Special Collections is a unit of the Prairie View A&M University, John B. Coleman Library’s Special Collections and Archives department, whose primary mission is to serve as an essential partner in teaching and learning, research, and community engagement at the university. In support of this mission, Special Collections acquires, arranges, describes, preserves, and makes available records that support the information needs of faculty, students, and members of the PVAMU community.

It is important to note that PVAMU Special Collections is distinct from the University Archives and the Institutional Repository. The mandate of the University Archives is to collect, preserve and make available non-current records and historic information documenting PVAMU activities, functions, decisions, and/or policies and programs, as well as the campus and its people, administration and culture. The Digital Commons is the institutional repository at PVAMU. Its mission is to preserve and make accessible the scholarly, creative, and administrative assets of the University to support researchers, instructors and staff. It includes faculty scholarship, theses, dissertations, graduate research, and select digital archival collections.

Purpose and Goals of Special Collection Development Policy

According to the President Prairie View A. and M. College of Texas Annual Report of 1968-1969, “during the past few years much commotion has been created throughout the country about the need to add materials to college and university libraries to support black studies and to supply factual resources on the historical, cultural, economic, and social progress of Negroes in the United States as well as the world in general. We are happy to say that the Negro collection which forms a major part of the materials now is the Special Collections Room (1969).” This is when the creation of the Special Collection books started at Prairie View A. and M. College.

Overtime the department migrated into “Archives” where the university’s history is collected by the staff members.

The purpose of the Special Collection Books is to focus on Black Studies as a general subject area with African Books and Afro-American Books (Francis 1973).

Collection methods

Donations are the preferred method of acquiring Special Collections. The collecting responsibility resides ultimately with the University Archivist. Material will be accepted by deed of gift, bequest, or other forms of documentation by which full and absolute title to the physical property is transferred to the John B. Coleman Library. The John B. Coleman library reserves the right to determine retention, location, cataloging treatment, and other considerations relating to the use or disposition of the material. Any limitation on use must be approved by the Dean of the Library at the time of accession into the collection.

Special Collections can only invest resources and expertise in the preservation of items that the John B. Coleman Library owns. We are unable to accept items or collections on deposit or loan or any other means by which ownership is not transferred to the John B. Coleman Library.

Exceptions may be made by the Collection Development Librarian if the deposits or loans are considered integral to furthering the mission of the library.

Collecting criteria

Acquisitions will be evaluated by the same criteria as for overall library materials. Additional selection criteria specifically applicable to Special Collections will be considered, including but not limited to:

  • Quality of material
  • Authoritativeness
  • Circumstances of creation
  • Enduring value: evidential, informational, intrinsic
  • Cost of retention: processing, storage, preservation, technical support
  • Format appropriateness
  • Copyright and fair use
  • Nature of restrictions by donor

Each prospective donation will undergo archival appraisal to assess research value, documented authenticity, and preservation concerns.

Procedures for Accepting Collections

The Special Collections and Archives department (SCAD) accepts donations which may contribute to the Special Collections & Archives Department. In addition to the general University policy regarding gifts and donations, the following considerations apply to the acceptance of gifts and donations to SCAD.

  • The Act of Donation involves the donor to permanently relinquish all rights to ownership and dispensation unless described differently in the written agreement, or Deed of Gift.
  • The Special Collections and Archives department shall not be held accountable for the property donated beyond the accountability required by the State of Texas for State
  • The Special Collections and Archives department reserves the right to dispose of gifts to its best advantage. Such disposition may include:
    • Retention in the Library
    • Transfer to other departments of the University
    • Transfer to another institution within the Texas A&M System
    • Donation to or exchange with other local, national and international institutions or organizations
    • Sale
    • Discard, if the gift has no use or exchange value
  • In accordance with the donor’s request, appropriate recognition will be given to gifts retained in the Special Collections and Archives department by affixing book plates, labels, or plaques to gifts showing the donor’s name, and if applicable, the name of the person in whose honor or memory the gift was made.
  • The Special Collections and Archives department requests voluntary monetary compensation for donations to offset the cost of processing, preservation and or conservation of donated items to be considered as part of the Deed of Gift.
  • The Special Collections and Archives department cannot appraise gift materials for tax purposes. The Special Collections and Archives department may assist the donor in finding a qualified appraiser. All expenses incurred in obtaining an appraisal must be borne by the donor.
  • Any material that bears the ownership markings of another institution and does not have any indication of having been withdrawn from that institution’s collection will not be accepted.
  • Reproductions or photocopies of copyrighted works will not be accepted unless evidence of compliance with the copyright law (Title 17, U.S. Code) and its prevailing interpretations are provided.
  • Serials: The Special Collections and Archives department accepts volumes of serials (journals, magazines, and publications) depending on the title if its university-related content.

