AUSTIN, Texas (May, 14, 2004) - Dr. David O. Nilsson, a retired special instructor in mathematics at The University of Texas at Austin, has provided $25,000 in seed money for an endowment that will support American Latino research materials at the university's Nettie Lee Benson Latin American Collection.        

The David O. Nilsson Endowment for Mexican American and U.S. Latino Research Materials will provide funds for staff and archival expenses at the Mexican American Library Program (MALP). Materials at the MALP relate to the history, politics and culture of the "Mexicano" experience in Texas and the southwestern United States. Other U.S. Latino groups also are represented in the collection, including Puerto Ricans, Cubans and Central and South Americans.

The Mexican American Library Program contains 20,000 books and journals, 2,500 reels of microfilm, more than 70 archival collections, audio and videocassettes, posters, photographs and slides. Among the archival collections are the organizational records of the League of United Latin American Citizens (LULAC).

The Mexican American Library Program is part of the Benson Collection, which embodies more than 80 years of The University of Texas at Austin's commitment to create and maintain a specialized research library dedicated to the culture and history of Latin America.

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Contact: Adán Benavides, Librarian for Research Programs, Benson Latin American Collection, a.benavides@mail.utexas.edu, 512-495-4588, www.lib.utexas.edu/benson/ or Robert D. Meckel, Office of Public Affairs, 512-475-7847