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Exhibit Program Policies and Procedures for Library Employees and CSUN Employees/Students

Introduction

The mission of the University Library is to provide relevant collections, transformative information literacy education, innovative physical and virtual spaces, user-focused services, and diverse educational and cultural programming in support of student success, faculty scholarship, staff resource needs, and the greater CSUN community. 

The goal of Library exhibits outside of the Library Exhibit Gallery, which is excluded from this policy, is to provide academically and culturally relevant programming for students, faculty, staff, and community members. Furthermore, exhibits that reflect students’ diverse backgrounds, academic interests, wellbeing, and social needs, which contribute to students’ sense of belonging and promote inclusivity, are encouraged.

Policies

  • Only CSUN University Library employees, CSUN employees, or CSUN students may mount exhibits in the University Library, which requires a proposal and review process. 
  • Proposals for exhibits in the University Library must fit into the library’s mission and goal outlined above.
  • Requests for exhibits must adhere to the CSUN Policy on Time, Place and Manner of Free Expression and the Use of Campus Buildings and Grounds (PDF). 
  • The University Library will consider proposals from Library faculty and staff members, who will act as the curators and design and prepare the exhibit, and serve as the liaison to Library Administration staff who support marketing, supplies requests, and logistics, as needed.
  • Exhibits proposed by other CSUN employees or students will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and will require the same level of commitment outlined in the above bullet point, and have at least one Library employee to serve as the exhibit liaison and primary contact with Library Administration staff.
  • Exhibits must display professionalism and conform to standard practices outlined in the resources listed under Help with Curating and Mounting Exhibits below.

Exhibit Space

Open for Rotating Exhibits:

The following areas may be considered for exhibits in the University Library, subject to the policies stated above, availability, resources, and required security/liability for originals vs. facsimiles.

  • ASRS Viewing Room, Learning Commons: Potential curators may wish to consider mounting a digital exhibit on the Library’s Media Wall. In addition, picture hanger railing is mounted on the walls in the ASRS Viewing Room for hanging posters, framed pictures, etc. with wire hangers.
  • 2nd floor, core hallway: One flat shadow box display case. In addition, picture hanger railing is mounted on the hallway walls around the core for hanging posters, framed pictures, etc. from wire hangers.
  • 3rd floor, core hallway: One flat shadow box display case. In addition, picture hanger railing is mounted on the hallway walls around the core for hanging posters, framed pictures, etc. from wire hangers.
  • 4th floor, core hallway: One flat shadow box display case. In addition, picture hanger railing is mounted on the hallway walls around the core for hanging posters, framed pictures, etc. from wire hangers.

Exclusions:

The following areas are for exclusive use as noted due to programmatic needs or are inappropriate for exhibits, and therefore, will not be available to Library employees and/or outside curators:

  • Display cases located on the Garden Level, inside the Graduate Study Room, and cases outside the Jack and Florence Ferman Presentation Room are for the exclusive use of the Ferman ceramics and other materials.
  • The main floor Learning Commons, Lobby, and reference collection stacks areas do not have display cases or wall space for exhibits.
  • The Library Exhibits Gallery (2nd floor, West Wing) is for the exclusive use of Special Collections & Archives to highlight its collections and programs.
  • Gohstand Reading Room: (2nd floor, West Wing) is for the exclusive use of exhibits related to the endowed leisure reading collection.
  • The display cases and bookcases located in the Teacher Curriculum Center/Music & Media department (2nd floor, East Wing), are reserved for exhibits related to the collections housed in this area. 
  • The Map Collection reading room (Garden Level) contains cases and wall hangers used to highlight maps and other materials from the collection.

Procedures

Request forms go to the Associate Dean of the Library for initial review, and are forwarded to the Dean of the Library for approval and possible funding. Library employees will be consulted as needed for input prior to the decision.

  1. Requests to mount an exhibit in the Library must be submitted to the Associate Dean either by a University Library employee or a CSUN Employee/student using the Library Exhibit Proposal form.
  2. Exhibit requests will be evaluated based on content, proposed dates of the exhibit, budget, and exhibit curation experience of the applicant (or their workgroup).
  3. As exhibits are time-consuming to organize, curate, and mount, potential exhibitors should allow at least 6 months from approval date to create a successful exhibit in the Library and be prepared to allocate many hours of their time to this endeavor.
  4. Approved proposals will generally receive funding from Library Administration for exhibit supplies, as budget allows; co-sponsorship with other campus departments is encouraged.

Help with Curating and Mounting Exhibits

The following resources are recommended for help organizing exhibits in the Library, two of which are open access resource, and the rest are books that can be borrowed from other libraries: