Curator’s Picks

The Source

Exhibits Office interpretation chief Naomi Coquillon chooses favorite things in the new gallery for young people.
An interactive exhibit kiosk with a video screen, a sign reading "Start Your Research Journey," and informational panels.

Meet Librarians:
Ask Experts

Librarians use reference interviews to clarify a researcher’s needs. We wanted to represent that experience and highlight the important work of the Library’s staff at the librarian’s desk. Visitors can watch short videos featuring seven Library staff members, who share what they love about their work and recommend an item or experience to explore within The Source.
A large, curved digital display designed like an open book stands behind several white touchscreen visitor consoles.

Source Book:
Compile and Share

To represent the idea that researchers learn from each other and are part of a community, we developed the digital Source Book. Visitors can select from images of items from the space and pull them together into collages to show how they might use them — to write a story, organize a club, create artwork or other research outcomes. Then, they can add it to the wall display.

Card Catalog:
Get Curious

The interactive card catalog in The Source, with items flowing from it, represents the way the Library organizes information and makes collections accessible. And it’s an opportunity for intergenerational conversation. Parents and caregivers who remember using a card catalog in their school or local library can share stories about their research experiences with the young people in their lives. The card catalog also is an invitation for visitors to follow their own curiosity — they can open drawers to discover collections and trigger related animations and sounds.
A modern wooden card catalog pillar overlaid with an image of a traditional library catalog card from 1973.
A modern wooden card catalog pillar overlaid with an image of a traditional library catalog card from 1973.

Card Catalog:
Get Curious

The interactive card catalog in The Source, with items flowing from it, represents the way the Library organizes information and makes collections accessible. And it’s an opportunity for intergenerational conversation. Parents and caregivers who remember using a card catalog in their school or local library can share stories about their research experiences with the young people in their lives. The card catalog also is an invitation for visitors to follow their own curiosity — they can open drawers to discover collections and trigger related animations and sounds.
A white desk console features a touchscreen playing "Rhapsody in Blue" next to a yellow replica vinyl record disc.

Investigation Stations:
Spot the Story

More than 200 replica items from across the Library are available in the four format zones in the space: text, sound, image and film. Visitors can swipe an item, enabled with an RFID tag, at an investigation station and take a deeper dive. By selecting hot spots on the scanned items, visitors can discover more information and consider how a researcher might use them for their work.
A yellow record labeled "Poems & Stories" sits atop a document showing Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!"
A white desk console features a touchscreen playing "Rhapsody in Blue" next to a yellow replica vinyl record disc.
A yellow record labeled "Poems & Stories" sits atop a document showing Walt Whitman's poem "O Captain! My Captain!"

Investigation Stations:
Spot the Story

More than 200 replica items from across the Library are available in the four format zones in the space: text, sound, image and film. Visitors can swipe an item, enabled with an RFID tag, at an investigation station and take a deeper dive. By selecting hot spots on the scanned items, visitors can discover more information and consider how a researcher might use them for their work.
Storage shelves with numbered cardboard activity boxes labeled "Environment" and "Declaration of Independence."

Research Boxes:
Join a Journey

Visitors can follow a research journey at the researcher desk. Each archival box includes the story of a researcher who used Library collections to explore a question, create something new or change their world.
Close-up of box 005, labeled "Declaration of Independence," featuring a prompt about using science to uncover edits.
Storage shelves with numbered cardboard activity boxes labeled "Environment" and "Declaration of Independence."
Close-up of box 005, labeled "Declaration of Independence," featuring a prompt about using science to uncover edits.

Research Boxes:
Join a Journey

Visitors can follow a research journey at the researcher desk. Each archival box includes the story of a researcher who used Library collections to explore a question, create something new or change their world.
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