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Library DIY

What does Special Collections and Archives have?

Special Collections & Archives contains collections of personal papers, business and organizational records, academic writings, artwork, photographs, maps, political documents and books. Sounds like a lot, right? Click through the tabs at the top of this page to learn more about the types of material you will find in our archive. 

collage of images alternating with the words "What do we have?", featuring textual materials, folders, and other archival artifacts

Manuscript collections refer to papers created or kept by individuals, organizations, and institutions. These papers reflect the development of our urban area and the surrounding region, meaning you can find material related to Corpus Christi, South Texas, Texas, and the broader Southwest region. 

➡️Click here for a quick tutorial on using ArchivesSpace⬅️

       

 

Here are a few examples of our manuscript collections: 

  • Daniel E. Kilgore Collection 
    • Daniel E. Kilgore was a certified public accountant in Corpus Christi and renown Texana collector. You can find material related to Texas, South Texas, Mexican Americans, Mexico, ranching, county and city growth. 
  • Dr. Hector P. Garcia Papers 
    • Dr. Garcia was a Corpus Christi physician, founder of the American G. I. Forum (AGIF), and community leader. He was active in political and civic affairs for over fifty years. Dr. Garcia's papers include information related to the founding of the AGIF, and numerous civil rights issues, such as equal access to education. 
  • Charles F. H. von Blucher Family Papers 
    • This collection holds both personal and business records of the Blucher family. Beginning in the early 19th century with Felix and Maria von Blucher, these papers 

We have hundreds of manuscript collections that cover subjects such as coastal studies, environmental conservation, ornithology, education discrimination, local development, Mexican American folklore, and more! 

University Records capture the history and development of the university, which goes all the way back to our founding in 1947. The university began as a technical college in Beeville, Texas, and adopted the name UCC (University Corpus Christi) when we moved to our current home on Ward Island. 

Some material types you may come across are: photographs, yearbooks, student annuals, course catalogues, banners, programs, and mascots. You can view past yearbooks on our Digital Repository! 

We have material from these university incarnations: 

  • University of Corpus Christi (1947-1973)
  • Texas A&I University at Corpus Christi (1973-1977)
  • Corpus Christi State University (1977-1993)
  • Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi (1993-present)

Special Collections and Archives acquires books that have historic, research, and rare value. We have a number of named collections, along with our Texas Book Collection. Although the books are not available for checkout, they can be viewed in the Reading Room. Check out our book catalog to browse the shelves!

➡️Click here for a quick tutorial on searching our Print Collections⬅️

 You can search all books in Special Collections or narrow down your search to books within specific collections, such as the Burr collection, which holds books on ornithology, or the Givens collection, which houses local journalist and historian Murphy Givens' published works. 

In addition to the book collections, we hold theses and dissertations which go back to 1975. Our Periodicals hold material such as Corpus Christi Public Directories, magazines, newsletters, and journals. 

The Texas A&M Digital Repository is an open online site for sharing digital content. We have over fifty collections represented! Click here to visit Special Collections' corner of DSpace. 

➡️Click here for a quick tutorial on using DSpace.⬅️

SCA staff member holds a scanner lid open to place a textual document on the scanner bed as she prepares to digititize an item

If you'd like to learn more about this awesome resource, check out our Research Guide!