Utilizing physical materials in University Libraries’ collections is crucial to the success of Professor Jake Boswell’s students. As associate professor of landscape architecture and graduate chair of the landscape architecture program, Boswell understands the value of getting hands-on experience.
“Sometimes students don’t realize that flipping through and browsing is something you can’t really do online. It’s something you can do in a physical space. This is really important to find what you are looking for,” said Boswell.
Boswell often uses the Sanborn Fire Insurance Maps in the Architecture Library’s Rare Books collection as an educational resource. The physical Sanborn maps are valuable to see in person to understand how they are set up before using them online. “I have students, starting as freshmen, do site research and learning to do urban histories,” he said “The Sanborn maps are a great resource for that. It is nice to have one of these maps in the library.”
“The other cool thing that I use in the Architecture Library is the chair collection,” Boswell said. “You visit those pieces of furniture in historic homes, but you are not allowed to sit in them.” The opportunity to learn more about each piece by getting your hands on it and being able to flip it over and examine it is a truly valuable learning experience for Boswell’s students.
The Architecture Library is not the only library Boswell uses frequently. He often requests books from the Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences Library & Student Success Center; uses the microfiche in Thompson Library to teach his students about local history and development through old newspaper articles and visits Billy Ireland Cartoon Library & Museum to connect his students with the construction of graphic novels by viewing original boards.
“There is a lot of overlap between how landscape architecture representation and how graphic novel representation works because you are dealing with how things change over time. There’s actually a lot of really good techniques that you can pick up as a landscape architect from graphic novelists,” Boswell said.
The impact University Libraries’ resources have had on students’ work is tremendous. “Part of being a designer is being familiar with what’s out there. Ideally, you’re traveling and you’re seeing these projects, but that’s not reality. So, seeing them in photographs and in documents is the next best thing,” said Boswell.
He continued, “You always want your students to be familiar with excellent work, and we have a huge collection of excellent work.”