The Texas State Library and Archives Commission (TSLAC) has announced the availability of new and revised finding aids online, along with fresh uploads to the Texas Digital Archive. This initiative aims to facilitate research by providing access to a wealth of historical resources.
The State Archives is responsible for preserving and documenting Texas's heritage and culture through the identification, collection, and provision of permanently valuable official records. Finding aids serve as written guides to archival records, offering descriptive information and folder inventories that assist researchers in navigating prepared holdings.
The recent updates can be found in the State Archives’ quarterly blog post, New Online. TSLAC maintains over 200 million pages of archival documents and more than two million volumes of printed library materials. The Texas Digital Archive manages electronic records collections transferred by state agencies or digitized by the State Archives. All records are unrestricted and available for public use at www.tsl.texas.gov/texasdigitalarchive.
Newly accessible records include various state, local, and manuscript collections. Highlights include audiovisual materials from the Texas Department of Agriculture documenting activities from 1969-1999; a revised finding aid for colonization records from the Republic of Texas; updated Civilian Conservation Corps drawings; additional Texas Supreme Court records; Galveston County court records; Justice of the Peace records; and the Joseph Dillard Gates manuscript collection.
Researchers are invited to visit the State Archives during public service hours: 9:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m., Tuesday through Friday, and 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., on the second Saturday of each month. Appointments are encouraged but not required.
Other newly published finding aids cover various state departments including Agriculture, Historical Commission, Veterans Land Board, Water Resources, Parks and Wildlife Department Law Enforcement Division, among others.
A comprehensive list of all TSLAC’s finding aids is available at www.tsl.texas.gov/arc. An up-to-date list can be found in TSLAC’s online catalog at https://bit.ly/TSLACnewcollections.
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The Texas State Library and Archives Commission provides Texans access to necessary information by preserving Texas's archival record; enhancing public libraries' service capacity; assisting public agencies with record maintenance; and meeting reading needs for Texans with disabilities. For more information, visit www.tsl.texas.gov.
