The Archives 101 Project

About The Archives 101 Project

The Archives 101 Project was a research study conducted in Spring 2026 at New York University (NYU), an R1 institution based in the East Village of New York City. Using the Expository Writing Program (EWP) as a case study, the project assessed the potential for incorporating digital archives and related DH resources into core studies curriculum. Its goal is to help students and teachers work with primary source materials while developing robust digital and archival literacy skills.

The Archives 101 Project was designed to fulfill capstone requirements for a Masters of Library and Information Science from the Information School at the University of Washington.

Principle Investigator  

Christopher Stahl  
Information School  
University of Washington

Project Sponsors

Dr. Ethan Youngerman  
Director of Undergraduate Research  
New York University

Dr. Jenni Quilter  
Assistant Vice Dean of General Education  
Executive Director, Expository Writing Program  
New York University

Vision and Values

• Archives 101 is a pedagogic framework aimed at increasing digital and archival literacy in core studies classes.

• Archives 101 emphasizes LIS-informed approaches to literacy, access, and accessibility within the design of lesson plans and course materials incorporating digital resources.

• Archives 101 encourages students to explore digital archives as a way to hone primary source research skills while learning to navigate new information environments.

• Archives 101 believes that increasing digital and archival literacies in core studies classes creates the conditions for undergraduates to engage in advanced research and creative projects across disciplines.

• Archives 101 values informed and intentional engagement with digital media and technology.

This list of vision and values is inspired by Lib-Static, a user-focused development methodology that emphasizes individual skill acquisition rather than the mastery of specific platforms. Rooted in minimal computing philosophies, the Lib-Static approach leverages static web technologies and library science skills to create engaging resources with minimal infrastructure.

Project Design and Research Outcomes

The Archives 101 Project was composed of three research phases: Discovery, Digital Fieldwork, and Assessment. The images below describe both the proposed goals for each phase and the results of the research process.

Taken together, these research phases created a set of overlapping lenses through which to consider issues around the integration of digital archives into writing studies classrooms. Materials gathered during the Discovery phase would be read and tested by members of the faculty consultation cohort as part of the Digital Fieldwork. The early interviews and consultations shaped the questions and structure of the pilot survey, the results of which informed the curation of materials from the Discovery phase.

Deliverables

This prototype digital resource is one tangible result of the research process. It leverages the affordances offered by the Manifold platform to help students and faculty develop their information literacy while conducting creative research using digital archives.

Other deliverables, including data visualization and analysis of the EWP pilot survey, are ongoing.