Although the literal meaning of manuscript is “handwritten,” the Department of Archives and Special Collection's manuscript collections cover all kinds of unpublished written records and many contain published and pictorial records as well. The kinds of records are extremely diverse: letters, diaries, notebooks, speeches, lectures, drafts of books and articles, research or reference files, cutting books, photographs, drawings, minute books, agenda papers, logbooks, financial records, maps and plans. 

Also found within the manuscript holdings of the Department are those items which may be more properly called artifacts. Even though documents and other two-dimensional materials are artifacts because of their physical nature, the term "artifact" is often used to distinguish three-dimensional materials from two-dimensional materials. Artifacts may be preserved as records, documenting a design or function. In addition, many archival record groups and manuscript collections contain artifacts among other more traditional visual and textual material, such as a campaign button filed with the flyer documenting the political rally at which it was acquired.

The holdings at the University Archives and Department of Special Collections include (but are not limited to) the Sarah McClendon Papers, the Harold McMillan Papers, the Judge Billy Williamson Papers, and the Judge William Steger Papers.  The Department of Archives and Special Collections is currently working to arrange, describe, and make all these collections available to the public. Researchers interested in using any of these collections - or with questions regarding additional collections - should contact the University Archivist and Special Collections Librarian.

The University Archives and Department of Special Collections has also acquired, through an agreement with the Texas State Library and Archvies Commission (TSLAC), the records and papers of former Texas Lieutenant Governor Bill Ratliff.