A Guide Not A Sage: Respect Not Fear for Undergraduates Using Special Collections

CONUL 2015 | Innovation & Evolution

4 June 2015

Elaine Harrington | Special Collections LibrarianUniversity College Cork

Widening the Lens

• Special Collections not just for post-grads, academics and visiting researchers.• Information Literacy programmes well-developed in main

libraries but gaining ground in Special Collections.• Growing body of research on undergraduates using Special

Collections: Bahde, Anne et al. Using Primary Sources Hands-On Instructional Exercises. Mitchell, Seiden & Taraba, eds. Past or Portal? Enhancing Undergraduate Learning Through Special Collections and Archives

Measuring Success?

How do we get our collection to be used and loved as much as they should be, to be a place where people want to visit, explore, and then re-visit?Cristina Favretto, Head of Special CollectionsUniversity of Miami

Collaboration with Faculty

Recent tweets from ALA 2015:

06/10 FL 3013: Irish Folklore & Archives – Ciarán Ó Gealbháin – 6 students Worked examples from Schools’ & National Folklore Collections (UCD)

23/10 MA in Medieval History – Damian Bracken – 6 students Manuscripts in facsimile & microfilm, early printed books; sources for: patristics, biblica, hagiography, cartularies; encyclopaedias & dictionaries.

16/1/ MA in Early & Medieval Irish; MA in Celtic Studies – Riona Doolin –10 studentsManuscripts in facsimile & microfilm, early printed books; sources for: early Irish material, hagiography; encyclopaedias & dictionaries.

07/10 HI 3200: Communications, Culture and Identity in Twentieth Century Ireland - Finola Doyle-O’Neill – 15 studentsPrint & microform sources for newspapers, radio, television, internet.

31/10 HI 3200: History of Poland from 1918 – Bozena Czierlik – 15 studentsComparative examination of Ireland & Poland through print & microform.

6/2 AR 2045: Archaeological Field Projects & Research – Nick Hogan – 12 studentsPrint and microform maps from 17th century to present; print sources for buildings and local history.

08/10 MA in Local History – Donal Ó Drisceoil – 12 studentsPrint & microform sources for ‘the big house,’ travel, buildings, Cork

3/11 MA & M.Res. in Archaeology – William O’Brien – 15 studentsPrint & microform sources for maps, towns, directories and folklore collections.

9/2 FL 3015: Indigenous Knowledge: Herbs & Healing in Irish Folklore – Rosarii Kingston – 7 students

Worked examples from Schools’ & National Folklore Collections (UCD)

09/10 HI 3200 The Irish Diaspora in Comparative Perspective – Rory O’Dwyer – 15 studentsIntroduction to 19th century material in print & microform relating to Irish diaspora in Ireland, England, North & South America, Australia

17/11 HI 3200: Irish Foreign Policy – Mervyn O’Driscoll – 15 studentsPrint & microform sources for Northern Ireland, Great Britain and America.

16/3 EN 1103: Problems in Literature and Film Edel Semple- 25 students Interrogation of primary and secondary sources for short stories.

14/10 CIT Crawford College of Art & Design – Bill O’Flynn & Collette Nolan – 25 studentsBindings, bookplates, types of illustration, artists, printing presses.

18/11 HI2105: Case Studies in Research Skills: Franciscans in Ireland – Malgorzata Krasnodebska - D'Aughton – 15 students Examination of: Breviaries, papal letters, state papers, annals.

28/1 GA2013: Léann agus Lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge – Pádraig Ó Macháin – 25 students Examination of Gaelic manuscripts; Print and microform sources for Gaelic manuscripts.

17/10 HI 3122 Art and Religious Devotion in the Late Middle Ages - Malgorzata Krasnodebska - D'Aughton – 15 studentsExamination of: Books of hours, breviaries, mansucripts, papal letters

20/11 PG6009 8 studentsPrinciples & practice of information literacy for postgraduates.

18/3 GA3017 Léamh agus Litriú na Gaeilge – Pádraig Ó Macháin – 22 studentsExamination of Gaelic manuscripts; Print and microform sources for Gaelic manuscripts.

20 & 22/10 HI 1004: First Year Inquiry Based Research Project – Michael Dwyer – 15 studentsSources for finding newspapers in print and microform.

