Texas Colleges & Universities
Top college and university libraries in Texas
These college and university libraries stand out for their collections, special collections and archives. Public access varies, so each entry says how visitors can use the library.
University of Texas LibrariesThe University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas Libraries maintain more than 10 million volumes across the Austin campus. The Perry-Castañeda Library (PCL) is the flagship, with its strongest holdings in the humanities, social sciences, business and education, plus a map collection of more than 250,000 maps. The Benson Latin American Collection, with over a million volumes, is one of the world's leading libraries for Latin American and Latina/o studies. Anyone may use the collections inside the libraries during public hours. Texas residents can borrow with a Courtesy Borrower Card, free with a TexShare card or $55 a year otherwise. On the same campus, the Harry Ransom Center keeps a Gutenberg Bible on permanent view, with free admission.
Texas Tech University LibrariesTexas Tech University
Texas Tech's libraries hold about 3.72 million physical volumes. The University Library is a patent and trademark depository and one of two regional depositories for U.S. government documents in Texas. Just north of it, the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library is the regional archive for West Texas and the Southwest, with more than 1,800 collections of personal papers, over 5,000 hours of oral history interviews and the Southwest Music Archive. Special collections are open to the public for research in the Holden Reading Room; materials do not circulate. Visitors holding a TexShare card can request a TTU Libraries Borrower Card, valid for a year.
Texas A&M University LibrariesTexas A&M University
Texas A&M's main research library, the Sterling C. Evans Library, sits near Lubbock and Bizzell streets on the College Station campus. The rare books and archives are in Cushing Memorial Library & Archives, which is open to all. Its collections run, in the library's words, from William Shakespeare to Elvis Presley and George R.R. Martin. Highlights include a major Science Fiction & Fantasy Research Collection and the Cervantes Project collection of illustrated editions of Don Quixote. Cushing materials can't be borrowed, but visitors can use them in the reading room and try a replica English common printing press in its Book History Workshop. Community users can borrow from the general collections with a TexShare card and photo ID.
UTA LibrariesThe University of Texas at Arlington
UTA's Central Library is best known for Special Collections on its sixth floor, which documents Texas, Mexico, the U.S.-Mexico War and the mapping of the Greater Southwest. Its Virginia Garrett Cartographic History Library established in 1978, holds thousands of maps and atlases dating from 1493 and hosts the biennial Virginia Garrett Lectures on the History of Cartography. The Texas Labor Archives and the Fort Worth Star-Telegram Collection are here too; the Star-Telegram archive's cold-storage vault preserves more than 8 million historic photos and negatives. The library is open to the public with a government-issued photo ID. Visitors can borrow with a TexShare card or an Arlington Public Library LibraryLink card.
SMU LibrariesSouthern Methodist University
SMU's libraries center on Fondren Library. On Fondren Library West's third floor is DeGolyer Library, SMU's special collections. It is strongest in Western Americana, early voyages and exploration, business and transportation history (especially railroads) and the history of science and technology, particularly geology. Its rare books, manuscripts and photographs are available by appointment. Alumni and guests are welcome to visit. TexShare cardholders and several other groups can apply for a Guest Card to borrow books and media at Fondren, Bridwell and Hamon Arts libraries. There are no public computers, but guests can use SMU's guest Wi-Fi.
UNT LibrariesUniversity of North Texas
The University of North Texas Libraries are home to one of the largest and most significant music collections in the United States. Its special collections are especially strong in jazz, 17th- and 18th-century opera, radio and historical sound recordings and include the Stan Kenton Collection of more than 2,000 manuscripts and the Duke Ellington collections. UNT also runs The Portal to Texas History, a digital library of Texas history, from Willis Library. Special Collections, in Willis Library's Judge Sarah T. Hughes Reading Room, is open to the public. Denton County and Frisco residents, UNT alumni and some other groups can get a Courtesy Card to borrow books.
Fondren LibraryRice University
Fondren Library is the main library of Rice University in Houston. It is a depository for U.S. government information, with map, microform and patent and trademark resources supported by its Kelley Center for Government Information Resources and Civic Engagement. Fondren's Woodson Research Center holds Rice's archives, rare books and special collections. They are used in a first-floor reading room, by appointment, on weekdays. The public, ages 18 and up, may visit with a government-issued ID; check the library's visitor page for hours. Borrowing comes with membership in the Friends of Fondren, and staff of some local universities and museums are also eligible.
Baylor University LibrariesBaylor University
Baylor's central libraries are the Moody and Jones libraries, but the university is best known for its special collections. The Texas Collection, founded in 1923 and housed in historic Carroll Library, is one of the largest collections of Texana in the world. Its materials date from the 15th century to today and include more than 14,000 maps in the Frances C. Poage Map Room. Baylor is also home to the Armstrong Browning Library (see below) and the Poage Library's political collections. Visitors can use guest Wi-Fi and free scanners in Moody and Jones. TexShare cardholders and Baylor alumni may check out a limited number of items.
University of Houston LibrariesUniversity of Houston
The University of Houston's MD Anderson Library is home to UH Libraries Special Collections. Located, on the second floor, the collections document Houston and Texas history and include the LGBT History Research Collection and the Carey C. Shuart Women's Research Collection. The Performing & Visual Arts Research Collection covers theater, dance, film, music and Houston arts organizations. Visitors may use the library during normal hours with a photo ID; non-UH visitors check in at the security desk. Borrowing requires an accepted outside card such as TexShare. Special Collections visits need an appointment made at least 24 hours ahead.
UTSA LibrariesThe University of Texas at San Antonio
UTSA Libraries Special Collections, on the fourth floor of the John Peace Library, focus on San Antonio and Mexican American history and Mexican and Tex-Mex culinary history. The Mexican Cookbook Collection is the largest in the United States. It has nearly 3,000 cookbooks dating from 1789, including the research library of cookbook author Diana Kennedy, and many items are digitized online. Community members can use the physical collections on site. Anyone 16 or older can join the Community Borrowing Program for $25 a year. Special Collections is open by appointment, Monday through Thursday.
The most beautiful college library in Texas
Armstrong Browning Library & MuseumBaylor University
Baylor's Armstrong Browning Library was built to be, in founder A. J. Armstrong's words, "the most beautiful building in Texas." It was dedicated in 1951. The Italian Renaissance-style building of Indiana limestone was designed with associate architects Eggers and Higgins of New York under chief architect Wyatt C. Hedrick of Fort Worth. Inside are marble columns, black walnut paneling, hand-painted ceilings and 62 stained glass windows, believed to be the largest collection of secular stained glass in the world. Bronze entry doors by Robert Weinman show scenes from Robert Browning's poetry. The library holds the world's largest collection of Browning materials and draws more than 25,000 visitors a year. Its main-floor research hall is open to the public.
Last verified: November 2, 2026. Visitor rules, hours and borrowing policies change, so check the library's website before you go. TexShare cards come from participating Texas public and academic libraries.
About colleges and universities in Texas
Texas public higher education includes the University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, University of Houston and University of North Texas systems, a large network of community colleges and many private universities. The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University in College Station are the state's two flagship universities.
Texans have an easy way into college libraries: TexShare, a statewide consortium run by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission. Through its TexShare Card program, a card from a participating library, such as your public library, can let you borrow from other participating libraries, including many college and university libraries. Ask your home library for a card, and check with the college library before visiting. Many campuses also welcome walk-in visitors for on-site reading and special collections research.