Students from Karen Master's "Astronomical Ideas" examine Nicolaus Copernicus’s De Revolutionibus (1543), the first book to present the sun-centered theory of the universe. Photo: Emily Williams '20
Instruction & Classes
Quaker & Special Collections welcomes the opportunity to work with classes from across the curriculum as well as classes and organizations beyond Haverford. As a hands-on laboratory for the liberal arts, Quaker & Special Collections provides students with the opportunity to work with original primary materials and develop rhetorical and critical thinking skills, cultural stewardship, a sense of the authority and authenticity of sources, empathy and engagement with materials, the importance of physical artifacts, and an acceptance of ambiguity.
Our teaching philosophy is to deeply engage students with original primary materials, to expose as many students as possible to our unique resources, and to provide them with the tools they need to best analyze, interpret, and use these resources. As a special collections department at an undergraduate liberal arts college, part of our mission is to facilitate student learning and faculty teaching.
Classes in Quaker & Special Collections can be arranged for any size and for students at any level. Introductory classes might include a brief orientation to the concept and existence of Quaker & Special Collections; all classes include time for students to interrogate and handle materials. Often, students will work with materials which might be used in a class assignment, and then return individually to spend more time with resources. Sessions are planned in conjunction with the course instructor.
Faculty interested in engaging with materials throughout the semester can take advantage of the specially designed seminar rooms in Lutnick Library, which feature locked cases where materials can be stored and taken out during each class session. Faculty interested in teaching with materials in these seminar rooms should indicate their preference with the Registrar, and speak with Quaker & Special Collections staff about their class and desire to use materials. Faculty planning semester-long engagement with materials may also work with Quaker & Special Collections staff to plan limited evening openings if necessary to accommodate student schedules.
Classes and visits for schools and organizations not affiliated with Haverford College are also supported; we welcome the opportunity to work with a wide variety of groups. We are happy to support visits from K-12 schools and other area colleges, scholarly organizations, any groups interested in Quaker history, and groups of librarians and archivists. Groups interested in such sessions should contact Quaker & Special Collections; a librarian will then help to plan your class or event.
Instruction Sessions
Are you interested in setting up an instruction session, or wondering what materials might be appropriate for a class?
hc-special [at] haverford.edu (subject: Instruction%20Session) (Contact Us)