Integrating Unique Collections and Undergraduate Research

Christina Perris
INFO 266
Fall 2015

Integrating Unique Collections and Undergraduate Research

Cook, M. (2015). Build it and they will come: Integrating unique collections and undergraduate research. Collection Building, 34(4), 128-133. doi:10.1108/CB-06-2015-0010

This article presents an in-practice model for the “build it and they will come approach” proposition that has been employed in the special collections department at California State University, Channel Islands.  The article presents three case studies that exhibit ways the collections have been uniquely harnessed by California State University, Channel Island’s students through their research, both through in-class and independent study projects.  In one case study, the students’ research harnesses the information in a way that actually served to market and promote collections unique to the repository.  The second case study focuses on how a unique archival collection utilized as an assignment worked out as the foundation for an assignment for a significant graduation requirement.  The final case study focuses specifically on how collection management can have an impact on other library efforts such as reference, outreach and information literacy.

It is great for an article of this nature to be published as it clearly illustrates to administrators and faculty that special collections departments can serve as active, vital core elements of the curriculum.  It is all-too-common for special collections and archives to be ascribed the “ivory tower” image of being special realms reserved, literally, for the “academically venerated”: some still close off access to their collections to readers unless they hold a minimum academic degree, usually ABD (all but dissertation, or nearly PhD’s).