New Digital Primary Source Collections Expand Research Horizons at ISU
History Department Embraces Global Perspectives
The Milner Library at Illinois State University is enriching its digital resources with a exciting new collection of primary sources from Gale’s Archives Unbound. This strategic acquisition is geared towards meeting the increasingly diverse and globalized research needs of faculty and students, particularly those exploring world history perspectives.
Access to primary sources elevates students’ understanding of historical investigation. Without such valuable resources, students cannot fully grasp the intricacies of research and writing in the field of history. These newly acquired collections aim to bridge that gap and support the exploration of diverse historical narratives.
Among the many collections, two stand out as intimately familiar to Assistant Professor Dan Knorr, a recent addition to the History Department. Having personally utilized the “Evangelicalism in China” and “Evangelicalism in Japan” collections during his own student days, Knorr is thrilled to incorporate these resources into his current courses.
“I first encountered the letters of missionaries from the Presbyterian Board of Foreign Missions as an undergraduate. They were crucial to building my research experience,” Dr. Knorr explains. “These letters form the core of an article I published about a property dispute in China during the 1880s and are also the basis for a working paper on missionaries’ experiences during the Boxer Uprising. It’s incredibly rewarding to share such a rich and diverse collection with my students. The digital format makes it easier to use these letters as a tool to teach students how to conduct research within a large archive.”
“Evangelicalism in China,” one of the newly acquired collections, will become a cornerstone of Knorr’s upcoming HIS 200 course this spring.
“I plan to center the collection in a section of HIS 200, which will introduce students to archival research methods. Through this collection, they’ll learn how diverse these sources can be. These primary documents can be studied in terms of religious, colonial, diplomatic, and transnational history,” Knorr said. “This collection will also be a valuable resource for advanced undergraduate and graduate students working on research papers related to East Asian history.”
These collections are by no means limited to the realm of history. Their potential extends across a wide range of disciplines, proving beneficial in fields such as philosophy, religious studies, politics, Native American studies, and East Asian or European studies.
Accessibility and Support for Researchers
Users encountering any issues accessing these digital resources are invited to reach out to the library’s resourceful team at [email protected].
The Milner Library houses a diverse range of electronic resources spanning all areas of the university’s curriculum.
Students and faculty can find these resources through the library catalog at https://i-share-isu.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/search?vid=01CARLI_ISU:CARLI_ISU&mode=advanced&offset=0 or by consulting with subject librarians at https://library.illinoisstate.edu/services/subject-librarians/.
Faculty are encouraged to equip their students with persistent links to digital content rather than sharing files, which may violate copyright regulations and may not be accessible to all users. For assistance with creating these links, please contact [email protected]. Researchers seeking materials not currently in the library’s collection can submit a purchase request form: https://library.illinoisstate.edu/services/collection-development/purchase-requests/ or reach out to Associate Dean Rachel Scott, who oversees information assets, for assistance.
*To what extent do primary source collections offer a distinct pedagogical approach compared to traditional textbook learning in history courses?* [[1](https://secure-media.collegeboard.org/digitalServices/pdf/ap/sample-questions-ap-united-states-history-exam.pdf)*]
Good morning, dr. Knorr,thanks for joining us today. These newly acquired primary source collections look very exciting. Do you think they represent a shift away from traditional textbook learning in history courses, or will they serve as a complementary resource?
