My interest in Owingsville religious history arose out of mere curiosity at first. I had
grown up in Owingsville and witnessed the religious dedication the town’s Christian residents
demonstrated. I wanted to see where this devotion originated, and I discovered that it began with
the Second Great Awakening. I had found the origin I was looking for, but I did not expect to
publish any tangible evidence on the topic. Then Dr. Scott’s HST 300 came along. The main
assignment for the class was to draft a research paper that focused on any event of one’s
choosing, as long as it was specific. I thought a singular event (Second Great Awakening) that
inspired the religious commitment of a particular town (Owingsville) would be a specific enough
topic. Dr. Scott agreed, so I began to conduct my research.
As my research began, so too did my library journey. My first stop on this journey was
Camden-Carroll Library. I initially went to the library in search of newspaper articles from
Owingsville newspapers circulating at the time. I had no idea how to access early nineteenthcentury newspaper articles, so I sought the help of a librarian. She directed me to a filing cabinet
filled with microfilms that displayed past newspaper articles. Rather than leaving me to thumb
through these microfilms myself, the librarian closely inspected the microfilm labels to see if
there were any that contained what I was looking for. In the end, none did. Nevertheless, I am
grateful to that librarian for attempting to find what I needed.
The library would soon redeem itself. After leaving the microfilm area, I went in search
of a specific book devoted to a major revival that took place during the Second Great
Awakening. In the library’s Appalachian-Kentucky Collection, I found this book and several
others discussing the Second Great Awakening. I grabbed as many of these books as I could,
hoping that one or two of them might be useful in my research. I wound up using six. The library
had proven quite fruitful in this respect.
I still needed to access resources specific to Owingsville, however, so I turned to the
Rowan County Public Library. I had discovered that this library held a book that focused
specifically on Owingsville’s religious history. I was informed that I would not be able to check
this book out. Instead, I would have to search through it while in the library. I had foolishly left
my notebook at home and thought this would make my trip to the library pointless. However, yet
another librarian came to my aid. She graciously offered me a pen and paper and even closed the
door to the reading room I was in so that I would not have to deal with the normal buzzing of the
library (not that there was much to begin with). The quiet atmosphere allowed me to take plenty
of notes quickly and efficiently.
After visiting these two libraries, my bibliography was nearly full. The last thing I needed
were primary sources. For those, I had to travel to the University of Kentucky’s Margaret I. King
Library. Upon arriving, I was directed to the library’s Special Collections room. Prior to
entering, however, I was informed that I could only carry a notebook and pencil into the room.
My phone, keys, and other materials might damage the documents. After a librarian retrieved the
church records I had requested, I saw exactly why this policy existed. Although the records had
been laminated, it appeared they may break at the slightest touch. Needless to say, I was very
cautious while handling them. Despite their fragility, the records were full of pertinent material.
My research paper turned out to be superb. Dr. Scott and others have told me that its
strongest quality is its evidentiary support. Had it not been for Camden-Carroll Library and other
libraries, I would not have been able to find any evidence. Moreover, I would have been lost if
not for the enthusiasm and care shown by the librarians of these institutions. In short, had it not
been for libraries, I would not have been able to write my research paper in the first place.