Category Archives: Lone Star Libraries

Lone Star Libraries is a quarterly series of articles and videos showcasing exceptional libraries across Texas

Priceless Treasures and Creative Spaces: The J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, Dallas Public Library

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Library name: J. Erik Jonsson Central Library, Dallas Public Library

Location: 1515 Young Street, Dallas

Hours: Monday, closed; Tuesday and Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; Wednesday and Friday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday, 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Learn more: Watch our video for an in-depth look at the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library

The Dallas Public Library’s copy of the Declaration of Independence is the only one located west of the Mississippi.

What makes this library special:

The seventh floor of the massive J. Erik Jonsson Central Library holds two rare treasures, both free to view by the public. The first is an original copy of the Declaration of Independence printed on the night of July 4, 1776, one of only about 25 surviving copies. It’s the only original copy located west of the Mississippi.

“When the Declaration of Independence was ratified, they had the one document that everyone signed and we all know about that one, it’s at the National Archives,” said Manya Shorr, Director of the Dallas Public Library (DPL). “But they had to figure out how to tell everyone in the colonies that we were now a nation. So they printed between 80 and 100 copies, unsigned, and they sent them out to the colonies. And the copy we have is one of the original broadsides.”

The copy at the DPL is known as the “lost copy” and is one of only a few remaining in good condition.

“It was found in a bookstore in Philadelphia in 1968, folded up in a box,” Shorr said. “It was sold at auction in 1969 for $404,000 to two Dallas businessmen. In celebration of the Bicentennial in 1976 they sent it around the whole country, and it came back here and was given to the City of Dallas.” At first displayed at the Dallas City Hall, the Declaration found its permanent home when the J. Erik Jonsson Central Library opened in 1982.

Nearby, on the same floor, is an even older and equally beloved treasure—an original copy of Shakespeare’s First Folio, published in 1623. Shakespeare died in 1616 without publishing any of his plays. Two of his friends decided to publish 36 of his plays in this volume. Only about 235 copies exist today, and the DPL is privileged to have one of them.

“Of the 36 plays that are in the Folio that we have, 18 of them had never been published before,” Shorr said, including The Tempest, Macbeth, and Twelfth Night. The book was donated to the library in 1986 by the Dallas Shakespeare Club.

“People absolutely come from all over the world to see what we have—specifically what we have on this floor,” Shorr said. “To have an America’s founding document, especially in our country’s 250th anniversary birthday year—I’m beyond thrilled.”

About half a million people each year visit the Dallas Public Library’s downtown location.

Searching for your family’s history:

On the eighth floor of the Central Library, the Lloyd DeWitt Bockstruck Genealogy Collection holds one of the largest and most comprehensive collections for family history research in the United States.

“The collection is worldwide,” said Stephanie Bennett, Genealogy and History Manager at DPL. “The Center was established so that no matter when you come to Dallas, we have something available for you to look at to learn more about your own family history. Whether that’s a social period in history, a book with your family’s name in it, a record you haven’t seen before, we want to make sure you leave with something you didn’t know.”

Suzan Younger is a former president of the Dallas Genealogical Society who has been doing research in DPL’s Genealogy Collection since the 1970s.

“The collection is so large and so good,” Younger said. “They have all the census records, there are always new books coming out and new technology. The library is an affiliate of the Family Search Network. The tip I have—first come and talk to the staff. Whether you are a beginner or experienced genealogist, the staff knows their collection.”

The Heritage Lab, also on the eighth floor, is an invaluable space for patrons.

“The Heritage Lab is for preserving your family history,” Bennett said. “Whether that is a scrapbook that you want to scan or a family Bible you are scared to open because it’s so fragile, we can help you. We also convert VHS tapes, records, mini cassette tapes—you can use the equipment and scan it for free.” Preserving the voices of late loved ones is meaningful to many people: “They’re an important part of your family history, and we want you to be able to preserve that for future generations.”

Many newspapers, magazines and thousands of mourning cards are part of the library’s JFK collection.

