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Main Library Gallery news

Month: May 2021

Three people look through archival files as they plan an exhibition for the Main Library Gallery.
May 27 2021

2023-2024 Main Library Gallery Exhibit Proposals Open

Posted on May 27, 2021April 8, 2022 by Sara J. Pinkham

The University of Iowa Libraries’ Main Library Gallery is now seeking exhibition proposals for Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024. University of Iowa faculty and staff are invited to submit statements of interest between May 28 and July 16, 2021. Proposals from across campus are welcome. Read on to learn more about curating exhibitions in the Main Library Gallery and to find a link to the submission form.

Artifacts in wall cases inside the Main Library Gallery.
From Stories Worth Telling: Marking Twenty Years of “The Greatest Generation,” co-curated by Elizabeth Riordan & Laura Michelson, 2018.

What is the Main Library Gallery?
The University of Iowa Libraries’ Main Library Gallery is a museum-quality exhibition space located on the ground floor of the Main Library. The Gallery is equipped with temperature and humidity controls, professional grade display cases with alarms, and low light, all of which make it a suitable environment for rare artifacts requiring special display conditions. The facility has the capacity to host exhibition-related public programs for up to 100 guests in person, and the Gallery is a member of the American Alliance of Museums. A key purpose of the Gallery is to showcase UI Libraries collections.

Past Exhibitions:
Exhibits at the Main Library Gallery give the campus community and the general public access to items from the rich collections of the University of Iowa Libraries, including those which are rare and historically significant. Exhibit curators select unique objects, photos, papers, and books from these collections to tell stories about a range of fascinating topics, some of which have included: 

  • the ground-breaking space discoveries of UI professor James Van Allen
  • Shakespeare’s First Folio, a rare volume of the bard’s plays published only one year after his death
  • Star Trek memorabilia from the personal collection of Wrath of Khan director Nicholas Meyer
  • the accomplishments and legacies of African American Hawkeyes
  • early filmmaking in Iowa as seen through the lens of Frank Brinton
  • a tribute to Walt Whitman
  • selections from the Ruth and Marvin Sackner Archive of Concrete and Visual Poetry 
  • a 50th anniversary celebration of the Latino Native American Cultural Center

See details about past exhibits on the Main Library Gallery website. 

How is the role of curator defined for the Main Library Gallery?

A guest curator in the Main Library Gallery is someone who assembles a research-based story narrative for the exhibition medium. This storytelling is enhanced by a selection of compelling items from the Libraries collections. In addition to researching for and curating items for the exhibition, people in this role must expect to serve as subject matter experts throughout the duration of an exhibit. This includes some exhibit-related class interaction or instruction, public programming, and serving as a content consultant for exhibit-related videos, social media and blog posts, and other engagement projects being created by Gallery staff to promote an exhibit.

Three people look through archival files as they plan an exhibition for the Main Library Gallery.
Janet Weaver, Assistant Curator in the Iowa Women’s Archives, assists co-curators Dr. Kim Marra and Mark Anderson as they select items for The Pull of Horses on National and Local Histories and Identities, 2020.

Lead curators should be prepared to devote approximately 15 months to exhibition production: 9 months of moderate work to plan the exhibition, followed by 3 months of intensive work before opening day, and ending with approximately 3 – 5 months of intensive work while the exhibition is open, depending upon the exhibit’s run dates. This includes availability to give guided tours, talks, and other types of exhibit-related programming where possible.

Who can curate an exhibit in the Main Library Gallery?  
Faculty and staff of the University of Iowa are eligible to serve as lead curators. Students and community members may be approved as co-curators.

How are exhibitions chosen?

  • Step I: Potential curators submit an initial statement of interest, after which the Gallery Advisory Team reviews the collected statements. Strong statements are chosen by this team for the next step. Top consideration will be given to exhibition ideas with well-defined themes, learning objectives, potential for community and curricular impact, and which prioritize inclusion. The Gallery Advisory Team is made up of nine UI Libraries staff members, a representative from the Pentacrest Museums, and an Associate University Librarian.
     
  • Step II:  The initial statements with the strongest themes and highest potential for impact are invited to create and submit a complete exhibition proposal.
     
