Discovery Sessions

Discovery Sessions are an opportunity to explore the possibilities of Heritage Collections in all aspects of participatory research. Join us to think about how they might be used in co-design, public involvement, citizen science, or any other form of involved research.

You don't need archival experience to use Heritage Collections in your research. Discovery Sessions are an opportunity to come together to think about how heritage can positively contribute to research, learning, and understanding. They can act as a bridge between community and researcher, a leaping off point for collaboration and discussion, or simply an opportunity to come together and network. They may be the focal point of the work (Old Weather) or as a tool for facilitating future work (Unseen Hands). 

Everyone is welcome to attend these sessions, regardless of background or interest. Due to the nature of some events, numbers may be limited or we may ask you to contact us directly to secure a ticket.

Additional practical details for members of the University of Edinburgh Community can be found on the SharePoint.

Visit the SharePoint Page

Forthcoming Sessions

Young People, Social Interaction, & Loneliness in the Digital Age

10th April, 2024, 4-6pm

Young people from the Generation Scotland Project will come together with the University's art curators to select works that they feel represent important aspects of social interaction and loneliness. Artworks have the potential to prompt discussion, lay the groundwork for further investigation, and act as a focal point to bridge the gap between professional researcher and their collaborating participants. This is a chance to think about this, at the same time as exploring some of the vast artworks within the Heritage Collections.

Venue: in person

To register, please contact us directly:  n.e.coleman@ed.ac.uk 

Past Sessions

LGBTQ+ Switchboard, Wellbeing & Health (Online Only)

With the Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA)

28th February 2024, 4-5:30pm

With researchers Anne Hanley and Robin Sen we will explore the LGBTQ+ Switchboard Archives. We will discuss their potential use in participation and engagement - both with members of the LGBTQ+ community, but also in projects that might deal with topics relating to support, inclusion and exclusion, healthcare provision, charitable foundations, and so forth. 

As always, we are coming together for the purposes of discovery - there is huge potential in this rich and diverse collection!

LGBTQ+ Histories, Health and Wellbeing in Edinburgh

With the Lothian Health Services Archive (LHSA)

14th February 2024, 4-6pm

The Lothian Health Services Archive houses a vast amount of archival material relating to the history of LGBTQ+ lived experiences. From the newly catalogued Switchboard materials through to posters and stickers used in campaigning and advocacy, the LHSA has a rich collection that may be used in many forms of participatory research - not just limited to medicine and the social sciences of health.

Our ad hoc co-curatorial team made up of researchers and collections staff will walk us through the materials on display, emphasising why they chose their items, and how they thought they might be used in research. Attendees will then be welcome to browse the materials at their leisure, and to join us in an informal conversation. 

Venue: Centre for Research Collections, 6th Floor of the Main Library, 50 George Square.

Are you a researcher or member of a community represented in the collections? Do you have a participatory research topic you are interested in thinking more deeply about, or an area of the collections you'd like to explore in more depth? Let's chat about a Discovery Session.  

Get in touch! n.e.coleman@ed.ac.uk 

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