Exhibit Program Guidelines

The NC State University Libraries’ exhibition program emphasizes the creation of temporary, museum-quality exhibits and related materials in support of the Libraries’ mission.  Specific goals for the exhibition program include:

  • sharing and interpreting library collections and promoting their scholarly use;
  • supporting the Libraries’ role as an intellectual center of the university;
  • providing a gathering place for the university to educate, enrich, and interact with the community; and
  • fostering relationships between the NC State University Libraries and NC State students, faculty, staff, alumni, and visitors.

1.0 Exhibition Content and Products

The exhibition program’s primary activity is the presentation of ongoing exhibitions in the gallery in the east wing of the D. H. Hill Jr. Library. These exhibitions are free of charge, have clearly defined educational purposes and content, and are changed at a regular interval based on an exhibition schedule developed by Libraries staff and approved by the Senior Vice Provost and Director of Libraries. 

Exhibits focus on topics consistent with the overall scholarly and cultural concerns of the university and are drawn primarily from the Libraries’ collections and supplemented, as appropriate, with materials from other sources.  Exhibits are managed by the NC State University Libraries and may be co-sponsored by university organizations or members of the university community, with particular emphasis on exhibits that have relevance to the academic programs of the university.  Libraries staff members are responsible for the development of exhibition content with the support and approval of the Libraries administration. 

The Libraries may elect to use exhibit materials prepared by other organizations not affiliated with the university, such as traveling exhibitions.  The intellectual property and content of completed exhibitions can not be modified.  The Libraries does not display unsolicited exhibits.

2.0 Exhibition Gallery Access

2.1 Admission
All exhibitions developed by the exhibition program for installation in the D. H. Hill Jr. Library or for display at other locations or institutions shall be open to the public free of charge.  Guided tours are available by appointment.

2.2 Hours
The Libraries’ exhibit gallery will be open during the same hours as D. H. Hill Jr. Library, with occasional exceptions for artifact installation, swapping, de-installation, or maintenance requiring the opening of the cases.

2.3 Regulations
The Rules for the Use of the NC State University Libraries apply to the exhibit gallery. No object may be placed on top of the movable cases located in the center of the gallery.

3.0 Image, Text, & Artifact Management

The majority of exhibitions will use a combination of images, text, and artifacts primarily derived from the NC State University Libraries collections.  Travelling exhibitions will be solicited from external providers. In order to interpret the exhibit narrative more fully, it may be beneficial to borrow additional materials from other sources such as NC State University departments, regional museums, organizations, historical societies, or private individuals.  All exhibit content will be reviewed and approved by Libraries staff and administration.  The intellectual property and content of exhibits cannot be modified once they are completed and on public display. 

All staff members involved in the exhibition development process will take reasonable and appropriate steps to reduce the risk of reasonably foreseeable types of loss occurring to any object in the collection or borrowed object while on Libraries’ property, on loan, or in transit, by the action of unknown third parties, staff, or visiting scholars, or through fire, flood, or similar natural disaster or other foreseeable forces of people or nature.

Items will be mounted in such a way as to not disrupt the integrity of the original item.  Materials will be displayed in accordance to current museum standards for light, temperature, and humidity.

3.1 Copyright
Exhibits developed at the NC State University Libraries are for educational purposes and are free of charge. Use of all materials in the gallery will be in compliance with the U.S. Copyright Act.

4.0 Media

4.1 Filming/Photography
Individuals who wish to film or photograph within the gallery must obtain the permission of the Libraries Administration.

4.2 Images for Press
Libraries External Relations staff will provide appropriate images and credit lines for distribution and use by the press.

5.0 Related Policies and Guidelines

The program will follow all relevant NC State University brand and visual identity guidelines.

The program applies the principles and practices of universal design and follows Americans with Disabilities Act guidelines.

March 2007, rev. November 2022