In 2018, under the leadership of now President Emeritus Michael A. McRobbie, IU launched University Collections, part of a sustained effort to ensure that all of IU's collections, regardless of size, location, or resource level, are properly preserved, housed, and made accessible to all members of the IU community, the general public, and scholars everywhere.
The once disparate and isolated collections are becoming a cohesive, cooperative entity that holistically considers all aspects of collections preservation, stewardship, and public accessibility. Such an approach both reinforces the value of IU's most prestigious collections and elevates those little-known, but still very important, collections across the state. University Collections at McCalla, located in the historic McCalla School, is the centerpiece for these efforts, where collections from Bloomington and other IU campuses are brought into conversation with one another, including collections in the visual arts, humanities, media, and beyond.
University Collections staff creating an exhibit. Shown are Executive Director Heather Calloway, Associate Director Brian Woodman, and Administrative and Project Coordinator Erica Kendall.