We must not fall into the terrible trap of thinking that because certain printed or manuscript materials have been photostated or photocopied or microfilmed, or digitized that we are relieved of our responsibility for preserving the original.
—Terry Belanger, retired founding director of
Rare Book School, University of Virginia
Special Collections and University Archives serve an important role in acquiring, preserving and making available impressive collections of rare books, manuscripts, historic maps, University Archives, photographs and memorabilia. The purpose of Special Collections is to enhance the Mary Couts Burnett Library general collection and support research and teaching programs of Texas Christian University. We welcome all students, scholars and members of the community to explore the rich collections found here.
Special Collections consists of two general components: archives and rare books. The archives contain both records of the university and historic manuscript collections. Past issues of the Horned Frog yearbooks and The TCU Daily Skiff along with photographs of campus and university activities and numerous TCU publications document the history of the university. The collections of former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives Jim Wright, and prominent Fort Worth businessman Amon G. Carter highlight the manuscripts portion of the archives.
The William Luther Lewis Collection is the heart of our rare book holdings. The Lewis Collection represents more than three hundred principal authors of English and American literature. Our rare book collection interests include the work of Southwest writers and children's literature.
The Pate-Newcomer Collection contains well over 1,200 items covering all aspects of the people, life and culture of the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg and rounds out our collection of unique and diverse resources.
Other collections of interest include the Mayfield Collection of books and pamphlets on Western outlaws and gunmen and the George T. Abell Collection of antique maps. There is also an important collection of the works of Anthony Trollope. Located in the Pate Room are collections of books on Abraham Lincoln, the American presidency, vice presidency, and first ladies—a gift of Dr. and Mrs. A. M. Pate, Jr.
Significant Acquisition
This past year, Special Collections received an early seventeenth-century gradual, the music and words for all the Masses of the Roman Catholic liturgical year, through the thoughtful generosity of Dr. Catherine A. Colquitt. The gradual is probably of Iberian origin as it uses a five-line rather than a four-line staff for the chant notation. Although not medieval, the volume was produced using the same methods and materials that would have been used to produce the same document in the Middle Ages: vellum, gold illumination, hand written words and notation. It appears that many of the versals, or initial letters, and illustrations have been printed using wooden blocks and then later highlighted in color by hand.
At the request of the donor, the volume is to be known as the Mixson-Colquitt Gradual. It was given in memory of Dr. Colquitt's parents, Betsy and Landon Colquitt, who were for many years TCU faculty members, and in honor of Linda and Keith Mixson.
