Public-Academic Library Collaboration: A Case Study of an Instructional House and Property History Research Program for the Public

John Lawton, Heather Lawton
2009 The American Archivist  
A b s t r a c t This case study of public-academic library collaboration examines how both types of institutions can combine their strengths to provide focused research instruction more effectively than each can accomplish alone. The authors partnered to create a public presentation that details the many house, neighborhood, and land history resources available at local repositories and that describes the often complex process of accessing and interpreting these data. This article evaluates how
more » ... this type of collaboration compares to earlier cross-library partnerships as described in the literature and explains the many benefits that have resulted from their own collaborative endeavor. The process of re-creating the architectural, legal, and personal narrative of a structure flourishes as a popular hobby among the residents of Minneapolis, Minnesota. The city boasts a diverse housing stock. The Ard Godfrey House, the oldest frame home in the city, reflects the Greek revival movement. In other neighborhoods, working-class homes inspired by the arts and crafts movement abut ranch-style houses from the 1950s. The influence of the Tudor revival is evident in many of the mansions that border the Mississippi River and the Chain of Lakes.
doi:10.17723/aarc.72.2.4466681254157r34 fatcat:bqux52cfcfhexgwkjycw5yh7ra