Rio Grande History, 1973-1983

Rio Grande History was a publication of the Rio Grande Historical Collections (RGHC) and the New Mexico State University Library. The purpose of the publication was "further research in the history of New Mexico and the Southwest and to encourage the utilization of source materials contained in manuscripts, photographs, and documents of interest to the history enthusiast. It is hoped that this effort will assist in developing greater public awareness of the research value of documentary materials and that individuals and organizations will be encouraged to place their papers in public institutions for preservation, safekeeping, and research." Rio Grande History was published irregularly between 1973 and 1983, and distributed to members and patrons of the RGHC.

The Rio Grande Historical Collections were established in 1972 to preserve the unique history and cultural heritage of southern New Mexico and the border region. The RGHC is now the custodian of more than 12,000 linear feet of manuscripts and records which include personal and family papers, literary manuscripts, political collections, and records of organizations, businesses, and governmental bodies. In addition, the RGHC preserves maps, microfilm collections, oral histories, photographs, scrapbooks, films, audiovisual recordings, and other unique materials relating to the region.

The digitization of the Rio Grande History publications was made possible by the NMSU COVID19 Performance Fund granted to the NMSU Library by the U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund (HEERF) in December 2021. One of the goals of this project was to engage NMSU students in learning about the versatility of digital collections through students' active participation in the collections’ development. Based on their hands-on experience in digitizing and curating archival materials, students had an opportunity to understand the importance of access to reliable sources, see the potential for analyzing real data and reflect on the preservation efforts of their own cultural legacy. This collection was digitized and described by Stephen N. Garcia, an NMSU student majoring in Mechanical Engineering.