What did you know about the archives when you were a freshman? Had you ever been to an archive? Had you ever used primary source material before? Could you even define “primary source?”
Incoming freshman at the UW-Madison who are taking part in Freshman Interest Groups (a.k.a. FIGs) might be more comfortable answering these questions than most, because of the creative way that FIGs integrate the use of primary source materials into course curriculum, combined with trips to local museums and historical institutions.
One such exercise is an online activity, which encourages students to link course concepts to archival films from the Prelinger Archives.
“[The] Prelinger Archives was founded in 1983 by Rick Prelinger in New York City. Over the next twenty years, it grew into a collection of over 60,000 "ephemeral" (advertising, educational, industrial, and amateur) films. In 2002, the film collection was acquired by the Library of Congress, Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division. Prelinger Archives remains in existence, holding approximately 5,000 digitized and videotape titles (all originally derived from film) and a large collection of home movies, amateur and industrial films acquired since 2002. Its goal remains to collect, preserve, and facilitate access to films of historic significance that haven't been collected elsewhere. Included are films produced by and for many hundreds of important US corporations, nonprofit organizations, trade associations, community and interest groups, and educational institutions.”
Hosted by the Internet Archive, the Prelinger Archives is a great example of what digital collections have to offer. The films are accessible and engaging, and give students the opportunity to view primary source material in a familiar format (the video interface is not dissimilar to YouTube). Students also learn important skills as they search an archive, navigating by controlled subjects and keywords – with over 60,000 films, browsing the archive for films appropriate to their assignment.
The UW-Madison has created special opportunities for FIGs, who have the opportunity to study a variety of topics of interest to them, from art to computer programming. These "learning communities" benefit from a highly experience-based course curriculum. Integrating primary source materials and trips to archival repositories into FIG programming will position undergraduates to utilize archives in future graduate-level or personal study.
These are the People (1944)
Workers of a Wisconsin town mobilize for WWII production.
Courtesy of the Prelinger Archives.
Posted by Ellen LeClere
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