Working with the Department of

History to deliver a programme for

postgraduates

A case study of the MA Historical Archives

HY618 Book Collections in Archives

• 5 credit postgraduate module• Level 9 (Masters)• 12 lecture hours - including

practical sessions and offsite visit• Delivered by the Senior Librarian,

Collection Management Services and the Assistant Librarian, Special Collections & Archives

• 12 hours planned learning activities

• 12 hours independent student activities

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Learning Outcomes• Understand the key stages in the

development of print and its relationship with manuscript and incunabula

• Understand the key stages in the tradition of print in Ireland

• Differentiate between the different types of catalogues (traditional and electronic formats)

• Create a bibliographic record to a level appropriate to that item and to the repository in which it is held

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Module Aims• Foster an understanding and

appreciation of rare and unique collections

• Develop navigational skills in terms of finding aids and catalogues

• Equip students with resource description skills

• Facilitate the evaluation of printed items in archival collections

• Enable a comprehensive analysis of physical characteristics of different formatsManuscript from the collections of the

Russell Library, Maynooth University

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Class ScheduleDate Topic

Week 1 IntroductionManuscript tradition

Week 2 History of PrintPrinting in Ireland

Week 3 Practical ‘hands-on’ session

Week 4 Visit to Dublin City Library & Archive, National Print Museum

Week 5 Resource Description for Print

Week 6 Curatorial Roles – Print to onlineReview

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Assignment 1 Incunabula

Students are asked to consult an early printed work and write a short report noting some or all of the following: – Decoration and illustration– Annotations– Shelf-marks– Binding– Clasps and ties– General conditionEarly printed book from the collections of

the Russell Library, Maynooth University

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Assignment 2 Pamphlets

Students are asked to identify and consult a printed pamphlet in order to write a report on the following: – Bibliographic information– Provenance and binding– Physical condition– Typography– Illustrations, diagrams, and maps– Associated finding aids

Image from a pamphlet in the Russell Library: ‘Remarks on the People and

Government of Scotland ‘printed in 1747

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Assignment 3 Exhibitions

Students are asked to visit an exhibition and write a short report on the following aspects:– Exhibition themes– Target audience– Promotion of the exhibition– Case labels– Exhibition layout– Floor plan(s)– Catalogues or handouts

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Assignment 4 Resource DescriptionPart 1: Students are asked to write a report discussing the following:– Impact of resource

description – Merits of hybrid cataloguing– Difference between primary

and secondary sourcesPart 2: Students are asked to analyse a series of bibliographic records and identify various MARC fields

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Conclusion• Information literacy sessions for history students

can be delivered as ‘one-off’ sessions or a series of lectures, workshops, and tours over a semester or academic year

• Programmes can be tailored to both undergraduate and postgraduate students

• Potential for dynamic sessions with practical, hands-on elements using primary and secondary sources

• Special collections librarians and subject librarians can collaborate to deliver teaching sessions

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015

Questions?

Barbara McCormack & Pauline Murray, Maynooth University LibraryCONUL Inaugural Annual Conference 2015