25/11 HI 3200: Irish Identities – Diarmuid Scully & Clare O’Halloran – 15 studentsManuscript, print & microform sources for evolution of Ireland’s identity.

16/10 GA3024 Tionscnamh Taighde – Pádraig Ó Macháin – 2 students Examination of Gaelic manuscripts; Print and microform sources for Gaelic manuscripts.

20/10 HI 2105: Case Studies in Research Skills: Irish Medical History – Michael Dwyer – 15 studentsPrint & microform sources for 19th – 20th century doctors, hospitals, workhouses.

26/11 MA in Irish Writing and Film; MA in Irish Studies – Maureen O’Connor – 12 studentsPrint & microform sources for Irish art & architecture, music, dance, theatre, presses, ogham and Vikings

25/11 MA in Irish – Pádraig Ó Macháin – 7 studentsExamination of manuscripts. Print and microform sources for Gaelic manuscripts.

30/10 HI 2105: Case Studies in Research Skills: Eastern Europe – Bozena Czierlik – 15 studentsComparative examination of Ireland & Poland through print & microform.

28/11 MA in Translation & MA in Languages – Helena BufferyPrint sources for German, Italian, French and Spanish. – 13 studentsExamination of early printed dictionaries.

GA 3016 Filiocht na Nua-Ghaeilge Luaithe – Pádraig Ó Macháin – 12 studentsExamination of manuscripts. Print and microform sources for Gaelic manuscripts.

Challenges in Special Collections

Finding a way to connect with users. Noise & competition of social media.

Within Special Collections:• Material for consultation only• Different rules – ink, liquids, food• Material in non-Dewey classification schemes• Multiple formats: books, microfilm, pamphlets

Skills for Special Collections’ Users

• Timing – Access

• Returning to a mostly print-dominated environment

• Handling

• Reading & deciphering handwriting

CIT Crawford College of Art & Design

Scheme: CorkPal

Lecturers: Bill O’Flynn & Collette Nolan

Students: 1st year Fine Art & 1st year Contemporary Applied Art

Lens: Physical objects have a presence that no reproduction or digitised object can approach. Lens: Viewing and interacting with the items informs artistic endeavours.

School of English, UCC

Module: EN 1103: Short Story in Literature & Film

Lecturer: Dr Edel Semple

Students: 1st year BA in English

Lens: Enquiry-based learning: A guide on the side, not a sage on the stage.

Part 1: Using the catalogue & databases effectively (Ronan Madden)Part 2: Special Collections & UCC Library Archives (Emer Twomey)

Interrogation of items both as primary and secondary sources Reading original manuscripts and letters

Examination of Frank O’Connor CollectionAdaptations of short storiesLimited editionsJames Joyce’s The Dead

Dept. of Irish, UCC

Lecturer: Prof. Pádraig Ó Macháin

Students: 2nd – 3rd year undergraduates

Lens: hands-on approach to manuscript research

• Tracing the work of a scribe through manuscripts and bibliographies• Tracing copies of manuscripts in libraries through catalogues.• Creating catalogue entries for newly acquired manuscripts.

GA 2013: Léann agus Lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge

GA 30107: Léamh agus Litriú na Gaeilge

GA 3016: Filíocht na Nua-Ghaeilge Luaithe

GA3024: Tionscnamh Taighde

Lss. 1

Lss. 97Lss. 90

Lss. 199

Student Feedback

“privilege to visit special collections…staff showed deepest appreciation and enthusiasm…passed on this high held value they share for these literary gems.”

“new found appreciation for the wealth a book can bring and also deep respect for the people behind the books.”

“placement of rules show just how seriously the college takes the pieces in special collections.”

“all staff really care for these collections.”

“correspondences gave a brief insight into the real people these authors were and a snapshot of their relationships.”

Looking Forward

Special Collections not that intimidating.

EN 1103: Special Collections & UCC Library Archives in 1st semester.

GA3024: roll-out for more students.

Potential for specific methodologies for other areas: History of Art & curating displays.

Thanks!

