Library & Research

Library Policies

Purpose of the Library and Archives

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame library and archives supports the scholarly, interpretive and educational activities of the staff, docents and volunteers. It is also open to the scholarly research community at large.

Scope and Size of Library and Archives Collections

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame collects materials in all appropriate formats to support the mission and goals of the museum. The collection includes materials focusing on women of the American West and their accomplishments and contributions; honoree diaries, biographies, and historical recollections; literature that depicts the movement Westward in America’s discovery and exploration; cowgirl/cowboy and rodeo history and culture; and ranching and popular culture, both past and present. Holdings currently include 1,500 books and serial titles as well as archival materials, including manuscripts, photographs, diaries, scrapbooks, personal memoirs, maps, newspaper clippings, oral interviews, sound recordings, videos and a wide range of visual ephemera.

Highlights of the Collections

Collection strengths focus on the rodeo cowgirl from the early 20th century to the present. Significant holdings include records documenting the formation of the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), currently the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA). This collection contains original scrapbooks, programs, accounting ledgers, letters, contracts and promotional and merchandising materials.

The collection also includes extensive collections of the works of authors Mari Sandoz and B.M. Bower.

Facilities and Hours

The collections are available for study to qualified researchers and scholars, by appointment only.

Appointments

Appointments are arranged by Diana Vela, Ph.D., Director of Education. They can be reached by mail (1720 Gendy Street, Fort Worth, Texas 76107), by telephone (817-336-4475), or by e-mail: dvela@cowgirl.net. Appointments must be made in advance and will be granted depending on availability of staff and materials requested. Successful applicants must submit a user form describing their research project, read and sign a compliance form indicating that they understand the library’s handling policies and procedures, show photo identification with current address and sign the daily visitor’s register.

Library Usage

Access to Collections
Library and archive materials are in closed stacks and are non-circulating. Materials must be consulted in the area in which they are housed. The may not be removed from that area or from the premises.

Smoking, eating and drinking are not allowed.

Extraordinary care must be exercised when using materials in the library. Many items are fragile, extremely valuable and/or irreplaceable.

General Procedures

Only items considered essential research tools (e.g., pencil, paper, notebooks, laptop computers, etc.) are allowed in the library. Backpacks, bags (including purses), briefcases, coats, computer bags and other such items must be stored at the Security Station. Security personnel reserve the right to inspect all belongings when anyone enters or leaves the premises.

Reproduction of Materials

Requests for photocopies must be approved by the librarian or curator, and in certain circumstances, researchers must sign a copyright disclosure statement. Photocopying is restricted to published items and must adhere to copyright law. The library may decline a request to photocopy materials it considers too fragile or outside the “fair use” standard. Photocopies will be charged at $.20 per page.

It is the responsibility of the researcher to request and obtain permission to publish materials from both the museum (as owner of the original) and the copyright owner, if the museum does not own the copyright.

When research is completed and results are published or made public by other means, the museum shall receive a copy of resulting publications without charge.

Copyright Notice

The museum makes no claim that it is the owner of any copyright in the materials contained in its archives. In providing access to such materials, the museum does not assume any responsibility for obtaining or granting permission for publication or use. The responsibility for determining the nature and ownership of any rights and for obtaining the appropriate permissions to publish or use such materials rests entirely with the researcher.

Collections Usage

The researcher agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame, its officers and employees, from and against all claims and actions arising out of the researcher’s use of the library’s collections.

Research Services Agreement

If you can not visit the library, a staff member will conduct research on your behalf at a minimum fee of $25 per hour. Research costs will also include photocopies at $.20 per copy and shipping. Copies of the Research Services Agreement form can be obtained by calling the museum or click here to open a PDF of the form.

Library/Research Center
Archival Collections Policy and Donor Information

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Archives is central to the museum’s ability to tell the story of the remarkable women of the west. Archival materials include manuscripts, letters, diaries, scrapbooks, personal memoirs, maps and newspaper clippings. The collection includes materials donated by and about women who have been inducted and nominated to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. Materials are selected for preservation in the museum archives primarily because of their historical research value. Materials accessioned will generally document the history of women in the American West and their accomplishments and contributions.

