KY EDUCATION AND  WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT

News release

LANCASTER — State Librarian and Kentucky Department for Libraries and Archives (KDLA) Commissioner Terry Manuel has announced that Garrard County Clerk Kevin Montgomery has received a grant totaling $15,400 from KDLA to preserve and manage local government records.

Fifteen grants have been awarded throughout the state for a total of $385,406 from the first round of funding from fiscal year 2019 Local Records Grant Program funds. The next round of grants will be awarded in December.

“These funds will allow local agencies to preserve, manage and provide access to records in a way that benefits both the agency and the public,” Manuel said. “It is important to ensure that citizens have access to these local records now and in the future.”

Funds for the program come from fees enacted by the Kentucky General Assembly in 1984 and 2007 to preserve and retain local public records. Any local government agency can apply for this grant.

“Our office will use this grant money to index and scan Deed Books 1-115 and Deed Books A-Z,” said Montgomery. “This grant will allow every deed from 1797-1978 to have a live image. We currently have 1978-2018 scanned. Not only will this create better images and reduce the wear and tear on books, it will allow the public easy access to these records. Attorneys and genealogists will reap the benefits from this grant. This is very exciting because we will have all deeds scanned.”

KDLA’s Local Records Program helps to preserve, protect and make available records with continuing archival value and to assist local agencies with records management through grant support, training and direct services. KDLA is an agency of the Education and Workforce Development Cabinet.