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Special Collections and Archives

The Special Collections & Archives of the Mary and Jeff Bell Library at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi has, as its primary focus, to locate, acquire, preserve, and make available to researchers materials that document the development of Corpus Christi and its South Texas environs.

The department includes items dealing with history, urban and ethnic studies, literature,folklore,art, photography, government, anthropology, sociology, the sciences, and other disciplines.

Special Collections & Archives has a growing body of papers of individuals, organizations, and institutions that reflects the growth of the Corpus Christi metropolitan area; it also contains approximately 20,000 books, periodicals, and other printed primary and secondary items dealing with Texas, Mexico, South Texas and Corpus Christi.

In addition, the unit has an active oral history program to supplement the written and visual materials.

Special Collections & Archives works closely with faculty and students to provide local research topics to enrich the classroom experience.The unit plays a particularly active role in the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi history program. Students not only receive specialized assistance with research projects, but instruction on research methods, use of primary documents, and the study of public, urban, Mexican American, Texas, and local history as well as archival management and oral history technique.