LESSON 1: WHAT’S IN AN ARCHIVE? WHAT’S IN A LIBRARY?
Objective: Students will learn about the differences between a library and an archive and the different sources that might be available in each.
Background: The Wisconsin Historical Society is an excellent place for researchers to find information on a wide range of topics related to North American history. Resources are divided between the Library and Archives:
The library provides access to published materials (books, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets and government publications) about virtually all aspects of North American history. In addition to the history of Wisconsin and North America in general, the library has particularly strong genealogy, labor union, North American exploration, African American and Native American holdings. The Library serves as the North American history library of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and houses a premier collection of Wisconsin, Federal, and Canadian government publications.
The archives provides access to collections of unpublished materials about the history of Wisconsin and a wide array of topics related to North American history. These collections include letters, diaries, organization records, Wisconsin state and local government records, photographs, films, oral histories, and many other kinds of unique materials documenting American history. The Wisconsin Historical Society’s extensive map collection is also available in the archives.
ACTIVITY 1. Explain the following scenario to students: One hundred years from now, their great-grandchildren want to do research on their great grandparent’s lives as students in the early 21st century.
Ask the class to brainstorm sources that might be available for their great-grandchildren to study about their lives. Remind students that a source could be created any time someone records information about them. Write the responses on the board. Ideas might include:
Birth Certificates Adoption Records Report Cards Wedding Announcements Business records Home Movies
Photographs Newspaper Articles Diaries or Journals Census Data Biographies Court Records
Records of Licenses to Telephone Directory Architectural drawings of Drive, Hunt, etc. Listings the students home
Personal Interviews Obituaries Artifacts Letters written to or by the Books or articles written Government Records student by historians
If a future researcher wanted to find this information, where would they go? Explain to students that at the Wisconsin Historical Society and many other research institutions the location of this information would depend on whether the source was Published or Unpublished. As a class, have students go through the list and identify whether each one is published or unpublished.
Published Sources: “Published” sources include anything that was distributed for viewing by a large number of people. Newspapers (including wedding announcements, obituaries, etc.), magazines, biographies, telephone directories, and censuses are all published sources.
Unpublished Sources: “Unpublished” sources usually include things that are one-of-a-kind, were created in limited quantity, or not created with the intent to distribute publicly. For example, letters, personal interviews, business records, architectural drawings, photographs, and government records are unpublished.
NOTE: Some types of sources may be considered published or unpublished depending on the situ- ation. For instance, a diary is usually a private and unpublished record, but it might be published later in book form, such as the diary of Anne Frank. Discuss whether a source is most likely to be published or unpublished and put them where you feel they fit best.
2. Ask which type of source would be found most easily. Why? Where would a researcher go to find each source?
Published sources are more common since many more copies have been made, more readers and organizations have them, and often they are re-printed. MOST LIBRARIES FOCUS ON PUBLISHED MATERIALS.
Many unpublished sources, especially personal ones, are lost over time unless someone—an individual, an organization, or the government—makes an effort to preserve them. For instance, sometimes families save letters, photographs, and other artifacts that are important to them, but the majority of personal materials are thrown away, destroyed, or misplaced. Unpublished sources also tend to be more rare. MOST ARCHIVES FOCUS ON UNPUBLISHED MATERIALS.
3. Explain to students that when they go to the Wisconsin Historical Society, they will find materials divided into “published” and “unpublished” materials. Almost all published sources are found in the library, while unpublished sources are in the archives. Ask the students where they are most likely to find sources on their topics, based on what you have discussed.
4. Photocopy the handout on the following page for each student or create an overhead transparency and display the page for your class. Ask students where they would go to find the following topics and sources, the library or the archives?