Elaine HarringtonSpecial Collections Librarian

UCC LibraryUniversity College Cork

e.harrington@ucc.ie | @walkerabroad

References

Koczela, Andrea. “Libraries & Special Collections: An Interview with Cristina Favretto.” 22 March 2015. http://blog.bookstellyouwhy.com/libraries-and-special-collections-an-interview-with-cristina-favretto

Slide 7Lss. 23: Trí bior-ghaoithe an Bháis (Three Shafts of Death) Mss. 59: Manuscript of recipes, cures and household hints produced 1829-45.U 354: Sibthorp, John. Flora Graeca. Londini: Typis Richardi Taylor et Socii [etc.], 1806-40. Slide 9Boyle, Robert. Experimenta et considerationes de coloribus. Amstelodami: Apud Gerbrandum Schagen, 1667.Bentham, George. Handbook of the British Flora. London: L. Reeve & Co., 1924. [Bookplate of Cynthia Longfield]. Slide 10Gibbings, Robert. The Wood Engravings of Robert Gibbings: With Some Recollections by the Artist. London: J.M. Dent, 1959. pp. 6 – 7. Yeats, Jack B. Broadside Characters: Drawings. Introduction: Anne Yeats. Dublin: Cuala Press, 1971. Milton's Paradise Lost. Ed. Robert Vaughan. Illustrated by Gustave Doré. London; Paris; New York: Cassell, Petter, Galpin & Co., s.d. Omar Khayyam. Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. Trans. Edward Fitzgerald. Illustrations by Edmund Dulac. New York; London: Hodder and Stoughton, [1909].

Slide 12O’Flaherty, Liam. The Short Stories of Liam O'Flaherty. London: Brown, Watson, 1961. Mansfield, Katherine. The Garden Party. London: Penguin Books, 1951. Lavin, Mary. Selected Stories. New York: Macmillan, 1959. Short Stories From the New Yorker. London: Gollancz, 1951. Laurence, Margaret. The Tomorrow-Tamer: Stories. New York: Knopf, 1964.

References (2)

Slide 13Hawthorn, Nathaniel. “Goodman Brown.” In Mosses From An Old Manse. Boston & New York: Houghton Mifflin, 1882. Clarke, Austin. The Impuritans: A Play in One Act. Freely Adapted from the short story “Goodman Brown” by Nathaniel Hawthorn. Dublin: Dolmen Press, 1973. Slide 14Poe, Edgar Allen. Tales of Mystery and Imagination. Illus. by Harry Clarke. New York: Tudor, 1933.Trevor, William. “Low Sunday, 1950.” London: Colophon Press, 2000. Slide 15Joyce, James. Dubliners. London: Jonathan Cape, [1946]. James Joyce’s Dubliners: An Illustrated Edition with Annotations. Ed. John Wyse Jackson and Bernard McGinley. London: Sinclair-Stevenson, [1993]. “The Dead”: pages 157 – 199 Gilbert, Stuart, ed. Letters of James Joyce. London: Faber and Faber, [1957].

Slide 17Lss. 1 (UCC) on Irish Script on Screen (ISOS). http://www.isos.dias.ie/

Slide 18Lss. 1. Page 157.

References (3)

Slide 19Bibliography of Irish Philology and of Printed Irish Literature. Dublin: H.M. Stationery Off. Browne and Nolan. Ltd., 1913Baumgarten, Rolf. Bibliography of Irish Linguistics and Literature: 1942-71. Dublin: Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, 1986. Best, R.I. Bibliography of Irish Philology and Manuscript Literature: Publications 1913-1941. Catalogue of Irish Manuscripts in the Royal Irish Academy. Dublin: Hodges, Figgis & Co., [1926 - ].Ó Conchúir, Breandán. Scriobhaith Chorcai: 1700-1850. Baile Átha Cliath Clóchomhar, 1982.De Brún, Pádraig A. Lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge: Treoirliosta. Baile Átha Cliath: Institiúid Ard-Léinn, 1988.Ó Conchúir, Breandán. Clár Lámhscríbhinní Gaeilge Choláiste Ollscoile Chorcaí: Cnuasach Uí Mhurchú. Baile Átha Cliath: Scoil an Léinn Cheiltigh, Institúid Ard-Léinn Bhaile Átha Cliath, 1991. Slide 20Lss.90: Life of St Finnchua in Irish. Scribe: Seosamh Ó Longáin. Lss. 97: A collection of sermons in Irish made by Micheál Ó Longáin. Slide 21 Lss. 199: Stanton, Patrick. Beatha Naomh Fionbarr. Evergreen Cork. 1894.