A brief introduction to Special Collections and University Archives.
Introduction to Special Collections and University Archives
Recommended Duration:
15 – 20 minutes
Objective:
Prepare students to use Special Collections and University Archives and to successfully find materials held by the Department.
Outcome:
Students will understand what archives and special collections are and what a primary source is. Students will learn how to access the department, what will be expected of them when onsite, how to request help or other services we provide, and how to search the collection descriptions.
Activity
The Outreach and Public Services Archivist will give an overview of the Department and its collection areas. Students will practice searching collections using our three collection platforms with guidance from the instructor.
Students should bring a personal device to conduct searches online during the class.
Standards (based on Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy):
- Use appropriate, efficient, and effective search strategies in order to locate primary sources. Be familiar with the most common ways primary sources are described, such as catalog records and archival finding aids. (2B)
- Distinguish between catalogs, databases, and other online resources that contain information about sources, versus those that contain digital versions, originals, or copies of the sources themselves. (2C)
- Recognize and understand the policies and procedures that affect access to primary sources, and that these differ across repositories, databases, and collections. (2E)
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