2. Primary Sources vs. Secondary Sources
• Found in Archives
• Everyone creates primary
sources
• Original, first-hand
interpretations of an
event
• Letters
• Diaries
• Photographs
• Recordings
• Artwork
• Found in libraries
• A second-hand
interpretation or analysis
of a primary source
• Biographies
• Histories
• Reviews
3. A time capsule for:
• Manuscripts
• Historical collections
• Original artwork and illustrations
• Oral histories submitted by faculty, students and alumni
• Rare books and historic children’s literature
• Official University records
• University publications
• Theses and dissertations
• Photographs
• Video and audio recordings
• Artifacts and memorabilia of campus life, athletic events and
performances
4. Objectives
Utilize critical thinking skills to understand themes
and connections in art
Understand the steps undertaken to curate an
exhibit
Using the materials provided, curate small exhibits
including labels
5. What is critical thinking?
The mental process of actively and skillfully
conceptualizing, applying, analyzing, synthesizing,
and evaluating information to reach an answer or
conclusion
http://dictionary.reference.com/
6. Curation/Exhibit Planning
Curate – to take charge of a museum or organize an
art exhibit
Exhibition – a public display, as of the work of artists
or artisans
Theme – the subject of discourse, discussion,
meditation, or composition; topic
http://dictionary.reference.com/
7. Start by
committing to
good planning
Understand your
audience
Solidify your
idea/theme
Select materials,
research, and
make notes
Write and edit
exhibit labels
Test your exhibits
and fix the
problems
Finalize publicity,
plan events
Mount the exhibit
Curation
Action Steps
Feldman, J. (2013). From Soup to Nuts: The exhibit cycle as a
planning and practice model. In Exhibits in archives and special
collections libraries (p. 18).
8. Is it curated?
VS
General Store Room, Old Depot
Museum, Ottawa KS
ESU Special Collections and Archives,
Emporia KS
10. Examples
Elements of Art
Line, value, texture, space, color, shape, form
Medium used by the artist
Crayon, charcoal, paint
Object within the art
Animals, people, scenery
11. Connecting the threads
Bible used by President
Kellogg on the first day of
classes in 1865
Drink container that can be
turned into a megaphone
used on 1971 Band Day
Velvet covered “Yearbook”
from 1889
Beanie worn by underclassmen
whenever they were walking around
campus, circa 1920-1950
University student experiences
14. Label Creation
Contextual – the words express the context of the
item
Art – shares the bare-bones information of the
piece
Interpretive – allows the exhibit creator to share
their ideas
Feldman, J. (2013). Exhibits in archives and special collections libraries.
15. 7 C’s of label creation
Clean
Concise
Clear
Common
Continuity
Common Sense
Content
50th Anniversary Children’s Book Award
Memorial Bag
2002-2003
During the 50th anniversary ceremony of the
William Allen White Children’s Book Award, many
different souvenirs were available to the public for
purchase. The winning books in the 50th year were
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and Dovey
Coe by Frances O’Roark Dowell.
ESU003.006.001.001
Feldman, J. (2013). Exhibits in archives and special collections libraries.
16. 3:30:3 ADA
Most labels can be
read in 3 seconds
Some labels can be
read in 30 seconds
Few labels can be
read in 3 minutes
• 18-22 point font for the
main body of text
• Leave some white space
• Don’t crowd the text
17. Bad Labels
50th Anniversary Children’s Book Award
Memorial Bag
2002-2003
During the 50th anniversary ceremony of the
William Allen White Children’s Book Award,
many different souvenirs were available to
the public for purchase. The winning books
in the 50th year were Because of Winn-Dixie
by Kate DiCamillo and Dovey Coe by Frances
O’Roark Dowell.
ESU003.006.001.001
50th AnniversaryChildren’sBookAward
MemorialBag
2002-2003
During the 50th anniversary ceremony of the
William Allen White Children’s Book Award, many
different souvenirs were available to the public for
purchase. The winning books in the 50th year were
Because of Winn-Dixie by Kate DiCamillo and
Dovey Coe by Frances O’Roark Dowell.
ESU003.006.001.001
50thAnniversaryChildren’sBookAwardMemorialBag
2002-2003
Duringthe50thanniversaryceremonyoftheWilliamAllenWhiteChildren’sBookAward,many
differentsouvenirswereavailabletothepublicforpurchase.Thewinningbooksinthe50thyear
wereBecauseofWinn-DixiebyKateDiCamilloandDoveyCoebyFrancesO’RoarkDowell.
ESU003.006.001.001
18.
19. What did you notice about the
labels in the mini-exhibit?
20. May Massee
(1883-1966)
• Taught for one year as a
teenager and then attended
library school
• Became children’s librarian at
Buffalo Public Library in New
York
• Became children’s book editor
at Doubleday Page in 1922
• Ran Junior Books division at
Viking Press, Inc. from 1932-
1960
• Continued as a consulting editor
for Viking Press until 1966
May Massee Collection, undated
30. Objectives
Utilize critical thinking skills to understand themes
and connections in art
Understand the steps undertaken to curate an
exhibit
Using the materials provided, curate small exhibits
including labels
31. Instructions
Decide your theme and a possible title!
Pick 5-7 pieces
Don’t take all the pieces by one illustrator
Plan your space
Draft your interpretive label
Write out your official label for your moving wall
Place your selected pieces on the moving wall
Exhibition time to show your exhibition to your classmates
