The History Labs: Integrating Primary Source Literacy Skills into a History Survey Course

In this case study, a special collections librarian and a history instructor partner to develop a series of cumulative exercises teaching primary source literacy skills for a small history survey course. This sequence of lab sessions is implemented to improve student performance in the history survey and to test this pedagogical approach. Assessment tools such as rubrics, observation, and reflective journals revealed a clear improvement in students’ aptitude for a wide range of skills. The author discusses options for adapting the exercises to larger class environments and digital primary sources, as well as the transferability of primary source literacy skills to other academic settings.This is the publisher’s final pdf. The published article is copyrighted by the author and published by Taylor & Francis. It can be found at: http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/wjao20/current#.VCmbcmMZlU0.Keywords: primary source literacy, active learning, collaborations, information literacy skills, instruction, outreac

Taking the Show on the Road: Special Collections Instruction in the Campus Classroom

The article discusses how to bring the educational benefits that come from analyzing and interpreting physical materials to a bigger class environment and whether these benefits are worth the costs. It notes the growth of literature on instruction in special collections environments and the creative instructional methods presented by its pioneers including Ann Schmiesing, Deborah Hollis and Marcus Robyns. It suggests for special collections librarianship to be more visible and approachable and maximize the number of students having learning experiences with primary sources.Keywords: special collections and archives, rare books, instructio

Diagnosis of abnormal biliary copper excretion by positron emission tomography with targeting of (64)Copper-asialofetuin complex in LEC rat model of Wilson\u27s disease

Identification by molecular imaging of key processes in handling of transition state metals, such as copper (Cu), will be of considerable clinical value. For instance, the ability to diagnose Wilson\u27s disease with molecular imaging by identifying copper excretion in an ATP7B-dependent manner will be very significant. To develop highly effective diagnostic approaches, we hypothesized that targeting of radiocopper via the asialoglycoprotein receptor will be appropriate for positron emission tomography, and examined this approach in a rat model of Wilson\u27s disease. After complexing (64)Cu to asialofetuin we studied handling of this complex compared with (64)Cu in healthy LEA rats and diseased homozygous LEC rats lacking ATP7B and exhibiting hepatic copper toxicosis. We analyzed radiotracer clearance from blood, organ uptake, and biliary excretion, including sixty minute dynamic positron emission tomography recordings. In LEA rats, (64)Cu-asialofetuin was better cleared from blood followed by liver uptake and greater biliary excretion than (64)Cu. In LEC rats, (64)Cu-asialofetuin activity cleared even more rapidly from blood followed by greater uptake in liver, but neither (64)Cu-asialofetuin nor (64)Cu appeared in bile. Image analysis demonstrated rapid visualization of liver after (64)Cu-asialofetuin administration followed by decreased liver activity in LEA rats while liver activity progressively increased in LEC rats. Image analysis resolved this difference in hepatic activity within one hour. We concluded that (64)Cu-asialofetuin complex was successfully targeted to the liver and radiocopper was then excreted into bile in an ATP7B-dependent manner. Therefore, hepatic targeting of radiocopper will be appropriate for improving molecular diagnosis and for developing drug/cell/gene therapies in Wilson\u27s disease

Measuring the Magic: Assessment in the Special Collections and Archives Classroom

The article discusses effective methods for measuring the success of classroom instruction using original primary sources in special collections and archives and how to translate these effects to demonstrate learning impact that can be used in other assessment projects. The global economic crisis has reportedly pushed assessment activities in libraries and archives due to mounting pressure on administrators to show evidence of a return on investments of time and money. To show how special collections contribute to learning, the authors say that formal assessment techniques and strategies that measure the impact through quantitative and qualitative means should be formulated.Keywords: special collections and archives, assessment, instructio

Session B - Educational Standards: Update on the RBMS/SAA Joint Task Force on Primary Source Literacy Standards

This session will provide a report on the current work of the RBMS/SAA Joint Task Force on Primary Source Literacy Guidelines. The 12-member group was charged by both professional organizations with the task of developing guidelines for primary source literacy competencies for undergraduate and graduate students, and official work began in September 2015. Since then it has been working diligently on reviewing the literature on primary source literacy, examining potential points of convergence with the ACRL Framework on Information Literacy, identifying external stakeholders and other relevant guidelines documents, and drafting communications plans. The group has also begun to work with definitions of terms and determining the scope of the final document. In addition to reporting on these activities in the session, a task force member will solicit feedback from the teaching community of librarians and archivists grappling with these issues in practice, and to update the community on the task force\u27s timeline, next steps, and future directions