University of Northampton Library launches Fowler Collection project

Cheryl Gardner, Academic Liaison Manager at the University of Northampton Library, has contacted BHRS with news of an innovative project that the Library is planning in order to promote the visibility of the Fowler Library.

In the New Year a small group of students from the History Department, under the supervision of library staff, will undertaking a research project centred on the collection as part of their employability module.

… new ways of providing this unique resource both to fellow students and to the wider public …

The brief to the students will be to design new ways of promoting this unique resource both to fellow students and to the wider public.  It will ask them to address such questions as –

• how the Library can raise the profile and visibility of the collection to bring it to the attention of more people,
• how the collection can be marketed and used at events.

It suggests a possible approach might be to identify one or more stories drawn from the collection.  The students could use them as a focus for planning a mini exhibition and drafting some of the accompanying literature.

Skills development

Full participation with this project is aimed at helping the students gain experience of

• event planning, organization, marketing and management,
• working with original rare materials,
• presenting sensitive materials to the public,
• creating visual displays and researching objects,
• collaborative projects and team work.

During the project the Library staff will mentor the students, who will also spend time shadowing the staff to learn about librarianship as a professional discipline.