The Sterling Memorial Library (SML) Exhibition Committee provides oversight and support for the exhibition program that provides content for the Student Exhibition Corridor in Sterling Memorial Library. The membership comes from across the Yale University Library (YUL) system and is led by the Exhibition Production Program Manager. The membership rotates annually, with members serving staggered two year terms. Additionally, the Library’s Director of Development, Director of Undergraduate Research Education and Outreach, and Communications Manager for Public Relations/Writing are permanent committee members.
The Committee performs these tasks:
Yale University Library Exhibitions Mission/Vision
The Yale University Library’s Exhibitions Program will support and enhance research, teaching, and learning at Yale and for the world-wide scholarly community. Library exhibits:
Learn more about exhibitions in Sterling Library
Current News [1]
Past Exhibitions [2]
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.
Our primary student-curated exhibit opportunities are:
Senior Exhibit Fellowship at Yale Library - Proposal deadline March 8, 2024
This fellowship provides one rising senior with training in curatorial skills and culminating in the production of a library exhibition based on the student’s senior essay topic using materials from the Yale Library collections.
One Yale College junior will be selected to receive library funding, mentoring, and exhibit production support over the course of nine months to research, create and curate a professional-quality exhibit opening in spring of their senior year.
The selected student will be awarded a $4,200 stipend to subsidize a five-week summer research fellowship to be completed the summer between their junior and senior years. This research, which must be completed on Yale campus using YUL collections, will become the foundation for the content of the exhibit.
Fellowship duration is from Summer 2024 (five-week research fellowship) through Spring 2025 (senior year research and production).
This opportunity is perfect for students who have experience researching with primary source materials, are curious about the curatorial process, enjoy working collaboratively, and whose senior essay subject can be strongly represented by physical objects from the YUL collections.
Learn more about this year's senior exhibit project on the Yale Library's Website [5]
Review these guidelines [6] to learn about the SML exhibit committee's proposal review criteria and get some tips for creating a strong proposal.
Proposal submission:
Eligibility:
Timeline:
If you are considering this opportunity:
Listen to past Senior Exhibit curators:
If you are just getting started...
Learning how to do research in the collections is the first step toward any exhibit opportunity.
Send questions to kerri.sancomb@yale.edu [14].
Student Research at Yale Library - Proposals portal opens in October 2024
Through this opportunity two students are selected to curate two exhibit cases each, based on a completed paper or research project, using materials from the Yale Libraries. The selected students will learn how to transform their completed paper or research project into a physical exhibit utilizing production tools, templates, technical expertise, and guidance from Yale Library’s exhibit professionals.
The majority of the curatorial work occurs in the spring semester with an exhibition opening the following fall. Exhibit staff coordinate schedules, deadlines, and management of collections materials.
Proposal submission:
Eligibility:
Timeline:
If you are considering this opportunity:
To learn more about this opportunity, visit the past exhibit Web page. [2]
Listen to past Student Research at YUL curators:
Ways faculty can get involved with exhibits at Sterling Memorial Library (SML):
Ways students can benefit from curating exhibits in the library:
Academic/research skills:
Life skills:
Ways library staff can get involved with exhibits at SML:
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 [21]. 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 [9], Student Research at YUL Exhibit Advisor [16]
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 two exhibit opportunites each year supporting student research and Yale library collections. Topics and curators are selected by the Sterling Memorial Library Exhibition Committee [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 fall, the Student Research at Yale University Library Exhibit features research by two student-curators (Yale undergraduate, graduate, or professional students) based on already completed research papers.
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 [14].
Use the following online forms to submit proposals for:
For questions contact any member of the SML Exhibits Committee [25].
Name, Job Title | Term and role (if applicable) |
Anna Arays, Librarian for Slavic & East European Studies [26] |
Two-year term |
Permanent Member | |
Two-year term | |
Permanent Member | |
Emily Horning, Director of Undergraduate Research Education and Outreach [30] |
Permanent Member |
Two-year term | |
Miriam Olivares, GIS Librarian, Marx Science & Social Science Library [32] |
Two-year term |
Kerri Sancomb, Exhibits Production Program Manager, Conservation and Exhibit Strategies [33] |
Committee Chair, Permanent Member |
Sign up for one of these sessions to learn about the Yale Library student exhibition program, tips for creating a successful proposal, review past exhibitions for inspiration, and ask questions to librarians and exhibit staff.
Online | Wednesday, February 7th at 4:00
https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001471 [34]
Online | Friday, February 9th at noon
https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001643 [35]
Online | Tuesday, February 20th at 4:00
https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001673 [36]
Online | Thursday, February 22nd at noon
Links
[1] https://library.yale.edu/exhibitions
[2] https://guides.library.yale.edu/past_sterling_library_exhibits/exhibit_corridor
[3] https://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibition-committee/students
[4] https://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibition-committee/students/student-research
[5] https://library.yale.edu/news/chucho-martinez-padres-23-awarded-senior-exhibit-fellowship
[6] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Exhibitions/Guide%20for%20Yale%20Library%20Senior%20Exhibit%20fellowship%20applicants.pdf
[7] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Senior%20Project%20Curator%20responsibilities.pdf
[8] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Faculty%20Advisor%20Senior%20exhibit%20production%20responsibilities.pdf
[9] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Librarian%20Exhibits%20Advisor%20responsibilities(1).pdf
[10] http://web.library.yale.edu/pl
[11] https://web.library.yale.edu/subject-specialists
[12] http://archives.yale.edu
[13] http://guides.library.yale.edu/omeka
[14] mailto:kerri.sancomb@yale.edu
[15] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Guide%20for%20students%20submitting%20proposals%20for%20Student%20Research%20at%20YUL%20Exhibit.pdf
[16] https://web.library.yale.edu/sites/default/files/files/Student%20Research%20at%20YUL%20exhibit%20advisor%20responsibilities.pdf
[17] http://web.library.yale.edu/forms
[18] http://web.library.yale.edu/students
[19] http://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibits-committee/students
[20] http://web.library.yale.edu/information-sessions
[21] http://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibit-venues
[22] http://resources.library.yale.edu/StaffDirectory/detail.aspx?q=510
[23] https://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibits-committee/sml-exhibits-committee-membership
[24] https://web.library.yale.edu/form/student-research-yale-library-proposal-form
[25] http://web.library.yale.edu/sml-exhibits-committee-membership
[26] https://web.library.yale.edu/sd/staff/17181
[27] https://library.yale.edu/people/deborah-cannarella
[28] https://web.library.yale.edu/sd/staff/45808
[29] https://web.library.yale.edu/sd/staff/12884
[30] https://web.library.yale.edu/sd/staff/42
[31] https://library.yale.edu/people/jeanne-lowrey
[32] https://library.yale.edu/people/miriam-olivares
[33] https://web.library.yale.edu/sd/staff/2214
[34] https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001471
[35] https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001643
[36] https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001673
[37] https://schedule.yale.edu/event/12001682