Performing Arts Resources – Instruction
Performing Arts Resources
Instruction (2025 issue)
This issue of Performing Arts Resources will consider approaches to performing arts library instruction in higher education. Performing arts curricula are often composed of both history/theory courses and practice-based courses. Research libraries often struggle to meet the needs of students in history/theory classes who require access to materials like scripts, recordings of performances, and highly specialized databases. They struggle perhaps even more in meeting the needs of student practitioners who conduct research that is creative in nature, who often have information needs that span multiple disciplines, and whose research output is something other than citational scholarship. This poses challenges to those of us tasked with teaching research skills to performing arts students, prompting questions such as:
What are the unique instructional needs of performing arts students? Which pedagogical approaches are best suited to working with this population of learners? How might library instruction be more fully integrated into performing arts departments and programs? How can research libraries be adapted to the needs of creative researchers? How might instructional approaches differ between the numerous disciplines grouped under the rubric of “performing arts” (e.g. drama, performance studies, dance, etc.)?
This issue aims to explore these questions with contributions that might include (but are not limited to) essays, annotated lesson plans, and experiential narratives.
PAR is a peer-reviewed journal published by Michigan Publishing and is distributed to all members of the Theatre Library Association as a benefit of membership. Full text articles from current volumes and many past volumes of PAR are available in the International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance with Full Text and International Index for the Performing Arts Full Text.
Please submit abstracts by January 2, 2024 to issue editor Rye Gentleman, Librarian for Performing Arts, NYU (rye.gentleman@nyu.edu). Full drafts of articles will be due on June 2, 2024. Please email the editor if you would like to discuss article ideas or if you have questions.
Instruction (2025 issue)
This issue of Performing Arts Resources will consider approaches to performing arts library instruction in higher education. Performing arts curricula are often composed of both history/theory courses and practice-based courses. Research libraries often struggle to meet the needs of students in history/theory classes who require access to materials like scripts, recordings of performances, and highly specialized databases. They struggle perhaps even more in meeting the needs of student practitioners who conduct research that is creative in nature, who often have information needs that span multiple disciplines, and whose research output is something other than citational scholarship. This poses challenges to those of us tasked with teaching research skills to performing arts students, prompting questions such as:
What are the unique instructional needs of performing arts students? Which pedagogical approaches are best suited to working with this population of learners? How might library instruction be more fully integrated into performing arts departments and programs? How can research libraries be adapted to the needs of creative researchers? How might instructional approaches differ between the numerous disciplines grouped under the rubric of “performing arts” (e.g. drama, performance studies, dance, etc.)?
This issue aims to explore these questions with contributions that might include (but are not limited to) essays, annotated lesson plans, and experiential narratives.
PAR is a peer-reviewed journal published by Michigan Publishing and is distributed to all members of the Theatre Library Association as a benefit of membership. Full text articles from current volumes and many past volumes of PAR are available in the International Bibliography of Theatre and Dance with Full Text and International Index for the Performing Arts Full Text.
Please submit abstracts by January 2, 2024 to issue editor Rye Gentleman, Librarian for Performing Arts, NYU (rye.gentleman@nyu.edu). Full drafts of articles will be due on June 2, 2024. Please email the editor if you would like to discuss article ideas or if you have questions.