A presentation to the Erath County (Texas) Genealogical Society at their quarterly meeting on July 19, 2014. Amanda Pape, Coordinator for Archives and Special Services at the Dick Smith Library of Tarleton State University, discusses getting to campus and where to park, some changes in the building with the recent renovation, and unique items in the collection, including textual and microfilm county records, the Stephenville (county seat) newspaper on microfilm, useful databases that can be accessed on site, and the student newspaper and yearbook (going back to 1919 and 1916 respectively) that have been digitized and put online at the Portal to Texas History.

1. Genealogy Research
at the Dick Smith Library
Amanda Pape – Tarleton State University – 19 July 2014

2. Getting to Campus

3. <-Library
Parking!

4. Red – Residential Students – OK in summer
Yellow – Visitor - Best
Blue – Faculty/Staff – No; reserved spots
Purple – Commuter Students - OK
OK YES NO OK
http://www.tarleton.edu/STULIFE/parking/index.html

5. View of P-12 from above
Library loading dock

6. Shuttle Service
- From remote lots
- Can hail it anywhere
- Doesn’t run in summer
- See Parking Services website for more info

7. Best Time to Visit
• Summer
–Parking is easier
–Fewer students = more help for you
• M-F, 8-5
–Minimally staffed evenings and weekends
–Special Collections only open at this time
• Call or e-mail me first!
–pape@tarleton.edu (best)
–254-968-9251

8. Library Entrance is the Same…
East side of building

9. Inside…
…the Main Level is very different!

10. When you enter - here - ^
Circulation Desk is to your left
Stairs and elevator are to your right
Café, Periodicals, Reference, computers are straight ahead

11. Stephenville
Empire-
Tribune
microfilm
is now
in a film
cabinet in
Periodicals
area.
Also here…
On the Main Level

12. Digital Microfilm Scanner
- Bring a flash drive
- Save images
- We will help you use it!

13. Document Scanner
- Large flatbed touchscreen scanner
- Save as PDF or JPG to flash drive
- Don’t need Guest Pass to use

14. Information Desk
Get a Guest Pass here to use computers or the
digital microfilm scanner

15. Lower Level is
Still the Same!

16. When you come off the stairs or elevator,
you will see our reference desk.
I’m usually here.

17. Special Collections Suite

18. Local History Room
Open Monday - Friday, 8 AM – 5 PM

19. County
Records
Microfilm
There is an old-
style microfilm
reader in the
Suite
…for now

20. General Reference & Local
History Books for Other States

21. Texas County and Town Histories –
Erath & Surrounding Counties in
the section to the far right

22. Vertical Files –
Pamphlets, etc.

23. Meet the Lower Level Staff
Amanda Pape
Coordinator, Archives
& Special Services
254-968-9251
pape@tarleton.edu
Vickie Sowell
Special Services
Assistant
254-968-9869
sowell@tarleton.edu
Gary Spurr
Collections Archivist
254-968-1808
spurr@tarleton.edu

24. What’s Unique Here?

25. 1. County Records - Texts
Coleman County (1875-1940)
Comanche County (1924-1972)
Comanche County School Grade Books (1922-1953)
Eastland County (1874-1947)
Erath County (1867-1985)
Erath County School Grade Books (1920-1976)
Advance notice required to use these as all are
housed offsite and must be retrieved – lack of staff or
bad weather could prevent that.

26. 2. County Records - Microfilm
Brown County (1880-1985)
Callahan County (1857-1981)
Erath County (1866-1992)
Shackelford County (1867-1981)
Stephens County (1867-2005)
These can be used onsite, or they can be sent
to another library for you to use there for two
weeks (can be extended).

27. http://www.tarleton.edu/library/countyrecords.html
More Info on
Our County Records web page

28. Coming soon: a glossary!

29. 3. Stephenville Empire-Tribune
- Since 1882 on microfilm (some gaps)
- Must be used on-site (Periodicals area)
- Need guest pass to log into digital scanner
– bring a photo ID; must be age 16+
- Guest passes not available in spring and
fall semester between 10 AM and 3 PM
- Purchase copy card at Circulation to print
- $1 with $0.50 credit; reloadable
- Can also be used with copy machines

30. 4. Databases
- Go to library
home page
www.tarleton.edu/library
- Click on Research
Guides by subject
- Click on
Genealogy

31. Genealogy Research Guide
http://www.tarleton.edu/library/subguides/geneal_sg.html

32. Databases – Only with Guest Pass
• *A to Z Maps – check the Antique Map Collection
• *Access World News -
– Fort Worth Star-Telegram (December 1990-current)
– Austin American-Statesman (1989-current), as well as
– 62 other Texas sources.
• Fold3 databases
– *African American Archives
– *Revolutionary War Archives - (Select from top pull down menu).
– *World War II Archives - (Select from top pull down).
• *Archive of Americana – includes
– *American Historical Newspapers ranging from 1690 to 1989,
– *U.S. Congressional Serial Set, 1817-1980.
• *Biography and Genealogy Master Index – citations to other resources with biographical information
• *Dallas Morning News:
– Current (since August 1984; including indexed death notices from 12/29/02)
– Historical (October 1885 through 1984).
• Sometimes a legal case involving a family member will provide clues in your family history.
– *Lexis-Nexis Academic
– *WestLawNext -
• * New York Times Historical (1851-2010), via *ProQuest.

33. Example – Archive of Americana
<- Enter
search
term(s),
limit by
date
(optional)

34. Archive of
Americana, 2
In the image at right,
only five of the 132
results are
visible. Click on the
"View all [whatever
number] link in the
bottom left corner--in
the red box in the
image->

35. Archive of Americana, 3
This should (it doesn't always) bring up preview images
from the documents that include one or more of your
search terms. If you see something promising, you can
click on the preview or on the "View Article" link (see
the red boxes in the image above).

36. Archive of Americana, 4
When you find an article, you will find a number of tools at the
top right of the page. The database has a very informative
"Help" page that explains all of its features.
You can zoom in or out, reposition the image in the viewing
pane, view the full page the article was published on, and reset
the image view to the default. You can also open the article as a
PDF, open it in a print-friendly view, and maximize (or minimize)
the image view pain. You can also add the article to "My
Collection," a temporary saving space that's held until you log
off.
Your search term(s) will be highlighted in yellow. There is a
check box at the top left of the screen to toggle that feature on
or off.
Give this database a try for your pre-1922 ancestors, as well as
Texas family through 1983. I was expecting to find my
grandfather's cousin who lived in the Dallas area (and I did). I
did not expect to find this article (pictured right) about my
grandfather, who never lived in the Metroplex but only in
Houston and Austin!

37. 5. J-Tacs and Grassburrs
More local information than you might expect
in these student publications
Can access from home at Portal to Texas History
http://texashistory.unt.edu/

38. J-Tac Student Newspaper
http://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/collections/JTAC/browse/
December
1919 on

39. Grassburr yearbook
http://texashistory.unt.edu/explore/partners/TSU/browse/?fq=str_title_serial%3AGrassburr
1970-2012
up now,
1916-1969
coming
soon

40. Thank you! Any questions?
Contact Information:
Amanda Pape
Coordinator for Archives and Special Services
Dick Smith Library
Tarleton State University
Box T-0450
Stephenville, TX 76402
254-968-9251
Office: Lower Level, Room B05B
pape@tarleton.edu
http://www.tarleton.edu/library/
Twitter: @AmandaPapeMSLS