Collecting Areas

Our collecting priorities are in subject areas receiving substantial and sustained attention within the University community, those representing ongoing departmental research interests, or those areas that are the focus of interdisciplinary programs. In addition, Special Collections seeks to play a role in the broader research community by building collections in areas not well covered by other repositories. Due to preservation concerns and space constraints, we do not actively collect oversized items, including artwork and/or three-dimensional objects.

Subject areas:

  • Education and International Studies
  • Agriculture and Corporate Extension
  • African and Middle East Studies
  • Afro-American Books
  • General Studies areas of Black Studies
  • Black Cowboys
  • Black Cowboys in Texas
  • Black Farmers

Types of materials collected

Special Collections accepts archival collections that include a broad range of formats and material types including paper documents, photographs, maps, electronic files, and digital records.

Physical condition:

Since Special Collections does not have a dedicated in-house conservation unit, we are unable to accept materials that have significant associated repair and storage costs.

Duplicates:

Due to limitations on storage space, Special Collections does not collect duplicates of items. Exceptions may be made in rare circumstances.

Media formats:

Media preservation concerns and reformatting capabilities influence the record formats we can accept. Decisions of acceptance will be based on file formats and the content of information represented in the files. Media generally collected include:

  • DVDs
  • CDs
  • Audio cassette tapes
  • VHS tapes
  • Photographs*
  • Negatives*
  • Slides*

*** Photograph collections are selected for acquisition based on accompanying descriptive and technical documentation, the quality of the images, and the relation of the materials to research and instruction.

Born-digital materials:

Materials that are “born-digital” (created in electronic format) will be considered if they are accessible for research, can be migrated and preserved relatively easily using accepted industry standards and common technologies, and include appropriate metadata. Such materials may be added to the university’s institutional repository when appropriate.

Creation of a Special Collection

A new book collection can be added in two ways: (1) donation and (2) making a proposal with a list of materials to justify the need for this new book collection. The Head Archivist and Library Administration should approve or deny the creation of a new Special Collection.

Deaccession of a Special Collection

If a collection is to be removed, the Head Archivist and Library Administration should approve the deaccession of the books. This process includes weeding of book(s) as well to satisfy transparency and book collecting scope needs.

Scope of Book Collecting Priorities

The section includes existing books in the collection about African and African American history collected since the beginning of the creation of the Special Collection department. This is the largest book collection in the SCAD covering multiple topics includes education, agriculture, African American military leaders, Blacks in the West, African American Writers, and African American Leaders (historical and political). The collecting scopes includes titles for the following topics: African American in the military, cowboys, Buffalo Soldiers, Prairie View-related community members that write self-published books, Principals and Presidents that write books, and more. For any library patrons seeking to make offer materials for purchasing, please read the Purchasing Materials Policy below in the next section.

  • Archive Collection

    This is an active book collection that serves as reference materials only relating to Education, Agriculture, African American military leaders, Blacks in the West, African American Writers, and African American Leaders (historical and political). Additionally, this collection consists of books preserved and transported to the Coleman library in 1985. This is an incomplete record of all the Banks library reference books, but there are available for research purposes only.

  • Blacks in the Military, 1919-2018

    This collection pays tribute to the historical significance of African Americans in the Armed Services alike the Tuskegee Airmen and the Buffalo Soldiers. This collection will remain in the Special Collection for another two years to see if any books will circulate or not. This is not an active collecting scope.

  • Black Classics

    The collection contains mostly published books about Afro-American History and African American Literature. The addition of purchasing books related to any Prairie View A&M University administrator, faculty, staff member, alumni, and students to highlight the achievements of the Prairie View Community. The Special Collections department is focusing on purchasing book(s) written by any Prairie View A&M University administrator, faculty, staff member, alumni, and students. This collection includes books written on any Prairie View A&M University administrator, faculty, staff member, and alumni individual.