- A book by a historian on bungalow-style architecture in the US (library) - A first-hand account, such as a letter, report, or diary entry, of the Black Hawk War that was fought in southern Wisconsin (archives) - Old photographs of “Mansion Hill” in Madison (archives) - Statistics that show how many women worked in Wisconsin factories during WWII (library) - A newspaper story about the Peshtigo Fire (library) - The original telegram notifying the governor about the Peshtigo Fire (archives) - A government report summarizing and explaining the Peshtigo Fire relief efforts written five years after the fire (library)
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WHi-47899 fewer topics of the LESSON 2: SEARCH STRATEGIES AND TIPS FOR UW CATALOG AND ARCAT
Objective: To familiarize students with the online catalogs before arrival at the WHS and to give students the opportunity to locate sources before arrival.
Background: While access to the catalogs will be available during the research fieldtrip, familiarizing students with the catalogs and allowing them time to search ahead of their arrival helps them make the most effective use of their trip and allows them to immediately start on their research. It is also important for students to understand that ArCat and the UW Catalog are two separate catalogs. Searching ArCat will not provide information on the Wisconsin Historical Society Library holdings and searching the UW Catalog will not provide information on archives sources.
UW Catalog: The University of Wisconsin-Madison library catalog may be accessed anywhere there is an Internet connection. It is the online catalog containing the library holdings of the Wisconsin Historical Society. In addition to cataloging the library holdings of the WHS, it also includes the holdings of all 40 libraries, containing 7.3 million volumes, 6.2 million microfilm items and 55,000 serial titles covering all aspects of life. http://www.library.wisc.edu/#books
ARCAT: ArCat is the online catalog of the archives holdings of the Wisconsin Historical Society. Nearly all manuscripts and public records held by the WHS are searchable through ArCat. (Please note: You can find collection descriptions and call numbers through ArCat but collections are not available online). http://arcat.library.wisc.edu/
Activity: Although UW Catalog and ArCat catalog two different sets of holdings, they use nearly identical search strategies. This packet includes several useful worksheets for you to use as you introduce students to the catalogs and as they work on searching for their own topics.
1. UW Catalog vs. ArCat offers students a basic overview of the differences between the catalogs and the basics of effective searching. 2. Using the UW Catalog is a guided search activity for students to complete. It walks students through the steps of a search and demonstrates techniques for narrowing searches for better results. 3. The Research Roadmap helps students pull together important research ideas to use while searching the catalogs and during the fieldtrip.
Hints and Tips Remind students that the online catalogs will only let them know what is in a collection and that library and archives items have to be accessed in person. When searching, don’t be too specific. Broad general terms are frequently more successful. If an initial search is too large, it can always be narrowed. If a term or name search is unsuccessful, try related alternatives. The term the students may be using to search may not be the same term a librarian used to catalog the resource. Remind students that they will be working in the Historical Society Library. They should make sure any resources are in the Historical Society Library by using UW Catalog. When searching in the UW Catalog, links to electronic resources are sometimes included in the results. These may be accessible to the general public or may be UW licensed resources, in which case they are only available while on campus. When searching in ArCat, remember that collections can be large and that entire collections may not be described online. The catalog entry will let you know if there is a register available, either online or in the Archives, which will provide a more detailed listing of the contents of the collection.
