The bibliographer responsible for ordering Mexican American and U.S. Hispanic materials at the Benson Collection is Margo Gutiérrez, Mexican American Studies Librarian (512/495-4589). Ms. Gutiérrez and General Libraries staff in Benson and other library units provide specialized reference services, including bibliographic instruction. The Chicano Database, the major reference tool in Mexican American Studies, can be accessed through a CD-ROM work station located in the Benson Latin American Collection. To obtain assistance, telephone or visit the reference areas in each of the libraries listed above.
Loans from the Center for Research Libraries In addition to collecting materials relating to the Mexican American and U.S. Hispanic experience, the General Libraries can borrow many relevant titles for students and faculty from the Center for Research Libraries, Chicago. The Center has a particularly strong collection of ethnic newspapers and will lend entire microform collections or complete runs of journals and newspapers on microform for use here in Austin. Arrangements for these loans and loans from other libraries can be made through the General Libraries Inter-Library Service, PCL 2.402A.
Recent Exhibitions and Public Programs
The General Libraries in its public programs highlights materials on Mexican American and U. S. Hispanic topics, promotes the use of these materials, and sponsors special events of interest to Hispanics within the University and the central Texas community at large.
Recent exhibitions and events that have given special recognition to Hispanic Americans include:
LULAC An exhibit mounted in the Benson Latin American Collection in May, 1990, coinciding with the LULAC Texas State Convention.
Center for American History Barker Texas History Center Series
War Scare on the Rio Grande: Robert Runyon's Photographs of the Border Conflict, 1913-1916, by Frank N. Samponaro and Paul J. Vanderwood (Austin: Texas State Historical Association for the Barker Texas History Center, 1992). Contains photographs documenting the growth and development of the Lower Rio Grande Valley, the Mexican Revolution, and the U.S. military presence 1913 to 1914.
Recording History: Photographs by Jesse Herrera; A Visual Record of Our Lady of Guadalupe ParishAn exhibit and reception, Barker Texas History Center, 1990, highlighting photographs by award-winning photographer Jesse Herrera of the congregation of Austin's Our Lady of Guadalupe Church.
Hispanic Texans: A Sesquicentennial SaluteExhibit, Benson Latin American Collection, March, 1986.