Curating collections, stories and impact: Exhibitions in Australian academic libraries
ALIA (Australian National 2026, Sydney, NSW; 14 May 2026
Abstract: Over the past decade, academic libraries in Australia have increasingly invested in exhibition-making teams and infrastructure. These growing exhibition programs represent a national shift in how academic libraries are positioning themselves within their university communities and to external audiences. As the role of exhibitions has expanded in library services, spaces and institutional identity, these programs have become important platforms for community engagement, scholarly communication and the discovery of unique collections.
This panel of library exhibition specialists from seven different universities across the country will explore this trend and discuss how the remit of exhibitions differs between their institutional contexts. Across these libraries, exhibitions span research showcases, archives, special collections and experiential learning. This panel will trace how these priorities have shifted over the past decade and offer a practical insight into what it means to curate a library exhibition in 2026.
