Southwest Collection

Southwest Collection The Southwest Collection acquires, preserves, and makes accessible archival collections of regional, national, and international significance.

The Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library at Texas Tech University holds archives of national and international significance. It is one of the one of the top academic research repositories in the country. The marquee unit of the institution is the Southwest Collection, which encompasses millions leaves of documents, over a hundred thousand books, millions of photographs, thousands of or

al histories, reels of microfilm, and films and videos relating to the history, economy, politics, military, environment, and cultures of the U.S. Through an active field program the Southwest Collection acquires and preserves many important collections. For example, it houses the largest collection of historic ranching related materials in the United States and undoubtedly the world. In addition, there are numerous important collections relating to: military affairs (including 19th and 20th century); architecture, religion (Jewish Archives and Protestant denominations), sports, farming, Archives for the History of Financial Planning, oil production, water resources, politics (including legislative, gubernatorial, and congressional collections), radio broadcasting, advertising, urban development, commercial and business growth, waste disposal, industrial development, science and technology [including, wind and atmospheric sciences (Tetsuya “Ted” Fujita Papers), federal solar power projects, the Mohole Project, and nuclear waste disposal project, NASA records (Colombia Commander Rick Husband, Dr. Sherman Vinograd collections, and others)], immigration, minority studies, genealogy, and the environment. We hold records from various organizations such as the National College Baseball Hall of Fame, the Southwest Athletic and Big Twelve Conferences, Cooperative Communicators of America, Disabled American Veterans: Texas Division, and the WWII Glider Pilots Association. The modern facilities at the archive encompass the Holden Reading Room, an attractive open research environment with microfilm reader/copiers, independent study carrels, online catalogue database access, and security lockers. The Marshall Formby conference room can seat a hundred people for symposia and meetings. The Governor Preston Smith conference room has wireless and white-board screen capabilities. We house the Hoblitzelle Conservation Lab and an Exhibits and Outreach department that works with regional organizations and campus departments to create exhibits advertising the holdings of the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library.

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Pressler’s Map of the State of Texas, 1858. Texas State Archives Map Collection, number 1201.The Texas America250 exhibi...
05/26/2026

Pressler’s Map of the State of Texas, 1858. Texas State Archives Map Collection, number 1201.

The Texas America250 exhibit can be seen in person at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library through July 4, 2026.

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Over the next several weeks, we will be sharing each exhibit panel from the Texas America250 exhibit, on loan from the T...
05/22/2026

Over the next several weeks, we will be sharing each exhibit panel from the Texas America250 exhibit, on loan from the Texas State Library and Archives Commission (Texas State Library and Archives Commission). The exhibit can be seen in person at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library through July 4, 2026.

Texas flag and seal design by Peter Krag, approved January 25, 1839. Texas Secretary of State legislative bills and resolutions filed (General and special laws), 2-7L/3.

Here's an iconic image of "Mr. Tornado."The F-Scale, used for measuring the strength of tornadoes, was developed by Dr. ...
05/18/2026

Here's an iconic image of "Mr. Tornado."

The F-Scale, used for measuring the strength of tornadoes, was developed by Dr. Tetsuya Theodore Fujita during his decades as a severe weather research. Dr. Fujita’s materials are housed at the Southwest Collection.

05/15/2026

Another great news feature about what can be found at the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library!

Texas State Library and Archives Commission

Happy Commencement Days to all TTU graduates!Here's a photograph of the Texas Technological College senior class of 1927...
05/14/2026

Happy Commencement Days to all TTU graduates!

Here's a photograph of the Texas Technological College senior class of 1927 taken during the May 30, 1927 commencement ceremony in the College Gymnasium.

Heritage Club Photograph Collection, The University Archives at Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library

Check out this 2022 video on The Lubbock Tornado Memorial.
05/14/2026

Check out this 2022 video on The Lubbock Tornado Memorial.

Fifty-six years ago, an F5 tornado tour through Lubbock. The devastation which it had on our community and the lives lost will never be forgotten. To teach new generations about the storm and remember those lost, the 1970 Lubbock Tornado Memorial (opened in 2021) is a stunning space to visit and reflect.

To learn more: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UpWEYA0MArI

05/13/2026
56 years and Lubbock still remembers. Visit the link below to research what the Southwest Collection has gathered and pr...
05/11/2026

56 years and Lubbock still remembers. Visit the link below to research what the Southwest Collection has gathered and preserved on the Lubbock Tornado.

05/09/2026

GLIMPSES OF LUBBOCK COUNTY

On Tuesday, May 12, Dr. Cameron Saffell will present a program on the cemeteries of Lubbock County. Do you know how many cemeteries are in Lubbock County? How many have you visited? Dr. Saffell will talk a little bit about all of them, including the eleven that carry the Historic Texas Cemetery designation from the Texas Historical Commission.

Glimpses of Lubbock County
Tuesday, May 12
7:00 p.m.
Groves Library, 5520 19th Street

Ran into Carl, Monroe, and members of the Texas Tech Equestrian Team outside of the historic Dairy Barn on campus last w...
05/08/2026

Ran into Carl, Monroe, and members of the Texas Tech Equestrian Team outside of the historic Dairy Barn on campus last week. Built in 1926, the Dairy Barn is one of four original buildings on campus and is situated just southwest of the archive.

Texas Tech Equestrian Team Texas Tech Davis College of Agricultural Sciences & Natural Resources

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MS 41041, 15th And Detroit, Texas Tech University
Lubbock, TX
79409

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