Library History Exhibits
Exhibits are an excellent way of promoting library history. There are numerous possibilities for permanent, temporary, and traveling exhibits that tell the story of America's libraries.
In 1999, the Wyoming State Library developed an exhibit on the history of Wyoming libraries at the Wyoming State Museum in conjunction with the meeting of the Wyoming Library Association. The State Library staff created a library history timeline for the exhibit. The exhibit included photographs, examples of tools used by librarians in the past, and memorabilia.
New Mexico developed a New Mexico Library Legacy traveling exhibit which was displayed around the state in 2000 and 2001. The exhibit was based on a book by Linda Harris. Harris also assembled the exhibit and gave talks on New Mexico library history.
The Milwaukee Public Library has a permanent display of an "old time" librarian's office with historic artifacts and memorabilia in its central library building.
I periodically exhibit my collection of Wisconsin Library Memorabilia at libraries around the state. An exhibit schedule for Fall 2007.
This is a picture of a more extensive exhibit of my library memorabilia collection at the Marathon County Library in Wausau, WI in conjunction with a meeting of the Wisconsin Association of Public Libraries. Conference participants were able to view the exhibit while attending an open house at the library. Regular library visitors were able to view the exhibit for a full month.
Library history exhibits outside the context of the library world are also possibilities. I've developed an exhibit of postal librariana that tells story of America's libraries which I have exhibited at several major stamp shows. In the summer of 2005 it was exhibited at the stamp show of the American Philatelic Society in Grand Rapids, MI. The show had an attendance of approximately 10,000 people.
Of course the ultimate exhibit would be a permanent library history museum.