Texas Archives, Libraries, and Societies
This entry was originally written by Wendy Bebout Elliott, Ph.D. FUGA for Red Book: American State, County, and Town Sources.
Contents
Texas State Library and Archives
State Archives and Library Building
1201 Brazos St.
Austin, TX 78711-2927
www.tsl.state.tx.us
Of paramount importance to the genealogical researcher working with Texas records are the holdings of the Texas State Library and Archives.
The website provides a search engine for 'genealogy' and 'archives and manuscripts' resources in its collections. Holdings of the Texas State Library are divided. Most important for genealogical research are at the Texas State Archives with its Local Records Department, the Records Management Division, and the Information Services Division, which includes a Genealogy Section and a Reference Department.
Many of its extensive holdings have been described in the sections of this chapter (see also Carefoot, A Guide, cited under Manuscripts and website www.tsl.state.tx.us/arc/index.html).
The Genealogy Section maintains vertical ties that contain notes, clippings, pamphlets, and correspondence on Texas families. These files may be accessed in person, by phone (time limit imposed), or through correspondence.
Because so many records pertaining to Texas are available in microform, much genealogical and historical material is accessible at the following:
Dallas Public Library
1515 Young St.
Dallas, TX 75201
www.dallaslibrary.org
Houston Public Library
500 McKinney St.
Houston, TX 77002
www.houstonlibrary.org
In addition to the Texas State Library, these two libraries have the most extensive holdings. Other libraries with holdings of interest to genealogists include:
Austin History Center
9th and Guadalupe St.
Austin, TX 78701
www.ci.austin.tx.us/library/lbahc.htm
Texas Historical Commission
P.O. Box 12276
Austin, TX 78711-2276
www.thc.state.tx.us
Most other libraries, including public libraries, have valuable material with genealogical information, such as published histories, newspapers, telephone books, city directories, manuscripts, and oral history. Twenty-five public and university libraries in Texas provide additional storage facilities of local records. These are identified in Heskett's work (see Texas County Resources).
In addition to the Kennedy and Kennedy book (see Background Sources for Texas), the following guides to Texas archives and libraries are also valuable:
- Keilman, Chester Valls. Guide to the Microfilm Edition of the Texas Archives. 3 vols. Austin, Tex.: University of Texas, 1967'71.
- . The University of Texas Archives, A Guide to the Historical Manuscripts Collections in the University of Texas Library. Austin,
Tex.: University of Texas Press, 1967.
- Texas State Library Circulating Genealogy Duplicates List. Austin, Tex.: Texas State Library, 1985. Lists books and materials available on interlibrary loan in Texas and elsewhere.
