Libraries & Collections
Fine Arts Library
Part of the University of Texas Libraries, the Fine Arts Library (FAL) supports research and instruction in the College of Fine Arts, including the Butler School of Music, the School of Design and Creative Technologies and the Departments of Art and Art History and Theatre and Dance. The Library features collections related to various fields of fine arts and design, stewards the Visual Resource Collection and is home to The Foundry, a makerspace for all members of the campus community.
Perry–Casteñeda Library
As the university’s flagship research library, the Perry-Casteñeda Library (PCL) embraces all subject fields, with the strongest holdings in the humanities, social sciences, business, and education. The library has expansive study spaces, group study rooms available for reservation, and the Learning Commons, as well as Prufrock’s Coffee Shop.
Harry Ransom Center
The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research library and museum. Its extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of writers and artists, deepening our understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. Visitors engage with the center’s collections through research and study, exhibitions, publications, and a rich variety of program offerings including readings, talks, symposia, and film screenings.
Benson Latin American Collection
The Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection is one of the premier libraries in the world focused on Latin America and Latina/o Studies. In partnership with the Teresa Lozano Long Institute for Latin American Studies (LLILAS), the Benson Collection is a regular destination for visitors from throughout the world. The library’s holdings are complemented by a world-class archive containing manuscripts, art, maps, letters, and other one-of-a-kind materials, and the collection is continually enriched by a vigorous acquisitions program and by a growing collection of original digital resources available online.
Briscoe Center for American History
A leading history research center, the Dolph Briscoe Center for American History collects, preserves, and makes available documentary and material culture evidence encompassing key themes in Texas and U.S. history. Researchers, students, and the public may access the collections for a wide range of academic, professional, and personal uses. The Russell Lee, papers of Walter Cronkite, a digitized collection of over 400 Texas Art Posters, Civil Rights and Social Justice collections, and much more.
Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection
The Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection is a comprehensive holding of wood type manufactured and used for printing in America during the nineteenth century. The collection is owned by the university’s Harry Ransom Center and is housed in the Department of Design’s Design Lab.
Materials Lab
The Materials Lab in the School of Architecture contains over 29,000 samples and promotes material investigation in design. Open to the university community, as well as the general public, the lab provides patrons with the knowledge, skills, and resources necessary to design for and construct a better built environment. The lab comprises a circulating materials collection, gallery space for temporary exhibitions, two classrooms, and a book and magazine collection with a companion reading area.