Using Special Collections
Teaching
Special Collections plays an active role in the learning, teaching and research profile of Exeter University by providing group teaching and research sessions based on the collections. Our learning and teaching remit also extends regionally, nationally and internationally through outreach activities, often working in partnership with other heritage resource providers and the media, whilst our new digitisation project will provide a broader range of online learning opportunities for students across our campuses, including access to thousands of items in the collections.
We welcome expressions of interest in new teaching and learning initiatives based on the collections. Please contact Special Collections or your academic liaison officer to discuss opportunities further. For opportunities involving the Bill Douglas Centre Museum, please go direct to the Centre's website. For seminar room bookings, see below.
Group teaching and workshops
Special Collections staff are able to help deliver group teaching by ensuring that the right items are ready when required. We are also available to help deliver teaching sessions on access to information about archives rare books and film material. A member of staff will normally be present to ensure correct handling of fragile materials. Recent workshop and teaching sessions have included the following:
- Academics from all over the world visited Special Collections to learn about the Syon Abbey manuscripts and early printed books as part of the 'Accipe et Devora', Early Book Society Conference, organised by the Centre for Medieval Studies, July 2009.
- Postgraduates from the English Department took part in a panel session with Professor Tim Kendall, Dr Jessica Gardner and Dr Christine Faunch on using literary archives and rare books in research.
- History students from the Cornwall Campus attended a seminar on using rare books, archives and film material for dissertation research, June 2009.
- Postgraduates across a range of departments take part in the regular Effective Researcher Development Programme workshops on finding and using archives for research.
- Undergraduates in the Department of English and the Centre for Medieval Studies use the room for regular course seminars based on the collections.
Seminar Rooms
The Research Commons Seminar rooms can be booked by University members (and occasionally by other groups) for the purpose of dedicated teaching and research activities using our archive, rare book and film materials.
Subject to bookings the rooms are available Monday to Friday, 9 am - 5 pm, except during University closure periods. Access outside these hours may be possible by advance arrangement on an occasional basis, depending on staff availability. A member of staff will be available on duty for all sessions involving rare, unique, or fragile material to help supervise handling. Please use the booking form if you wish to book a seminar room, letting us know the date and times you require the room, your list of materials and the input required from staff.
Please note that the Seminar facilities are heavily used for teaching during term time and are allocated on a first come, first served basis, so book early to avoid disappointment!
