The J. C. Barnett Library and Archives is located in the James and Amanda Mount House on the campus of the Oldham County History Center. The Library and Archives is home to a variety of 2-D objects that date to 1824, including genealogy records, historic maps, cemetery information, and photographs, as well as books about Kentucky, Oldham and surrounding counties, family histories and more.
The Library and Archives also houses historic Oldham County court records, deeds, tax and probate records, as well as funeral home records from the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
The History Center is also home to the Kentucky State Reformatory archives.
Most significantly, the Library and Archives care for documents related to the slave trade in the region, including the Mount Family Papers, which document the Underground Railroad activities in the county. It is because of these papers that the J. C. Barnett Library and Archives is listed as a designated site on the National Park Service National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom. Currently, research is being conducted into the history of African Americans from Oldham County enlisting in the Union Army during the Civil War.
The J. C. Barnett Library and Archives in open Wednesday thru Friday, 10am to 3pm, and Saturday 10am to 1pm. Reservations to schedule a research time are required at this time due to Covid-19 protocols. Reservations can be made by calling 502.222.0826. There is an $8 research fee per day for individuals conducting research. There is an additional charge for any photocopies made. The Oldham County History Center also offers research conducted by staff at the rate of $20 per hour with a one hour minimum. There is a fee for photocopies and postage of researched materials.