The Undergraduate Research Working Group (URWG) serves as a CRL advisory group that supports the use of primary source materials in upper-level undergraduate coursework and instruction. Members of URWG identify topics of broad interest to the entire membership and advise CRL on approaches to resource discovery (primarily through CRL’s Topic Guides) and strategic digitization. This allows for greater exposure to primary resources, including those in digital format, to meet the needs of CRL’s undergraduate constituency.

Examples of past collections include:

• Sepoy Mutiny
• World War II and the development of the bomb (The Manhattan Project)
• South and Southeast Asia music and dance materials

URWG also explores collaborative digitization of special collections material at member institutions. In 2011, URWG helped establish a joint project for CRL and Oberlin College to scan and transcribe the correspondence and linguistic notes of Sela G. Wright, a missionary to the Ojibwe community, from the Oberlin College archives. The papers are available through Oberlin’s website. 

History

The Liberal Arts Interest Group formed in 2007 to work with faculty to identify broad topics and themes for seminars taught at multiple institutions. The group was renamed the Undergraduate Research Work Group in 2009 to reflect the new constituency, which includes representatives from mid-sized universities as well as liberal arts colleges.

Participants

• College of Wooster, Mark Christel
• Colorado College, Lisa Lister
• Florida International University, Douglas Hasty
• Knox College, Laurie Sauer
• Oberlin College, Jessica Grim
• St. Lawrence University, Michelle Gillie
• Trinity University, Beatrice Caraway
• Vassar College, Carol Lynn Marshall
• Center for Research Libraries, Mary Wilke