Abstract
Similar to smaller archives, this college’s archives have not been traditionally accessible online. Two instructors sought to teach summer bridge program (Boot Camp) students basic archival practices and quantitatively measure their information literacy skills through using the Information Literacy Skills (ILA) and Students’ Perceptions of their Information Skills-Questionnaire (SPIL-Q) instruments (cite). Boot Camp students’ average perceived confidence with IL skills as assessed by the SPIL-Q instrument increased from 4.00 to 4.77 (+19.2%) on the post-training SPIL-Q. By adding the ILA and SPIL-Q instruments to the course curriculum, combined with end of course reflection questions, the instructors were able to quantitatively determine if the students’ comprehension of evaluating information improved after handling, processing, and digitizing primary source documents. This study demonstrates the opportunities for community building and collaboration afforded by archivists and librarians engaging faculty and students with primary source exploration through college archives.
Author Biography
Russell Michalak, MLIS is the Director of the Library & Learning Center at Goldey-Beacom College. He oversees the annual budget, supervises librarians and paraprofessionals, manages the delivery of research, information, instructional services, the tutoring center, and archives. Before joining GBC, he worked in various roles at the Libraries of the Claremont Colleges, Duke University, and the University of Utah. Russell earned his MA in Library and Information Studies from the University of Wisconsin, Madison and a BA in History from Occidental College. His current research agenda focuses on information literacy-related assessment, with an emphasis on utilizing online training modules to increase students’ information literacy skills. Similarly, he has focused on implementing and assessing online onboarding training modules to train and retain employees across many departments across the college. Monica D.T. Rysavy, Ph.D. is the Director of Institutional Research and Training for Goldey-Beacom College in Wilmington, Delaware. In this role she leads all institutional research and data analysis projects for the College. Her office provides faculty and staff training support by developing new training offerings (asynchronous and synchronous face-to-face and online programs) on a variety of instructional technology, survey research, and data management/interpretation topics. Monica earned her PhD. from The Pennsylvania State University’s College of Education in Learning, Design, and Technology. Her current research agenda focuses on information literacy-related topics, with an emphasis on utilizing online training modules to increase students’ information literacy skills. Similarly, she has focused on implementing and assessing online onboarding training modules to train and retain employees across many departments across the college. Gregory C. Thompson, Ph.D., Associate Dean of the University of Utah’s J. Willard Marriott Library for Special Collections and an Adjunct Assistant Professor of History, received his BS degree from Colorado State University (1965), BA degree from Fort Lewis College (1967), and his MS (1971) and Doctoral (1981) degrees from the University of Utah. Dr. Thompson has published several monographs on the Ute tribe including Southern Ute Lands, 1848-1899: The Creation of a Reservation (1972); The Southern Utes: A Tribal History (1972); and edited, with Floyd A. O’Neil, A History of the Indians of the United States: A Syllabus (1979) and is a founding member of the Alf Engen Ski Museum Board and Board of Trustees. His latest publication, with Alan K. Engen, First Tracks: A Century of Skiing (2001) focuses on the history of skiing in Utah. Greg is also the general editor for the Tanner Trust Publication Series, Utah, The Mormons, and the West.
Recommended Citation
Michalak, Russell; Rysavy, Monica D. T.; and Thompson, Gregory C.
(2019)
"Building Community, Fostering Collaboration, and Engaging Bridge Program Students with a college’s historical archives,"
Journal of Western Archives: Vol. 10:
Iss.
2, Article 4.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.26077/7cf6-9fb6
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.usu.edu/westernarchives/vol10/iss2/4
