Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

Exhibit and Display Program ( April 11, 2013 )

Purpose/ Mission Statement:

The mission of the OSUL exhibit and display program is to serve as a vibrant vehicle for the physical and virtual promotion of the collections and services of the libraries and closely-related organizations to enrich the OSUL goal of serving as a cultural, social, and intellectual crossroads to the university community.

Policies and Guidelines:

1.) Gallery Policy and Guidelines: Thompson Gallery

The Thompson Library Gallery (room # 125) is the primary location for major exhibits coordinated by the Exhibits Sub-Committee. The purpose of the Gallery is to highlight materials and services of the OSUL in a manner that offers the viewer a substantial level of engagement with the subject. The Gallery provides an opportunity for the Curator to create a full-fledged rendering of the subject in a scholarly and aesthetically pleasing presentation. Exhibits may include materials from OSUL special and general collections, materials borrowed from other institutions or individuals, or travelling exhibits. All Gallery exhibits must be proposed and coordinated/curated by OSUL employees, and the Gallery is not generally available to other OSU departments or outside groups.

For the purposes of this document, the person who proposes an exhibit is referred to as the "Curator." Curators whose proposals are approved by the Exhibits Sub-Committee will partner with the Exhibits Coordinator and the Sub-Committee, but the Curator is obliged to act as creator of the exhibit, or act as the primary contact and coordinator for all arrangements related to travelling exhibits. The duties and obligations of the Curator begin with the proposal, continue through all planning, gathering, design, creation of text, and installation, and end when the exhibit comes down.

Ordinary expenditures for printed graphic materials, including two 8'x4' title posters, captions/labels, as well as materials for mounting, matting, framing (OSUL frames), and other installation supplies are covered by the Libraries. In addition the Libraries can provide a large flat screen television (with 3-D capability), and possibly other electronic viewing devices. Funding assistance may or may not be available for extraordinary expenses such as shipping, loan fees, catalogs, receptions, programming and honoraria, extra A/V equipment, free- standing cloth banners, or outside framing, and funds may need to be secured by the Curator.

Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

Gallery Schedule

There will normally be three exhibits in the gallery every year, running from approximately January through April, May through August, and September through December. There will usually be about 10 calendar days between exhibits, to allow time for the exhibit changeover.

Gallery exhibits will be scheduled by the Sub-Committee which will maintain the full schedule on a spreadsheet on the Exhibits Sub-Committee web site. Due to the significant resources needed to plan and develop the major exhibitions that are housed in the Gallery, exhibitions are often scheduled far in advance. To secure a period of time for an exhibit, developers should expect to plan 1-4 years in advance. A formal exhibit proposal form is accessible on the Sub- Committee’s web site, and proposals must be submitted for the Sub-Committee’s review no less than 1 year in advance of the proposed dates, assuming there is an opening in the schedule.

The exhibit proposal will include a description of the subject and contents of the exhibit, along with a working title. A final title should be decided upon no later than six months prior to opening, to allow for advanced publicity opportunities. The Curator should also select representative images to be provided for publicity. The final six months before opening will be a period of increasingly intense collaboration between the Curator, the Exhibits Coordinator and the Communications Department regarding publicity for the exhibit and related events, as well as graphic design and printing of posters, banners, and any graphic and textual materials to be included in the exhibit. In addition, this is when the Curator should be in contact with the Conservator regarding stabilization of fragile materials and requirements for framing, mounting, and display of unusual artifacts.

The Curator will also communicate as needed with the Exhibits Coordinator in planning the layout of the installation, in relation to the number and location of cases, hanging wall panels, and number of framed items for wall hanging. Actual physical preparation should begin no later than six weeks prior to installation when materials should be delivered to Conservation for treatment and/or matting/framing/mounting, but may begin even earlier, depending on the requirements of the particular exhibit.

Installation

Installation of new exhibits begins immediately after the previous exhibit has been removed, and the gallery has been prepared. The installation team consists of the Exhibits Coordinator, the Curator and the Curator's assistants, the Conservator, the Conservation Assistant, and Conservation students and volunteers. The Curator should have all materials for the cases ready to install, ideally with a planned layout, and any framed or mounted items are delivered from the Conservation Department. The Curator should have all graphic materials, including banners, posters, text and captions, printed, delivered, and ready to install by the date the previous exhibit is uninstalled. If the installation is complete before the opening date, the blinds are kept down and the lights off, with the “Gallery Closed” sign on the door, until the opening date.

Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

Gallery Space

The Thompson Gallery is a square room approximately 38’ square (about 1400 sq. ft.), with two solid walls for hanging artwork, one full length glass wall, and one marble and glass wall (entrance on this wall). There are eight 4’x10’ solid hanging panels that can be hung in front of the windows, the marble wall, or on either side of the seismic bracing opposite the entrance, or stored in the gallery closet. As a general rule, no artwork may be attached directly to the marble wall. There are also four 3'x7' free-standing folding panels (16 available "wall" surfaces) that may be placed in the gallery.

