Papers Panel 5. Teaching with Special Collections: The Classroom as Liberal Arts Laboratory

Abstract

“Shifting the Timeline: From Past to Future in Special Collections”: How do we shift the timeline in the pedagogical use of special collections from an exclusively historical perspective to one that includes the present and the future? In this presentation, the panelist will offer as a case-study a semester-long undergraduate class taught about the history and future of libraries, based in special collections and tied to a public lecture series. Students first surveyed the history of libraries and the history of the book. Then its focus shifted towards the present and the future, relying on digital collections, contemporary printed books, and artist books. After reflecting on lessons learned and the value of shifting the timeline, the speaker will show how this class could also be “unbundled” into individual components for possible use at other institutions.; “Flipping the Special Collections Classroom”: “Flipping the classroom,” where students are exposed to concepts prior to class and then use class time with the support of their peers and instructor to process and refine their learning, is a growing trend in the academic classroom and in information literacy sessions led by librarians. For instruction sessions involving hands-on experience with original rare books and manuscripts, a flipped classroom environment requires creative planning but is equally rewarding to both students and teaching faculty. This session will discuss how the art librarian and special collections librarian at Auburn University have planned and conducted flipped classroom experiences for humanities courses, incorporating active learning and assessment tools. Session participants will have the opportunity to engage in an active learning exercise modeled after those discussed.; “Designing an Undergraduate Book History Course”: This paper will present a case study describing how a librarian designed a standalone, 1.5 credit History of the Book class for undergraduates at Wake Forest University. It will also describe what has worked well and what has not, sparking a larger discussion of how book history can be taught as an interdisciplinary undergraduate class.