AMERICAN STUDIES WEB MUSEUM

DESCRIPTION

This is an experimental course in local cultural history and web design. We will use original archival materials from the Sheldon Museum and Starr Library Special Collections to launch an American Studies Web Museum at Middlebury College. Using materials at the Sheldon, we will develop websites related to three topics: leisure, private life, and manhood in nineteenth- and early twentieth-century Vermont. Using materials at the Sheldon and in Special Collections, we will also chronicle the history of the College, with a particular focus on student life. A considerable portion of class time will be spent on site at the Sheldon and in Special Collections. Students will learn scanning, web design, and other technical skills. We will also learn about and contribute to the rich cultural heritage of Middlebury College and the surrounding local community.

Andy Wentink, Special Collections Librarian, will assist us in accessing relevant materials in Special Collections and at the Sheldon Museum. Shel Sax, Director of Educational Technology, will assist us with our technology needs. We owe them considerable thanks for their help and expertise.