K-12 Visits

The Basics

• Check the calendar: Group visits are not allowed during the first 2 and last 2 weeks of the quarter or during University holidays.  UW Academic Calendar. 
• Some UW Libraries are NOT open to K-12: The Odegaard Undergraduate, Gallagher Law, and Health Sciences Libraries are not open to the public. Those with UW Libraries borrowers cards may request items from these collections in advance of their visit and have the materials held at Suzzallo Central Circulation.
• Review the Pre-visit Checklist. 
• Schedule your visit in advance:
  • All K-12 visitor leads must complete and submit the K-12 Visit Request Form at least 2 weeks prior to visit. Visits to Special Collections require 4-6 weeks advance notice for most class sessions. See instructions to schedule a visit to special collections.
    • After your form is received, a staff member will contact you to confirm and help coordinate your visit. 
    • Visits typically include a brief orientation to the UW Libraries so that you and your students will have a general idea of the UW Libraries system, physical arrangement of materials and computerized systems before beginning.
• Printing & Downloading:
  • Guest computers are limited. Have students bring laptops and use the Guest option when accessing the  UW WiFi network. Note, some district devices are unable to connect to UW WiFi due to restrictions placed by the school.
  • Students will need to buy a DawgPrints card to print.
  • Students should bring a USB drive for downloading scans. 
• Borrowing:
  All Washington State teachers are eligible for free borrowing privileges and students ages 15-17 are eligible to purchase a card with signed parental/guardian permission.

Pre-Visit Checklist (REQUIRED)

• Ensure your students have done research in advance and come prepared with strong background knowledge of their topic prior to their visit. 
• Use local resources first. Take advantage of your school and public libraries. Many of these have specialized history sources.
  • E.g. The Seattle Public Library and King County Library systems each have news databases, including the historic New York Times.  
• Arrange for your school librarian to give your students an introduction to basic research skills. Discuss the difference between primary and secondary sources. Note: not all materials in Special Collections are considered primary sources.
• Have students create a Source List of library materials before visiting campus. This will save them time during their visit to use library databases that require being on campus to access. NOTE: Materials from Special Collections need to be requested at last two weeks in advance of the visit. 
• Students should bring a USB drive for downloading scans. 
• Using this optional handout will help library staff to help students locate library materials.

Complete the K-12 Visitor Request Form

Visiting Special Collections

• Fill out the K-12 Visitor Request Form. Groups must schedule visits to Special Collections 4-6 weeks before your desired date of visit.  If you have a shorter timeline, we will do what we can to accommodate you, but it may limit what we can do.
• To plan your visit, please email us at [email protected]
• Students must submit their research topics and lists of materials no more than two weeks ahead of the visit.
• Depending on the number of students planning on visiting Special Collections we may schedule rotating visits so as to accommodate both the students and our normal patrons. Special Collections does not have the facilities to accommodate large groups, nor the staff to accommodate drop-in class visits.
• There must be at least one teacher or chaperone for every five students.
• Students may not be left unattended in Special Collections. 
• Review the Pre-Visit Checklist and have students search in advance and make  a list of sources that they can find in the library when they get here (SEE SOURCE LIST below).
• Review the code of conduct for Visiting the Special Collections Reading Room in Person.

History Day

Please review Visiting Special Collections and visiting Government Publications, Maps, Microforms & Newspapers

History Day Guides

• UW Libraries History Day Guide
• History Day at Special Collections 
• History Day Topic Guides 
• Center for the Study of the Pacific Northwest Curriculum Guides –
   Curriculum guides with primary sources for various Washington State history topics.