WHAT: Announcement of The New Handbook of Texas going online as a free service to the people of Texas from The University of Texas at Austin and the Texas State Historical Association (which is based at the University).
WHEN: Monday (Feb. 15), 4 p.m.
WHERE: Reading Room of the Center for American History, Sid Richardson Hall, Unit II, Room 2.106.
BACKGROUND: The New Handbook of Texas is a 7,000-page, six-volume encyclopedia (published in 1996 by the TSHA) on virtually all aspects of Texas history. By bringing it online, UT Austin and the TSHA hope to make this great resource available to millions of people, particularly the schoolchildren of Texas who are interested in the history and culture of the Lone Star State. Like its printed counterpart, the online version offers 23,500 articles, including histories of all 254 counties and all major cities, and 7,000 biographical entries.
UT Austin President Larry R. Faulkner and TSHA President Paul Gervais Bell Jr. will speak at the press conference. Mike Moses, commissioner of the Texas Education Agency, also is expected to participate.
Demonstrations of the electronic version of the Handbook will be held.
CONTACT: Nancy Neff, 471-6504 or 471-3151.