Display Cases

Usually there are eight table-top cases in the gallery. Five are 3’x6’x15”, and three are 3’x4’x15”. (Gallery and case dimensions are found in the document “Thompson Gallery and exhibit case dimensions” on the Sub-Committee web page under "Gallery Information." The matching cases in the Special Collections display area (room # 115) adjacent to the gallery are sometimes swapped if the gallery exhibit requires more/fewer, or larger/smaller cases. This is done by special arrangement with the special collections curators, with availability determined by their promotional display requirements.

The cases may be moved, and are usually re-arranged for every exhibit. There are special jacks that must be used to move the cases, which is usually done by the exhibit installation team, and should not be attempted by anyone who has not been trained in the procedure. The cases may be placed up against the walls or pillar, but must be moved approximately 12” out from the wall before opening, to allow room for the glass lid to hinge open. Whenever cases are moved they must be leveled by the exhibit installation team when the final placement has been selected.

Lighting

The track lighting system consists of removable, repositionable fixtures using incandescent 50 watt spot lights. There is also subtle cove lighting around and above the two solid walls. All lights are on a single circuit controlled by one light switch. If less lighting is required, the track lights may be removed and stored in the exhibit storage are in room # 26, and the cove lighting may be filtered. Colored gel filters may also be used in the track lights and for the cove lighting. Focusing, filtering, and movement or removal of lights is performed by the exhibit installation team after the exhibit is completely installed. The lights are to be turned off whenever the gallery is closed.

Security

Security is provided by the OSUL Security Office, which is essentially responsible for the daily operation of the gallery. A student security officer performs the opening and closing routines, and is stationed in the gallery at all times during open hours. These officers are familiar with the specific gallery security guidelines, which include instructions for their behavior, interaction with patrons, monitoring the items on exhibit, cleaning the glass cases, reporting/replacing burned out lights, and keeping an hourly/daily tally of visitors. The officers must strictly enforce Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee the “no food or drink” policy in the gallery, which is in effect during normal open hours and for special events. Gallery officers are not assigned to work in the gallery during the 10-day changeover periods between exhibits. The gallery door is locked, and electronic security systems are activated whenever the gallery is closed.

Gallery hours The normal gallery hours from the beginning of Fall Semester though the end of Spring Semester are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday; 10:00 AM to 8:00 PM Thursday; and 12:00 to 5:00 on weekends. Summer hours are 10:00 to 4:00 Monday-Friday, and 12:00 to 4:00 weekends. Special events in the gallery are sometime scheduled after hours in coordination with the Libraries Security Office.

Guest book, brochures, business cards

Normally a guest book is not used in the gallery, although the Curator may provide one to be placed on the security desk during their particular exhibit. The Curator should also provide a supply of any relevant brochures/handouts, as well as business cards to be placed in the holder on the desk.

Receptions, Gallery talks

Opening receptions, Gallery talks, and other exhibit-related events are approved by the sponsoring Associate Director and scheduled at the discretion of the Curator, in cooperation with the Exhibits Coordinator, the Communications Office, and the Security Office.

2.) Special Collections Cases in Thompson Library

The principal purpose of the Special Collections display area in the Thompson Library is to promote the collections and services of the University Library’s Special Collections , by bringing them to the attention of the University community and visitors. Each of the Special Collections is responsible for maintaining one display case within the area. Rare Books, Hilandar, and the Charvat collections are each assigned to one of the 3’ x 6’ x 15” cases, while curators for the other collections request particular case sizes via an online sign-up sheet. In order to accommodate exhibit planning for the display cases, each Special Collection should reserve their choice of cases for an entire calendar year.

The display rotation for the special collections display area will generally coincide with the Thompson Gallery schedule, and thus the displays will be changed out at least three times per year. The current rotation schedule is: January through April, May through August, and September through December. (This is a new schedule that has been instituted in order to more easily coincide with our switch to semesters.) Special Collections curators are free to change out their own collection’s case more often, as individual display requirements may dictate. A Special Collections curator can request the use of additional cases in order to respond to opportunities Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

that may arise. These requests should be discussed and decided upon at the Special Collections Forum meetings as far in advance of the affected dates as possible.

Although the cases in the Special Collections display area are generally to remain in their current configuration, they can be moved within the space or into the gallery if an exhibit or a special display requires a different set-up. This is done by special arrangement with the Special Collections curators and the Preservation Department. The cases are protected by individual transmitters remotely monitored by an in-house receiver which is also connected to the University Security Services. Whenever the cases are opened they must first be disarmed by authorized staff . Cases must be re-armed as soon as possible once the installation/de-installation has occurred.

