The display’s the thing: A successful interactive, analog community college library display

Abstract

One of the first things you see when you enter the Kurt R. Schmeller Library on the Queensborough Community College campus are three display cases arranged in a horseshoe, accented with a poster display case on a stand. This prime floor space often serves as a waiting space as students read their texts or wait for friends to join them in the library. Historically, the displays featured rotated content, generally heritage months and other broad topics, with the cases packed full of books (in varying states of repair and condition), artifacts, and matted description and information labels and captions. According to everyone, the displays were routinely ignored.