Look for books, magazines, videos, music, and more.
Search for:
HomeWhat Every Exhibitor Should Know
The following intended to give exhibitors an overview of what it takes to create an exhibit.
Plan ahead. Designing an exhibit often takes longer than expected. See the Exhibits Countdown Calendar for a suggested timeline. You should schedule enough time for the following tasks.
Assembling an Exhibit Team
Exhibit leaders usually choose two or three teammates to assist them in the selection, layout and mounting of materials. This also helps ensure that there will be enough hands available at the appointed time for the physical mounting and dismantling of the exhibit. You might consider others within your department or those associated with the subject, activity or event to be presented, as well as library staff who might be interested in the topic.
Content Selection
Plan to spend a number of hours over the course of several days selecting material. It's all right to select more material than you think you'll need. You will usually refine the content as you plan the design and layout.
Remember, one of the purposes of the exhibit is to "promote interest in and use of the collections and services of the UO Libraries." Consider library materials that could be used in the display. Contact your library exhibit liaison or a subject specialist librarian for assistance in identifying materials appropriate to the exhibit. S/he may have suggestions for materials outside the library as well as resources you may not have thought of. Have circulating library materials checked out to Exhibits at the Check Out Desk.
Think about relevant photographs/images, artifacts, books, manuscripts, magazine articles, etc. and discuss with your team members and library liaison. Images and three-dimensional artifacts are especially useful to draw viewers to your exhibit. Image Services Center (ISC) can assist you in creating reprints and/or enlarged images to add more panache. They will also create titles and mount them and your descriptions on foam core.
Sound: Due to the permanent installation of a soundscape in the Knight Library, the use of music or sound is limited to one exhibit per year. If you would like to use sound in you exhibit, please discuss this with your exhibit liaison.
Physical Design
Browse the current exhibit for ideas. Do you want to line the cases with decorative or colored paper to create a different background? Will it be visually interesting, yet not distract the viewer from the actual materials on display? What format of materials will you use? Do you need to mount photos? Will there be three-dimensional objects that need special care? How much "white space" do you want to leave?
Use the Materials & Services Worksheet (Required) to estimate exhibit expenses and submit it to your exhibit liaison for approval by the committee. This will allow you and your liaison to plan ahead. Include Image Services estimated expenses if you are an exhibitor coming from outside the Libraries.
If there are Special Collections & University Archives materials, you will need to get permission to use them and directions on displaying them.
Layout & Text Planning
Ask your exhibit liaison for the full-size Exhibit Case Template (not yet available as of 2/20/06). Use this to plan for the scale of the cases, begin layout and refine your content. See also the case dimensions below.
Once you have a clear idea of which items will be included in the exhibit, you can begin preparing citations and narrative text. Citations will identify the objects displayed and narrative text will place them in the context of the exhibit as a whole. Use a font style and size that is clean and easy to read.
Requesting Images & Titles
Consult with Image Services Center (ISC) staff at least four months before the exhibit to plan for text panels, reproduction and other services and to establish lead time. Submit text and images to ISC for processing at least two months before you mount the exhibit. They have other projects and need time to add your project to the work flow.
You should also discuss any printed publicity materials such as posters or fliers with ISC staff.
Include estimated ISC expenses on Materials & Services Worksheet if you are an exhibitor from outside the Libraries or if you are library staff and have requested more than 25 photo reproductions.
ISC staff may refer you to the Campus Copy Center, EMU, 346-4369, for printing services they don't provide.
Ordering Special Materials
If you need special paper to line the cases or for your labels or other special materials not included in the Exhibit Toolkit, please let the Exhibits Committee Chair and your exhibit liaison know at least a week before you need it in hand. (This should be covered on the Materials & Services Worksheet.)
- Select the items at the UO Bookstore or Oregon Art Supply. (Note: For supplies such as mat board or foam core, submit a request directly to your exhibit liaison and the Exhibits Chair who will order them directly.)
- Have Bookstore/Art Supply items held for Elizabeth Singler (Facilities & Purchasing, Purchasing Assistant).
- Email the Exhibits Chair and your exhibit liaison with a description and price for each item. They will need to okay them with Facilities & Purchasing.
- Jennifer will pick up the items for you by default. If you prefer, you may arrange with the liaison to pickup the supplies (but only after they are paid for.)
Mounting Materials
If you are using any materials from Special Collections & University Archives , you must discuss their preservation needs and limits on display with the curator of that collection. Sometimes it is possible to have color copies of documents made to use in place of the original.
To properly display original materials, please see the "Exhibit Prep: Mounting Originals" guide. Mylar and scotch tape for strapping books open or safely attaching original documents to backing, doublestick mounting tape, a staple gun and other supplies are available in the Exhibit Toolkit under the far west case. (Please use these materials rather than thumbtacks to maintain the professional appearance of the exhibit.) You can get the key from Barbara Butler, 541-346-1893, in the Library Personnel Office in Library Administration. If you have questions, please ask you exhibit liaison.
Remember to include the Exhibits Committee e-mail address, exhibits@uoregon.edu, in the case so we can keep track of questions or comments.
Publicity
Ron Renchler, 541-346-1459, Director of Library Communications, will write a press release with your assistance. The press release will appear on the UO Libraries' News web page.
If you plan to create a poster or other printed publicity materials, please discuss this in your meetings with Image Services Center staff.
Installing & Disassembling the Exhibit
Schedule two or more people for at least four hours, probably more, to meet and install the exhibit. Arrange to pick up the exhibit case keys from Barbara Butler, 541-346-1893, in the Library Personnel Office in Library Administration.
When taking the exhibit down, remember to have circulating books checked back in and return Special Collections & University Archives (SC&UA) materials to SC&UA staff. Clean the case windows with rags and glass cleaner provided and dust the shelves and bottom of the cases before locking them. Return the key to Barbara Butler.
Questions?
Ask your Exhibit Liaison or try the links listed below.
- Exhibit Countdown Calendar
- Suggests timing for contacting various service providers as well as appropriate tasks for the different stages of planning and design for the exhibit
- Materials & Services Worksheet
- This worksheet is used by the Exhibits Committee to determine the services, materials and expenses associated with mounting an exhibit. Submission of this worksheet is required. The Library will reimburse exhibitors for only for materials listed within this budget. The committee also uses this worksheet in coordination with service departments within the library to determine the printing, photo- reproduction, graphic and other services that exhibitors will require. See also Materials & Services Help Page.
- Exhibits Toolkit
- A list of materials automatically provided by the committee. The toolkit contains a variety of tools and some presentation supplies for use by exhibitors.
Last Modified: 11/26/2007