Collections Information
Processing Archival Materials
Finding Aids
The Texas State University Libraries host and maintain ArchivesSpace as the online catalog to record information about resources held by our Special Collections and Archives. Once materials are accessioned into the Special Collections and Archives, our team will begin the process of making the materials accessible. After determining a logical arrangement, we will describe the materials, add historical context and background information, and enter that information into our Finding Aid Archives Catalog.
Catalog Records
Information from the finding aid is then migrated into library catalog records so that researchers can more easily discover the archival materials as they search the catalog for information about a specific topic. Records are also added to OCLC WorldCat, a global library catalog so researchers around the world can find materials held in the Texas State Special Collections and Archives.
Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO)
We are currently updating our processes and workflows to also include materials from our Special Collections and Archives in the statewide archival database, Texas Archival Resources Online.
Usage and Copyright
Copyright Statement
Archives Copyright Statement
Texas State University may not own the copyright on all of the material in the archives, and some are donations with specific restrictions of access and use. Some material on the website is in the public domain, and some of the material may be owned by unidentified copyright owners. Where possible, we have identified the copyright owners. If you are a copyright owner of any of the material posted on this website, or have additional information about the material, please contact us so that we may gather accurate information about our collections: Archives & Records Request Form
You may use any material on this website for personal or research use without permission. However, if you wish to publish or display copies of the materials on this website, reach out via the Archives & Research Form for permission, or the copyright holder. You are responsible for securing any necessary permission to use this material. Texas State University cannot be responsible for any copyright violation resulting from your use of the material on this website. To learn more about U.S. copyright law, please see http://www.copyright.gov/help/faq/.
Oral Histories
Oral Histories Rights Statement
The oral histories held by the Special Collections and Archives are protected by copyright. No permission is required for research or educational uses. For other uses, you need to obtain permission. Special Collections and Archives has obtained the consent of both the interviewer and the interviewee to make these oral histories available for research and educational use.
If you are a copyright owner with concerns about an oral history in our collections, please contact us: Archives & Records Form
Photographs Collection
San Marcos Daily Record Negatives
San Marcos Daily Records Rights Statement
The publisher of the San Marcos Daily Record selected a Creative Commons: Attribution-NonCommercial license for the images contained in the negative collection held by the Special Collections and Archives. A simple summary of this rights statement means you are free to share and adapt any images, but you must observe the following conditions:
- Attribution — You must give appropriate credit, provide a link to the license, and indicate if changes were made. You may do so in any reasonable manner, but not in any way that suggests the licensor endorses you or your use.
- NonCommercial — You may not use the material for commercial purposes.
Any use of an image, whether print or digital, must include the following information: [filename], San Marcos Daily Record Negative Collection, Special Collections and Archives, Texas State University.
Collection Policy
The Special Collections and Archives are currently reviewing and updating the Collections Policy. We will provide that updated policy documentation once complete, anticipated by Fall 2024.
University Records
Records Management
Texas State University implemented in 2007 a comprehensive program to manage university records and preserve those records with long-term historical value. The Records Retention Schedule provides instruction for disposing of records once they have exceeded their legal retention requirement; records with no further value may be discarded, while records with historical value should be transferred to the Special Collections and Archives. Note that records management training is offered each semester, and that the website provides more information about the records management program.
Departmental History
Departments, programs, and significant event anniversaries are as important to the Archives as they are to those who are celebrating. Help us prepare for future anniversaries by contacting the Special Collections and Archives now to discuss how best to preserve these. Items such as annual reports, awards programs, invitations, brochures, and newsletters are considered essential to documenting departmental history. We also accept "other" things, such as long-forgotten boxes of historical materials or artifacts, that relate to the department, the university, or the local community.
Identifying Resources For Events
Departments and programs that plan to incorporate historical research into celebrations of milestones and anniversaries are encouraged to start researching well before the date of the event because the process can be time-consuming. Archives staff will be happy to assist with identifying materials and making them available for use, but departments are expected to provide staff or students to perform the actual research.
Few department histories exist in summary form. Histories of Computer Science (1983), English (1979), Theatre (1972), and the departments within the School of Applied Arts and Technology (1999) are available in the digital repository collections.
- Course catalogs are a great place to start, as they contain information about faculty members and departmental organization.
- Pedagogs are a rich source of information about the school, and often include photographs of faculty and staff by department.
- The student newspaper, commonly referred to as "the Star," may include stories about significant events in department/program history. Issues listed below are online; remaining issues are available on microfilm. To make efficient use of research time, it is helpful to have specific milestones with dates in mind to narrow your search.