Collections
Vertebrate Paleontology
The collections of the Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory are known worldwide for unique scientific collections from the American Southwest and rank among the seven largest holdings in North America. Most specimens were collected by UT Austin faculty, staff and students, and outstanding specimens are on exhibit at the Texas Memorial Museum.
Also part of the VPL on the Pickle Research Campus, the Skeleton Preparation Facility transforms fleshy carcasses of modern animals such as birds, mammals and reptiles into clean skeletons for comparison with paleontological specimens.
- Contact Ben Kligman for details.
Nonvertebrate Paleontology
Founded in 1999, the Non-Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory is the fifth largest collection in the United States. This collection is known for its rare and important specimens with a type and figured collection of over 22,000 specimens, and for its innovative approaches to the management of an unconventional collection.
The focus of the NPL is invertebrate and paleobotanical fossils but these are complemented by a wealth of recent marine, freshwater and terrestrial specimens, and an extensive rock, mineral and impact-related collection.
- Contact Lisa Boucher for details.
Digital Imaging
The Digital Morphology Library is a dynamic archive of information on digital morphology and high-resolution X-ray computed tomography of biological specimens.
The spectacular imagery and animations provide details on the morphology of many representatives of the Earth’s biota.
- Contact Richard Ketcham for details.
Library Collections
The University of Texas Libraries builds and stewards extensive literature and map collections to support students and scholars in the Jackson School of Geosciences and other users of geoscience information. In addition to state funding, the library collections benefit from several endowments maintained by the Jackson School’s Geology Foundation.
A browsing collection of geology books can be found in the Life Science Library, located in the Main Building. A working collection of geoscience maps is located in the PCL Map Room. Remaining materials are held off-site in our library storage facility.
- Contact Janelle Hedstrom for details.