  • Rare Book Collection, 1450-1958, undated

    The collection presently has rare books which contain topics of the African Diaspora and Slavery Narratives.

  • Prairie View Master Theses and Dissertations Collection, 1927-2024

    The collection scope consists of undergraduate and graduate thesis books from various academic programs. This collection is ongoing and digitized in Digital Commons.

  • Black Heritage of the West, 1863-2020

    This collection has another title, the African American Heritage of the West. The collection includes the following topics on the Buffalo Soldiers, Black Cowboys, and Trail Rides in Texas. From tales of cowboys and ranch life to insightful discussions on racial issues, this anthology delves into the complexities of Texan heritage. Discover the works of Woolfolk alongside compelling narratives on public health challenges and the evolving landscape of religion in this vibrant region. Each book offers a unique perspective, weaving together history, culture, and contemporary issues that define the soul of Texas.

  • Limited Edition Club, 1989-2003

    The Limited Editions Club was founded in 1929 by George Macy to publish finely made and finely illustrated limited editions of the classics of literature.

Donated Book Collections & Scopes

Any Special Collection received through donation or by the donor of their collected works will be a closed collection once fully processed.

  • Robert King

    These books were received as a donation by the author and President George C. Wright in the early 2000s.

  • T. K. Lawless, 1897-1967

    Lawless was a decorated physician and made many contributions to Prairie View A&M University.

  • Harold Hyman

    Harold Melvin Hyman was an American historian of the American Civil War and the Reconstruction Era and the William P. Hobby Professor of History at Rice University.

  • Rev. Lee C. Phillip, 1902-1991

    In 1932, Rev. Phillip began his career as college Chaplain at Prairie View A & M University (PVAMU) in Prairie View, Texas.

  • Dr. Charles E. Tatum, 1927-2010

    Charles Edward Tatum was a professor for more than 50 years at Prairie View A&M University and Texas Southern University.

  • Richard Ross Juvenile Justice Book Collection

    The Special Collections department is focusing on purchasing book(s) written by any donors willing to give archival material to Prairie View A&M University. This is a new special collection not fully acquired yet.

Special Collection Procurement Policy

The goal of purchasing policy and procedure is to evaluate reasonably priced, high-quality goods and services to end users while preserving organizational, financial and civic accountability.
All Procurement functions of the University are established to support Prairie View A&M University’s mission and upcoming new strategic plan. This Purchasing policy looks to engage with partners that embody these strategic elements and traditions in maintaining a commitment to preserve African American collections.

The SCAD department uses 3rd party outside vendors like Amazon and Ebay to purchase Special Collection monographs and Rare Books.

  • Purchasing Limits & Authority Clause:
    This section outlines the purchasing limits and guidelines for materials and supplies based on the purchase amount. The Special Collections department is limiting the acceptance of artwork, awards, plaques, etc., due to the limited resources to uphold the long-term maintenance of these items.
  • Digitization Option for Donors (non-purchasing) Clause:
    This non-purchasing option is given to donors who will allow the SCAD department to scan materials either to a restricted access section or publicly on the Digital Commons repository. This option is available for donors who are not ready for full donation and giving up custodial ownership.
  • Transfer Protocol for PVAMU personnel:
    For all Prairie View A&M University’s Alumni, Faulty, Staff and Students, please refer to the “Retention Schedule” available online to keep track of which documents are meant to be transferred to the Archives department. For example, for student organizations, these groups would need a faculty member and/or supervisor to approve all records or digital files to be transferred to SCAD for digitization.
  • Visiting Authors Clause:
    The SCAD department would like to request all visiting authors to donate a signed copy of their book to the Archives Department or the library will purchase a copy for the SCAD collection.

**This document is to be evaluated every five years for any changing focuses on collection development of Special Collection books.**

The policy was revised in August 2024 by the SCAD staff of Department Head, Ms. Phyllis Earles, Processing Archivist and Digital Humanities Librarian, Ms. Evelyn Davis, and Archives and Special Collections Librarian, Ms. Idalia Avezuela.

Disclaimer

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