Department of History - Public History Program
His9806A: Understanding Archives: The Management of Primary Sources in the Digital Age

Course Outline for Fall 2023


Course Instructor: Don Spanner Ph.D., M.L.I.S. E-mail: dspanner@uwo.ca

Course Description

So what is this course about? It is designed to introduce students to the fundamentals of professional archival work. Students will gain a solid grounding in the history of the profession, an understanding of basic archival terminology, principles, theory, as well as an appreciation of current practices and how digital technologies have impacted both archival management and public programming. Optional for Public History students; open to other graduate students with the instructor's permission. 

Please note:
In the event of a COVID-19 resurgence during the course that necessitates the course delivery moving away from face-to-face interaction, all remaining course content will be delivered entirely online, asynchronously, (e.g., posted on OWL for students to view at their convenience). The grading scheme will not change.  In the event that online learning is required, a stable internet connection with working microphone and webcam will be required. As has been the case in the past, the decision to pivot to online learning will be made by Western, and not individual instructors or departments (excepting temporary online instruction in the event of instructor illness).

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Course Objectives

  1. To understand the nature of archival documents, as recorded information, and the institutions responsible for preserving them;
  2. To understand the principles of archival science;
  3. To explore methods of retrieving information from archival records, bearing in mind their organization and preservation;
  4. To examine management systems for the intellectual and physical control of archival records;
  5. To examine the impact of digital technology on archival management and outreach initiatives.

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Course Requirements and Grading

Readings: There are no required texts, but there will be reading assignments as indicated on the course reading schedule (see Weekly Readings). These readings will be available as on-line resources on this website or, as indicated, posted on OWL.

Required Assignments:

Students must submit one major essay over the course of the term, 13-15 pages double-spaced and worth 30% of their overall grade. On the first day of class (Sept. 13) students will be given a choice of essay topics, due no later than November 5.

Students are given the task of finding an exceptional archival website and submitting a critique (8-10 pages) of its outreach initiatives. Students are encouraged to discuss their choice with the instructor. The critique is worth 25% of the overall grade. Instructions on this assignment will be given on September 13 and the assignment is due on December 6 (Week 12).

Students will be given three practice-based exercises, each worth 15%.  Exercise 1 is based on applying learned principles of archival appraisal; Exercise 2 is based on applying learned principles of arrangement; Exercise 3 is based on reference services.

All assignments will be submitted to the instructor via email (preferably as Word docs).

All assignments will be assessed on the basis of the following criteria:

  1. Mastery of sources;
  2. Quality of thought, writing, and expressive force;
  3. Factual accuracy, clarity, conciseness and comprehensiveness.

The grade breakdown is as follows:

 

 

Number

Unit Value

Total

Essay

1

30%

30%

Archival Website - Outreach Evaluation

1

25%

25%

Exercises

3

15%

45%

   

n/a

100%


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Calendar of Topics

Week 1.    Sept. 13  Introductions and Review of Course Outline, Expectations, etc. Understanding Archives and the Archival Profession: History, Types, and Archival Culture
Week 2.    Sept. 20  History & Development of Archival Principles and Theory
Week 3.    Sept. 27  Appraisal "Theory" and Practice; Models, Frameworks, and Collection  Development
Week 4.    Oct. 4  Arrangement: Fundamental Principles & Procedures

Week 5.    Oct. 11

 Description: Fundamental Principles & Procedures
Week 6.    Oct. 18  Issues in the Preservation of Archival Records
Week 7.    Oct. 25  Uses of Archives: Understanding the Research Potential of Archival Records

October 30 - November 5

 Fall Reading Week
Week 8.    Nov. 8                Facilities (Tour of Canada Life Archives)
Week 9.    Nov. 15  Web-based Reference Tools and the Re-Animation of Records; Identifying Services & Needs 
Week 10.  Nov. 22  Traditional Public Programming
Week 11.  Nov. 29  Digital Outreach: On-line Exhibits and Digital Classrooms 
Week 12.  Dec. 6  A Case Study on Planning & Marketing Strategies: The Veterans Project (Future Issues and Course Wrap-up)

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SUPPORT SERVICES

Students who are in emotional/mental distress should refer to Mental Health@Western http://www.uwo.ca/uwocom/mentalhealth/ for a complete list of options about how to obtain help.

 

 


 

Last Update: August 26, 2023