The President John F. Kennedy Assassination Collection: “The JFK Collection is one of our major collections. We’re obviously in Dallas, where the assassination occurred. Librarians at the time really worked hard to collect everything they could to record information. I would say our collection is second only to the Sixth Floor Museum, also located in Dallas (nearby), so we are a major hub for people coming to do research,” said Misty Maberry, History and Archives Manager for DPL.

“One of the most unique things that we have is our mourning card collection: cards and mementos and photos left at Dealey Plaza. Thousands of people came to Dallas from all over the world to pay tribute to President Kennedy.”

Filmmaker Oliver Stone did research at the library for his film JFK; author Stephen King had his assistants come to the library for research for his book 11/22/63. DPL librarians have also worked with documentary filmmaker Ken Burns’ team.

In addition to the JFK Collection, Maberry’s division oversees a photography collection with more than one million images (both print and digital images) and worked with the Portal to Texas History at the University of North Texas to digitize records from The Dallas Express, the largest Black newspaper in the South during its publication era (1892-1970).

What to look for as a first-time visitor: The Declaration of Independence and Shakespeare First Folio on the seventh floor. The Genealogy Collection and Heritage Lab on the eighth floor. And so much more—the library’s Creative Spaces include the third floor Story Center, where you can record a podcast or film a movie. The fourth floor Fiber Arts Workroom is a favorite for patrons who enjoy sewing, knitting, embroidery, and weaving. There’s also a Pollinator Garden on the fifth floor balcony facing City Hall. The Central Library features extensive public art, including a sculpture by Barbara Hepworth and a serigraph by Texas-native Robert Rauschenberg. The JFK Collection is on the seventh floor.

And one more thing: DPL is celebrating its 125th birthday in 2026. In addition to the Central Library, DPL has 28 branch locations throughout the city of Dallas.

DPL has robust plans to celebrate America’s 250th anniversary, including hosting programs, exhibits, and book clubs, with chances to win Dallas Stars and Mavericks tickets, as well as passes to state parks.

“We are proud to serve the citizens of Dallas,” Shorr said. “Everything we do is for them. I really hope people take the opportunity to come visit us, because we are here for them.”

  • By Michele Chan Santos, Coordinator, Texas Center for the Book

Rosenberg Library: Honoring the Past, Flourishing in the Present

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Library name: Rosenberg Library History Center & Museum

Location: 2310 Sealy Street, Galveston

Hours: Main Library hours Monday, Friday, and Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Tuesday – Thursday, 9:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.; closed Sunday. Galveston & Texas History Center (appointments encouraged) Tuesday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., closed Sunday and Monday. Rosenberg Library Museum, fourth floor galleries Monday – Saturday 9:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Second floor galleries open during main library hours. (All times Central.)

Learn more: Watch our video for an in-depth look at the Rosenberg Library.

What makes this library special:

Bridging the past and present, the Rosenberg Library History Center & Museum serves many parts of its vibrant community. The Galveston & Texas History Center, located on the fourth floor of the library, holds manuscripts, books, maps, photographs, and more, dating back to the 1800s. Also a thriving public library with numerous community events for children, teens, and adults, the Rosenberg is deeply rooted in the life of the city.

The Rosenberg is the oldest continuously operating library in Texas and the only public library on Galveston Island. The building was dedicated on June 22, 1904, on the birthday of its patron, Henry Rosenberg, a business leader and philanthropist who left $600,000 upon his death in 1893 to create the library (the equivalent of about $21 million today.) In 1971, the library expanded to double its floor space, allowing for a children’s library, history center, museum space, and, later, a computer lab.

A beautiful glass chandelier hangs alongside the spiral staircase at the Rosenberg. It’s seen here from bookshelves on the second floor.

Preserving history:

Sharon Batiste Gillins is a genealogist and historian who grew up in Galveston.

“Galveston is an island. The island vibe is a lot different than any other vibe,” Gillins said. “It’s relaxed, but it’s one that cherishes its history. This is a good place to be exposed to history. We are building on that every day so that we can continue to tell an evolving history of the island.”

 For her, the Rosenberg’s history center is a treasure trove of primary source documents.

