Library/Resources

Our mission is to collect, preserve, organize, and make accessible materials that document the history of San Antonio and South Central Texas with an emphasis on historic buildings, objects, places, and customs. The library is open to the public, as well as to the members and staff of the Conservation Society.

The library is open at its new location in the Courand House at 1146 S. Alamo. Appointments are still required in advance, by contacting librarian Beth Standifird at 210-224-6163 or bstandifird@saconservation.org.

We are a proud recipient of a 2025 Rescuing Texas History grant from the University of North Texas Libraries.  Over 200 photos from our HemisFair collection will be digitized for inclusion in the Portal to Texas History.  These pictures document the historic neighborhood that existed on site before the 1968 world’s fair, the site’s redevelopment through urban renewal, and its early post-fair years prior to emerging as an urban park. The Conservation Society is a partner on the Portal, which currently features our Ernst Raba Collection of early San Antonio photographs.