New initiative is designed to protect cultural collections across the UT campus
In the 140 years since The University of Texas at Austin was founded, valuable collections of books, manuscripts, photographs, art, and much more have come to the university through generous gifts and purchased acquisitions. These collections are composed of cultural objects—oftentimes unique and irreplaceable—that serve as resources for students, scholars, artists, and writers. More than 40 years ago, the Harry Ransom Center established one of the nation’s first conservation laboratories in a research library. In 2021, with the support of Executive Vice President and Provost Sharon Wood, the Center helped launch the Campus Conservation Initiative that already has resulted in more than 1,000 hours spent treating these iconic cultural objects, including a letter written by Thomas Jefferson; an artwork by Jacob Lawrence; two handwritten cookbooks made by Maria Austin, the wife of Moses Austin and the mother of Stephen F. Austin; and many more.
