Alkek Library

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The Albert B. Alkek Library is the main central library of Texas State University - San Marcos in San Marcos, Texas.

Alkek Library.

1 Alkek Library
2 Accessing the Library
3 Noteworthy Collections
4 History of the Library
5 References
6 External links

[edit] Alkek Library

Albert B. Alkek Library is the most important information resource of the Texas State University community. The mission of the library is to help our patrons succeed by providing high quality library services and information in a variety of formats to support the university's teaching and research programs.

The Alkek Library Collection Includes:

More than 1.4 million printed volumes
97,000+ electronic journals
155,000 e-books
300+ databases
Over a half-million microform & audio-visual materials

Alkek Library is a selective depository for U.S. and Texas government documents by receiving 60% of federal publications and a wide variety of state publications.

[edit] Accessing the Library

The library's online catalog allows anyone to locate books, DVDs, journal holdings or other material. Library materials are in many cases accessible to the general public. Many Texas residents (not just Texas State students, faculty, and staff) are able to check out materials through the TexShare program. Access to e-books or databases is limited to current Texas State students, staff and faculty.

[edit] Noteworthy Collections

Special holdings of the library include The Wittliff Collections(the Southwestern Writers Collection and the Southwestern & Mexican Photography Collection), home to the major papers of such notable authors as Cormac McCarthy, Sam Shepard, and Molly Ivins, plus the King of the Hill archives, the Lonesome Dove miniseries collection, and the largest repository of modern and contemporary Mexican photography in the U.S.

The library also holds the University Archives, and the textbooks and curriculum materials approved by the Texas Education Agency for grades K-12. A new addition to the library is eCommons@TxState an institutional repository, or digital collection, of the intellectual output of Texas State University.

[edit] History of the Library

In May 1991 the Texas State University System Board of Regents approved the naming of the Texas State University Library building to honor Albert B. Alkek. In 1987 the Texas philanthropist, oilman, and rancher began funding scholarships to Texas State University (then Southwest Texas State University) Graduates from the high schools in Medina and Bandera counties benefited from his generous support.

Mr. Alkek, who died in 1995, had a long history of support of higher education across the state, and it was this commitment to educational access for students with financial need that led to his being given the President's Excellence Award in April 1990 by Dr. Jerome Supple. Mr. And Mrs. Alkek also established the Albert B. and Margaret Alkek Fund for Excellence to be used by the university to finance scholarships, establish research and equipment matching grants, expand program enhancement, and support new initiatives.