From short orientation sessions to assignment-based activities, Special Collections staff are available to provide instructional support customized to meet a range of learning objectives. To speak with our staff about your instruction needs, please email us at specialcollections@utsa.edu.
Primary Sources Orientation Sessions
Special Collections staff provide an introductory overview of Special Collections including what types of collections can be found in Special Collections, how to search for archives and rare books in the Libraries' catalog, how to read a finding aid, how to find digitized content from our collections, and how to schedule a visit. The orientation can be tailored to finding material relevant to specific course topics or subjects.
Semester-long Sessions
Semester-long sessions provide students the opportunity to engage with Special Collections several times throughout the semester. Sessions provide an introduction to primary source research, hands-on activities with Special Collections material, and typically include assignments requiring students to conduct primary source research on their own.
Faculty Teaching in the Archives Grants
Special Collections offers Faculty Teaching in the Archives (FTIA) Grants to instructors who wish to enhance or create undergraduate or graduate courses using unique materials from Special Collections. These grants support the development of innovative primary source assignments and projects for students. Applications are accepted annually during the Spring semester.