The National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Archives accepts additions to its collections and holdings, especially unpublished personal papers, correspondence, diaries, photographs, scrapbooks, business records and personal memoirs that complement artifact and book collections of the museum and hall of fame. Items may be donated or purchased for the library/research center.

When materials are received into the archives, the donor(s) and archives staff complete an instrument of donation document (Deed of Gift Form), which transfers legal custody of the materials to the museum archives and also prescribes donation conditions and restrictions.

The historical resources of the museum archives are available for public use on the premises by appointment during the hours of 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

Unless otherwise restricted by copyright or by the donor and agreed to by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Archives at the time of acquisition, all literary rights are conveyed to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. All donor access and use restrictions and conditions will be specified in the donation agreement. The archives can assume no responsibility for abuse of literary or copyright restrictions by users of research materials.

Gifts to the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame are considered outright donations to be used in the best interest of the museum archives. Donations become the sole and irrevocable property of the museum archives.

Usually, gifts are considered extremely important or the best historical resources available at the time acquired. However, no individual or institution can predict or govern the changing attitudes of future generations, or guarantee permanency beyond the best available preservations procedures. The archives reserves the right to reevaluate and reappraise historical material in its holdings and to deaccession them when appropriate. Deaccessioned collections and items weeded from collections during processing, due to duplication, irrelevance, limited use, or deterioration, will be offered to the original donor or his agent if so requested at the time of donation. If the donor wishes not to reclaim the material or can not be located, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame reserves the right to offer the material to other depositories or discard the items. Any material declared expendable must be approved by the museum archivist.

Donations of historical material to a public research facility may be tax deductible. However, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame can not appraise donations for tax purposes. For the protection of the donor, it is recommended that such appraisals be done by a disinterested third party before title to the material is conveyed to the museum archives.

National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame
Library/Research Center
Archival Collections Policy and Donor Information
Materials of Interest

It is important that the archives staff be permitted to survey papers or records in order to determine which materials have enduring historical value. Listed below are types of materials that are often valuable to a researcher. This list, which is suggestive and not definitive, illustrates the wide range of documentation often useful for historical and administrative research.

Among the types of materials in personal and family papers of interest to researchers are:

Also of interest are files relating to the individual’s civic, business, religious, political and social activities.

Churches, political organizations, businesses, economic interest groups, community groups, voluntary associations, professional associations and other collective enterprises all produce records which document their purpose, policies and activities. An individual or family may hold the records of such a business or organization, and this material, too, may be significant. In addition to papers and records, the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall Fame Research Center and Archives also collects books and music.

Library Gift Policy

It is the policy of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame Library to encourage gifts of books and archival materials, as well as gifts of money for the purchase of these items. To enable the library to bring its collection and service levels to meet community needs, financial gifts and gifts of materials and operational items are welcomed as a vital source of enriching the assets of the library. The library accepts materials within the scope of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame’s Collection Development Policy. The library solicits, in particular, such primary source or archival materials as private papers and official records, materials by authors and honorees, as well as materials about or bearing a relationship to the mission of the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame.

The library accepts gifts of materials with the understanding that only those materials that meet the selection standards applied to the purchase of all other library materials will be added to the collection.

Gifts are accepted by the library with the explicit understanding that they become the property of the National Cowgirl Museum Library, to be used or disposed of in strict accordance with the policies of the library.

Every effort is made to dispose of all unneeded gift materials to the best advantage of the library.

The library discourages the attachment of conditions to gifts and no conditions may be imposed relating to any gift after its acceptance. A gift that has certain conditions attached to it will not automatically be refused but will be referred to the director of the museum.

The library does not monetarily evaluate gifts or provide listings for tax purposes; however, acknowledgment for income-tax records as to the number of items and date of donation will be given.

The library will promptly acknowledge, under signature of the librarian, the receipt of all gift materials.