American Studies Resources Centre, Aldham Robarts Centre, Liverpool John Moores University, Mount Pleasant, Liverpool L3 5UZ, United Kingdom Tel 0151-231 3241 E-mail info@americansc.org.uk

Programme Director Ian Ralston

The Centre maintains a wide collection of teaching materials (including video-tapes and computer software) on American politics, history, geography, science and technology, art, and popular culture. The recently updated catalogue listing all resources costs £4. This can be supplied either in printed format or on 3.5" PC floppy disc in Access or Excel formats. When ordering it, please specify whether you want the printed or disc version. Schools and colleges wishing to make use of the Centre's loan facilities should write to the above address on School/College headed paper. Through the Cultural Office of the United States Embassy, the Centre is able to provide (at postage only cost) sets of US Government publications on such topics as history, geography, civil rights, the role of the media, government etc. as well as maps. The Centre also has packs of videos that deal with four Supreme Court cases and which will be donated to any school/college (at postage cost only) that has a video machine capable of playing NTSC VHS videos. (Please note that these videos are not compatible with PAL VHS systems; therefore check your machine before contacting the Centre.) Each request for AV materials will be subject to a handling charge of £1, (per request, not item) on top of postage.

STUDY DAYS:

These can be organised for school and college groups if arranged at least three weeks in advance.

American Politics Group (APG)

The main objective of the APG is to provide a forum for the analysis and discussion of politics in the United States. Its activities include an annual two day conference in January, with papers being given on aspects of American politics. There is also an Annual Colloquium held at the US Embassy in London in November. This involves a number of talks around a theme of topical importance, as well as a satellite link up with Washington DC. The APG also publishes (twice yearly) American Politics Review, which features articles, news and book reviews.The APG invites applications for membership from those who teach American Politics at whatever level, or anyone with an academic interest in the politics of the United States. For further details contact: for further contact details Dr.Esther Jubb, Dept of Social Science, Liverpool John Moores University, Henry Cotton Building, Truman Street. Liverpool email Email e.c.jubb@livjm.ac.uk

The British Association For American Studies (BAAS)

Jenel Virden, BAAS Secretary, Department of American Studies, The University' Hull HU6 7RX email j.virden@amstuds.hull.ac.uk

This organisation seeks to promote and support the study of the United States in universities, colleges (HE/FE) and schools across the U.K. Each year at the annual BAAS conference a session is held to address the needs of teachers in Secondary and Further Education. BAAS is keen to welcome more school and FE teachers into its ranks. Membership is £20 per annum. Further details on application to: Jenel Virden, BAAS Secretary address as above.

The next BAAS conference will be hosted by the Department of American Studies, Keele University, from 6 - 9 April, 2001.

BAAS Midlands

The Midlands branch of BAAS organises a variety of conferences for teachers and sixth formers. Past topics have included: The American West, Vietnam, Huckleberry Finn, The Crucible and Black Women Writers. If you would like to know more about what is on offer in 1995-96, please contact either Dr. Peter Boyle, American Studies Department, University of Nottingham (0115 514262) or Dr. Liam Kennedy, American Studies Department, University of Birmingham (0121 414 5736), or Professor D.K. Adams, American Studies Department, University of Keele (01782 621111).

If your local Midlands institution of higher education does not currently offer teachers a sixth form conference and you believe that local teachers would want such a meeting, please contact Peter Ling, Treasurer, Midlands BAAS, Department of American and Canadian Studies, University of Nottingham, NG7 2RD. The regional branch has some conferences that might be staged at new venues where teachers request it.

The British Film Institute, 21 St. Stephen Street, London W1P 1PL. Tel.0207 255 1444.

This government-funded organisation has an educational department which will advise teachers on film and television education and has a flourishing publications unit.

Central Bureau for Educational Visits

Organises exchanges to the USA for qualified British teachers in all subjects. Return travel and cost of living allowance are provided by the Bureau.
The Central Bureau has four offices in the UK, based in London, Cardiff, Edinburgh and Belfast. Addresses are as follows:

Serving England:

Direct line numbers for different programmes within the London office are given in the relevant web pages.

Serving Wales:

Serving Scotland:

Serving Northern Ireland:

This organisation runs a variety of exchange and educational programmes for groups to the USA.

Director: Professor Philip J.Davies; Bibliographical Editor: Jean Petrovic.

