Student-Curated Exhibits at Yale Library in the Sterling Memorial Library Exhibition Corridor

Learn how to present your research using the unique narrative form of an exhibit. The library’s exhibit staff will assist you to choose, describe, sequence, and arrange objects from the library’s diverse collections.

For the 2025/26 academic year we are offering the Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Libray:

• Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library [3]
  • ​Open to Yale College Class of ’26

Ways faculty can get involved with exhibits at Sterling Memorial Library (SML):

• Encourage highly motivated and committed students in their junior year to submit a proposal [16] for the Yale Library Senior Exhibit Fellowship.
• Be a faculty advisor for a Senior Exhibit Fellowship [17]
• Review responsibilites here: Senior Exhibit Fellowship Advisor [9].
• Spread the word about new exhibit opportunities in SML to colleagues across campus.
• Attend an information session [18].
• Learn about online exhibits at Yale University Library [14]

Ways students can benefit from curating exhibits in the library:

Academic/research skills:

• Provides a cohesive picture for the student of their academic support network:  academic advisor, library specialists, IT specialists 
• Develops a familiarity with physical library collections and spaces
• Provides experience researching with primary source materials
• Facilitates interactions with Yale University Library (YUL) staff
• Supports use of online resources to enhance research skills
• Encourages cross-disciplinary and cross-collection research and investigation 
• Supplements traditional research outputs such as papers, essays, blogs, or web sites

Life skills:  

• Accountability and self confidence
• Project management and organizational skills
• Communication skills and experience

Ways library staff can get involved with exhibits at SML:

• Encourage highly motivated and committed students in their junior year to submit a proposal for the Yale Library Senior Exhibit Fellowship [19].
• Volunteer to be a Librarian Exhibit Advisor and mentor a student curator through the research and object selection of an exhibit.
• Spread the word about new exhibit opportunities in SML to our colleagues across campus.
• Talk to your department head about serving on the exhibits committee in the future.
• Learn about online exhibits at Yale University Library [14]

Librarian Exhibit Advisor

Open to all professional library staff with supervisor’s approval, the Librarian Exhibit Advisor is a rotating volunteer support role for exhibit production in the Sterling Memorial Library venues [20]. This person will offer guidance in content development to student curators and exhibit curators with little or no experience with SML exhibitions. 

This opportunity has numerous benefits both for individual professional growth and in support of the library’s mission to support and enhance research, teaching, and learning at Yale. The Exhibits Production Coordinator will provide training for each new librarian exhibit advisor, and when necessary connect new exhibit advisors with other library staff who have prior exhibit experience.

Review exhibit advisor responsibilites for each project here: Senior Exhibit Fellowship Advisor [10], Student Research at YUL Exhibit Advisor [21]

If you have specific questions about being a librarian exhibit advisor please contact Kerri Sancomb [22], Exhibits Program Manager.

Sterling Memorial Library Exhibition Corridor hosts exhibit opportunites each year supporting student research and Yale library collections. Topics and curators are selected by the Student Exhibition Advisory Group [23] from proposals submitted by prospective curators.

Exhibits may feature materials from any Yale University Library collection. The library provides funding and staff support for production. Materials requiring special display conditions or security may be presented in facsimile. 

Sterling Library Exhibition Corridor

Exhibits in the Exhibition Corridor are curated by students, based on their own research with materials from any Yale library collection.

• In the spring, the Yale Library Senior Exhibition Fellowship is curated by one senior using all five exhibition cases to present a capstone project.

See examples of past exhibits in the Exhibition Corridor. [2]

Email questions to kerri.sancomb@yale.edu [15].

Use the following online forms to submit proposals for:

• Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library Proposal (check back in early 2025 for active proposal link)

For questions contact any member of the Student Exhibition Advisory Group.

Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library

Join library staff to learn about the Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library. During this 60 minute Zoom information session you will learn tips for creating a successful proposal, what goes into creating physical exhibit and have an opportunity to ask questions related to your own proposal. 

Tuesday, February 4 from 4-5 https://schedule.yale.edu/event/14062678 [33]

Friday, February 7 from 12-1 https://schedule.yale.edu/event/14062724 [34]

Monday, February 10 from 12-1 https://schedule.yale.edu/event/14062763 [35]

Tuesday, February 11 from 4-5 https://schedule.yale.edu/event/14062770 [36]

The advisory group members [37]are available for one on one assistance.