The Library of Congress
Image of covered wagon PROSPECTING IN AMERICAN MEMORY

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Overview | Facilitator's Framework | Exercise

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Total workshop time: 2 hours
Time Activity Materials & Equipment
5 min I. Introduction of workshop facilitator and AM. Give brief overview of searching possibilities and varieties of American Memory collections. American Memory home page
5 min II. Formulating a topic: Brainstorming
  1. Ask participants to brainstorm keywords or phrases that can be used to research the "West."
  2. Write words that they suggest on an easel notepad.
    3. Possibilities: westward movement, Grant's Indian Peace Policy, broncos, rodeo, pony express, gold mine, cowboys, black cowboy, miners, cattlemen, cattle-growers, Custer, ranch, frontier, homestead, Homestead Act, ranches, ranchers, roundup
  3. Select a word to search.
Whiteboard, marker, projector, computer

5 min

Partner practice: Brainstorm keywords for your project with your partner.

AM Practice Worksheet, Part I
10 min III. Cross collection searches

Using the AM cross-collection search page:

  1. Using the computer and a projection system, search for the keyword west. Examine the returns, discuss them, and identify possible keywords in returns.
  2. Search for wild west (exact phrase) and discuss results. Search for covered wagon (exact phrase) and discuss results.
  3. Discuss advantages and disadvantages of cross collection searching and how to improve search strategy.

Using the Learning Page Pathfinders:

Search Events, People, Places, Time, Topics to show another example of broad searching. Note time spans of collections.

Projector, computer
AM Cross-Collection Search Page
The Learning Page

10 min Partner practice: Do two cross-collection searches with each partner using different keywords identified from brainstorming session. Write down the most frequent collection names in the returns.

AM Practice Worksheet, Part II
5 min IV. Collection Finder Options:

A. Walk through searching by Time Period with group.

  1. Select 1850-1899 time period.
  2. Search for cattle drive. Search for driving cattle.
  3. Discuss results.
  4. Identify words found in returns that could be used as keywords.

Computers
Collection Finder: Time (below Broad Topic)
10 min B. Search by Original Format with group.

  1. Select one or more of the media types and search for the keyword ranching. Search:
    • Written Materials
    • Motion Pictures
    • Photos & Prints
    • Sound Recordings
  2. Search for westward expansion in Maps. Show special features, i.e. zoom.

Computers
Collection Finder: Original Format (on right side of page)
20 min Partner practice: Using keywords that were successful from brainstorming, partners search different formats, making notes on handout

AM Practice Worksheet, Part IIb

5 min Break

 

10 min

V. Collection Level Searching

  1. Demonstrate how to select a collection, learn about its parameters, search it thoroughly, and discover special features or resources.
  2. Choose California As I Saw It.
  3. Keyword search for cowboy, pony express. Choose Descriptive Information, then Full Text.
  4. Browse by Author, Subjects, Titles.
  5. Show Edit - Find in page function.
  6. Walk through special features, such as Special Presentation at bottom of page, with group.

projector, computer,
AM collection: California as I Saw It

20 min Partner practice: Participants select one of the collections that repeatedly showed up in their keyword searches. Search the collection, noting search options and successful strategies.

AM Practice Worksheet, Part IId

15 min VI. Whole group discussion

Each pair will share search results, insights.

  • What was one successful search you tried?
  • What was one unsuccessful search you tried?

Summarize strategies for searching AM with students.

  • What did you search for?
  • What did you find?
  • What search strategy works best in getting started with a new topic?
  • What kind of strategy works best for finding information about broad topics?
  • What strategy saves time in pulling up a specific known item?
  • When selecting a specific collection that seems relevant to a topic, what should you do first?
  • What will you look for next?

 Library of Congress Resource Worksheet

 
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Last updated 12/12/2002