The Lower Rio Grande Valley
Historical Collection
Introduction
Lower Rio
Grande Valley Historical Collection
Finding
Guides
Access to
Online Catalog
Circulation
Facilities
and Rules
Library
Hours
INTRODUCTION
The Lower Rio Grande Valley Historical Collection, located on the first
floor of The University of Texas - Pan American Library, is the primary
location for all materials dealing with the geographic area from Laredo to
Corpus Christi south to Brownsville, Texas and the Mexican states of
Tamaulipas, Nuevo León and Coahuila. The Lower Rio Grande Valley
Historical Collection supports the curriculum by providing materials both
for reference use within the Library as well as for use outside the
Library. All library patrons, including the general public, are welcomed
to make use of LRGVHC materials within the Collection. Selected materials
also circulate for use outside the library. Users must fill out a
"Researcher Registration Form" daily when first entering the area and
present a valid UT-PA ID or UT-PA Library card in order to check out
circulating LRGV materials.
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LOWER RIO GRANDE VALLEY HISTORICAL COLLECTION
The Collection includes all types of materials which relate to the
geographic area described above. The Collection is primarily comprised of
secondary source materials (materials which were written after the fact
based upon research taken from a variety of sources); primary source
materials (materials written at the time the event occurred) include,
among others, the John Shary Collection, the American Land Irrigation
CompanyCollection, and the Alfred B. Thomas Collection. The LRGVHC is also
a Texas Regional Historical Resource Depository covering a seven county
area including the counties of Cameron, Willacy, Hidalgo, Starr, Zapata,
Webb, and Jim Hogg which is made up of both original obsolete and
non-current county records as well as microfilm copies of permanent
records. Some in-house indexes for this material have been developed.
Also, among the holdings are Valley telephone books from 1923 to date;
telephone books for northeast Mexico; city directories, including Cole's
Cross Directory from 1960 to date; South Texas/Northeast Mexico
periodicals and newspapers; land abstracts; oral and video history tapes
(selected ones have been transcribed); maps; including historical land
plat maps, geodetic survey and photo image maps, and a small collection of
photographs. Finally, the Collection is also the repository for The
University of Texas - Pan American archives. Both English and Spanish
language materials are collected.
Donations of materials are solicited and recommendations from patrons
for materials to be purchased for the Collection are welcome and are
considered for purchase as funds permit.
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FINDING
GUIDES
This is a listing of the various Finding
Guides that have been created by Special Collections staff. These
guides provide additional detailed information that will be of assistance
to patrons.
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ACCESS THROUGH PAC ONLINE CATALOG
All book materials are cataloged and accessed through the PAC online
catalog. They may be retrieved by title [T=], subject [S=], author [A=]
and call number [C=]. The PAC may also be
accessed from outside the library using a personal computer equipped with
a modem.
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CIRCULATION
Students, faculty and public patrons may use the Collection during
scheduled hours. Books may be checked out for use outside of the Library
if more than one copy of the item is owned. Materials circulate for a one
week period and are renewable if not needed by another patron. A fine of
$1.00 per day is charged for overdue material. Users are responsible for
damage to and replacement costs for Collection materials. Materials, when
held in duplicate, may also be requested via Interlibrary loan use in
other locations.
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FACILITIES AND RULES
Special Note: Because of staff limitations, extended research
requests cannot be undertaken by library staff.
Study tables are available to patrons when using Collection materials.
An area for listening to or viewing oral/video history tapes is also
available. Audio headphones are to be used (singly or in groups) when
using this materials.
Researchers are responsible for the careful handling of all materials
used. Users should be aware that much of the Collection's holdings are
valuable and are therefore very expensive to replace. And archival
materials may be unique and are impossible to replace. Only note-taking
paper and pencils may be used in the research area. THE USE OF INK IS
STRICTLY PROHIBITED. The staff reserves the right to inspect all research
materials and personal articles before a patron leaves the area. All
materials are housed in closed stacks. Readers must request materials by
filling out appropriate call slips. Generally, photocopies will be made by
staff members. NO FOOD OR BEVERAGES ARE ALLOWED IN THE AREA AND SMOKING IS
PROHIBITED.
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LIBRARY HOURS
Collection hours are Monday through Thursday 8:00 a.m. until 9:00 p.
m., Friday 8:00 a.m. until 5:00 p.m. and Saturday 10:00 a.m. until 6:00
p.m., the schedule for the collection is posted on the Lower Rio Grande
Valley Historical Collection entrance door. A complete listing of Library Hours can be
found on our web page.
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Other areas at The University of Texas - Pan American which may be of
assistance to researchers are the Center for International Studies (Dr.
Lino Garcia - 956-381-3442); the Rio Grande Folklore
Archive (Dr. Mark Glazer - 956-381-3689); the Borderland Studies
Institute (Dr. Chad Richardson - 956-381-2377); the Center for Entrepreneurship and
Economic Development - (956-316-3361 / Census information, contact SJ
- 956-381-3692); and the Instituto
Nacional de Estadistica, Geografia e Informatica Repository [Mexican
Business Information Center Director]-(José Gavidia - 956-316-7171, also
956-381-3361).
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Return to
Special Collections
For more information, please contact:
George Gause, Special Collections Librarian
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