n.an organized display of materialsSmith 1938b, 68One end of one floor of the stacks is sectioned off as an exhibition room. Here the shelf space has been inclosed with glass, behind which the documents are displayed on inclined boards. The exhibit is open to the public from about 10 to 1 every day.Archer 1965, 480It has come to the attention of the writer, during the past six years, that mechanical (and automatic) equipment is not infallible; and from the instances observed at first hand, it is obvious that the librarian charged with the administration of rare collections must be alert to this possibility. Remedies are few, but where the problems are recognized, the disaster of overheated volumes, mildewed bindings, and dust-covered pages can be avoided, if the curators responsible for exhibitions are cognizant of mechanical and human weaknesses.Powers 1978, 300For this reason, light may be the conservator’s strongest argument against exhibitions: if the viewer cannot see the item easily and comfortably, why display it?Casterline 1980, 35All mounting techniques should be reversible so that the condition of the materials will be the same after the exhibition as it was when they were removed for display. This rule is based on the assumption that the items were in displayable condition to begin with. But, as most practitioners know, they sometimes need cleaning, flattening, or other special attention prior to exhibition.Chute 2011, 312At the same time, archivists borrow artifacts from other archives and museums to add unique items to an exhibition or to enhance a case with three-dimensional artifacts when the collection only includes paper. In most cases, the exchange of artifacts and documents for exhibition is beneficial to both the lender and the borrower.Lacher-Feldman 2013, 35One of the best and most timely ways to get new ideas for exhibit work is to use new acquisitions as a means to drive your exhibition choices.Robinson-Sweet 2018, 30The concerted effort to collect these histories and make them accessible through exhibitions fundamentally shifted the narrative about Japanese American internment, constituting an archival reparation.KU Libraries 2018, 1Instead, this anniversary exhibition is a snapshot of books, manuscripts, photographs, records, and other items that have made a difference in the lives of the people we call friends of Spencer Research Library.Bell and Sparks 2020, 37Initially, time and exhibition space were budgeted only for an on-campus exhibition.NEDCC 2020a, 3Some materials are more sensitive to light than others—exhibition time should be limited for materials such as blueprints, diazotypes, hand colored illustrations, illuminated manuscripts, botanical specimens, and some types of photographs. It is advisable to use facsimiles of these materials. When a facsimile cannot be used, consider rotating items on exhibit.Leventhal et al. 2021, 335Marketing, communications, and special projects departments utilize materials from the archives to win new projects, attract clients, and present the firm’s work publicly in press, publications, or exhibitions.Bauer et al. 2023, 463AUB’s Archives and Special Collections Department also mounts physical exhibitions, usually developing a corresponding virtual exhibit, with fifteen exhibits that can be viewed online. Occasions for exhibitions include the receipt of a notable new collection like the Anisa Najjar collection or commemorating major milestones in AUB and Lebanese history like the centennial of the First World War.Reijerkerk and Reed 2023, 582History Colorado’s repatriation consulting work with local tribes evolved into collaborative exhibition planning with shared curatorial authority of materials from the museum archives.
