It’s Been Wonderful Knowing You: Wildlife Conservation and Advocacy Through the Lens of Jay N. “Ding” Darling, the fall 2026 exhibition in the University of Iowa Main Library Gallery, features the work of a Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist from Iowa who was a major catalyst for the modern American conservation movement. From original cartoons and photographs to correspondence and natural history specimens, each item onContinue reading “Curator Q&A with Collin Vandewalle”
Category Archives: Uncategorized
Cartoonist and conservationist Jay N. “Ding” Darling celebrated in new UI Main Library Gallery exhibition
The Main Library Gallery at the University of Iowa Libraries welcomes visitors to explore the rich legacy of American wildlife conservationist and popular political cartoonist Jay N. “Ding” Darling (1876–1962) in its new fall exhibition. Free and open to the public, It’s Been Wonderful Knowing You: Wildlife Conservation and Advocacy Through the Lens of Jay N. “Ding” Darling opened on Aug. 24 and will be on display through Dec. 18, 2026. Continue reading “Cartoonist and conservationist Jay N. “Ding” Darling celebrated in new UI Main Library Gallery exhibition”
Stepping back in time: archival audio meets creativity in the Main Library Gallery
Exhibits always present opportunities for innovation. When co-curators Katie Buehner and Sarah Sudadolnik were envisioning the visitor experience for Orchestrating Community: The Public Service of Iowa Conductor James Dixon, an audio interactive was at the heart of it. They wanted guests of their spring 2026 University of Iowa Main Library Gallery exhibition to encounter an immersive space that could feel like James Dixon’s homeContinue reading “Stepping back in time: archival audio meets creativity in the Main Library Gallery “
Mahler’s influence on James Dixon
The following was compiled by Cecil Campbell, exhibition and engagement student lead for the Main Library Gallery, and features select exhibition text by Sarah Suhadolnik and Katie Buehner. During his considerable tenure as conductor of the Quad City Symphony Orchestra, James Dixon developed a reputation for programming modern compositions, which occasionally ruffled the feathers of his more traditional-minded audienceContinue reading “Mahler’s influence on James Dixon”
James Dixon’s lasting impact on the Quad City Symphony Orchestra
The following was compiled by Cecil Campbell, exhibition and engagement student lead for the Main Library Gallery, and features select exhibition text by Sarah Suhadolnik and Katie Buehner. In 1916, the Tri-Cities area—Rock Island, Illinois; Moline, Illinois; and Davenport, Iowa—was the smallest community in the country to support a full symphony orchestra. Now the Quad City Symphony Orchestra (QCSO), itContinue reading “James Dixon’s lasting impact on the Quad City Symphony Orchestra “
Curator Q&A with Katie Buehner
Orchestrating Community: The Public Service of Iowa Conductor James Dixon, the spring 2026 exhibition in the University of Iowa Main Library Gallery, provides a glimpse into the life of its namesake through stories and objects from the recently donated James Dixon Papers. From newspaper clippings and photographs to official documents and correspondence, each item on display helps piece together hisContinue reading “Curator Q&A with Katie Buehner”
Curator Q&A with Sarah Suhadolnik
Orchestrating Community: The Public Service of Iowa Conductor James Dixon, the spring 2026 exhibition in the Main Library Gallery, provides a glimpse into the life of its namesake through stories and objects from the recently donated James Dixon Papers. From newspaper clippings and photographs to official documents and correspondence, each item on display helps piece together his adventurous international career as an orchestraContinue reading “Curator Q&A with Sarah Suhadolnik”
Iowa conductor James Dixon honored in new Main Library Gallery exhibition
The Main Library Gallery at the University of Iowa Libraries welcomes visitors to go “behind the podium” in its new exhibition about local orchestra conductor James Dixon (1928–2007). Free and open to the public, Orchestrating Community: The Public Service of Iowa Conductor James Dixon opened on Jan. 20 and will be on display through JuneContinue reading “Iowa conductor James Dixon honored in new Main Library Gallery exhibition”
Curator Q&A with Giselle Simón
Paper Engineering in Art, Science, and Education, the fall 2025 exhibition in the Main Library Gallery, features an array of unique items from University of Iowa Libraries collections that share the history of paper technologies and movable books. Giselle Simón, university conservator and director of Conservation and Collections Care at the Libraries, co-curated the exhibition with Damien Ihrig and Elizabeth Yale. Her expertise in paper conservation andContinue reading “Curator Q&A with Giselle Simón”
Students investigate: eye-catching color in early children’s books
This series features the work and research of UI students. The following was written by Cecil Campbell, exhibition and engagement student lead for the Main Library Gallery. There are a number of hallmarks that we look for when identifying children’s media: big pictures, bold and eye-catching colors, large fonts. Children’s books especially are known for these traits, and have been since the 19th century, when they firstContinue reading “Students investigate: eye-catching color in early children’s books”