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.

The University of Utah Press: Celebrating 75 Years of Publishing

Level 1

As the University of Utah Press celebrates its 75th anniversary, it is a time to reflect on the rich history and significant contributions of this esteemed publisher. Founded in 1949, the Press has been a vital part of the academic community, publishing works that contribute to the advancement of knowledge and scholarship in a wide range of fields.

Over the past 75 years, the University of Utah Press has established a reputation for publishing high-quality, innovative, and thought-provoking books. Its list includes works in the humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, and regional studies. The Press has been a leader in publishing works on the American West, the indigenous peoples of the region, archaeology, anthropology, history, and environmental studies.

The Artist in the Archive

Level 4

At the J. Willard Marriott Library, the Book Arts studio is uniquely located within close proximity to Special Collections. Established in 1995, the goal of the Book Arts Program has been to encourage appreciation for the art and history of the book.

Over the past three decades, exemplars from the Rare Books Collection have been providing Book Arts students, faculty and community members insights into skills such as papermaking, bookbinding, letterpress, typography and book design.

However, rare books are not the only objects that can educate and inspire students. Archival materials held within Special Collections also have the potential to act as a catalyst for creative exploration and expression.

Explore the materiality of the archival document through a stunning exhibition of contemporary artists’ books that redefine, reuse and reinterpret memory.

Whereas traditional scholarship positions archives in relation to historic narratives, this exhibition focuses on the ways in which archival materials can inform, inflect and influence the production of new works, as artists incorporate the archive in their creative processes across a broad range of visual arts.

Highlighted in this exhibition are letters, diaries, photographs, maps, marginalia and other miscellaneous objects that shift the engagement with the archive as a thing of the past to something of our present and future.