LSC 832 Rare Books
This course offers an in-depth introduction to the theory and practice of managing religious archives, with emphasis on Catholic, Protestant, and Jewish archival traditions in the United States. Drawing on historical contexts, contemporary archival standards, and emerging digital practices, we will examine how religious communities document faith, authority, ritual life, social ministry, and institutional identity. Because religious archives often sit at the intersection of the sacred and the administrative, students will explore how traditional archival principles, such as appraisal, arrangement and description, preservation, reference, and records management, take on distinctive meaning in faith-based environments. Students will engage in applied activities grounded in real-world archival work, integrating theory, hands-on practice, and critical reflection. Additionally, we will be visiting several local religious archives toward observing practitioners at work in their own institutions.