Sue & Radcliffe Killam library

The collections described on this page consist primarily of print or physical works.  The library also has many online collections such as ebooks, journal databases, streaming videos, the TAMIU Digital Repository, and other online resources described elsewhere in this website.

Curriculum Collection

The Curriculum Collection is a collection of K-12 textbooks adopted for classroom use by the State of Texas. This collection, intended for support of teacher preparation, consists primarily of teacher editions.  It is located on the second floor and is arranged by Library of Congress Classification. 

Faculty Authored Book Collection

The Killam Library originally developed the TAMIU Faculty Authored Book (FAB) Collection  to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the University and to recognize book scholarship published by our faculty.  The collection continues to grow as new books are produced by TAMIU faculty. Whenever possible the library acquires copies of the FAB collection works to place in the Special Collections for preservation and in the general collection for lending to library users. Books are included when the faculty member is the sole author, co-author, main editor, co-editor or translator.

General Collection

This is the main collection of print books and bound journals including only those journal volumes which are not available online or held in microform.  This collection is located on the third and fourth floors of the library.  Most of these materials are available for lending.

Government Documents Collection

The Killam Library is a Selective Federal Depository Library, which receives approximately 34% of the publications that are available through the Federal Depository Library Program (FDLP).  Most of these publications are now provided electronically and can be searched and retrieved through WorldCat Discovery .  There is also a Research Guide to Government Documents, which covers the FDLP collection and Texas State Documents.  The physical volumes in the FDLP Collection and Texas State Documents are inter-shelved in the general library collection by subject using the Library of Congress Classification. 

Juvenile Collection

The Juvenile Collection is a collection of children’s and young adult books intended to support children’s literature courses and teacher preparation. This collection, located on the second floor, is arranged by Library of Congress classification and includes fiction and children’s literature as well as non-fiction written for a juvenile audience. 

Media Collection

The Media Collection includes audio visual materials in physical formats such as DVDs, Blu-Rays, CDs, and VHS cassettes.  This collection, located on the first floor, represents only a small portion of the library’s media holdings, which are now primarily streaming video and audio collections that are in databases such as Films On Demand , Ambrose Digital , and Docuseek2 .  The physical media collection and the streaming video collections are searchable in WorldCat Discovery .

Microform Collections

There are multiple microfiche and microfilm collections in the library including journals that are not available online or in bound volumes, the Laredo Times, the New York Times, the ERIC (Educational Resource Information Center) collection, and two ultra-fiche collections comprised of the Library of English Literature (LEL) and the Library of American Civilization (LAC) both of which have a printed book catalog to guide users.  Many of these collections are shelved by title in the Microform Room.    Use WorldCat Discovery or ask at the Reference Desk for location of other titles.  ERIC microfiche, which include non-journal education documents, are arranged by educational document (ED) number and may be searched using the ERIC database.  There are also various historic, microform collections in the Special Collections and Archives such as the Laredo Spanish Archives.  

Reference Collection

This is a collection of books designed for accessing specific facts or information and can take the form of indexes, dictionaries, encyclopedias, bibliographies, almanacs, directories, handbooks etc.  Reference books may not be checked out, because they are intended for brief consultation.  The physical reference collection is located on the first floor of the library.  The library also offers digital collections of reference works through Gale Virtual Reference Library and Credo Reference Unlimited , which are also searchable through WorldCat Discovery .

Reserve Collection

This collection is made up of books and materials set aside by professors to ensure student access throughout the academic semester. Materials in the Reserve Collection can only be consulted for limited loan periods: 2 hours, 1 day, 3 days, or 24 hours/Overnight.  Ask for Reserve materials at the Circulation Desk.  Records of reserve materials may be found through searching WorldCat Discovery Course Reserves .

Special Collections

Special Collections & Archives is an archival repository that is open to students, faculty and the general public.  This area oversees a growing number of collections primarily focused on the history of Laredo and the surrounding area, on both sides of the border.  These materials paint a vivid portrait of south Texas and northern Mexico through original documents, photographs, maps, microfilm, video, audio recordings, and books.  Holdings vary from family histories to academic research collections.  As a Regional Historical Resource Depository (RHRD) designated by the Texas State Library and Archives Commission, the library provides access to a collection that includes select official government records of Webb, Dimmitt, LaSalle, Maverick, Zapata, and Zavala counties.  Additionally, the archive contains several research collections and holdings of special interest that go beyond our regional scope, including the King Spanish Language Literature Collection, the personal library and works of renowned poet José Kozer, and the Bob Bullock Collection.  Due to the preservation mission of Special Collections and Archives, the materials in its collections must be used within the Special Collections Reading Room.