The Rutgers University Art Library has created exhibition spaces to connect with arts departments, elevate scholarly work in the arts, and provide opportunities for artists to exhibit. The spaces include wall tracks, cases, and digital displays. Over 42 exhibits have featured student, faculty, and community artist work. The exhibits are funded through donations and run by volunteers, growing the Art Library's partnerships across campus and community.

1. BUILDING BRIDGES, CREATING PARTNERSHIPS, & ELEVATINGTHE ARTS:
THE RUTGERS UNIVERSITY ART LIBRARY EXHIBITION SPACES
MEGAN LOTTS,ART LIBRARIAN
RUTGERS,THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW JERSEY
@MCLotts

2. EXHIBITION SPACES
• The Art Library has two wall hanging track systems. Both walls are 8 feet tall from ceiling
to floor. The longer wall, from track system to shelves is 63 inches, and 26 feet end to
end. The shorter wall is 13 feet end to end.
• Sculptures, Installations, and performances will be considered as long as the art work
does not damage the Art Library walls/spaces, or create a fire hazard.
@MCLotts

3. TYPES OF EXHIBITIONS
• Cases.
• Wall space w/track system.
• Additional space that does not present a fire code violation or damage to walls or any part
of library.
• Digital Exhibits on the E-Display.
• Pop up exhibits.
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4. WHY WAS THIS SPACE CREATED
• I was looking to find ways to further connect with the departments to whom I liaise (Art
History, Digital Filmmaking, Landscape Architecture, and Mason GrossVisual Artists)
• Elevate the importance of the scholarly work being created in the Arts on the Rutgers
campuses.
• Provide an opportunity for artist to exhibit their work.
• Provide the Art Library intern an opportunity to curate exhibitions.
@MCLotts

5. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE SPACES
• Provide an opportunity for Rutgers students, faculty, and staff to exhibit their work.
• Many exhibitors have learned more about installing an exhibit from creation to
consumption, including installation, marketing, and reception planning.
• Provides an opportunity for individuals to view artworks in person as opposed to
studying an image in a book.
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6. WHAT HAS HAPPENED IN THE SPACES
• 42 exhibits
• Little to no fiscal cost, other than time.
• Built closer connections with MGVA, LA, and Arts communities on the RU campuses
• Partnerships with multiple departments on campus including: BrighamYoung University Humanities
Center’s Archipelagoes, Center forWomen in the Arts & Humanities, Hammarskjold Middle School in East Brunswick, NJ,
Institute for Research on Women, Jersey Collective Mason GrossVisual Artists, Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, Research
Collaboratory for Structural Bioinformatics, Returned Peace CorpsVolunteers of New Jersey, Rutgers Brodsky Center, Rutgers
faculty & staff artists, Rutgers Center for Cultural Analysis, Rutgers Landscape Architecture Dept., Rutgers Poetry club, School
of Arts and Sciences Honors Program, Rutgers Theater Department, and The Centers for the Global Advancement and
International Affairs at Rutgers.
• http://libguides.rutgers.edu/eventsandexhibits
@MCLotts

7. INFO & AGREEMENT
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8. FUNDING THE EXHIBITION SPACES
• I have no funding.
• Any expenses are responsibility of exhibitors.
• We have a box of exhibit supplies that is full of donated materials, and stands & signage
holders from dollar store.
• My time, time of my assistants (art library graduate & undergraduate interns, and
exhibitors.
• Publicity is done locally by RUL communications director.
• In 2017 the Art Library was able to purchase equipment for the track system with
funding from the RUL New Brunswick Learning & EngagementTeam
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9. LIBGUIDE TO ARCHIVE EXHIBITS
http://libguides.rutgers.edu/eventsandexhibits
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10. ART OF THE TATTOO
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11. PROTEIN DATABANK
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12. MARKING TIME- PRISON ARTS
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13. JERSEY COLLECTIVE
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14. AMEE J. POLLACK & LAURIE SPITZ
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15. DIANA HSU KUNG
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16. BYRNE SEMINAR STUDENTS
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17. JOSEPH URSULO
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18. FIDALIS BUEHLER AND JUANAVALDES
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19. IN SEARCH OF A PUNCHLINE
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20. ASSESSMENT
• Surveys.
• Stories and interactions from exhibitions, events, and receptions.
• Monitoring the RUL and other Rutgers social media pages for comments and likes.
• Publicity in local media sources.
• Articles written about the exhibitions.

21. ASSESSMENT
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22. OUTCOMES
• Formed a deeper connection to the departments with whom I liaise.
• Formed new connections with departments on campus that might not visit the Art Library.
• Elevated the importance of scholarly research being created in the Arts on the Rutgers
Campuses and the local community.
• Helped form the Rutgers Carr Library Exhibition space.
• Connected Chemisty & Physics librarian to a department she was having trouble connecting
with & in turn they invited us to tour their space and now regularly collaborate with RUL.
@MCLotts

23. HOW CANYOU MAKE IT HAPPEN
• You don’t need a lot of money.
• Cross-disciplinary collaboration is good. Partnerships can help share the fiscal and labor
costs. As well as, help with promotion and attendance to events.
• Marketing & Outreach.
• Create a proposal process & challenge process.
• I have an Art Library intern or Undergraduate reference assistant who help with planning
and coordinating exhibitions & events.
@MCLotts

24. CONCLUSION
• Exhibition spaces can be a great way to connect with individuals and create community
within ones library.
• Exhibition spaces can highlight the materials found in local library collections.
• Exhibition spaces provide artists an opportunity to share their work & learn more about
the exhibition process.
• Exhibition spaces can be a hands on way of educating patrons about the Arts.
@MCLotts

25. CITATION TO PAPER & LIGUIDE
Lotts, Megan. "Building bridges, creating partnerships, and elevating the Arts." College &
Research Libraries News 77, no. 5 (May 2016): 226-230.
Art Library Exhibition Space Libguide: http://libguides.rutgers.edu/eventsandexhibits
@MCLotts

26. QUESTIONS
Megan Lotts, MFA, M.L.I.S
Art Librarian
Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey
(848)932-7189
megan.lotts@rutgers.edu
www.meganlotts.com
link to work in RUcore
http://soar.libraries.rutgers.edu/bib/Megan_Lotts/
like the Rutgers Art Library facebook page
www.facebook.com/rutgersartlibrary
@MCLotts