As a vital part of the mission of Special Collections and University Archives, the exhibition program is intended to enrich the cultural and intellectual life of the university by showcasing notable library acquisitions, prominent collections, and objects of historical or aesthetic distinction. While most exhibitions are drawn exclusively from library holdings, and are curated by members of the Special Collections and University Archives, the library unit does occasionally mount traveling exhibitions, borrow materials to perfect exhibitions of library holdings, and highlight appropriate materials in the possession of library faculty and Friends.

Special Collections and University Archives seeks and encourages the participation of Rutgers University academic and library faculty members in its exhibition program, and works with guest curators to assist them in producing exhibitions that are both scholarly and visually attractive. Whenever possible, Special Collections and University Archives also endeavors to coordinate its exhibitions with those mounted by other Library units.

Exhibitions are planned regularly to support the Rutgers University curriculum, explore the state's diverse cultures and feature the contributions to local history, library history, and the book arts, made by New Jersey residents. The involvement of community members is always welcome.

Exhibitions on the Web

• All Aboard: Railroads and New Jersey, 1812-1930

• John Milton and the Cultures of Print
  This digital exhibition is based on a physical exhibition on display at the Special Collections and University Archives Gallery at Rutgers University Libraries from February 3 to May 31, 2011.

• New Jersey INTERNATIONAL Book Arts Symposium
  Photographs, original sketches by Marcia Sandmeyer Wilson and descriptions of the seventh annual New Jersey Book Arts Symposium, November 2, 2001. (Web exhibition curated by Michael Joseph)

• The Pivotal Right: Commemorating the 150th Anniversary of the Women's Right's Convention at Seneca Falls 
  (Web exhibition curated by Dr. Ferris Olin and Dr. Fernanda Perrone)

• The POP-UP World of Ann Montanaro
  Ann Montanaro, author of Pop-Up & Movable Books: A Bibliography, founder of The Movable Book Society, and editor of Movable Stationery samples her collection of several thousand American and European pop-up books, in an exhibition focusing on the history, art, engineering and marketing of a genre in which she is a world-renowned authority. A version of an exhibition of pop up books in the Special Collections galleries, April 15, 1996--June 31, 1996. (Web exhibition curated by Michael Joseph)

• Education and The Book Arts in New Jersey, or, Preaching What We Practice
  An exhibition created to accompany the Second Annual New Jersey Book Arts Symposium, November 8, 1996, at the John Cotton Dana Library. It includes work by various New Jersey book artists, including paper-makers, binders, illustrators, typographers, paper-marblers and book designers. (Web exhibition curated by Michael Joseph)

• Lynd Ward's Vertigo
  232 blocks of woodblocks used to print Lynd Ward's last published and largest graphic novel, Vertigo (Random House, 1937).

• Clifford P. Case II: Loyal Son, Scholar, Statesman
  This Web site serves as a companion to the permanent exhibition on the senator’s life and work which was installed in the Clifford P. Case Seminar Room in October 2006.
  (Web exhibition curated by Dr. Fernanda Perrone)

• Garden State Harvest: New Jersey's Agricultural Heritage
  Web page to accompany the exhibit, featuring an extensive bibliography of material on the subject available in Special Collections and University Archives.

Exhibition Schedule

Consult a list of Recent Past Exhibitions.

Exhibitions Curator hperrone@rci.rutgers.edu