Want to get involved?

There are many ways to get involved with the TPS Collective. We welcome anyone who may simply want to stay up to date on current trends in our field and to take part in events, but some are looking for ways to actively take part in and guide the direction of this group. Below is a list of roles that we currently fill in the TPS Collective.

Do you want to stay up to date on new developments, posts, events, and updates? Join the TPS Collective List-serv by clicking the button below. Before joining, please review the community guidelines and listserv policy.

Join the TPS Collective Listserv

 

If you are interested in joining our conversation on Slack, please email us at tpscollective[at]gmail[dot]com.

Notes from the Field

Write for Notes from the Field

Notes from the Field is a online peer-reviewed publication. Since 2019, TPS community members have contributed posts on a diverse array of topics. The editors periodically issue calls for contributions on specific topics, ranging from 1000 to 1200 words. 

  • How many people: Unlimited
  • Length of commitment: Ongoing; Calls on specific themes go out periodically, and submissions are also accepted on a rolling basis. Talk with the editors if you have a submission idea, but aren’t quite sure how to develop it. 
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com OR lueckj[at]union.edu

Serve as Peer Reviewer for Notes from the Field

  • How many people: Unlimited
  • Length of commitment: Ongoing
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com OR ajarm[at]uci.edu

Serve as Editor of Notes from the Field

  • How many people: Typically there are 3 editors, cycling through leadership role
  • Length of commitment: Check
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com OR lueckj[at]union.edu

TPS Case Study Series 

The Society of American Archivists (SAA) publishes an open-ended series of case studies designed to illustrate the application of the Guidelines for Primary Source Literacy. Case studies are peer reviewed, using a single-blind process, by volunteer reviewers who are members of RAO Section or affiliated with the RBMS Instruction and Outreach Committee.

Serve as Writer, Peer Reviewer, or Editor for TPS Case Study Series

Teaching Tools Library

The TPS Collective maintains an extensive Teaching Tools Library of lesson plans, videos, and other resources to support practitioners in planning and teaching with primary sources. Contributors have also written short features to accompany the contribution(s) on the TPS Collective website (examples of previous features). 

Contribute to the Teaching Tools Library

  • How many people: Unlimited
  • Length of commitment: None
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com or request to be added to group library via your Zotero account

Write about a Teaching Tool

  • How many people: Unlimited
  • Length of commitment: None
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com 

TPS Bibliography

The TPS Bibliography was started in 2011 by the TPS Subcommittee of the Research, Access, and Outreach Committee of the Society of American Archivists, and is now hosted and curated by the TPS Collective. It is a chronological, user-generated bibliography for resources about Teaching with Primary Sources in a Zotero library. 

Edit the TPS Bibliography

  • How many people: 1-2
  • Length of commitment: Flexible
  • Contact: Jen Hoyer and Danielle Nista

TPS Community Calls 

These sessions allow the TPS Community to congregate and learn together via Zoom, covering timely topics. Members of the TPS Community propose Community Calls in whatever format suits their needs. This could be formal or informal presentations by one or a group of colleagues, followed by discussion time. Other calls have been designed as a moderated discussion throughout. Some colleagues have shared lesson plans, demonstrated technology hacks, or gathered and shared perspectives on pressing challenges facing our practice.

A facilitation guide has been prepared to help you organize a call on your topic of interest. If you have an idea but aren’t sure how to develop it, members of the TPS Facilitation Team can advise. 

Organize a Community Call

  • How many people: Usually between 2-5 organizers
    • Additional volunteers moderate the chat or provide support
  • Length of commitment: 1-3 months
    • Planning and scheduling usually takes between 1-3 months
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com

TPS Fest 

TPS Fest is an annual gathering — in person starting around 2014, and virtual since 2020 — of individuals who teach with primary source material and are interested in having conversations about doing more of that work. TPS Fest is for anyone who wants to learn and share with other like-minded people of all levels and types of experience. This event only happens because of volunteers and attendees like you.

Attend TPS Fest

Find details on the TPS Fest page. Join your colleagues for an informative and fun event, with a variety of attendee-driven sessions or happenings, covering all aspects of Teaching with Primary Sources!

Organize a TPS Fest Session 

Sessions take many forms, including discussion sessions, demonstrations, or traditional paper panel presentations. See previous sessions here. 

  • How many people: 
  • Length of commitment: The call for session organizers usually goes in May or June.
  • Contact:  tpsfest[at]tpscollective.org

Volunteer to Serve as Chat Moderator, Zoom Host or Notetaker

Sentence about why it is needed and what is involved.

  • How many people:
  • Length of commitment: The call for volunteers usually goes out in June or July.
  • Contact:  tpsfest[at]tpscollective.org

Plan the TPS Fest

All are welcome, at all levels of TPS know-how and event-planning experience! We use drop-in sessions to brainstorm about session topics, make connections, and work on different tasks — all pieces of planning TPS Fest. Many folks start by lurking and decide later to take on other roles.

  • How many people: Usually needs about 20-25 volunteers with a set of 2-4 main leads
  • Length of commitment: Planning usually begins in February or March; the Fest is usually in July or August.
  • Contact: tpsfest[at]tpscollective.org

TPS Peer Mentorship Program

The TPS Peer Mentorship Program brings TPS practitioners together to support each other and grow. It is an opportunity to connect with folks who have shared TPS interests. Small groups meet to share, listen, learn together, and invite constructive feedback. All experience levels are welcome. 

Participate in Peer Mentorship 

Peer mentorship is a commitment of time and energy. We won’t give you loads of homework—we’re planning to share some questions to guide the conversation in each gathering—but you’ll still need to set aside time in your calendar to meet with your group and bring energy to be present for conversation.

  • How many people: varies
  • Length of commitment: 6 weeks
  • Commitment time: Small peer mentorship groups meet every two weeks, with two additional two gatherings for all participants. 
  • Point person: John Henry Adams, tpscollective[at]gmail.com

Serve as Coordinator

  • How many people: 2-3
  • Length of commitment: 8-9 weeks
  • Commitment time: 2-3 hours a week
  • Point person: John Henry Adams, tpscollective[at]gmail.com

TPS Collective Community Outreach

The TPS Community is connected with several other communities of practice. Volunteers connect related professional groups and contribute to a culture of shared information and opportunities. We currently have strong connections with ACRL-RBMS (Instruction and Outreach Committee), Society of American Archivist-Reference, Access, and Outreach Section (Teaching with Primary Sources subcommittee), Bibliographical Society of America, and other communities, and are looking for liaisons to help cohere additional TPS connections nationally and internationally. 

Serve as Connector

  • How many people: unlimited
  • Length of commitment: Your choice
  • Commitment time: Attendance at a monthly 1.5 hour meeting TPS Facilitation Team meeting
  • Point person: Matt Herbison (mh683[at]drexel.edu)

Support Early Career Folks

Join a team of colleagues who are enthusiastic about facilitating connections and support for graduate students and early career folks in TPS areas.

  • How many people: unlimited
  • Length of commitment: Your choice
  • Commitment time: Attendance at a monthly 1.5 hour meeting, plus 2-4 hours per month
  • Point person: Matt Herbison (mh683[at]drexel.edu)

Maintain the TPS Calendar 

We have a lot going on in the TPS Community! This small group maintains a centralized calendar, gathering and posting events and opportunities. 

  • How many people: 2-3
  • Length of commitment: One year commitment
  • Commitment time: Attendance at a monthly 1.5 hour meeting, plus 2-4 hours per month
  • Point person: Katie Banks (knbanks [at] milligan.edu)

TPS Collective Website Development

This small group updates content, site structure, and design, periodically seeking feedback from the TPS Community. Tasks include generating and sharing use statistics, site maintenance, and working with other liaisons to ensure functionality and accurate content. WordPress experience welcome!

  • How many people: 2-3
  • Length of commitment: One year commitment
  • Commitment time: Attendance at a monthly 1.5 hour meeting, plus 2-4 hours per month
  • Point person: Katie Banks (knbanks [at] milligan.edu) or Matt Herbison (mh683 [at] drexel.edu)

TPS Collective Facilitation Team

The Facilitation Team is made up of representatives of the many active projects and initiatives underway in the TPS Collective community. The goal of this group is to keep our efforts organized, well-communicated, and coordinated. Designated representatives from SAA and RBMS have a home on this group, and we are seeking connectors/liaisons to other interested professional groups. The meeting is open to any/all in the world of TPS who have an interest. Folks are welcome to join just one meeting to share an idea or join a discussion, or to be added to the series of meetings and join on a more running basis, or as able. Roles include: 

  • General facilitation and strategy
  • Project coordinators
  • Email and listserv coordinators
  • Connector / liaison to other groups

  • How many people: Usually this group is about 10-15 people; all are welcome!
  • Length of commitment: Attendance at 1.5 hour monthly meeting, plus subgroup work; You choose how long to participate
  • Contact: tpscollective[at]gmail.com 

YOUR IDEA HERE

If you have an idea, we hope you’ll think of this community space as a place to find collaborators, advice, or the webspace to host/promote your initiative. Reach out via the TPS Collective Listserv to look for co-conspirators, or contact the TPS Facilitation Team if you prefer to brainstorm together with us (tpscollective [at] gmail [do