Cal State LA Special Collections & Archives (SCA) supports the discovery, learning and engagement goals of the University by identifying, acquiring, preserving and providing access to unique and rare materials of enduring value.
The Mesoamerica and Colonial Mexico Collection at Cal State LA is a collection of books centered on Mesoamerican and colonial books of Mexico. It was brought to campus by Professor Manuel Aguilar-Moreno and is one of the most impressive university collections for Mesoamerican Studies.
The books in this collection are curated on The Mesoamerica and Colonial Mexico Collection website. The books are spread across general stacks and in Special Collections.
To access a book in Special Collections, you will need to make an appointment via this form. Please make an appointment at least 48 hours in advance to allow for staff to locate the book in question. You can also direct requestions regarding special collection items to specialcollections@calstatela.edu.
Questions regarding non-special collections materials can be addressed to Kendall Faulkner (kfaulkn3@calstatela.edu).
SCA materials are available for research by students, staff, and faculty, as well as the general public. We highly encourage scheduling a research appointment 1-week in advance, but walk-ins may be accommodated depending on the materials requested. There are currently three ways to search for SCA materials:
Use a Keyword search then limit your search in the Refine my Results section located on the right-hand side of the webpage.
Scroll down to Location and select Special Collections.
In the list of results, you will notice the format type of materials located in SCA such as Books and Archival Materials. Archival materials refer to manuscript items, which include unpublished materials suck as letters, photographs, scrapbooks, slides, textiles, ephemera, etc.
The digital archive collects and provides access to the research and resources for students, faculty, and staff of the Cal State LA Community.
As part of our commitment to research, teaching, and creative scholarship, Cal State LA SCA offers a series of academic support services ranging from research appointments and consultations to instruction sessions and tours.
