Introduction to Primary Source Learning and LOC Archives

Introduction to Primary Source Learning and LOC Archives NIK ROBERTS TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA roberts_n@calu. edu 724 - 938 -6022 Keystone 112

The Library of Congress The World’s Largest Library 30 miles of bookshelves 140 million items 29 million books and other printed materials 2. 7 million recordings 12 million photographs 4. 8 million maps 57 million manuscripts 2, 200 new items each day & 16 million digitized items MISSION: To make its resources available and useful to the Congress and the American people and to sustain and preserve a universal collection of knowledge and creativity for future generations.

Primary v. Secondary Sources What’s the difference?

Primary v. Secondary Sources A Secondary Source is… a source created by using indirect information provided by someone else. A Primary Source is… a source coming from direct personal experience or observation.

Primary & Secondary Sources Primary Sources Handbooks Meeting Minutes Artifacts Case reports Autobiographies Diaries Interviews Journals Letters Music Raw video footage Photographs Poetry Speeches Coins Post-it notes deeds Cell phone records Art Clothing etc. Secondary Sources Textbooks Encyclopedias Biographies Documentaries Newspapers Dictionaries Monographs

Why Learn from primary Sources?

Why Learn from primary sources? 1. Deepens content knowledge 2. Exposure to multiple perspectives 3. Builds critical thinking skills 4. Encourages creativity 5. Builds empathy for the human condition 6. More exciting for students

Student Research Where do good ideas come from? Where do students first go to do research?

Search Engine

Reverse the Trend!

But how do I use primary sources in my NHD project?

It’s all about Asking Questions of Sources “the more you look, the more you see. ”

Inquiry #1 Question: What’s happening in this home? Babies: “Babies crying” Man: “Sitting down while lady goes out, he doesn’t look happy” Lady: “She’s Dressed weird” Sign: “Votes for women”

Inquiry #2 Question: What’s happening in this home? Babies: This clue might hint that this problem caused all the mishap in the house like the crying babies. Man: This guy is depressed because he has to watch their kids and she gets to go out. Lady: This might mean that the woman in the poster is going outside. Sign: This clue might hint that the woman might go vote or fight for women’s rights.

Inquiry Strategies Sourcing Consider a document's attribution (both its author and how the document came into being). Contextualizing Situate the document and events it reports in place and time. Corroborating Check important details across multiple sources to determine points of agreement and disagreement. Close Reading Read carefully to consider what a source says and the language used to say it.

From This…

To This…

WHAT QUESTIONS TO ASK? The more you look, the more you see!

Okay, I’m sold on the idea, but where can I find digital primary sources?

The LOC is like this picture of trunks

Using the Library of Congress (loc. gov)

The LOC’s Digital Collections

American Memory http: //memory. loc. gov/

Social Media Let’s back away from the Library of Congress website and see how they are integrating social media and primary source content on the web in general.

Google [Image] Search the LOC!

Blogging http: //tpscalu. wordpress. com/

Digital Storytelling Food Guides, Annette Clay and Janet Mizikar

Flickr http: //www. flickr. com/photos/library_of_congress/

Facebook

LOC You. Tube Channel http: //www. youtube. com/user/Library. Of. Congress

Social Bookmarking Our Del. icio. us site: http: //delicious. com/TPS_CUP

Resources for Teachers (loc. gov)

LOC TPS Resources Page (click to download worksheet) http: //tpscalu. wordpress. com/ Main Links: Library of Congress Main Page: http: //www. loc. gov my. LOC: http: //myloc. gov American Memory: http: //memory. loc. gov Prints and Photographs Online Catalog (PPOC): http: //www. loc. gov/rr/print/catalog. html Rare Children’s Literature (and more): http: //www. loc. gov/rr/rarebook/digitalcoll/ Exhibitions: http: //www. loc. gov/exhibits Global Gateway: http: //international. loc. gov/intldlhome. html Thomas (legal collection): http: //thomas. loc. gov/ World Digital Library: http: //www. wdl. org Citing Digital Primary Sources: http: //www. loc. gov/teachers/usingprimarysources/citing. html Social Media Webcasts (lectures and talks): http: //www. loc. gov/today/cyberic/ LOC You. Tube Channel: http: //www. youtube. com/Library. Of. Congress LOC Flickr Photostream: http: //www. flickr. com/photos/library_of_congress/

thank you, and happy primary source learning! NIK ROBERTS TEACHING WITH PRIMARY SOURCES COLLEGE OF EDUCATION AND HUMAN SERVICES CALIFORNIA UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA roberts_n@calu. edu 724 - 938 -6022 Keystone 112