The staff of Archives and Special Collections actively supports the integration of primary source materials into the classroom experience. Undergraduates who work with original materials have occasion to more thoroughly explore the lives of individuals, better understand social mores, and to interpret events in a new way. Multiple perspectives can be gathered by utilizing a myriad of sources and media including: manuscripts; diaries and scrapbooks; photographs; oral histories; moving images, etc. Students are then able to develop their investigative and problem-solving skills to draw conclusions while simultaneously experiencing history in a more tangible way.
We would be happy to meet with faculty to discuss how Willamette’s collections can enhance assignments, bolster curriculum, and support original research.
Additionally, the Archives staff is available to provide general orientation sessions to introduce undergraduates to Willamette’s collections, explain basic Archives and Special Collections’ policies and procedures, and offer tips for conducting research. Orientations can be customized to meet the particular needs of a course and can be held in the classroom or at Archives and Special Collections located on the second floor of the Mark O. Hatfield Library.
Please contact Susan Irwin, University Archivist, at 503-370-6764 or smirwin@willamette.edu for more information.