AUSTIN, Texas—The National Endowment for the Humanities has awarded The General Libraries at The University of Texas at Austin $191,436 to support a two-year project for the preservation microfilming of 551 rare Mexican newspapers published between 1900 and 1929.
These materials, held in the Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection, include some issues that are the only surviving copies. Many are now too brittle for researchers to handle.
The majority of these newspapers, totaling approximately 185,000 pages, were published in the Federal District of Mexico; but a significant number were published in Mexican cities from 24 different states. Of particular interest are the titles published during the pivotal decade of the Mexican Revolution, 1910-1919, many of which are from cities other than Mexico City. During the project efforts will be made to solicit issues from U.S. libraries that might supplement incomplete runs of these titles.
When this project is completed, unique and scarce materials will become more readily available nationally and internationally. Microfilms will be shared with other libraries and researchers through regular interlibrary loan channels and the film will be available for purchase.
The project will be publicized in relevant periodicals and on electronic lists so that librarians and those within the research community who are most likely to benefit from this microfilming will be aware of their availability. A descriptive guide to the microfilmed newspapers also will be published in paper and digitally via the World Wide Web.
The internationally recognized Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection acquires and provides access to materials on Mexico, Central and South America, the Caribbean and Latino culture in the United States. It is located in Sid Richardson Hall, Unit 1, on the east side of campus.