“The center is full of primary source documents on the history of Galveston and this entire area,” she said. “If I am researching families… there are numerous resources here such as county histories that I can refer to. The historic newspaper records are important, the electronic databases are important, family history databases are important. I use the Sanborn Insurance Maps to find out the history of homes.” On a personal note, she began going to the Rosenberg as a child.

“The Rosenberg Library has always been part of my life,” Gillins said. “Some of the most important resources at the Rosenberg are its librarians. You can’t have a better friend at a library than a librarian.”

Gerrianne Schaad is the Special Collections Manager at the Rosenberg. “One of the things that makes us unique is that we span the history of Texas from the Republic to the current day,” Schaad said. “People forget about Galveston as a space that holds so much history. We have immigration, the port, finance, and commerce. The Strand (the downtown historic district) is very well known for Mardi Gras but that was the Wall Street of the South for years… Galveston has been here since the beginning. Being the site of the oldest library is just one more first and one more greatness that we can be proud of.”

What to look for as a first-time visitor: The statue of the library’s founder, Henry Rosenberg, in front of the library’s east entrance, is popular with visitors who often take their photos with it. The Great Storm of 1900 Exhibit on the fourth floor includes an interactive touch screen, oral histories from three different survivors, and a memorial wall. The museum exhibit areas on the second and fourth floors host a variety of rotating exhibits (learn more about their current exhibits). The beautiful first-floor children’s library area is a fun and interactive space. Make sure to check out Rose, the blue-tongued skink named after Henry Rosenberg.

Galveston has been here since the beginning. Being the site of the oldest library is just one more first and one more greatness that we can be proud of.

gerrianne schaad

The statue of Henry Rosenberg, at the library’s east entrance, is a popular photo spot with visitors.

Heart of the community:

The Rosenberg runs the Galveston Reads program each year, a “One Community, One Book” island-wide reading program where residents can get a free copy of the selected book, join in a broad range of events and discussions, and participate in an author visit. The 2025 selection was The Collected Regrets of Clover by Mikki Brammer.

Other popular events include the summer reading program and Rosenberg Day (an annual book sale and open house in March with activities for patrons of all ages).

Stephanie Davis, Community Engagement and Communications Coordinator for the Rosenberg Library, feels that the library ably balances its two primary roles as a historical archive and an active public library because of the cooperation of its staff members. “We have these separate entities, and we have the team members dedicated to those areas. What makes the Rosenberg special is that we all work together harmoniously, and we understand that each of the areas has a very unique value.”

And one last thing:

“I’d like to invite anyone who hasn’t visited the Rosenberg Library please stop by and see us, and if you’ve been here before, come back,” Davis said. “You’ve got to see it to understand. It’s not just a library, it’s a landmark. It’s a historical beauty. And when you walk through the doors, you really feel that.”

Photos courtesy of The Rosenberg Library.

This stained-glass window at the Rosenberg Library was a gift from the Lykes family, founders of the Lykes Brothers Steamship Company.

Article written by Michele Chan Santos, Coordinator, Texas Center for the Book

Poetry and Love: The Armstrong Browning Library honors Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning

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Library name: The Armstrong Browning Library & Museum, Baylor University

Location: 8th Street and Speight Avenue on the Baylor University campus; physical address is 710 Speight Avenue, Waco, Texas.

Hours: Monday – Friday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. Admission is free. Visitor information.

Learn more: Watch our video for an in-depth look at the Armstrong Browning Library

What makes this library special: Stepping into this stunning library and museum feels like stepping into the nineteenth century. The marble columns, cathedral windows, parquet floors, and hand-carved bookcases are a perfect complement to the letters, volumes of poetry, and personal memorabilia of famed Victorian poets Robert and Elizabeth Barrett Browning. The Armstrong Browning Library & Museum is dedicated to the lives and works of these two poets and houses the world’s largest collection of Browning material and other rare nineteenth-century books, manuscripts, and works of art.

“I think what makes the Armstrong Browning Library special is that everything about it is unexpected—the architectural details, the colorful stained-glass windows, the works of art that you’ll see throughout the library,” said Director Jennifer Borderud.

“The fact that the world’s largest collection of materials relating to two major British poets would be here is unexpected. I love when people come and visit and they are surprised by what they see, and it immediately turns into a sense of awe.”

