
AncestryLibrary Edition
A comprehensive treasury of American genealogical sources, including unique primary sources, local and family histories, and finding aids. In-library use only.
Family Search
With access to billions of birth, marriage, death, census, land and court records from more than 130 countries, FamilySearch can help you discover and make family connections when researching genealogy.
Fold3
Provides access to US military records, including the stories, photos, and personal documents of the men and women who served.
Heritage Quest
Genealogy data from U.S. Census records 1790-1930 with over 25,000 original page images of full-text family and local histories, etc.
MCLIB Historical Digital Collections
Explore digitized images, documents, oral histories, videos, and more. Featured collections include The Mary Wheeler Collection, Paducah postcards, and newspapers and documents from area schools.
MyHeritage Library Edition
Newspaper Source
Newspaper Source provides cover-to-cover full text for more than 40 (U.S.) & international newspapers. The database also contains selective full text for 389 regional (U.S.) newspapers.
Newspapers.com (Paducah Sun)
Newspaper database providing access to the Paducah Sun and affiliated newspapers spanning the years 1896–2023.