University Archives

Procedures are currently being created to provide for the smooth transfer of items from University departments to the University Archives. Those departments or entities wishing to transfer materials should contact the University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian for advice on how to proceed. Please see the Acquisition Policy for more complete information.

Special Collections

The University Archives and Department of Special Collections may acquire by gift, bequest, loan, trade or purchase any record, regardless of physical form or characteristic, which has any bearing on the history of Tyler, Smith County, and the region of East Texas through negotiation with the persons giving, bequesting, lending or selling the records. Donors of manuscript and bibliographic material will be asked to sign a deed of gift.

In certain cases, the Department of Special Collections may also collect books and artifacts deemed “rare” in cases of gifts or bequests.

Notwithstanding intrinsic or informational values of special collections materials, acquisition of such items will take account of the authorized acquisition mandates of other archival institutions and special collections repositories, resources required to make the material available for research purposes in a reasonable period of time, the extent and terms of any restrictions, the legal rights of the donor to place the records in the UASC, their relationship to the strengths and weaknesses in the existing holdings, the availability of appropriate storage facilities and the physical condition of the records in relation to the probability of being able to conserve them for a reasonable period of time.