Research Using Special Collections and Archives

What We Offer

Special Collections and Archives offers instruction sessions and supports the use of archival collection materials in classroom learning. By including primary source research in classroom projects and student work, we can assist undergraduate and graduate students as they learn valuable primary source literacy, information literacy, digital literacy, visual literacy, and research skills. Our collections document University history and Baltimore regional 20th century history. Through consultation with an archivist, instructors can find materials related to their various academic courses or student interests and incorporate them into archives instruction sessions for individual classes.

We can provide instruction sessions on:

• Introduction to Special Collections and Archives and primary source research (a broad overview session).
• Researching with Primary Sources: topical sessions focused on course content and specific archival collections.
  These sessions are designed by the instructor and archivist to fit the specific needs of the class. 
• Tour Special Collections and Archives
  
  
  Examples include:
  • University of Baltimore history topics
  • Baltimore 20th century history topics
  • Baltimore neighborhood history
  • Community organizing in Baltimore
  • Oral history
  • Gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer+ history in Baltimore and Maryland
  • And more!
     

Ready to Plan an Instruction Session? 
 Contact Us 

• Step 1: Advance notice is required before a class visit. Use our contact form and indicate that you are interested in setting up an instruction session in your class with an archivist. Include the following information in your request:
  • Proposed date and time Preferred duration of the session
  • Course title and number
  • Number of students in your class 
  • Specific topics you would like covered in the session, or ideas regarding possible topics to discuss when planning with us
  • Whether students will be doing archival research following their visit
• Step 2: An archivist will reach out to you soon. Wait for a response and be ready to share your syllabus and work with an archivist to plan the session. Remember, it's best to contact us early in the academic semester so we can best assist you and plan an engaging instruction session.
• Step 3: Use this Guide to learn more about the topics and materials included in our Collections online and our Digital Exhibits and Digitized Collections. 
• Step 4: Share this Guide with your students so they can begin learning about primary sources at Special Collections and Archives

Are you interested in creating projects, assignments, or exercises in your classes using primary sources? Contact us to partner up! 
Check out these resources for ideas to help you get started:

• The 2018 Primary Source Literacy Guidelines (PDF) from the SAA-ACRL/RBMS Joint Task Force on the Development of Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy
• TeachArchives.org from the Brooklyn Historical Society
• TeachwithStuff.org and the Teaching with Primary Sources Collective
• Getting Started with Primary Sources from the Library of Congress