Teaching with Archives & Special Collections for Pitt Students
The staff of Archives & Special Collections (A&SC) regularly facilitates class visits in our Instruction Room at Hillman Library (Room 340) and at our Library Resource Facility located on Thomas Boulevard (Room 337). Our sessions provide students with a unique opportunity to explore primary sources as a means to develop critical thinking skills, promote thoughtful investigation into the past, question the nature of authenticity, while also showcasing the importance and value of these materials as physical objects.
We develop class visits in partnership with the course instructor to create an experience that aligns with their teaching goals and outcomes. In addition, we can also offer help building assignments and designing in-class exercises that push students to interrogate the materials in front of them. All class sessions make sure to include time for the students to examine and handle the objects presented.
To begin the process of scheduling your class visit, please submit an A&SC Instruction Request. We will then arrange a consultation visit with you so that we can help plan the session in advance.
Please keep in mind that we reserve our Instruction Room on a first-come, first-served basis, and our calendar fills quickly. While we require a minimum of two weeks’ notice prior to a class visit, we strongly encourage reaching out as far in advance as possible.
If you like the experience of engaging your students with rare books and archival materials, you might also be interested in the offerings of the Text & conText Lab in Hillman Library just across from A&SC.
For Groups Outside of Pitt
We also welcome classes and groups from outside of Pitt. If you are interested in bringing your K-12 class, scholarly organization, interest group, or club for an instruction session or tour, please contact us to let us know about your group and your interest
Please note that for these kinds of visits we require at least one month’s notice before the proposed date of the event. We recommend that you reach out at your earliest possible convenience since we are only able to accommodate a few visits per semester.
FAQ
Provided we have the staffing to cover your class, we are able to facilitate some weekday classes outside of our regular hours of Monday-Friday 9 a.m–4:45 p.m.
For all classes we will meet with the instructor to develop a plan for your class session. During the required consultation, we will select 12-20 items (depending on the class size) to display for the duration of the class visit. At this time, we will also discuss potential activities, worksheets, or assignments to help students engage with the materials in a thoughtful way that connects with the broader themes of your course. Please provide us with a copy of your syllabus in advance of the consultation.
Please remind your students that NO food or drinks are allowed in the Instruction Room so they should not stop at the coffee shop just before coming to the library. Students will be asked to leave their coats, backpacks, and most of their belongings in the provided cubbies at the start of class. The Instruction Room functions much like the Reading Room, so going over our general visitor FAQ may be helpful. But don’t worry! We will be there to remind everyone of what is and is not allowed.
Unfortunately, no. Due to the rarity, fragility, and security of our materials, they must be used in one of our secure spaces, such as the Archives & Special Collections Instruction Room.
Yes! Student engagement is much richer when their instructor is present and able to provide context for the materials.
Yes! We can work with you to develop a session that allows for ample time for both collections use and lecturing
We will work closely with you to facilitate access to materials for your students as long as you let us know ahead of time. Subsequent use of the materials will occur in one of our Reading Rooms and will require advance notice from the students. Materials may be limited and not include everything that was presented during the class visit.
Yes! We are happy to participate in your class sessions by leveraging digital or facsimile copies of items from the collections. We cannot bring originals.
Please contact us to discuss options such as developing an assignment, selecting materials for students to view in our Reading Room, and recording student names to confirm participation. Please note: Due to the nature and storage of our materials, we ask that you PLEASE consult with us before assigning projects to your students that require the use of A&SC materials. We cannot promise to be able to facilitate an entire class’s research projects without prior discussion.
Contact Us
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Archives & Special Collections (A&SC) - Who We Are
A&SC at Hillman Library
320 Hillman Library
University of Pittsburgh
3960 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15260
412-648-8190
A&SC at the Archives Service Center
7500 Thomas Boulevard
Pittsburgh, PA 15208
412-648-3232
