HI7105 Libraries and Archives
Module Coordinator: Prof. Susan Flavin
Duration: Michaelmas term
Contact Hours: 1 hour per week
ECTS: 5
Assessment: This is a pass/fail module assessed on the basis of attendance at at least eight ‘field trips’ and the completion of a 1,200 word report on independent visits to three institutions.
This module introduces students to the libraries and archives, the collections and repositories that form the basis of any research in modern Irish history and early modern European history conducted in Ireland. The module is built around ‘field trips’ to the major libraries and archives in Dublin. Through these visits and through interaction with key personnel involved in the acquisition, conservation, cataloguing, digitization and management of such collections, students will gain an insight into the environment in which custodians of historical materials operate, together with a clear understanding of the professional and ethical frameworks within which research is conducted. The module will address the following areas:
- using libraries and archives
- locating source materials for the purpose of historical research
- using online finding aids
- using online collections
- the challenges and issues facing archivists and other custodians of historical materials
- the accepted requirements of scholarship relating to the conventions governing access to historical records
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
- develop an awareness of the range of institutions and source materials available for the purposes of historical research in the Dublin area
- acquire an insight into the challenges and issues facing archivists and other custodians of historical materials
- increase their knowledge of the accepted requirements of scholarship, including an appreciation of the rules and conventions governing access to and use of historical records from the perspective of the holding institutions as well as of the individual researcher