Memory Made Material: Primary Sources in Library Reference and Instruction

Session Submission Type: Roundtable

Brief Description

As research methods and research institutions continue to evolve side-by-side in the 21st century, the “primary source” has become a coveted instrument in library reference and instruction that connects learners to the past, makes connections between past and present, and hones the ability to make independent interpretations of sources. How do we, as librarians, make such interventions pedagogically effective? And how do we equip researchers with the tools and skills needed to draw conclusions that are supported by historical fact? Juergen Warmbrunn and Ognjen Kovacevic will offer case studies from their own collections and careers, exploring how to activate archival materials and special collections in practical and engaging ways. Joe Lenkart, Thomas Keenan, and Megan Browndorf will offer theoretical approaches on how to bridge information literacy and primary source engagement as the skill sets and experience levels of researchers grow increasingly hard to predict in an interdisciplinary learning environment.

Sub Unit

• Library/Information Sciences

Chair

• Anna Arays, Yale U

Roundtable Speakers

• Margaret Ann Browndorf, U of Chicago

• Thomas Francis Keenan, Princeton U

• Ognjen Kovacevic, Hoover Institution

• Joseph Lenkart, U of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign