Library Graduate Student Fellowship for Exhibition Research and Design
Title: Exhibition Research and Development Fellow
Division/Department: Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center, University of Chicago Library
Reports to: Patti Gibbons, Head of Collection Management, Special Collections and Brad Bolman, Postdoctoral Researcher, Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge
General Summary:
Library exhibitions are exciting opportunities to tell compelling visual stories with a wide range of library, archival, and special collections materials. Developing exhibitions is an interdisciplinary effort undertaken by a team comprised of curatorial subject specialists, research assistants, graphic designers, preservationist, archivists, rare book curators, editors, IT specialists, gallery preparators, and others. Exhibition development involves researching library resources, developing a central narrative, outlining learning objectives, writing concise exhibition text, designing gallery and case layouts, defining graphic identities, preserving materials, fabricating supportive exhibition mounts, registering loans and documenting materials, creating audio-visual support materials, designing outreach activities, and completing the physical installation of materials.
The Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center has been exhibiting library materials for decades and, since 2011, has displayed materials in its 2,400-square-foot purpose-built gallery on the first floor of the Regenstein Library. With an annual schedule of three to four exhibitions per year, exhibition teams work approximately two years ahead of openings to develop ideas into physical exhibitions.
For Spring Quarter of 2023, the Hanna Holborn Gray Special Collections Research Center is developing an exhibition about the history of the Arvey Ordinance, the Illinois Society for Medical Research, and the American debate over the use of dogs in medical research with curator Brad Bolman, Postdoctoral Researcher at University of Chicago’s Stevanovich Institute on the Formation of Knowledge. Bolman’s research focuses on the history of animal experimentation along with 20th and 21st century biomedical ethics and he is researching rare book and archival holdings in Special Collections to tell the full arc of this debate’s long story. His project also looks to better understand the University of Chicago’s outward-facing advocacy efforts in the first half of the 20th century and demonstrate the influence and role of Chicago-area institutions and social figures in critical discussions about scientific research over the past century.
The Special Collections Exhibition Research and Development Fellow will have a hand in many facets of the exhibition development process. Primarily, the Fellow will concentrate on learning how to navigate archival and book collection holdings in Special Collections, and perhaps other area archives and museums, to identify key exhibition materials and to support curatorial research. The Fellow will work closely with Brad Bolman to develop the exhibition narrative, receiving guidance in historical research practices and other aspects of academic professionalization. Additionally, the Fellow will work with others on the exhibition team to gain insight into exhibition best practices in areas of text development, graphic design, object placement, gallery layout, as well as gain insight into a full range of preservation-related decision-making that guides exhibition work. The Fellow will gain familiarity with the range of professional careers in the educational and cultural heritage fields that participate in exhibition development.
While initial appointment is for a single academic quarter (Spring 2022), reappointment for additional quarters and/or summer term is possible for the successful fellow depending on project needs.
Specific activities will vary according to fellow’s skills and interests, but may include:
- Support the curatorial research process by identifying and summarizing rare book and archival materials that support the theme and discussion of the exhibition
- Identify and articulate key learning objectives
- Assist in label writing and editing
- Participate in the exhibition design process with others on the team to outline graphic considerations and develop the exhibit’s overall aesthetic
- Gain insight and understanding of central preservation considerations that guide item treatment, exhibition production, and collection safety
- Participate in exhibition development meetings
- Assist in exhibition production work such as mount making, label production, photography/scanning assistance
- Work on designing and creating audio-visual exhibition components
- Assist with the planning of outreach events
Qualifications:
- Enrolled in a UChicago graduate program and in good academic standing during the period of the fellowship
- Familiarity with use of original research materials
- Strong written and oral communication skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools
- Some experience with historical research and methods is a benefit but not a strict requirement
Hours and Schedule: Approximately 15 hours per week
Stipend: $3300 per academic quarter
Start Date: Spring 2022
To Apply:
Students currently enrolled in a UChicago graduate program and in good academic standing during the period of the fellowship are invited to submit a resume and cover letter highlighting their interest and relevant background experience to Patti Gibbons, Head of Collection Management, Special Collections, pgibbons@uchicago.edu. Applications received by February 28, 2022 will receive assured consideration.