In-person visit where staff pull material to give your students an overall look into what special collections is and does. This option can also include activities that make students think about how archives function or how to identify and work with primary sources.
Class Visit, Specific Topic Selection
In-person visit where instructors work with staff to create a curated list of material to fit class discussions or syllabus. Instructors can either teach, co-teach, or ask a staff member to lead the discussion on the material. Staff can also create activities on close looking, archival literacy, and historical argumentation based on Instructor’s goals for the visit.
Multiple Class Visits, Specific Topic Selection
In-person visits where the instructor brings the class in multiple times to work with a collection or multiple collections in Special Collections and Archives. This typically involves a project created by the instructor that utilizes primary sources.
Virtual Class, General or Specific Topic Selection
Virtual option for hybrid or online classes. We guide discovery of collection material using a document camera and/or online resources like the Iowa Digital Library to create interactive sessions for students to get a closer look at material held at Iowa.
Course Assignment Support
For those wanting students to visit the archives on their own for an assignment, Special Collections staff can set them up for success by visiting your class in-person or online and talking about how to use the reading room, reserve items, and use online finding aids in advance.
Primary Source Virtual Class Activities
Staff are happy to find ways to incorporate the thousands of items in the Iowa Digital Library into your class though activities we create with the help of the instructor. We also have activities already put together for you to use on our LibGuide: Virtual Class Activities.
Primary Sources to Go
Special Collections and Archives has a small collection of material that can be checked out and brought to a classroom if you are unable to find a time to come in person. Contact the instruction team for a list of items that can be checked out to show students.