Guest curators from other areas of the OSUL may submit a proposal to the Exhibits Sub- Committee if they are interested in using one or more of the Special Collections display area cases to highlight an event or to host a travelling exhibit that cannot be accommodated elsewhere in the Thompson Library. If the Sub-Committee deems the proposal worthy of consideration, they will pass it along to the Special Collections Forum, where it will be discussed and accepted or rejected. The result will be communicated to the Sub-Committee who will then contact the guest curator. Proposals should be submitted as far in advance as possible, and at least six months prior to the exhibit in question, in order to give the Exhibits Sub-Committee and the Special Collections Forum adequate time to review and consider requests.

3.) Collection Awareness Display Policy

Display Opportunities:

Display cases distributed throughout Thompson Library, not including the First Floor Gallery and Special Collections Display areas, are under the oversight of the Collection Awareness Unit of the OSU Libraries’ Communications Office. These cases are available for the principal use of OSU Libraries Collection Managers and any Ohio State University associated groups, departments, research projects, or University associates and affiliates. In keeping with the stated purpose of making the libraries a venue for the exchange of information and ideas, anyone associated with the Ohio State University may request an opportunity to present a display in one of these display cases.

Displays may be subject to the approval of the Exhibits Subcommittee of the Event Committee.

Display Case Availability

Current practices schedule the display cases on semester by semester bases, but may be adjusted for shorter or longer periods. Scheduling is assigned on a first come first served basis, and generally follows these guidelines: Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

Collection Awareness Displays are located in the following areas. Some of the Display cases are prearranged for certain groups, however, special accommodations can be made in those circumstances.

Ground Floor:

• Buckeye Bar Display Case • Elevator Lobby (poster displays only)

First Floor

• Oval Side Atrium • Room 145

Second Floor

• Room 210 • Room 240

Sixth Floor

• Room 620

Eighth Floor

• Room 820.

Tenth Floor

• Room 1020

Flexibility in scheduling is maintained so that any display case may be made available if scheduled with sufficient advanced notice.

Display Design Assistance Resources:

Anyone wishing to mount a display is not expected to develop their display in a vacuum, but has resources of collaboration through the Libraries’ Communications Office.

• Scheduling, Display Design & Engineering Assistance, facsimiles and props – Contact the libraries’ Communications division • Graphic Design – Contact the libraries’ Communications division • Book Catalogue Status and Location – Integrated Library Management Systems

Display Contents Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

Displays be centered on University related activities, and conform to University policies and Codes of Conduct. Contents of display cases should be attractively presented.

Books in the Display Cases

Decisions about the use of circulating books is at the discretion of the curator of the display but the general preference is to keep books available for patrons use and to avoid taking them out of circulation. Wherever possible it’s preferable to use display models (also known as “Display Case Books” or “Dummy Books” available through Collection Awareness) to represent books instead of placing real books in display cases. The reasons for doing this are as follows:

1. Availability of reading material. Books featured in the display case are intended to create interest in the reading material. If the book is taken out of circulation and placed in the display case, it makes the book unavailable and defeats the purpose of displaying it. 2. Integrity of the display design. If circulating material placed in a display case is recalled for patron use, the display design looses its integrity leaving gaps in the quality of the display. 3. Preservation of materials. Materials placed in display cases can be subject to harsh lighting conditions that can hasten the deterioration of the material.

Circulating books may be displayed on movable open grid displays where they remain accessible to patrons for reading and checkout. When circulating books must be displayed inside display cases, they need to be checked in at Circulation and their status needs to be changed to “unavailable” by the Circulation Resource listed above.

Conservation of Materials

Materials placed in the display cases in some instances may be subject to extremes in light exposure and may present preservation problems. Where possible, facsimiles or images of fragile documents should be used instead of originals.

4.) Digital Exhibits

Digital Exhibits are created to present a curated look at unique OSUL Collection materials to engage online audiences. They can be based on a physical exhibition or be born digital. To ensure compliance with design, technical and content requirements, all Digital Exhibits should be developed in partnership with the Exhibits Subcommittee. To ensure compliance with University and Libraries architecture and security standards, all Digital Exhibits development must be overseen by the Libraries’ Applications, Development and Support (ADS) group (formerly Web Implementation Team). Digital Exhibits that meet all requirements will be promoted as OSUL Digital Exhibits by the Exhibits and Programming Committees.

It is recommended to present those based on galleried exhibits to be published in coordination with the launch of the physical exhibit.

Recommended Content Ohio State University Libraries Exhibits Sub-Committee

• Exhibition Overview • Checklist • Gallery of images • Selected Bibliography • Acknowledgements • Conditions of Use • Contact Us - Curator, cluster account preferred • Site Menu on every page • Link to OSU Libraries

Legal, Technical, and Organizational Requirements

• OSU Branding • OSU Web Content Accessibility Guidelines • ADA, Section 508, Copyright Laws • OSU Policies • OSUL Web Guiding Principals (which encompass prior elements)

Technical and Procedural Recommendations can be found at the [Committee Website|]