The Special Collections Centre is a treasure house of historical sources that can support classroom teaching in schools and research and teaching in higher education as well as being a unique learning resource for the wider community.
With our fully equipped Learning Suite and two full-time Learning and Outreach Officers we offer an exciting range of workshops for schools and a regular programme of Family Fun events. Seminars for undergraduate and postgraduate students are delivered by staff and we also welcome visits from community groups.
Our workshops for schools and Family Fun events and activities are posted on our blog.
We offer a range of exciting workshops for schools based on the rare books and archive collections. All of our workshops are free and we run them on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Information about individual workshops is provided below. If you would like to book one email scc.learning@abdn.ac.uk or phone 01224 273047 or 01224 273048. Teachers’ support notes and Curriculum for Excellence experiences and outcomes are available on request.
Primary Schools
Secondary Schools
Facilities
Primary Schools
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This Book Belongs to...
Bring your class to the University Library and see some of the wonderful rare books held in the Special Collections Centre. Pupils will be given a tour of the ground floor and Special Collections of the stunning new University Library and will have the chance to see some examples of rare books from the collection.
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The Rout of Moy: Jacobite Storytelling and drama
Bring your class to the Special Collections Centre for an
action-packed storytelling and drama workshop based on the remarkable story of the outwitting of the Hanoverian Army by a handful of Jacobite supporters.
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Victorians in Egypt: Discovering the secrets of Ancient Egypt
Bring your class to the Special Collections Centre to find out how the Victorians discovered Ancient Egypt. From observational drawings of Egyptian grave markers to ‘squeezes’ or 3-D imprints of actual Ancient Egyptian monuments, your class can work with the original findings of 19th-century archaeologists.
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Secondary Schools
We welcome visits from secondary schools. If you would like to bring your class to visit the library and learn about the Special Collections, get in touch with us. We may have resources that are relevant to your specialised teaching subject. Information about the collections can be found on the Catalogues and Collections pages.
Facilities
The Special Collections Learning Suite compromises a dedicated Learning Room with an interactive Smartboard and capacity for a full class as well as a seminar room for older students. All facilities are fully accessible.
We hold regular weekend Family Fun events at the University Library, free to children of all ages and their adults.
Coming up
Our next Family Fun is on Saturday 5th May when we will be celebrating Dickens Month at University by creating our own Dickensian costumes. Drop in between 1pm and 4pm. You'll find us in the events area behind the gallery.
Useful information
Parking
Parking is available on Bedford Road and is free of charge at weekends.
Cafe
The Hard Back Cafe is open to all visitors. It is situated on the ground floor of the Library and serves hot drinks and snacks.
All of our events are free of charge.
You can see some of our past Family Fun events on our blog.
Within the Special Collections Learning Suite, classes for undergraduate and postgraduate students are delivered by staff members. The Suite is also used by University teaching staff, utilising material from the collections.
In the 2011 – 2012 session, staff delivered teaching to the Colleges of Arts & Social Sciences and College of Physical Sciences, across many disciplines including History, History of Art, French, English and Geography & Environment.
EL45Bx - Frankenstein to Einstein: Literature and Science in the Nineteenth Century
EL5572 - Investigating Literature
GG3562/4562 - People, Plants, Planning & Conservation
HA5023 - Research Skills for Art Historians (seminar on archives)
HA5023 - Research Skills for Art Historians (seminar on illustrated books)
HA4059 - Scottish Gardens in Context
HI353H - The Black Atlantic World
HI501G - Introduction to Historical Research
EF5502 - MLitt in Ethnology & Folklore
EL5017 - Walter Scott & His World
FR 3033/4033 – The Middle Ages In France
ME33HM - Medical Humanities student selected component, History of Medicine
We welcome visits from community groups. To organise a visit to our current exhibition or to see the collections contact us.
To see previous talks and tours to groups such as local heritage societies see our News and Events pages.
Facilities
The Special Collections Learning Suite compromises a dedicated Learning Room with an interactive Smartboard and capacity for a full class as well as a seminar room for students and community groups. All facilities are fully accessible. There is also a multi-funcitional Events Area on the ground floor.
For enquiries regarding school and communty group visits and family events please contact the Learning and Outreach Officers.
Email: scc.learning@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone: 01224 273047 or 01224 273048
For higher education teaching and research enquiries please contact Siobhán Convery, Head of Special Collections.
Email: s.convery@abdn.ac.uk
Telephone: 01224 272929
