Submit an Exhibit Proposal
This guide provides detailed instructions for anyone interested in curating physical exhibits in Alden Library or digital exhibits for 91探花 Libraries.
Curators should take an active role in designing exhibits that are engaging, accessible, and illuminating for their audience and select exhibit layouts and explanatory text that aid their audience in interpretation, rather than passive consumption. The goal of an exhibit is that the selection and juxtaposition of components produces a narrative or new understanding in the audience. We encourage exhibitors to consider items, ideas, and curatorial approaches that center marginalized voices and experiences in their exhibits, and we are committed to continually working to make our physical and digital exhibits accessible to all patrons.
Physical Exhibits Checklist
Before You Submit Your Proposal
- Review the exhibit policies and be prepared to submit your proposal 4 months prior or as far in advance as possible. Remember that you may need to be flexible about locations, dates, materials available, etc.
- Review the Libraries to get an idea of topics and themes that have recently been explored.
- Contact Kelly Roder (exhibits coordinator) if you have questions about exhibit policies and spaces. If needed, she will then connect you with the collection curator or library staff member with whom you will be working.
- Consider the audience for your exhibit, the types of materials you'd like to display, and select an exhibit space accordingly.
- It's important to think about accessibility before you begin planning your exhibit, not after. If you are showing video, be sure it's captioned or make sure a transcript is available. Consider including braille in object labels or even consider printing a document (let's say a Civil War Letter) in braille. Treat these requests like you would a printing services request (at least two weeks ahead of time) to make sure that they can be completed in a timely fashion.
- Still interested? !
After Your Proposal is Accepted
- If using Libraries materials, consult with the collection curator and/or Miriam Nelson regarding preservation and correct handling and display.
- For information about exhibit supplies (risers, supports, cradles, labels, etc.), consult with Kelly Roder (exhibits coordinator), the collection curator, and/or Miriam Nelson.
- Three weeks ahead of installation make sure to submit all printing requests to the exhibits coordinator and schedule installation time on their calendar. If the timing of your exhibit does not allow this lead time for printing, you may be responsible for any printing charges related to the exhibit outside of printing done in-house.
- Two weeks from the intended install date, submit label text to the collection curator and exhibits coordinator for copy-editing and fact checking.
- Ensure that all items are ready for immediate installation and consult with the exhibits coordinator regarding hanging hardware for two-dimensional items (remember, no adhesives or damaging hardware allowed).
- Prior to installation, clean cases, if needed.
After Your Exhibit is Installed
- At least two weeks before de-installation, schedule time with the collection curator or exhibits coordinator.
Digital Exhibits Checklist
Before You Submit Your Proposal
- Review the exhibit policies and be prepared to submit a proposal at least two months in advance (or earlier if possible!).
- Review the Libraries to get an idea of topics and themes that have recently been explored.
- Contact Kelly Roder (exhibits coordinator) if you have questions about the exhibit policies. If needed, she will then connect you with the collection curator or library staff member with whom you will be working.
- Consider the audience for your exhibit, the types of materials you'd like to include, and select a library-approved platform from those suggested in the .
- If you would like to use Libraries materials in your exhibit that are not already digitized and available online in the Digital Archives, you must first contact the respective curator for the collection and include them as a contact in your proposal.
- It's important to think about accessibility before you begin planning your exhibit, not after. New exhibitors will be asked to meet with a member of the Libraries Exhibits Committee for an accessibility consultation. Furthermore, every digital exhibit will be accessibility tested prior to being published so please plan ahead. For example, all images must have (or sufficient visual descriptions if alt text is not available.)
- Still interested? !
After Your Proposal is Accepted
- Provide context for all visual media. At minimum, this should include the title and originating collection. Ideally it will also include an author or creator name, date of creation, and any publication information.
- All images should be captioned with the preferred citation for the image.
- Link to image sources. All images or media sourced from digital collections should link out to those pages.
- Edit, edit, edit. Question exactly how much information your audience needs to understand the purpose of your exhibit, and whether more is actually more. A digital exhibit is a great opportunity to be strategic and concise in your selections and explanations!
- Write for an online audience. Check out the for tips on web writing.
- Credit yourself and contributors. Finished exhibits should clearly identify the author by name, library position (for staff), academic program or major, and graduation year. For example: Sarah Romer, BS '23, Wildlife & Conservation Biology, Digital Initiatives Assistant, 91探花 Libraries.
- Follow accessibility guidelines. Digital exhibits should adhere to the WebAIM as much as possible. For specifics, please review our for digital storytelling.
- First-time curators will be required to meet with a member of the exhibits committee for an accessibility consultation shortly after submitting a proposal.
- Allow time for fact checking. Provide the collection curator and the exhibits coordinator two weeks from the intended publication date for copy-editing, checking accessibility, and fact checking.
After Your Exhibit is Published
- Be ready for community challenges. We will follow the lead of Digital Initiatives regarding takedown requests, but all other community challenges to digital exhibits content should be addressed and/or forwarded to the exhibits coordinator.
- Remember that nothing is permanent. At some point in the future, exhibits may become outdated, we may switch exhibit platforms, or other circumstances may arise that would necessitate the sunsetting of your exhibit. That
decision will be made by the exhibits coordinator in
consultation with other Libraries staff.