Learning Lab 2019-2020

The Learning Lab at the University of Kentucky Libraries Special Collections Research Center mentors undergraduates in a yearlong internship program that introduces them to archives, archival collections, and primary source research. Students get a rare glimpse into how archives function, how and why archivists make important decisions to preserve historical materials, and how collections are processed for use by the public. The students also select an unprocessed collection that they will not only process, but use to conduct their own research to be disseminated through conference presentations, published works, or digital humanities projects. Research dissemination is an important function of research and a vital component of the Learning Lab experience. 

The COVID-19 worldwide pandemic led to the cancellation of every students' conference presentations that were to be held at The National Conference of Undergraduate Research (NCUR) in Bozeman, Montana, and the Appalachian Studies Association conference in Lexington, Kentucky, in March 2020. It has also prevented the tradition of students presenting their work through presentations and physical exhibits at the UK Libraries Special Collections Research Center. While the events this year create a very different outcome for students, the UK Libraries honors the robust research created by each intern through this online exhibit.