The Eccles Centre for American Studies was founded in 1991 to support the study of the United States and Canada in the United Kingdom at all educational levels. One of its main aims is to identify and publicise North American materials in the British Library collections through the publication of a series of Guides. So far six have been published and more are in progress. Two recent Guides are 'United States Government Policies Toward Native Americans, 1787-1990', and 'United States and Canadian Holdings in the British Library Newspaper Library'. The Centre also publishes an annual Guide to undergraduate and taught masters courses at institutions of higher education in the United Kingdom. All publications are available from the Eccles Centre for a small charge. The Centre will gladly respond to any enquiries concerning American Studies. Jean Kemble has written an article about the Centre for our on-line journal.

The English Speaking Union

The ESU sponsors a number of scholarships for teachers to visit the USA. Forms of application can be obtained from the Director of Education, ESU, Dartmouth House, 37 Charles St., London W1X 8AB. Tel. 0207-493-3328.

Film Education, 41-42 Berners St., London W1P 3AA Tel. 0207-637-9932 Fax 0207 637 9996

www.filmeducation.org

This organisation, sponsored by the film industry, produces excellent study guides on films as they appear on the commercial circuit. They also organise study days in cinemas throughout the country and have produced general guides to film and media studies. Many of their teaching aids are on American films.

The Fulbright Commission, 62 Doughty St., London WC1N 2LQ Tel. 0207-404-6994.

http://www.fulbright.co.uk/

The Commission provides information on full time study opportunities in the USA and maintains a collection of US college course catalogues together with copies of test preparation materials such as SAT, GRE, GMAT and TOEFL. The Speakers Bureau deals with requests from groups wishing to have American speakers who are drawn from American scholars in Britain on Fulbright, Rhodes or Marshall programmes. The Education Advisory Service is open to the public from 10.30-1.00 and 2.00-4.30. Telephone enquiries from 11.00-5.15.

North American Indian Association (NAIA). 9/2 Dunsyre House North, 33 Clader Crescent, Edinburgh EH11 4JH tel 0131 453 1046.

The North American Indian Association acts as an interest group for people who share an interest in the cultures, histories and beliefs of Native Americans and also as a support and pressure group. It organises a friendship programme to connect Indian reservations with schools in the UK and mainland Europe, an educational sponsorship scheme for Native American children and a volunteer programme on reservations in South Dakota.

USIS Reference Centre United States Information Service, Embassy of the United States of America, 24 Grosvenor Square, London W1A 2LH.

This service is designed to meet the reference and research needs of libraries, institutions and individuals with specific and serious enquiries. It is not open to the general public. For further information telephone 0207-499-9000 ext. 2638/2643.

The American Museum, Claverton Manor, Bath, Tel. 01225-460503

This museum is entirely devoted to a wide range of American arts including a sequence of domestic interior reconstructions of the colonial and federal eras and an excellent collection of Shaker furniture. It has an educational department which can organise study days for schools and colleges.

The Horniman Museum, Forest Hill, London SE 23 3PQ, Tel. 0208-699-2339

This museum has an excellent educational department whose staff give guided tours and interactive presentations based on their collection of Native-American artifacts which includes a Navajo sand painting.

American Exhibits: John Judkyn Memorial Freshford Manor, Bath BA3 6BX Tel. 01225 723312. Fax 01225 723730

This organisation, which is not open to the public, offers two services:

a) An educational loan service of school "kits" containing real historical objects which visually convey a sense of a chosen aspect of American history. Catalogue available on request.

b) Loan exhibitions on various aspects of American culture. These shows are designed for museums, galleries and other establishments which are able to offer appropriate security and environmental controls. Catalogue available on request

Merseyside Maritime Museum, Albert Dock, Liverpool, L3 4AQ,
Tel 0151 478 4499
http://www.liverpoolmuseums.org.uk/maritime/

The museum features a permanent exhibition entitled 'Emigrants to a New World' which has sections about the USA. Educational tapes which were produced by Radio Merseyside and which support the exhibition are available for purchase. The new exhibition dealing with Trans-Atlantic slavery is now open and is highly recommended.

National Museum of Photography Film and Television, Prince's View, Bradford, West Yorkshire BD5 Tel. 01274-727488.

This impressive museum contains a wide collection of exhibitions, audio- visual presentations and other displays many of which are relevant to students of Media Studies and Popular Culture. The central element of the museum is the IMAX auditorium. There is also an educational department which runs a variety of programmes for schools and colleges.

The Tate Gallery, Millbank, London SW1 Tel. 0207-821-1313

Within the modern art collections of this gallery that emphasises the 20th Century, are a number of American paintings, mainly by the New York School of Abstract artists. There is a good education department that runs a series of activity-based or lecture programmes for schools.

Ulster American Folk Park, Camphill, Omagh, Co. Tyrone, Northern Ireland

Tells the story of the great migrations of Ulster people to America and their contributions to the development of American society.