Exhibitions are among the many ways the University of Rochester Libraries provides windows into its extensive range of world-renowned collections. But they’re not just displays. An exhibition tells a story that is meant to enlighten, entertain, and engage, and in this way, they are also doors to further and more in-depth exploration. Constructing these narratives not only takes time, but they also require creative and intellectual work to weave assorted information and materials together. These significant factors are why the University of Rochester Libraries is launching ExhiBits.
ExhiBits is a new collection-sharing format that will allow the libraries to share more of its rare and unique materials, more often, through small-scale or “bit-size” storytelling. The format’s debut will come in the form of a virtual event series. Led by curators from the Department of Rare Books, Special Collections, and Preservation (RBSCP), six “digital tours” will explore some of the stories behind the digital exhibition We Want More and We Will Have It: Women Running Rochester.
“These events will offer new insight through a diverse range of voices and items,” says Jessica Lacher-Feldman, exhibitions and special projects manager for RBSCP. “I’m excited to present shorter programs like this going forward, as they give us flexibility and allow us to be more creative with how we connect people with our collections.”
Beginning January 12, 2021, every second Tuesday through June 8 will feature 30-minute “bits” on Women Running Rochester. In addition to offering a deeper dive into the subject matter, these virtual events will also highlight how the department’s collections are used for exhibitions, research, teaching, scholarship, and creative endeavors. The first Women Running Rochester ExhiBit will be an overview of the exhibit, led by Autumn Haag, assistant director of RBSCP and principal curator of Women Running Rochester.
“People can expect to hear how an exhibition like this comes together and see some of our amazing collections related to women and women’s rights in Rochester,” Haag says. “It will be very visual and provide context for subsequent ExhiBits.”
Some of those future ExhiBits will look more closely at women at the University of Rochester, civic trailblazer Ruth Scott, and the philanthropy of the Sibley Family.
Each ExhiBit will be recorded and supplemented by a related blog post that will be published after the event. All ExhiBits will be free and open to the public. ∎
To attend the event, you must register, which you can do here. For more information on the Women Running Rochester ExhiBits or the digital exhibition, contact Jessica Lacher-Feldman at JLF@rochester.edu. Enjoy reading about the University of Rochester Libraries? Subscribe to Tower Talk.
