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Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen Niedersächsische Staats- und Universitätsbibliothek Göttingen
Blick durch ein historisches Bibliotheksregal auf eine sitzende Gruppe von Menschen von hinten; vorne steht eine Person und hält einen Vortrag. SUB Göttingen, Martin Liebetruth

Courses on Historical Collections

Would you like to learn how to handle historical collections safely, or deepen your research skills? The Special Collections team supports you with a variety of training opportunities.

Teaching Units for Seminars

  • Introduction to the Historical Building (for beginners)
  • Safe handling of historical materials
  • Introductions to archival research
  • Catalogues and finding aids for manuscripts and personal papers
  • Researching early printed books

Further information on incorporating technologies such as multispectral imaging or digital microscopy into teaching is available on the ARCANAlab website.

If you are planning to organise a course or seminar with us, please contact us at an early stage – ideally no later than four weeks before the planned date. The content can be adapted to the focus of your seminar and integrated flexibly into your teaching. Please note that our services are subject to the availability of staff and suitable rooms.

Introduction to the Historical Building

Gruppe von Menschen bei einer Führung im Historischen Bibliothekssaal SUB Göttingen, Martin Liebetruth

This course combines a guided tour of the Historical Building of the SUB Göttingen with practical guidance on the use of the historical collections held there. The focus can be tailored to the topic of the respective course or seminar.

  • Introduction to the historical holdings and special collections of SUB Göttingen
  • Guided tour of central areas, including the Pauliner Church, Heyne Hall, reading room, workspaces, and seminar rooms
  • On-site orientation: where to find catalogues, finding aids, and key reference works
  • Requesting and using materials: finding, ordering, and consulting items – what you need to know

Duration: approx. 60 minutes

Audience: Students of all disciplines who are working with historical materials from SUB Göttingen for the first time

Safe Handling of Historical Materials

Diese praxisorientierte Einführung richtet sich an Studierende, die erstmals mit historischen Beständen wie Handschriften, alten Drucken oder Nachlässen arbeiten. Anhand konkreter Beispiele zeigen wir, wie diese empfindlichen Quellen sachgerecht und verantwortungsvoll benutzt werden – und warum ein bestandsschonender Umgang wichtig ist.

This practical introduction is designed for students who are new to working with historical materials such as manuscripts, early printed books, or personal papers. Through hands-on examples, we demonstrate how to use these sensitive sources responsibly and carefully – and why a preservation-conscious approach is important.

  • Basic rules for handling and hygiene
  • Correct use of book supports, lead weights, and other aids
  • Handling unbound materials
  • Organising your workspace effectively
  • Taking photographs, scanning, and using ScanTent

Duration: approx. 30 minutes

Audience: Students from all disciplines working with original materials for the first time

Introductions to Archival Research

This course offers students an introduction to the wealth of sources in public archives and their use for academic research and papers. It combines a guided tour of the archive storage areas with hands-on presentations of archival materials, and an interactive session in a lecture room on how to access and use the archives effectively.

  • Overview of archival holdings and archival principles
  • Research using finding aids
  • Practical organisation of archival work
  • Legal aspects, including data protection

If the course topic closely relates to the archival holdings, students may also have the opportunity to examine selected archival materials directly.

Duration: 90 minutes

Audience: Students of history or related disciplines with varying levels of prior experience

Catalogues and Finding Aids for Manuscripts and Personal Papers

Ein Vortrag vor historischen Büchern, dem eine Gruppe von Menschen aufmerksam folgt SUB Göttingen, Martin Liebetruth

The focus of this course is working with the manuscript and the collections of private papers of the SUB Göttingen. Learn how to find information on these materials, which research tools are available to you on-site and online, and what to keep in mind when using them:

  • Overview of the manuscript and/or personal papers collections of SUB Göttingen
  • Catalogues and other finding aids
  • Specialised databases and subject portals

Duration: approx. 60 minutes

Audience: Students from all disciplines who plan to use manuscripts for presentations, seminar papers, or theses, or who want to learn how to handle them properly

Requirements: A WLAN-enabled device, preferably a laptop, and a current web browser

Researching Early Printed Books

SUB Göttingen maintains a large collection of historical printed works across all fields. This training session introduces students to the collections and teaches practical skills for using them effectively.

  • Overview of SUB Göttingen’s historical printed collections
  • Introduction to the retrospective national bibliographies VD 16, VD 17, and VD 18
  • Catalogues and specialised databases
  • Searching for digitised materials

Duration: approx. 60 minutes

Audience: Students who want to use historical printed works for presentations, seminar papers, or theses, or who wish to learn how to handle them responsibly

Requirements: A WLAN-enabled device, preferably a laptop, and a current web browser

Contact us

Steffen Hölscher

Subject Specialist

Department Special Collections and Conservation

Papendiek 14

37073 Göttingen