Using Primary Sources

An ideal resource for cultural heritage professionals who teach with original materials, this book provides fresh, adaptable, and easy-to-implement primary source literacy exercises to improve their teaching and engage their students.

Special collections librarians and archivists in academic settings are often confronted with the challenge of teaching classes outside their personal area of expertise, with very little notice or guidance―as the authors of this book can attest. Using Primary Sources: Hands-On Instructional Exercises features 30 adaptable, hands-on exercises that special collections librarians, archivists, museum professionals, and teaching faculty can use in a multitude of instructional situations with K–12, undergraduate, graduate, and library school students.

The exercises teach lessons in both archival intelligence―such as building skills in using finding aids and locating primary sources―and artifactual literacy, such as building skills in interpretation and analysis of primary sources. Each exercise includes sections for audience, subject area, and materials used so that instructors can find customizable, easy-to-follow "recipes" to use regardless of personal experience and expertise. In addition, this consultable reference resource includes a bibliography of readings related to instruction in special collections, archives, and museum environments.

Anne Bahde, MLIS, is history of science librarian in the Special Collections and Archives Research Center at Oregon State University Libraries.

Heather Smedberg, MLS, is the reference and instruction coordinator for Special Collections and Archives at University of California, San Diego.

Mattie Taormina, MLIS, is head of public services and processing manuscripts librarian for Stanford University's Special Collections and University Archives.