About the West Texas Collection
Who We Are – What We Do – How You Can Contribute
Dr. Ralph R. Chase
The West Texas Collection is named in honor of the late San Angelo pediatrician, Dr. Ralph R. Chase (1923-2012).
A graduate of both San Angelo High School (1939) and San Angelo College (1941), Chase went on to graduate from the University of Texas and then served in the U.S. Navy Seabees in the South Pacific during World War II. In 1951, he earned his medical degree from Northwestern University Medical School in Chicago, and soon after returned to Texas with his wife, Virginia.
A constant champion for the underprivileged children of the Concho Valley, Chase was honored as Pediatrician of the Year in 1978 and as San Angelo Citizen of the Year in 1988. He was also a driving force behind the development of ASU’s annual Roy E. Moon Distinguished Lectureship in Science, and ASU’s annual Distinguished Lectureship in the Humanities is also named in his honor.
Our Mission
The West Texas Collection (WTC) is the Special Collections Department of the ASU Library. Our mission is to collect, store, preserve and make accessible for scholarly research selected historical manuscripts, records, books, photographs and other related materials. The primary focus of the WTC is West Texas. The WTC also serves as the primary depository for documents and records related to the history, development and operations of Angelo State University, and oversees the campus records retention program.
Collection Development
Materials in the West Texas Collection (WTC) are primarily acquired by donation. WTC staff use discretion in the acceptance and accessioning of materials based on various factors, such as relation to the stated mission, uniqueness of the material, its physical condition and space considerations.
Materials of interest include, but are not limited to, personal, business and political correspondence; journals and diaries; photos and negatives; business and organizational records; records related to major regional events; and items pertaining to the history and development of Angelo State University. Items not typically accepted are general serials and books not related to the region; items without connection to West Texas; newspapers largely accessible in other formats; and three-dimensional objects not directly related to the region and useful for research purposes.
For more information, contact West Texas Collection staff for an appointment/assessment.