Rethinking the Archives: History Lectures for the Health Sciences

Abstract

Objective: Unlike many health sciences libraries, our library has a large and far-reaching Historical Collection and Archives (HCA) housing hidden treasures. Showcasing this collection, and the history of the health sciences, has often been a challenge. This poster showcases the development and implementation of a History of the Health Sciences Lecture Series. Method: The recent addition of historical donations from alumni and other health professionals has resulted in an increased interest in the library’s historical collections and archives. Making these collections discoverable is the primary goal as we have rare books dating back as far as 1608 and archives dating back to 1822, before the establishment of the school. The library hosted a variety of lectures that focused on its historical collections. Lectures have been tied to current library events and university courses. Creating this historical lecture series is a collaborative planning process which included numerous obstacles that required creative solutions. Steps in the planning process include: (1) connecting historical collections with faculty or alumni to design lectures; (2) developing marketing strategies across the health science campus that encourage attendance and interest; and (3) assessing the effectiveness of the lecture series.