  • Step III: The Gallery Advisory Team reviews and selects the most rounded finalist proposals. Three proposals will be accepted, one each for the following time slots: Fall 2023, Spring 2024, and Fall 2024. 
     
  • Step IV: Approved guest curators begin working with the Gallery’s exhibition and engagement coordinator. A production calendar will be established. 
     

Can I propose the installation of a traveling exhibition from another organization?
Yes. However, traveling shows must be proposed by a University of Iowa faculty or staff member, as with all exhibits. This faculty or staff member must be willing to serve in a curatorial capacity and provide subject matter expertise for classes and public programming throughout the duration of the exhibition.

The Main Library Gallery is part of the University of Iowa Libraries. Can I curate an exhibition of non-UI Libraries materials?
University of Iowa Libraries materials must play a starring role in Main Library Gallery exhibitions, but may be shown alongside approved items loaned from other institutions, campus GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, museums) partners, or collectors.

TIMELINE

July 16: Deadline for statements of interest.
August 2: Decisions are announced. Finalists are invited to write complete proposals.
December 1: Deadline for finalist exhibition proposals.
December 17: 2023 – 2024 exhibitions are announced.

Curating an exhibition is a significant time investment, but the exhibit production process will be guided by Gallery staff and a reasonable production calendar. A professional designer, preparator, conservator, and exhibition and engagement coordinator will ensure success.

SUBMIT YOUR STATEMENT OF INTEREST HERE.


If you have questions about your submission or the selection process, please contact Sara J. Pinkham, Exhibition and Engagement Coordinator.

Tagged Main Library Gallery
Blue text panels tell the story of the #DoesUIowaLoveMe campaign. A large canvas painting is seen in the background.
May 14 2021

‘Building Our Own Community’ Exhibit Extended Through July 23

Posted on May 14, 2021April 8, 2022 by Sara J. Pinkham
Blue text panels tell the story of the #DoesUIowaLoveMe campaign. A large canvas painting is seen in the background.
From Building Our Own Community: 50 Years of the Latino Native American Cultural Center, Founded by Chicano and American Indian Students in 1971. Main Library Gallery, University of Iowa Libraries.

2021 is a milestone year for the Latino Native American Cultural Center (LNACC), which has served as a home away from home for Latinx and Native American students at the University of Iowa since 1971. Anniversary festivities will continue throughout the calendar year as the campus community and alumni celebrate 50 years of the LNACC. The current Main Library Gallery exhibition, curated by librarians Rachel Garza Carreón and Christopher Ortega, will be extended through July 23 to provide more opportunities for visitors to learn about the Center’s history and impact.


 

Please check the Main Library Gallery website for current visiting days and hours. 

 

Tagged Main Library Gallery
Trivia Night! May 6, 7 PM.
May 04 2021

UI Libraries Friends Event: Trivia with Andrew’s Bar Exam

Posted on May 4, 2021April 8, 2022 by Sara J. Pinkham

Trivia Night! May 6, 7 PM.The University of Iowa Libraries invites you to online trivia, emcee’d by Andrew’s Bar Exam. Join for eight rounds of general knowledge questions and see if your team triumphs!

Form a team with your family, friends, or colleagues to compete, or compete individually. (Please arrange a secondary method for your team members to communicate outside of the Zoom event to confer on answers. Text, Facebook messenger, Discord, or other conference call apps are all good options.)

For more information, see the event on Facebook.

No pre-registration is required, though Andrew’s Bar Exam will be accepting donations throughout the duration of the event.

Any donations received will go toward the UI Libraries Student Employee Scholarship Fund. Student employees provide critical staffing for programs and services benefitting the entire UI community. These scholarships are a way to recognize, support, and motivate students in their scholarship, research, and creative work at the University.

LINK TO JOIN THE EVENT ON ZOOM:
https://zoom.us/j/568436598

ANSWER FORM:
(Only one needed per team)
http://bit.ly/BarExamOnline

 

Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa–sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Katie Buehner in advance at (319) 335-3088 or katie-buehner@uiowa.edu.

Tagged Business, Engineering, Events, Hardin, Library News, Music, Sciences, Trivia

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