Teaching old books new tricks: how special collections outreach can help you, your career, and your...

Teaching Old Books New Tricks

How special collections outreach can help you, your career & your

library

Naomi Herbert, Christ’s College, Cambridge

Katie Birkwood, Cambridge University Library

CILIP CDG New Professionals Conference

Monday 20 June 2011

Old books?

What is outreach?

Why do outreach?

Sensory & emotional experiences

Learning opportunities

Library & Institutional benefits

Everyone wins!

Sensory & emotional experiences

Learning opportunities

Library & Institutional benefits

Everyone wins!

Why do outreach?

Sensory & emotional experiences

Learning opportunities

Library & Institutional benefits

Everyone wins!

Why do outreach?

Sensory & emotional experiences

Learning opportunities

Library & Institutional benefits

Everyone wins!

Why do outreach?

Sensory & emotional experiences

Learning opportunities

Library & Institutional benefits

Everyone wins!

Why do outreach?

Case Study 1

Naomi Herbert

Hocus Pocus Junior (1638)

Primary school outreach project

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Hocus Pocus Junior

Item Cost

Magician (two years’ worth from funding, 3rd year paid by school)

£470 ( £235 per year including costume hire)

Supply cover (to release teachers for planning sessions)

c.£400

Materials (needles, thread, coloured card, white paper. Decoration materials provided by school)

c. £30

Photocopying c. £10  (but not accounted for separately)

Staff time Not recorded

Case Study 2

Katie Birkwood

Build your own astrolabe

Family & public outreach project

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

Costs

Item Cost

Materials (card, acetate, glue, scissors, ribbon, split pins, pens)

c. £90

Photocopying c. £20  (but not accounted for separately)

Staff time Not recorded

Volunteer time c. 10 working days

Volunteer gifts c. £50

Build your own astrolabe

Build your own astrolabe

“This was a really useful workshop. I've seen

astrolabes in museums & had no real idea of what

they are for.”

“Very interesting - I didn't know how old astrolabes were, for example & fun for non-science minded

people”

How do I do that?

Your questions (hopefully) answered…

Where will I get the money?

Major funding bodies

Local and/or specialist groups

Visitors

Your institution

Who can I ask for help?

Colleagues

Professional contacts

Friends

Local & national organisations

Don’t I have to be an expert?

NO!You’re already an expert on

something

You can learn

Recruit ‘real’ experts to help

You don’t need to know everything

Where will I start?

Find out what people want

Join in with something that’s already happening

Don’t try and do everything at once

Build on what’s already there

Practicalities

Transport & parking

Food & drink

Toilets

Disabled access

Timing

Roles, responsibilities, training

Health & safety, risk assessments

Evaluation & record-keeping

Will my boss like it?

We can’t promise anything

…

But success breeds success, so try it and see

Your CV

Managing staff & volunteers

Training staff & volunteers

Bidding for funds & grants

Managing a budget

Project management

Design & exhibition work

Teaching people of all ages & abilities

Credits

Images adapted from photographs on Flickr:

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Unless otherwise stated below, images are reproduced by permission of the Master and Fellows of St John’s

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Adapted from an image on http://www.sxc.hu:

More information

Slideshttp://slideshare/maedchenimmond

Naomi Herberthttp://rarelysited.wordpress.com

Katie Birkwoodhttp://maedchenimmond.blogspot.com

St John’s College Outreachhttp://www.joh.cam.ac.uk/library/library_exhibitions