Venn Diagrams: When Special Collections Meets Information Literacy discusses using object-based learning in special collections and information literacy instruction. It promotes using special collections materials to engage different types of learners through hands-on examination of rare and fragile objects. The presentation provides examples of how physical books and manuscripts can be analyzed to learn about their construction, historical significance, and how this helps students understand the research process.

1. Venn Diagrams: When Special Collections Meets
Information Literacy
CONUL T&L Seminar | 10 November 2015
Elaine Harrington | Special Collections Librarian
University College Cork

4. What Did I Value Most
Finding
information
on catalogue
Using
information
found in item
in dissertation
How can I
physically
use the
item?
Which learning outcome is the one thing that students would retain from this course after leaving?
Could I honestly say that I spent the most amount of time in the course teaching to the goal I valued
most?
Randy Bass

5. “Unique and distinctive” collections
of rare books, and many other
media, including born-digital and
digitised documents (Cullingford).
What is Special Collections?

6. Uses Gardner’s Multiple Intelligences to discuss
understanding objects and care of collections.
PowerPoint Has Its Uses…

8. Some items too fragile.

9. Some items not in Ireland – burned books in Leuven.

10. Reprographics Required?
55cm
Tightly bound

11. Manuscripts

12. Structure of A Book

13. Early printed books

14. Provenance

15. Leave the gun. Take the canoli.

16. Book Supports:
Remember Goldilocks

17. Why Is This Special?

18. November 2015: Version 3

19. Feedback & Other Possibilities
Wider variety of examples: use
for History of Science or
History of Medicine.
Incorporate other senses:
Examine books while
blindfolded.

20. Special
Collections
Information
Literacy
Object
Awareness
When Special Collections Meets Information Literacy
Object-based learning particularly well suited for different kinds of
learners.

21. Bibliography
Slide 4
Bass, Randy. “The Scholarship of Teaching: What’s the Problem?” Creative Thinking
About Learning & Teaching February 1999 1.1
Slide 5
Cullingford, Alison. “About.” Unique and Distinctive Collections: A Research Libraries UK
Project. http://rlukuniqueanddistinctive.wordpress.com/about/
Slide 7
Aquinas, Thomas. Incipiu[n]t preclarissima opuscula diui Thome aquinatis sacri ordinis
p[re]dicato[rum] in quibus o[mn]is ph[ilosophi]e [&] diuina[rum] scriptura[rum] theoremata
est co[m]plexus. [Venice: Hermann Lichtenstein, 1497].
Slide 8
An Claidheamh Soluis. 1901.
Slide 10
Illustrations of the Most Interesting of the Sculptured Crosses of Ancient Ireland. Drawn to
scale and lithographed by Henry O'Neill. London: Henry O'Neill, 1857.
Slide 11
Brown, Michelle. The Luttrell Psalter: A Facsimile. London: The British Library, 2006.
Beatha Finnchua. Ms. 90 UCC. Transcribed by Seosamh Ó Longáin.

22. Bibliography (2)
Slide 12
“Principal Parts of a Book and its Binding.” http://www.bl.uk/blpac/pdf/bookbindings.pdf In
PJM Marks. The British Library Guide to Bookbinding: History and Techniques. London:
British Library, 1998.
Slide 13
Aquinas, Thomas. Incipiu[n]t preclarissima opuscula diui Thome aquinatis sacri ordinis
p[re]dicato[rum] in quibus o[mn]is ph[ilosophi]e [&] diuina[rum] scriptura[rum] theoremata
est co[m]plexus. [Venice: Hermann Lichtenstein, 1497].
Bruni, Leonardo. Historia del Popolo Fiorentino. [Vinegia (Venice): Iacomo de Rossi,
1476].
Slide 14
Porter, Katherine Anne. The Never-ending Wrong. London: Secker & Warburg, 1977.
Goldberg 303.48 PORT
Sleath, Eleanor. The Orphan of the Rhine: A Romance in Two Volumes. Dublin: Printed
for G. Burnet [etc.], 1802.
Slide 17
Handel, George. A New Edition of Six Concertos for the Harpsicord or Organ. London:
Wright & Wilkinson, [approximately 1784].