The J. Willard Marriott Library exhibition program is providing space for campus research and student work to be shared with the public. The program aims to offer opportunities to present various voices, stories, and works that may not typically have a platform for sharing.
The exhibition America in the Archive: The Many Voices of Democracy is located on Level 4. As the United States approaches its 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026, this exhibition explores the layered history of democracy. It focuses on the voices and stories of people instrumental in creating and preserving democracy, with a particular emphasis on Utah and the Intermountain West. This exhibition is free and open to the public.
Also on Level 4 in the Reading Room, Persistent Memory: Medievalism and the Art of the Book explores the enduring interest in the European Middle Ages. The display features artists' books and fine press works from the J. Willard Marriott Library Rare Books Collection alongside medieval facsimiles and manuscript fragments to show connections across time.
On Level 2, the collaborative project We Live Amid And As Archives is on display. Created by students in the WRTG 4950: Archives Beyond the West course taught by PhD Candidate Keolanani Kinghorn, and facilitated by a workshop series by Romeo García, the project involves engaging with archives as sites of inquiry. The work includes public-facing projects such as rhetorical analyses of local murals and community-based visual archives in Salt Lake City.
This project involved collaboration with community partners, including Shoshone Nation Elder Darren Parry, who provided Indigenous perspectives on land and history. Students also worked with Rachel A. Ernst at the J. Willard Marriott Library and Allison Allred to support the installation.
The exhibition Image of Research: Capturing the Spark of Discovery is located on Level 1. This exhibition features 20 images selected by a jury representing various campus units, showcasing research topics ranging from fungi in biomedical materials to the legacy of Black cowboys in the American West. Awards were presented to faculty, post-doc, and graduate student groups, including a People's Choice award voted on by attendees during a celebration held on March 31.
