Lavender Legacies Guide: United States: Kentucky

Williams-Nichols Collection
Address: University of Louisville
Ekstrom Library - Special Collections
Belknap Campus
Louisville, KY 40292
Phone: (502) 636-0935 (David Williams) or (502) 852-6762 (Delinda Buie, curator)
Contact: Delinda Buie or David Williams
Email: KyArchives@aol.com
Hours: 10-4, M-F.
Wheelchair Access: yes
History
Founded by David Williams as the "Kentucky Gay Archives" in 1982. Currently associated with the University of Louisville, which houses the collection. Its mission: "To collect and disseminate information and materials of interest to the LGBT community and the wider population."
Information about holdings
1. Manuscript material (personal papers)  - Personal papers of N. David Williams, about 12 boxes
2. Film, video, or sound - About 500 videotapes, DVDs, films 
3. Organization's records - Organizational records for every major Louisville-based LGBT organization except the Fairness Campaign, which is housed in the university's general archives in the same library.
4. Photographs - Approximately 1,000 photographs
5. Printed - Approximately 5,300 books
6. Clippings or vertical files - 12 file cabinet drawers.
7. Objects and ephemera - About 2,000 items, including buttons, bumperstickers, posters, matchbook covers, protest banners, bar ephemera, postcards, etc. 
8. Other - About 150 entertainment programs and about 100 other programs.
9. What specific time periods and geographical regions do the holdings cover?  Mainly from 1980 forward but with significant items from 1850 onward.  Focus of vertical files (#7 above) is Louisville, Kentucky, and Indiana; focus of the rest of the collection is United States and Europe. 
10. What significant people, organizations and subjects are documented in the material?  Every person or organization of any consequence to the Louisville LGBT community.

Collecting interests:
99 percent of the collection is focused on the LGBT community both locally, regionally, and nationally.
Collection Growth:: The institution is willing and able to assume curatorial responsibility for additional material.
Access and Use:
1. What are the requirements for using the organization's/institution's material?  Any member of the general public age 18+.
2. Are these requirements different than those for using the LBGT material?  No. 
3. Are regular hours maintained for access (please specify when), or is it by appointment only?  Hours are 9-4, M-F and other hours by appointment.
4. Is the site wheelchair accessible?  Yes.
Services:
1. Research space
2. Reference assistance on site
3. Telephone reference
4. Internet reference (e-mail/web):  KyArchives@aol.com or dsbuie@louisville.edu or ahpurcell@louisville.edu 
5. Copying services - limited.
6. Audiovisual facilities - limited.
7. Exhibitions Loan agreements for exhibits
8. Borrowing privileges for individuals (please specify what kinds of material may be borrowed) - Intralibrary.
Indices to the collections:
The Williams-Nichols Institute and the Special Collections Division at the University of Louisville both maintain extensive lists of all materials.

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