The University Archives of Texas Tech University
Mission Statement
The University Archives serves as the institutional repository for Texas Tech University by collecting, preserving and making accessible to researchers such materials as administrative and faculty records, publications, photographs, video and audio materials. These materials document the legal, historical, fiscal, administrative and intellectual aspects of the university, as well as the cultural and social aspects of student life.
All University Archives materials are non-circulating and can only be used in the Holden Reading Room of the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library. Use of University Archives materials are covered under the Policies of the Reading Room.
General Acquisitions Policy
University records are documents created, received or accumulated during the conduct of Texas Tech University business. Records sought for the University Archives include those that demonstrate the university's activities in teaching, research, student development, cultural enrichment, and campus growth. Also collected are non-official records pertaining to the history of the university. This includes faculty papers, organizational records, and student organizational records.
The types of records deemed worthy of permanent preservation are, in part, determined by the TTU System records retention schedule. Routine fiscal documentation such as purchase orders and travel receipts are not accepted as they are considered short-term records. Also, student academic records are not housed in the University Archives but rather reside with the Registrar's Office.
Materials not fitting the University Archives collecting scope can either be rejected, deaccessioned or disposed. Due to limited space, only a small number of duplicate materials are kept at any time, unless the item(s) prove to be very rare and/or unique.
Yearbooks
Due to the large number of duplicate copies already residing in the archives,
please do not send any extra copies of the La Ventana yearbooks to the archives.
Past issues of the
La Ventana (yearbooks, 1926-2009) are viewable online.
Faculty Papers
The University Archives acquires, processes and makes accessible the papers of current and former faculty members. These papers document the teaching and research functions of the university and are therefore an important insight to the academic life of Texas Tech and its growth.
Types of materials collected for faculty papers.
To view which faculty papers currently reside in the University Archives, go to the collection finding aids.
Social and Honor Organization Papers
Student, faculty, staff and honor organizations are very important in showing the diversity of university life and are
collected by the University Archives. Types of materials collected for social and honor organization papers.
Texas Tech Publications
The University Archives is the official repository for campus and alumni journals, newsletters, press releases and newspapers. Among these
are the following which have been digitized and are available for online viewing:
- The Activists' Forum newspaper (1968-1969)
- Alumni publications: Texas Tech Magazine (1937-1943) and Tex Talks newsletters (1950-1964)
- The Board of Directors/Board of Regents Meeting Minutes (1923- )
- The Catalyst newspaper (1969-1971)
- Commencement Programs (1949- )
- Bulletins and Course Catalogs(1926- )
- La Ventana yearbooks (1926-2009)
- Tech Tips student handbooks (1942-1974)
- Texas Tech Athletic Game Programs and Media Guides (1925- )
- Texas Tech Press Releases (1926- )
- Texas Techsan alumni magazine (1950-2011)
- The Toreador newspaper (1925- )
- The Daily Toreador newspaper (current issues)
Other Texas Tech publications are viewable online on the archives' DSpace repository.
Additionally, books published by and on Texas Tech faculty are available for viewing onsite. All items are non-circulating and are available for viewing only in the Holden Reading Room.
Theses and Dissertations (T/Ds)
The University Archives houses hard official copies of student theses and dissertations. These non-circulating books may be requested for viewing in the reading room. Duplicate copies may be available for check out at the main Library. For more than a decade now, TTU theses and
dissertations are published only in electronic format.
The Texas Tech University Libraries provides online access to digital copies of TTU theses and dissertations from the 1920s to present. Texas Tech theses and dissertations are also accessible through The Texas Digital Library website, where a research may browse and search full text copies of theses and dissertations from several Texas universities.
The TTU Libraries has also digitized the TTU Honors College theses and the TTU undergraduate research theses.
Transferring Materials to the University Archives
All university records should adhere to the TTU System records retention schedule. Once records become inactive, only those that have been determined as having permanent value should be transferred to the University Archives. All others should be disposed of according to the manner cited in the records retention schedule. When in doubt, don't throw it out but rather call the University Archivist for help.
When sending items to the University Archives, records should be kept in their original order and folder [i. e. never loosely dumped], boxed in a sturdy container, and have attached a sheet stating who is the sender/department, a contact phone number and a listing of what records are enclosed. Preferably, materials should not to sent without first making contact with the University Archivist.
Donors not currently affiliated with Texas Tech, such as alumni, should contact the University Archivist directly.
For more information on using University Archive materials contact:
B. Lynn Whitfield, Archivist and Certified Archivist
Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library
2805 15th Street
Texas Tech University
Lubbock, Texas 79409-1041
Phone (806) 834-7003
Last Updated 2/27/24