" To enhance undergraduate learning in the liberal arts by promoting use of library special collections"

Participating Institutions

Steering Committee Minutes
Conference Call
January 11, 2006
4:00 - 5:00 p.m.

Present: Ann Okerson, Yale; David Valone, Quinnipiac; Steve Berizzi, Norwalk Community College; Susan Walker, Yale; Danuta Nitecki, Yale; Anja Smit; NELINET; Suzy Taraba, Wesleyan.

Recorder: Kathrine Aydelott, Yale.

The main agenda item was to continue planning of the second Teagle workshop, to be held on March 3rd or 4th and also to begin to develop ideas for the third workshop. Ann Okerson is on professional leave from the Yale Library this semester, and Danuta Nitecki, Associate University Librarian (reader services) is sharing the leadership of the grant during this time. Kathrine Aydelott works on Yale's Davis Foundation teaching and learning grant and is also supporting Danuta and Ann on some Teagle activities.

Ann thanked Danuta for her suggestions for a proposal for the upcoming workshop, to which Danuta replied that Kathrine Aydelott and Karen Reardon (Yale Workstation Services) helped to brainstorm. The theme to be developed is "Visual Literacy." It was agreed that the program should be more or less fleshed out by the end of January and publicity should be launched at that time.

Danuta proposed short presentations by discipline, regarding bringing visual literacy into the undergraduate curriculum. Some components of the day could include: sessions on teaching with images; sessions on learning with images; on discovery and use; breakout into small groups; reporting back.

Considering the richness of the proposed program, Ann wondered if the workshop should be held over two days. The group felt that an extra day would cause problems for those who might like to attend. If so, the ideas might develop into another, entirely different workshop day, dedicated to working with museums and historical centers. Museum staff are also reaching out to teachers and we could ask several give brief presentations about how they incorporate exhibits and collections into the curriculum. Anja Smit commented that when she has been talking to faculty at the different colleges, she has learned that many have no idea how to use primary sources in their teaching. How to work with museums or other collections could be of interest, particularly for smaller libraries who participate in this project.

Steve countered that college faculty know how to use the materials but don't have easy access to them. It would be valuable to learn what these materials are and how to access them. Susan likes the idea of tying in and using primary sources and was concerned that the draft program as laid out loses sight of those actual items and issues that Teagle aims to promote. Suzy agreed that we need to place special collections in the program in a targeted way and expand the part where people actually talk about what they do in class. We need to be more practical, less theoretical.

Danuta noted that teachers in the Teagle colleges might not have access to the same specialized collections, so the workshop should focus on teaching ideas and the sources should be varied. There was some discussion about whether it would be acceptable to use a number of Yale faculty and staff. Everyone agreed this would be just fine. Suzy also offered to develop a list of Wesleyan people that could make presentations. There was an extended discussion about format and speakers, as well as topics to be tackled. It was agreed to drop the idea of copyright as a topic of focus, as it would get very short shrift. Perhaps a handout on where to get copyright information would be more useful.

Group agreed that there needs to be some kind of segment about assessment. How to do this? Group agreed to hold the workshop on Friday, March 3rd. Expected audience would be around 30 people.

Susan Walker has drafted a most attractive poster, which can be adapted and used. It is of the style of the poster she created for the previous workshop on Oral History.

Next call: First Wednesday of February (February 1st), 4:15 p.m.