Southwest Collections/Special Collections Building Tour

Bruce Cammack, Rare Books Librarian, gave the tour of the Southwest Collections/Special Collections building at Texas Tech University Libraries. The tour began with the permanent and rotating exhibitions, featuring the Southwest Collection, Southwest Conference, the Archives for the Vietnam Conflict, the West Texas Historical Association, and Special Collections/Rare Book collections. Unfortunately, the 1688 Coronelli Globe, which has recently undergone restoration, had not yet been placed on display in the exhibition case in the central rotunda.

The tour included a stop at the Hoblitzelle Conservation Laboratory where Tanya So, Assistant Conservator, gave an overview of the responsibilities of the department. Bruce Cammack discussed the restoration project for the Libraries' copy of the Nuremberg Chronicle. The tour continued with a walk through the various storage areas for rare books, maps, architectural drawings, archives, and photographs.

In the Reference Room, Cammack presented a small exhibition created for the ARLIS/Texas members. The rare books displayed included the reproductions of the Mayan codices, Nexus Press publications, the Edward Curtis books, and Victorian gift books.

Lubbock Lake Landmark

Lubbock Lake Landmark was the last tour of the fall 1998 Annual Meeting. Lubbock Lake Landmark is a state park that serves as a research and interpretation facility for the archeological and historical use of this area. It is located on Yellowhouse Draw where water was available sporadically throughout history. Though excavations and research of this area started in 1939, the continuous program began in 1970. The archeological sites are excavated during the summer season under the direction of the Texas Tech University Museum and the Department of Anthropology.

On Saturday October 17th there was an open house in honor of the Texas Parks and Wildlife's 75th anniversary. In the Robert Nash Interpretive Center the celebration included docent discussions on how natural elements of plants, minerals, and animals were used by the native and nomadic people of the areas, dating from 12,000 years ago with the Paleoindians to the present. Discussions included the three cultures of the Clovis, Folsom, and Plainview people. A nature walk was led by docents who discussed the life style of the nomadic people, including the preparation of food and changes due to the reintroduction of the horse.

The nature walk passed the site of the first commercial venture on the South Plains, the Singer Store, dating from 1883, and several area excavation sites. Animals in the area over the 12,000 year history would have included giant bison, mammoths, ancient camels, ancient horses, bears, and the giant armadillo.