During this session participants learned how other instructors integrated special collections resources and class visits into their curriculum and how special collections librarians can partner with them to engage students in primary source analysis. They worked with materials to conceptualize their own inquiry-based assignments thinking about how the materiality of an object fosters students’ curiosity. We finished the morning with a behind the scenes tour of the vaults.

1. Lessons from the Vault:
Develop inquiry-based assignments with
Special Collections
Wednesday, June 15, 2016, 9:30am - 12:00pm,
W.D. Jordan Rare Books and Special Collections,
2nd floor (6th level) of Douglas Library

2. Welcome!
• Introductions
• Overview of Special Collections Services and Materials
• Brainstorm lesson plans and assignment ideas
• Share our results
• Overview of past classes and assignments
• Tour the Vaults

3. Your Special Collections Librarians
Dr. Alvan Bregman
Curator and Head of W.D.
Jordan Rare Books and Special
Collections
Jillian Sparks
Special Collections Librarian

4. Introduction questions
• Name
• Department
• Area of specialization
• Have you taught with special collections
materials before?
• If yes, what course? Did you have a
connected assignment?
• What do you hope to learn from this workshop?

5. Services
• Curate collections: we acquire new materials, put
on exhibits, maintain the collection.
• We would love to collaborate with you on
exhibits or purchase materials (budget
permitting) to directly support your curriculum
• Research: we will work with you on your projects
and suggest material that may be useful.
• Teaching: we want you and your students to use
our collections. We can co-lead sessions, teach
your session, or you can lead your session (with us
still in the classroom)

6. Collection Strengths
• Edith and Lorne Pierce Collection of Canadiana
• Poetry, literature, school text books, exploration
• Canadian Pamphlet collection
• Rare Books
• Dated collection 1475-1700
• Schulich-Woolf Collection
• Bible Collection
• 18th Century British Political Pamphlets
• Dickens Collection
• Science collections
• McNicol Collection (telegraphy)
• Riche-Covington Collection (radio astronomy)
• Jeannie and Vero Wynne-Edwards Collection
(natural history)

7. Collection Strengths
• Authors’ libraries
• John Buchan
• Robertson Davies
• Mazo de la Roche
• Ralph Gustafson
• Broadsides and Posters
• Poetry
• World War I and II
• Chinese Cultural Revolution
• Maps
• Early North American and
Canadian maps, 17th-19th century

8. Your Students and Special Collections
Our collections are intended for teaching. Special
Collections instruction sessions provide students
with the opportunity to:
• conduct hands-on research with primary
sources
• develop research skills
• learn how to handle rare materials
• prepare for future independent work in
special collections
• contribute new perspectives on their topics

9. Scheduling a Class
Schedule a class online
We kindly ask that you request classes a minimum of
two weeks in advance. We can generally
accommodate a maximum of twenty students, but
will do all in our power to meet your needs.
• Librarian Led Class
• Faculty & Librarian Led Class
• Faculty Led Class
Preview our new teaching page and library website

10. Brainstorm Lesson Plan or Assignment
• Pick your course
• Develop a topic/question for your special
collections session or larger course theme
• Using the 5 Ws—consider what questions the
materials will raise
• Who is the reader?
• When—how does this relate to the historical
context?
• Why/how—think about significance?
• Consider snapshot and big picture learning
outcomes from the session
• Bring it all together to create your assignment
• How will you assess their progress?

11. Overview of Past Classes and
Assignments
Course: History 313 British North America, 1759-
1867
Assignment: no outside assignment

12. Overview of Past Classes and
Assignments
Course: English 442 Romanticism and the Visual
Assignment: In class assignment

13. Overview of Past Classes and
Assignments
Course: History 318 Modern East Asia
Assignment: Short group paper on 3 posters

14. Overview of Past Classes and
Assignments
Course: History 400-004 Topics in History:
Foucault for Historians
Assignment: Seminar paper on prison newsletters
Prison Sentences: Penitentiary Literature in
Kingston

15. Thoughts or Questions?

16. Tour the Vaults