What to look for as a first-time visitor: “I would encourage first-time visitors to spend some time in the McLean Foyer of Meditation,” Borderud said. “It’s a grand room in the center of the building that was created to be a place of beauty, to be inspired, to be the next Chaucer, or Shakespeare, or Browning.”

The museum’s fabulous stained-glass windows are another must-see. “We are also known for the 62 stained glass windows that you will see throughout the building, most of which illustrate either Robert or Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s poetry.”

The Brownings’ romance: The beautiful and tragic love story of the Brownings is one of the great literary romances in history. Elizabeth Barrett was a talented English poet who was chronically ill and kept at home by her controlling father. She fell in love with a fellow poet, Robert Browning, and they eloped to Italy, where they loved one another devotedly until her death 15 years later.

One of her best-known poems (Sonnet 43 from Sonnets from the Portuguese) begins “How do I love thee? Let me count the ways.” This poem is written on the wall in the McLean Foyer of Meditation next to a bronze sculpture of the couple’s clasped hands. The sculpture “stands as a symbol of their love story, and it also makes this room one of the most romantic spots on Baylor’s campus,” Borderud said.

Many Baylor couples have gotten engaged at this spot, and many have been married at the library, she said.

Dr. Kristen Pond, Associate Professor in English and Margarett Root Brown Chair in Robert Browning and Victorian Studies at Baylor, said she thinks the Brownings’ love story continues to resonate with readers around the world because “We know so much about it, they wrote so much about it, in their poetry and in their letters. It is a relationship that feels very genuine. They talk about the hardships they encountered; Elizabeth was very ill for most of her life. Robert coming in and being willing to partner with her through that just amazed her. You can hear that gratitude and amazement in her voice. That level of commitment and gratitude is part of love that doesn’t get talked about very much, and it appeals to people.”

The fact that the world’s largest collection of materials relating to two major British poets would be here is unexpected. I love when people come and visit and they are surprised by what they see, and it immediately turns into a sense of awe.

Jennifer borderud, director of the armstrong Browning library

History of the library: Baylor professor Dr. A.J. Armstrong, founder of the library, became interested in Robert Browning at an early age and began to collect books and items associated with the poet beginning in 1905. Visiting Italy in 1909, Armstrong met the poets’ son, Robert Barrett Browning, known as “Pen.” Armstrong continued to collect items, and in 1918 he donated the collection to Baylor.

The collection continues to grow to this day. Curator Laura French scouts and finds new material. “This can be rare books, manuscripts, ephemera, after you physically receive those materials it’s a matter of describing them in the online catalog so people can request them and get them to use them in the future,” she said. The collection includes “hundreds of their manuscripts, thousands of their letters, nearly every single volume of their works that have been published,” French said.

Audience for this library: Most of the researchers at the library are Baylor University graduate and undergraduate students and faculty, working on dissertations, articles, or class presentations, French said. Their Visiting Scholars program brings researchers in from across the United States and other countries for month-long fellowships.

And one last thing: You can schedule a group tour, or walk-in tours are often available, led by student docents. Make sure to check out the bronze doors—they weigh three-quarters of a ton each and are modeled after St. John’s Baptistery in Florence, Italy. The panels illustrate 10 of Robert Browning’s poems.

Borderud loves to see visitors’ faces light up when they see the library for the first time. More than 30,000 people visit each year.

“A visit to the Armstrong Browning Library is very worth your time, if you only have 10 minutes, that’s fine, if you have two hours, that is great,” she said. “But you will come away with a beautiful and memorable experience, and you will feel that sense of awe that I feel every time I come in here.”

Written by Michele Chan Santos, Coordinator, Texas Center for the Book

Above, the ceiling in the McLean Foyer of Meditation.

Find Your Artistic Inspiration at The Wittliff Collections

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This is the first in a series of articles and videos showcasing exceptional libraries across Texas.

Library name: The Wittliff Collections, Texas State University

Location: The 7th floor of the Albert B. Alkek Library on the campus of Texas State University in San Marcos, Texas

Hours: Monday – Friday: 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.; Saturday and Sunday: 12:30 p.m. – 4:30 p.m. Admission is free. Plan your visit.

Learn more: Watch our video for an in-depth look at the Wittliff.

What makes this library special: The Wittliff Collections are both an archive and a museum. The Collections celebrate the cultural heritage of Texas, the Southwest and Mexico, in nine galleries. It includes material related to literature, writing, photography, music, TV and film. Highlights include material from the King of the Hill TV series, a music archive of Texas icon Willie Nelson, treasures of Mexican photography, and much more.

What to look for as a first-time visitor: People come from all over the world to view the Wittliff’s Lonesome Dove Collection. It’s the production archives of the 1989 American Western epic TV miniseries, adapted from the 1985 novel by Larry McMurtry. You can view costumes, scripts, props and images, all in excellent condition.

“We always have the Lonesome Dove archive on display because it’s so popular,” said David Coleman, Director of The Wittliff Collections. “We have generations of people coming here for that, visitors who come from many different countries. Germans love their cowboys, Japanese love their cowboys, the myth of the cowboy is ever-present and popular.”

The Collections also include items from hundreds of musicians, including an iconic hat from Stevie Ray Vaughan. Notably, it is the home for the literary archive of Cormac McCarthy, who is widely regarded as one of the great American novelists (All the Pretty Horses, No Country for Old Men, Blood Meridian, The Road and more.)

“Cormac McCarthy scholars from many countries come here to do research for books, articles, presentations and films,” said Katie Salzmann, Lead Archivist for The Wittliff Collections. “And the Willie Nelson series that was just done (the 2023 documentary Willie Nelson & Family, on Paramount +) included a lot of our material from here.”

History of this library: The collections began as the Southwestern Writers Collection at Texas State University in 1986, when founders Bill and Sally Wittliff donated the papers from author and folklorist J. Frank Dobie, which included diaries, journals, manuscripts and memorabilia.

“We were founded as a place where young creatives could get inspired,” Coleman said. “Bill was a visionary, but he had also begun as a frustrated writer. He wanted to show young people that even great masters struggle with putting a paragraph together or putting a story together. It doesn’t just pour out of the heavens, it takes work.” The collections started off with writing, and then expanded into photography, music, TV and film.

“Bill was an amazing person and would always tell young people, or even older people, who had the ‘itch to create but not yet the courage,’ to start creating. Just start. The more you do it, the better it will become,” Coleman said.

When you see these world-class writers coming from the places that you know, world-class music that comes out of your hometown, it’s inspiring to see people make art from the place that you live.

– Steve Davis, literary curator (retired)

Audience for this library: In addition to professional scholars conducting research, The Wittliff Collections are an oft-used resource for Texas State University faculty and students. The Wittliff has partnerships with The Center for Texas Music History, the MFA in Creative Writing program and The Center for the Study of the Southwest, all located at Texas State. “We are very open to working with faculty, and getting students exposed to primary sources – someone’s original letters or notes – can really be a cool experience for people,” Coleman said.

Worth noting: The Spirit of San Antonio exhibit, on display at The Wittliff until May 16, 2025, celebrates the writers and musicians of San Antonio. “When you see these world-class writers coming from the places that you know, world-class music that comes out of your hometown, it’s inspiring to see people make art from the place that you live,” said Steve Davis, the longtime Literary Curator at The Wittliff Collections who recently retired after 30+ years at the library. Items in the display include materials from author Sandra Cisneros (The House on Mango Street, Woman Hollering Creek and Other Stories), as well as items from Percy Jackson & the Olympians series author Rick Riordan, and selections from the extraordinary Ramon Hernández Tejano Music Collection. The latter includes photographs and recordings from Selena, Flaco Jiménez and more.

And one last thing: “I would say if you haven’t been to the Wittliff, it can take a while to get here and park, but I tell you, it’s worth it,” Coleman said. “Once people walk through the doors, they are really overwhelmed by the beauty of our spaces – we have nine galleries – it’s a beautiful, warm, inviting space where you can discover amazing treasures from the cultures of the Southwest.”

  • Written by Michele Chan Santos, Coordinator, Texas Center for the Book