Special Collections and Archives Class Instruction

Special Collections and Archives welcomes instructors and students for instructional sessions with the archives. Archives instruction can be offered in several formats, including in-person, online, and hybrid, to serve the needs of instructors and students.

To schedule a session, contact Laura Sorvetti at lsorvett@calpoly.edu. If possible, please include your syllabus and any related assignment plans. Advance notice is appreciated, and we may not be able to arrange class instruction with less than 2 weeks' notice.

We'll discuss some of the following information to prepare for your class visit:

• goals for your students' work with archives
• course title and number
• number of students in the class
• possible dates and times for your class visit, in order of preference
• Any accommodation needs we should take into account when planning and teaching archives sessions

Image: History 505 with Dr. Matt Hopper visit Special Collections and Archives, Winter 2023. Photo by Joe Johnston, Cal Poly.

Kennedy Library's Special Collections and Archives staff collaborate with instructors to offers a variety of services and resources for instructors desiring to introduce their students to archives and primary source research, individual or collaborative research projects, or teaching undergraduate and graduate courses that utilize our collections. 

We offer instruction sessions tailored to the needs of the particular class. We are available to assist instructors in designing assignments best suited to their individual topics and goals.

Examples of Instructional Sessions

The collections are used in a wide variety of ways. Examples of instructional sessions include:

• Introduction to archival research: get your students engaging with primary sources through active learning sessions with our unique materials
• Engage with Artists Books and fine printing collections for students developing portfolios, theses, book design, graphic design, exploring visual rhetoric
• Subject-specific curriculum support: students are invited to discover primary sources on class research subjects
• Architectural and built environment research
• Cal Poly research using the University Archives
• Local and county-wide resources on places, people, and organizations
• Digital archives and the future of archives

Image: Materials set up for a class visit to the archives.