Advancements in Primary Source Pedagogy: Catalysts for Collaboration, Context, and Change

Clare Withers; Carrie Donovan; Diana Dill; Jeanann Haas; Berenika M. Webster

doi:10.5860/rbm.24.2.112

RBM: A Journal of Rare Books, Manuscripts, and Cultural Heritage is the Association of College and Research Libraries' journal covering issues pertaining to special collections libraries and cultural heritage institutions.

About The Authors

Clare Withers (she/her) is Curator of the Elizabeth Nesbitt Collection of children’s literature at the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS), Archives & Special Collection and also serves as Liaison Librarian for Children’s Literature, Cultural Studies, and Medieval & Renaissance Studies. Clare and a few Pitt colleagues developed a toolkit for use in planning, delivering, and assessing primary source learning. The vetting of the toolkit continues and recently expanded into a nascent community of practice that includes Pitt instructors and colleagues from other libraries and cultural heritage institutions. She began her career as a Children’s Librarian with the Carnegie Library of Pittsburgh, a position she held for 15 years. Clare received her MLS from the University of Pittsburgh and earned her BA in English from Duquesne University.

Carrie Donovan is Head of Research, Learning & Media for Hillman Library at the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS) where she collaborates with colleagues to influence and enhance knowledge creation and experiential learning. Previously, she served as the Coordinator of Public Services at Carlow University and she has been in leadership positions at the Indiana University Libraries where she was the Head of Teaching & Learning, and at Ferris State University where she was Assistant Dean for Research & Instruction Services. Prior to this, she had experience as a subject liaison, coordinator of library instruction, and as an instructional services librarian. Carrie has a consistent record of professional development with numerous publications, presentations, and committee work (both local and national). She earned her MLS from Indiana University and a BA in Comparative Literature and Spanish from Indiana University.

Diana Dill is an analyst with the Assessment and Quality Assurance division of the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS). In addition to participating in the Ithaka Teaching with Primary Sources project, Diana collaborated with ULS colleagues on an ARL/RLIF Research Library Impact Framework Initiative and Pilot on (How) do the library’s special collections specifically support and promote teaching, learning, and research? This initiative led to the development of a toolkit used in planning, delivering, and assessing primary source learning. She earned a BS in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters of Arts in Professional Writing from Carnegie Mellon University.

Jeanann Haas currently serves as the Associate University Librarian for Administration and Organizational Development at the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS). Previously, she performed as the Head of Special Collections and Preservation for thirteen years until assuming her current role in library administration in September 2021. She led both departments in their efforts to increase preservation, access, and visibility of the specialized collections and the ULS through programming, primary source instruction, exhibits, digitization, and outreach. She earned her MLIS degree and Master of Studies in Law from the University of Pittsburgh.

Berenika M. Webster is Associate University Librarian for Collections and Organizational Effectiveness. She joined the University of Pittsburgh Library System (ULS) in 2013. She holds a Masters degree in Information Science from University of Western Ontario and PhD in bibliometrics from Warsaw University. Her bibliometric work focuses on methodological approaches to evaluating impact of research in biomedical and social sciences. Her assessment work focuses on development of new methods and tools to uncover impact of research library services on research and learning outcomes. Recently, she participated in several Ithaka S+R research studies into information behaviors of research and teaching faculty, and led two projects funded by the ARL’s Impact Project. She has published in the area of scholarly communication and research evaluation and serves on an editorial board and reviews manuscripts for a number of information science journals.

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Advancements in Primary Source Pedagogy: Catalysts for Collaboration, Context, and Change

Clare Withers, Carrie Donovan, Diana Dill, Jeanann Haas, Berenika M. Webster

Abstract

This paper describes how librarians and archivists at the University of Pittsburgh (Pitt, the University) reenvisioned their teaching with primary sources by applying findings from the 2021 Ithaka S+R study, “Teaching with Primary Sources: Looking at the Support Needs of Instructors,” to inform and enhance instructional initiatives. Considering Pitt’s library renovation (2017–24), the emergence of digital pedagogy at the University in the wake of COVID-19 health- and safety-related measures, and the call for dialogue around social justice issues, the Ithaka study provided grounding evidence. Inspired by these catalysts, librarians and archivists overhauled their teaching with primary sources through strategic collaborations that prioritized inquiry-based learning for students.

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DOI: https://doi.org/10.5860/rbm.24.2.112

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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