Southwest Collection

Did you know?

  • The New Mexico State Library has over 137 books about Billy the Kid. Find one here.
  • Coronado never found gold but you can still try. We have books on how to pan for gold today and the US West’s first gold rush in the Ortiz Mountains.
  • There are more than 400 ghost towns in New Mexico. You can find trails and tips to all of them in guidebooks from our collection.

The Southwest Collection is a rich source for information on the state of New Mexico and the southwest. Most of our materials can be borrowed in person or via interlibrary loan.

To find a book in the Southwest Collection, visit the Library’s online catalog.

The library is open to the public from 1:00 to 5:00 PM, Monday to Friday and free parking is available. Computers, microfilm readers, and free wireless are available in the building.  If you cannot visit, email us at Reference@state.nm.us or call 505-476-9702 during business hours.

Click on the links below to find books on some of our most popular research topics

What is in the collection?

  • Non-fiction and fiction books
  • Newspapers – on paper, microfiche and online
  • Genealogy books including Catholic Church extractions
  • Free access to Ancestry Library Edition, Family Search Affiliate Library, and Fold 3 in the state library
  • Bureau of Indian Affairs treaties, census, school records and correspondence
  • Census Records
  • Colonial and land grant records
  • Directories of towns and cities in New Mexico