Beyond Glass Cases

Beyond Glass Cases: The Library Company of Philadelphia's "Collections Lab" documents an independent research library's commitment to interpreting challenging, and at times harmful, collection items honestly and thoughtfully. Founded in 1731, the Library Company of Philadelphia specializes in American society and culture from the seventeenth through the early twentieth centuries. Its collections of books and graphics invite new ways of engaging public understanding of complex histories while recognizing the items' historical significance.Throughout 2024 and 2025, the Beyond Glass Cases project showcased the work of speculative historian Tafari Robertson, musician Zachariah Julian, anthropologist and historian Paul Wolff Mitchell, and visual artist Mark Thomas Gibson. They created artworks, curated exhibitions, and composed music in dialogue with Library Company materials. Their projects moved beyond the traditional exhibition model of objects displayed under glass and interpreted through authoritative labels.Curator and writer Daniel Tucker documents the work of the project partners, advisory group members, and staff, drawing together lessons from the three-year project. The volume includes contributions from Bill Adair, Linda Kimiko August, Rachel D'Agostino, Mark Thomas Gibson, Emily Guthrie, Sharon Hildebrand, Tania Isaac Hyman, Zachariah Julian, Shannon Mattern, Paul Wolff Mitchell, Erika Piola, Tafari Robertson, John C. Van Horne, and Sarah Weatherwax. The project was supported by The Pew Center for Arts & Heritage.