The first portion of CRL’s purchase of the complete set of the Archivo General de Centroamérica (Central American Archives, or CAA) has been received and processed. These archives encompass six million pages of original primary source documents (many of which are unique copies) spanning more than three centuries, from 1519 to 1898. They document Spanish rule in the New World from the founding of the city of Antigua, in Guatemala. The collection documents all aspects of commerce, politics, and development throughout El Salvador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Costa Rica and the Yucatan and Chiapas regions of Mexico. Central American Archives is a rich resource for Latin American, Central American, and Spanish studies.

This set, originally microfilmed through McMasterUniversity and distributed by Ross Publishing, was acquired through CRL’s Purchase Proposal Program. Voters noted that these materials, unlikely to be purchased by individual libraries, augment CRL holdings for a time period and region of growing research interest. Comments suggested that acquisition of this collection will provide a valuable resource for scholars in many disciplines.

Nominations for the FY13 Purchase Proposal Ballot are open through September 30, 2012. Please contact Mary Wilke for more information.