Collection Development Policy

Founded in 1923 with an initial gift of Texas history volumes from Baylor alum and Waco physician Dr. Kenneth Hazen Aynesworth, The Texas Collection is now one of the largest Texana collections in the world. While the focus is on the Lone Star State, The Texas Collection holds information on the Southwest, Mexico, westward expansion, and beyond. Materials date from the 15th century to the present and tell the story of Texas from pre-Republic, Republic of Texas, and statehood. Scholars from all over the world come to the collection to research facets of Texas including history, agriculture, literature, religion, politics, and education. 

The University Archives are the official repository for documenting the history of Baylor University. These records include presidential papers, departmental and student organizational records, and university reports. Materials in the University Archive preserve the important decisions made by Baylor University that impact the future of the university as well as provide valuable insight into our storied past.

Primary and secondary source materials including manuscripts, diaries, scrapbooks, photos, books, serials, audio-video materials, sheet music, and maps.

Texas Collection

• African American history, business, and culture
• Jewish history, business, and culture
• Local history, especially related to underrepresented populations
• Mexican American history, business, and culture
• Native Americans in Texas

University Archives

• Administrative Records
• Departmental Records
• Records documenting student life

Texas Collection

• Cookery, Cookbooks
• Education
• Family and personal papers and histories
• Historic maps and post cards
• Literature, poetry, periodicals, and sheet music
• Local History including  photographs, businesses, Urban Renewal
• Seventh Day Adventists and Branch Davidians
• Texas Baptists and Church History, Baptist Missionaries

University Archives

• Administrative records
• Departmental records
• Papers of Faculty, Staff, and Alumni
• University Photographs
• University Publications and promotional materials

• 3-Dimensional artifacts including: coins, clothes, flags, plaques, statues, trophies
• Framed certificates (please remove them from frames)
• Newspapers, Newspaper clippings
• Family Bibles (We will accepts copies of genealogy pages)
• The Round-Up (Baylor Yearbook)

• Website: https://library.web.baylor.edu/texas
• Email: TXColl@baylor.edu
• Director: Jeff Pirtle, jeff_pirtle@baylor.edu
• University Archivist: Elizabeth Rivera, elizabeth_rivera@baylor.edu