A library is the delivery room for the birth of ideas, a place where history comes to life.Norman Cousins

Southwest History & Genealogy

The Southwest History collection contains material for Texas, Arizona, New Mexico, and Oklahoma. There is a Reference and Circulation section. An outstanding clip file for Odessa, Ector County and Texas may be used in the department. The Texas History student will find excellent resources in this collection with books on travel, gardening, cooking, and sports available.

Come Let Us Help you Climb Your Family Tree!

We have an excellent genealogical department with two full time staff members. The library patron, using the department for the first time, is given a pedigree chart with basic instructions on how to begin. The staff is available to instruct and guide the patron when research problems arise. Genealogy books, periodicals and federal census are arranged to make research convenient for the patron. Materials are available for worldwide research. A wide selection of genealogy how-to-books may be checked out. Genealogy enthusiasts can also find more information at the Ector County Genealogy Website. It has tons of info about Ector County including the birth, death and other records on line and searchable. Click to email us your questions, please include your name & phone number, type SW in subject line. Ancestry.com is available for use in the library. Patrons can access the site by using our genealogy computers located in our department. Look for this icon >> on the desktop!

Romantic Old Odessa 1886-1924 - R.G. Larson

Artist: R.G. Larson executed this interesting painting in 1961. Mr Larson had been associated with the Monahans Sandhills Park Museum. This painting was hung in Furr's Cafeteria No. 2 on Andrews Highway. Upon remodeling, the Cafeteria donated the painting to Ector County Library.