Exhibitions Committee

Charge

The Library Exhibitions Committee supports exhibits that highlight the University Library’s rich and vast collections, and especially encourages exhibits that look beyond the walls of the Library and attempt to incorporate nationally or locally recognized themes and events, campus programs, or emerging research. The Committee maintains a wide variety of preservation-friendly supplies and offers modest funding assistance to exhibitors throughout the University Library system. The committee also manages exhibitions held in the designated Main Library display cases. At the start of each academic year, the committee solicits exhibitions for these display areas from the Library and campus community and maintains a schedule of these exhibitions, including the titles, dates of displays, and names of exhibitors, which are publicized through the Office of Library Advancement.

Typically, there is a two consecutive term limit.

Committee Information

Ongoing call for exhibitions

The Library Exhibits Committee is seeking exhibits for the North-South Corridor, Library Gallery, and the Second Floor Exhibit Cases (located near the entrance to the Main Stacks) of the Main Library. Portable exhibit cases and banners are also available. Exhibition topics that either highlight the University Library’s rich and vast collections or that look beyond the walls of the Library and attempt to incorporate nationally or locally recognized themes and events, campus programs, or emerging research. All exhibit topics should be presented in a thoughtful and inclusive way.

Proposing an exhibit

  1. Exhibition Schedule: Check exhibit space availability
  2. Webtools Form: Submit an Exhibit Proposal

Please contact the Library Exhibits Committee at excom@library.illinois.edu with any questions.

Current and Upcoming Exhibitions

A public facing page for promoting Library exhibitions; displays up to four exhibits from the exhibitions calendar.

More Information for Exhibitors

For more information regarding planning or designing a Library exhibit, and viewing a list of exhibition supplies and printing templates, visit our supplementary web pages.

Graduate Student Exhibit Contest

Each year the Library Exhibitions Committee sponsors a competition open to graduate students employed by the University Library. Proposals are generally accepted from October through December and the winning exhibition is displayed in the Library Gallery in March or April. The winning exhibitor/team receives a cash prize. Watch for contest submission announcements in Libnews as well as updated contest information here:

Funding for Exhibitions

Funding in support of library exhibits is available through the Dr. C. Barber Mueller Display Case Fund. Color and large-scale printing, display equipment, and exhibition supplies may be purchased by the Exhibitions Committee on behalf of exhibit curators. To find out more about funding for exhibitions, or to inquire about a reimbursement, please contact the Exhibitions Committee.

Read this Friendscript article  about Dr. C. Barber Mueller’s generous donation and his desire to honor the five University of Illinois zoology and chemistry professors who had a profound influence on his career during his undergraduate studies on our campus.