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library.wisc.edu. Nearly all manuscripts (author, title, subject or keyword) in eit keyword) or title, subject (author, Basic Search The University of Wisconsin-Madison library catalo library of Wisconsin-Madison The University : ArCat is the online catalog for the Wisconsin Historical for the Wisconsin catalog : ArCat is the online You have the option of writing down the location and ca and down the location of writing have the option You Using general terms for your topic, enter for terms Using general To go back to the list of your search results, click on th results, list of your search to the To go back The catalog will return your results, displaying the autho displaying return your results, will catalog The listed as being in the Historical Societ library. public or your school loan through by interlibrary these items be able to get t using item when looking If you find a particularly useful useful it other are Chances records page. listed on each When using the UW Catalog sure to check the location of eac to check sure the UW Catalog using When ArCat, but, in through call numbers the records and find You can note: ArCat. (Please through searchable available online.) are not collections general, UW Catalog: UW Catalog: ARCAT Internet at http://arcat. The best and easiest method of searching both the UW Catalog and ArCat is by and both the UW Catalog searching of method easiest and The best gives you additional options for adding terms and narrowing results. results. narrowing terms and for adding options gives you additional a You may use in the exact you know when Search only the record, click on the title. This page will give you more the title. This page on the record, click Remember: research. useful for your REVIEW: Search Strategies of sets two different and ArCat catalog Catalog UW Although the to find useful materials. into the catalog steps itself,Once you get these general follow SEARCH: What’s the difference? Catalog) a that ArCat (Archives to understand It is important on the Wisc information will not provide provide information on Archives sources. sources. on Archives provide information catalog is the online The UW Catalog an Internet connection. is there anywhere and may be accessed of the holdings library the containing on campus. of all 40 libraries the holdings it also includes WHS library,
RECORD: printing thing. If possible, sure to carefully but make write down the whole can be long, The call numbers screen. to make sure you have way also a convenient records is items. in an entry to see related on a Subject clicking terms or REPEAT: WHi-41644 Using the UW Catalog A really basic guide to finding what you what among the 7.2 million volumes, 58,000 periodicals, 6.7 million microfilm items and hundreds of thousands of government documents, maps, musical scores, audiovisual materials and other items housed in UW-Madison’s more than 40 libraries.
Getting Started
In your Internet browser, go to http://www.library.wisc.edu/#books. If you are not on the UW-Madison campus, the UW Catalog will require you to log in by clicking on the link for guests.
Searching
1. Select “advanced search.”
The ONLY time you should use the basic search is when you know exactly what you’re looking for (for instance, if you know the title of the book you want to find, or you’re searching for a particular newspaper).
Using the “Set Libraries” button on the left hand column of the results box allows you to limit results to the Wisconsin Historical Society library.
2. Let’s say you’re researching the Green Bay Packers for your History Day project. Type the word “Packers” into the “Search for” box and hit “return.”
On the first page of results, how many of the titles are related to the Packers?
What subjects are most of the entries about? Why did they come up?
Narrowing for Better Results
1. The word “Packers” is clearly not returning the sources you want, and that’s a good indication that you need to use a more specific term. Click on “back” in your browser to return to the search menu. This time, type “Green Bay Packers” in the “search for” box.
Now how many responses on the first page are about your topic?
How many responses did you get, total? (The number is at the top of the results page.)
2. You obviously won’t want to read all those books. Because there are so many responses, you can narrow your search even more to find something on the specific topic in which you’re interested. For example, you might focus on a player, a coach, an era, etc. Say you’re specifically interested in how the Green Bay Packers developed such a devoted fan following. There is a good chance that you could find a book specifically about the history of the Packers’ fan base. To find out whether there’s a book on the topic in the UW libraries, type “Green Bay Packers” in the top search box, then in the second box, type “fans.”
How many responses did you get?
Open a record. What is the title of this item? In which UW library is the item actually shelved? Is the book checked-in?
Try searching for your own topic. Remember, the narrower your search, the fewer responses you will get. If you have trouble, think of synonyms or related terms that you could search for. If you’re still stuck, ask your teacher or a librarian!
6 Work on this sheet as you “pre-search” the catalogs for sources and complete it before you arrive at the Wisconsin Historical Society for your fieldtrip. It will give you ideas on what types of sources you might find and how to find them. Make sure to bring it with you to Madison!
Topic: ______
______
Important dates, places and people associated with my topic: (Be sure to check spelling!) ______
______
______
______
Related Search Terms: (Related words, ideas or synonyms) ______
______
______
Possible primary source types for my topic: (Letters? Maps? Photographs? Newspapers? Etc.) ______
______
______
Resources I can’t find and questions I have for a librarian or archivist: ______
______
______
Most of my research needs to be done in the: ___ Library ___ Archives ___ Both
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