Archives Teaching Faculty Residency
Program Overview
The Atlanta University Center Woodruff Library Archives Research Center was awarded the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) National Leadership Grants – Libraries for the AUC Archives Research Center Teaching Faculty Residency. This project will help faculty from the Atlanta University Center member institutions build courses using archival materials from the AUC Woodruff Library Archives Research Center.
Over two years, faculty will take part in hands- on workshops, a two-week institute, guided visits to local cultural institutions, and individualized support from librarians and archivists to develop new assignments and course modules that strengthen student research skills and deepen engagement with the histories of the Atlanta University Center and the American South. The project will produce openly available teaching resources, a digital assignment portal, and a public symposium. Beneficiaries include faculty, students, community members, and other institutions seeking models for teaching with primary sources.
- Program Goals
The goals of the Atlanta University Center Archives Research Center Teaching Faculty Residency are to provide instructional faculty with:
- The opportunity to focus on archives-centered learning at both the undergraduate and graduate levels
- Support for developing innovative archives–centered pedagogical approaches in their courses
- Opportunities for building partnerships and collaborations with AUC Woodruff Library archivists and librarians
- A stipend to develop an instructional project rooted in the Archives Research Center’s unique collections and resources and grounded in archives-based pedagogy.
In addition, our goal is to cultivate an innovative instructional environment that honors and recognizes dedicated teaching scholars, values a synergistic relationship between teaching, archives-based research and service, and promotes a learning-community spirit here at the AUC
- Activities
The AUC Archives Research Center Teaching Faculty Residents will participate in workshops, events, and collaborations designed to support their work developing archives-based instructional materials. The program will involve the following events and opportunities; attendance in these key dates and events is required to participate in the residency:
- Kick-Off Event: Orientation workshop (including a tour of the Archives Research Center) followed by a small reception where new fellows are joined by program leaders and special guests.
- Monthly Update Meetings: The cohort will meet monthly to provide on-going support for the development and implementation of their course design, teaching resources and overall program deliverables.
- Two-week Archives Institute: These sessions are designed to provide fellows with a strong foundation in the established best practices for archives-based teaching.
- Individual One-on-One training sessions & Independent Work: Fellows meet with instructional team members for individual consultation supporting their work.
- Field Trips Series: Nine planned site visits to cultural heritage institutions across Atlanta. Cohort participants will be asked to attend seven of the nine field trips. Alternative transportation will be provided.
- Continuing Support and Collaboration: Each fellow has a designated liaison in the Archives Research Center to provide support and assistance during the final development of the academic course.
- Culminating Symposium: Cohort participants will present outcomes, discuss institutional challenges and share student learning results with community members, faculty and reginal cultural heritage professionals.
- Stipend: Each Teaching Faculty resident will be awarded a $5,000 stipend in four installments as outcomes are met throughout the project. These funds support the time and effort required to develop, pilot, and document archival-based assignments for inclusion in the Educational Resources hub.
- 2027 Schedule Information
The 2027 AUC Archives Research Center Teaching Faculty Residency will unfold over a two-week period during May.
Key Dates:
- Program Kickoff: Thursday, February 25, 2027, 2:00 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.
- Two-Week Archives Institute: Tuesday – Friday, May 11-14 and 18-21, 8:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.
- One-on-one Conferences & Independent Work: Monday – Friday, May 24 – May 28,
9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.
The Institute and culminating symposium are scheduled to take place at the Atlanta University Center Robert W. Woodruff Library Archives Research Center. The nine field trips will be conducted off-site, and optional transportation will be provided to ensure accessibility for participants.
Eligibility
The AUC Archives Research Center Teaching Faculty Residency is open to all teaching AUC faculty (both tenure and non-tenure track) who will be instructors for their archives-centered course. Participants must teach their new or revamped archives-centered course within 18 months [by Spring 2028] of completing the program.
Application and Selection
Applications for this program will be accepted October 2026 through January 2027 and are reviewed by the program’s instructional/project team. Depending on the applicant pool, an interview process with the instructional team before the cohort is constructed and decisions are communicated may be required.
Up to six faculty members will be selected. Demonstrated passion for and commitment to excellence in teaching is a key factor in selection.
Applications for the 2027 program are due by Monday Janaury 11, 2027; if applicable, interviews will take place in January 2027. Final decisions will be communicated on or before February 8, 2027.