Using Primary Sources: Hands-On Instructional Exercises

by Anne Bahde (Editor), Heather Smedberg, Marlene Taormina

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.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

190 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2014

Reviews

[Margot Note · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found Rebecca Larson-Troyer's Deconstructing Description: Teaching Archival Literacy through Finding Aids incredibly helpful.

"Coined by Elizabeth Yakel and Deborah Torres in 2003, the term archival intelligence refers to the information-seeking proficiencies needed to successfully find primary sources in archival and manuscript collections, and includes skills needed to use a special collections or archives repository. The term artifactual literacy refers to the ability to analyze and interpret primary sources once they have been found, and includes skills related to understanding bias authority, authenticity, historical context, original purpose, and original audience. It also signifies the ability to use primary sources as evidence, to understand what questions they answer, what questions they do not answer, and what questions they raise" (ix-x).

"Primary source literacy not only blends a range of other literacies--visual, cultural, historical, media, digital, and information--to create a transliteracy that shares characteristics of others, but also possesses unique features that reflect the complexity of research using historical materials and the materials themselves" (xix).

[Liz De Coster · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not every exercise in this book was applicable, so I did skim a little, but what I could use/adapt for my audience looks promising. The activities encompass a range of source types and audiences, and I think this book would be useful to a wide range of teachers. I'm a history librarian working with undergrads in an institution that's growing its archival teaching collection, for what it's worth.