The goal of the library exhibition program is to provide a space for student work and campus research to be shared with the community and that our exhibition program provides an opportunity to present stories, voices, and work that otherwise may not be able to be shared.
  • Display case with naval artifacts: a sailor's cap, a brass bell, historic photographs of ships and a sailor. The mood is nostalgic and historical.
  • Antique brass bell with a patina, displayed in a glass case. It has a robust, weathered look, evoking a sense of history and nostalgia.
  • Navy cap labeled "USS Utah" displayed in a glass case with a black-and-white portrait of a sailor. Nearby, a historical naval photograph adds context.
  • Gray buttoned medical uniform with a red cross emblem on the pocket, set against a plain wall. The uniform is neatly displayed, evoking a sense of professionalism and care.
  • A museum display case features a newspaper article titled "Utah Co-Pilot Makes Final Flight Home," alongside a single aviator's glove and sunglasses, evoking wartime remembrance.
  • A vintage rice cooker and a military uniform are on display in a museum exhibit. Informational panels detail the historical context and significance.
  • A black-and-white photo of a smiling military man in uniform is shown next to a text detailing Nelson Akagi's World War II service, highlighting his contributions and challenges as a Japanese American soldier. The tone is respectful, recounting personal and military achievements.
  • Antique surgical tools displayed in a glass case with a wooden cabinet in the background. The room has a museum-like atmosphere, evoking curiosity and historical intrigue.
  • A military canteen and helmet displayed in a museum exhibit. The canteen has a fabric cover with tags, while the helmet appears rugged and worn.

Veteran’s Day Exhibit

Level 4, Reading Room

September 2, 2025 marked the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II. To commemorate this anniversary and honor the veterans who served in WWII, Special Collections, in collaboration with the Fort Douglas Museum, will display collection materials, including biographies, news clippings, photos, uniforms, and personal belongings. The exhibition will highlight the service of the 442nd Regimental Combat Team, a segregated Japanese American unit, that was integral to the American forces’ success in the European theater.

  • Exhibit in a Special Collections Gallery displaying historical books, manuscripts, and writing tools. The setting conveys an educational and scholarly atmosphere.
  • Exhibit in a Special Collections Gallery displaying historical books, manuscripts, and writing tools. The setting conveys an educational and scholarly atmosphere.
  • An open book titled "The Penny Magazine" displayed in a glass case alongside several green-bound copies of "The Pickwick Club." Nearby are informative placards.
  • A display of vintage books under glass, including "By Conduct & Courage" and "In the Irish Brigade," with open spines revealing yellowed pages. The mood is nostalgic.
  • A blue book with gold edging stands open in a display case. Nearby, images show detailed edge paintings. Information cards provide context. Elegant and historical.
  • A display case featuring classic literature, including Hemingway's "The Snows of Kilimanjaro," Goethe's "Faust," and Nabokov's "Lolita," alongside handwritten notes.

The Business of Books

Level 4

Books have always been more than just vessels of knowledge; they are objects of commerce shaped by the interplay of market forces, entrepreneurial ambition, and shifting patterns of consumer demand. At the core of this history is the book as both artifact and investment. The qualities that render a book rare today often reflect its unique position within this commercial and technological landscape. Rarity may arise from a small print run, superior materials such as fine paper or decorative bindings, notable provenance, or distinctive attributes including printer’s errors, illustrations, or marginalia.

The Business of Books: A Literary Economy offers a comprehensive exploration of the production and trade of books from the Renaissance through the Industrial Revolution. Through a selection of books, trade catalogs, advertisements, specimens and ephemera, this exhibition examines the intricate economic networks that underpinned the book industry, and foregrounds the physical labor involved in paper-making, printing, binding, and design.

In addition to revealing how innovations such as movable type, mechanized presses, and industrial paper-making reshaped the scale, speed, and accessibility of book production, The Business of Books also reflects on the financial and legal challenges that defined the trade, considering piracy, forgeries, censorship, and fierce competition. By illuminating the roles of artisans, merchants, and consumers, The Business of Books provides insight into the dynamic forces that have historically shaped the book trade – forces that continue to inform the practices of publishing, collecting, and readership today.

  • Exhibit featuring a stylized clear dome with blue industrial icon on a blue pedestal. Nearby, a corridor with framed artworks and a statue. Bright, modern setting.
  • Interactive museum exhibit with folding panels on a cylindrical stand, featuring a map of the U.S. heat zones. Text in both Spanish and English.
  • Interactive exhibit with a large plastic dome and illustrated info panel in a public space. Modern seating and carpet are visible. Educational atmosphere.
  • Interactive display showing text about geothermal energy in an indoor setting. It states Earth's crust has 50,000 times more geothermal energy than oil and gas.
  • Geothermal energy map of the U.S. displays temperature gradients in vibrant colors, with explanatory text in English and Spanish. Diagram suggests eco-friendly heating potential.

Geothermal Energy: The Heat Beneath Our Feet

Level 1

Geothermal energy is a clean, renewable, and always available energy source found literally beneath our feet. Coming from the earth’s heat, it is used in a variety of ways, including greenhouses and aquaculture, heating, and cooling buildings (like the U’s Gardner Commons!) and electricity generation. In fact, Utah ranks third in the country for electricity generation from geothermal resources (behind California and Nevada, respectively). Utah is also home to the world’s only full-scale field laboratory for researching Enhanced Geothermal Systems (EGS), the Utah Frontier Observatory for Research in Geothermal Energy (FORGE), managed by the University of Utah’s Energy & Geoscience Institute (EGI). This research is funded by one of the largest grants the University has ever received. New EGS-based geothermal electricity generating plants are being built in Utah because of the U’s research!

This exhibit will allow the University of Utah community to learn more about this important but often overlooked clean energy source, which has the potential to help the country gain energy independence without harming the environment. It will also serve to help introduce the University’s leading-edge role in unlocking the potential of geothermal energy.