UTA Libraries Staff Spotlight: Kera Newby

Connecting people with the past has always been a passion for Kera Newby. She brings that passion to her new role as Director of Special Collections and Archives at UTA Libraries.  

“I wanted to be an art curator because I thought that was the only way to tell or interact with the stories that I found interesting,” Kera said. “Then I found a little thing called archives, and there is a whole career called an archivist. I was like; this was the answer because I can tell the stories on so many different subjects.” 

Kera started her career as an intern with the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in its research center, the museum’s library and archive. She later became a full-time archivist with the museum, serving with them for more than 10 years. 

Kera stated she was drawn to UTA Libraries because of their relationships with researchers to make information accessible to them. 

“When I was here interviewing and learning more about UTA Libraries and Special Collections, I recognized that there is this vibrance within the approach to access here,” Kera said. “It is student, faculty and outside researcher focused. Focused on making their experience as easy and satisfying as possible. That was very refreshing and cool.” 

Kera spoke with pride about the team in Special Collections, who work hard to help people find materials they are researching. They also find new ways to connect people with the history contained within the archive. 

One example she gave was the was how classes are brought into Special Collections to connect them with the archive. 

In the spring semester, Dr. Christopher Conway, a Spanish professor, used materials from the archive for interactive lessons. Students would use documents and newspapers from the archive to complete an assignment during their visit to Special Collections. 

Kera stated that this approach helps people discover these stories and brings them to life. She noted that the goal of the archives is to make them accessible and available for people to find, and Special Collections is succeeding in that mission. 

We could not agree more about the critical role that Special Collections play in connecting people with the past to gain knowledge for the future. We are excited about the future of Special Collections here at UTA Libraries with Kera at the helm. 

If you would like to find out more information, visit our Special Collections page.