Librarian's Toolbox

What is National History Day in Minnesota?

History Day is an exiciting co-curricular program that encourages young people to explore a historical subject related to an annual theme. The 2012 theme is "Revolution, Reaction, Reform." For more information on program details and the annual theme please visit What is History Day? and Theme Info

Library Staff are Important Partners in History Day

It doesn't matter what size library you work at, you do have resources and expertise to assist History Day students. Using your print resources and databases (purchased locally or through state and regional cooperatives), you have information to help students get started. However, because students need both primary and secondary sources, it can be a bit intimidating. Each library is not responsible for having all the answers, but rather to assist students with research, demonstrate how to access various resources, and giving them referalls to where they might try next. The experience of researching and analyzing information that can be found in your library to better understand their topic and its historical significance is a valuable step in the research process.

Collaboration between social studies teachers, school media specialists, and public library staff is an opportunity to help students learn better research skills. Getting direction from the social studies teacher and using the school center is how most students begin their History Day journey. However, middle and high school students may not be aware of what resources are at their local public library, making History Day a fabulous opportunity to demonstrate how to find books, use databases, and learn about other resources the library may offer.

Interlibrary loan and/or visits to other libraries are very important for gathering the resources necessary to complete a History Day project. Working in partnerships with the library state network, History Day gives library staff an opportunity to demonstrate to students what a phenomenal network the state libraries offer from books to articles from contemporary to historic.

Don't overlook local historical societies, local historians, innovative businesses, and interesting resources in your community. Giving referrals to these organizations and institutions may be just what a students needs to find missing information.

History Day Hullabaloo

A History Day Hullabaloo is an opportunity for enthusiastic History Day students to gather for several hours at a host library to conduct primary and secondary research with the guidance of library staff, get one-on-one help from a History Day staff member or undergraduate mentor, attend power conferences on a range of topics, and view sample projects.

The History Day staff at the Minnesota Historical Society and other libraries around the state have experience in hosting effective History Day Hullabaloos and research field trips with students.

Research Funds

We are very pleased to report that the Council of Regional Public Library Systems has renewed their partnership with Minnesota History Day to support Library Field Trips and student research support services. This means that you will be able to arrange subsidized field trips to public and academic libraries and take advantage of research open house (“Hullabaloo”) events with your students.

Please refer to the Library Funding document to find out more about the process.

There is also a Program Approval Form that needs to be submitted before you can access these funds.

Please direct questions to Laura Zeccardi at laura.zeccardi@mnhs.org or (651)259-3439

Tools to get started: