The Top Shelf

by Mark Shelstad

UTSA Archives and Special Collections is among the growing number of archives to create an online presence for every one of its collections. Starting in August of 2008, the year-long project to address the backlog of uncataloged collections was headed by Manuscripts Curator Nikki Lynn Thomas and former University Archivist Angela McClendon Ossar. We were able to utilize inventories generated by former and current collection assistants to create guides to the collection with folder-level and box-level descriptions. The project resulted in access to more than 130 collections and 2000 linear feet of materials.

Creating MARC records in the UTSA catalog or EAD records in Texas Archival Resources Online (TARO) has resulted in greater access to collection, and is of interest to anyone – students, scholars, and citizens – who might find the historical materials at UTSA of benefit.

To search UTSA’s collections, visit http://www.lib.utsa.edu/Archives/Manuscripts/ where users can search by keyword, or browse by collection title. Users will also find some pre-defined frequent searches, such as San Antonio History, or Women’s groups.

Rosie Villarreal and Fred Wick unpacking and shelving the first books to arrive at the Library Auxiliary Building, April 1974, Gil Barrera Photographs of the University of Texas at San Antonio, 1972-1978, MS 27