Statement of purpose

The primary purpose of the Local History Collection is to collect, preserve and make accessible information relating to the history of Texas City . It is intended that, as much as possible, the information in the collection be available to all interested patrons. However, due to the condition, historical interest, and security issues of some of the materials, direct access to the original materials will be restricted as described below.

Scope of the collection

The Local History collection includes both original materials and reproductions in a variety of formats including books, pamphlets, newsletters, reports, letters, manuscripts, maps, photographs, postcards, negatives, sound recordings, videotapes and films. All materials are for reference use only. Duplicate copies of published works, and surrogate copies of unpublished works of general interest, may be found in the Reference collection or the general collection of the library. Three dimensional objects or large maps or drawings are generally not collected due to space, preservation and storage considerations.

Purpose of the collections

The collections of the Local History Department of the Moore Memorial Public Library document the history of Texas City and the areas closely surrounding it. The historical and information value of the items are of more importance than the actual items themselves. The materials in these collections do not circulate, but the information will be made available to other researchers and the general public as widely as possible given available resources and the condition and content of the materials.

If at all possible, preservation efforts will be undertaken using methods which restrict public access to the information as little as possible.

Procedures for use of the Local History Collection

Access to original materials in the local history collection is through prior appointment only and with the express permission of the appointed staff. No backpacks, purses or briefcases will be allowed in the Local History room when viewing original materials. Access to the information may be provided through the use of surrogates due to the condition and historic value of the original item. Some original materials may not be machine copied due to condition.

Additions of materials

Acceptance of donations to the collection will be made based on the following factors:

1. Educational value
2. Fit with the local history collection's mission, purpose and available resources
3. Available provenance and documentation
4. Clear title
5. Asset value of the item
6. Authority and authenticity
7. Ability of the library to utilize, store and maintain the item
8. Intrinsic value of the item
9. Cost of repair, handling and storage of the item

The determination of whether to accept specific donations to the collection will be the decision of the Library Director in conjunction with the appropriate City officials. When rejecting offered donations, the Library wishes neither to offend the donor nor denigrate the value of the donation offered, but recognizes that there may be other organizations whose mission and available resources create a closer match with the donor and offered gifts.

The library will not accept materials without a legal transfer of title, deed of gift, or other official acknowledgement. All materials purchased or donated to the Local History Collection become the property of the Moore Memorial Public Library, and by extension, the City of Texas City . All donations must be offered free and clear without restrictions as to use or future disposition. The library will not normally accept collections which are to remain closed to public access.

Documents and materials must be in good condition, free of mold, pests or dirt. Materials that will cost more then their value or require special handling or storage may be refused due to lack of available resources.

Items donated together may be separated or dispersed in several locations or collections as appropriate, based on the professional judgment of the Library staff. Collections will be named by the library staff based on professional practice and judgment.

Moore Memorial Public Library reserves the right to withdraw, de-accession and dispose of any materials in its collection if the item is no longer relevant or useful to its purposes. Withdrawals or elimination of unneeded materials will follow the deselection procedures of the general collection, or may be sold with the money to be returned to the Local History Collection.

Publication of materials

Publication of photographs and unpublished material may not be undertaken without the specific permission of the City of Texas City . In all cases, copyright requirements must be met. If the publication is allowed, the credit line should read "from the Local History Collection of Moore Memorial Public Library."