Teaching Resources

Special Collections and University Archives instruction philosophy

We have a robust instructional program that supports undergraduate, graduate, and K-12 learning. We believe engaging with rare and unique materials to enables people to make profound connections between the past and the present. While we primarily provide instruction that supports the Rutgers undergraduate curriculum, we are happy to work with faculty and students from other colleges and universities as well. SC/UA faculty and staff have individual expertise and can provide sessions tailored to instructor needs, from the basics of navigating and conducting research in SC/UA to sessions grounded in hands-on, active learning in a specific subject area.

SC/UA faculty are highly engaged and experienced in teaching and learning at Rutgers-New Brunswick. In addition to teaching within SC/UA, our faculty teach full-semester courses within departments and schools at Rutgers, and in the Byrne First-Year Seminar program.

Teaching with our materials

Planning an instruction session

Our instructional offerings include, but are not limited to:

  • Primary source literacy using documents, audio/visual materials, and objects
  • General introductions to navigating and using SC/UA
  • Single or multiple class visits, or semester-long liaison services
  • Focused sessions for specialized programs, for example FIGS, EOF, and Byrne Seminars.
  • Workshops for National History Day students and teachers.

Very often, our instruction sessions are a hybrid of SC/UA faculty and teaching faculty collaboration. We are happy to work with you to tailor instruction to meet your needs. Most classes visit us in Alexander Library, but we can come to your classroom. We also support remote instruction through unique interactions with our digital collections.

Contact Christie Lutz for more information or to schedule a session. Please provide ample advance notice; our calendar fills quickly.

National History Day

We welcome students and teachers to use our resources for NHD projects, particularly those related to the history of New Jersey.

Learn more and plan your class visit

Resources for K-12