Save the Date: “Test, Inform, Protect: Consumer Reports Archives Exhibit Opening and Panel Discussion”

Due to weather, this event has been rescheduled from January 27 to March 4.

Date: Wednesday, March 4, 2026
Time: 4:30 – 6:30 PM
Location: Rubenstein Library Room 153 (Holsti-Anderson Family Assembly Room)
Registration required:  Click the blue “Begin Registration” at the bottom of the page here to reserve your seat.

For 90 years, Consumer Reports has been the premier source for product reviews and ratings, consumer advice, and consumer issues advocacy in the United States—and a model for consumer movements around the world. The nonprofit organization manages a complex of testing facilities, advocacy and outreach offices, and a media operation that delivers content through radio, television, and online, in addition to the popular Consumer Reports magazine and seasonal Buying Guides.

Join the Duke University Libraries for a special event featuring a panel discussion and gallery talk highlighting the opening of two Consumer Reports exhibits—This Sneeze is for Science, featuring photography of the striking visual narratives depicting scientific testing of consumer products; and Test, Inform, Protect: The Consumer Reports Archives at Duke University, which explores the history and impact of the organization over its 90-year history.

Attendees will hear from panelists from Duke and Consumer Reports, who will comment on the significance of the Consumer Reports Archives, the evolution of the organization and the impact it has had on the Consumer Movement.

Gallery talks with exhibit curators will offer opportunities to connect with the exhibits and reflect on the intersection of science, activism, and public trust.

Panelists will also be available for questions at the conclusion of the panel discussion.

Welcome and Introductory Remarks

Joseph A. Salem, Jr., Duke University Librarian and Vice Provost for Library Affairs

Phil Radford, President and CEO of Consumer Reports

Panelists

Lisa L. Gill, Investigative Reporter, Consumer Reports

Jason Holmes, Director of Testing, Consumer Reports

Edward Balleisen, Senior Vice Provost of History and Public Policy, Duke University

Jacqueline Wachholz, Director, Hartman Center for Sales, Advertising & Marketing History, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University

Moderator: Ashton W. Merck, Historian and Researcher, Duke Ph.D. (2020)

Header Image: Dishwasher testing preparation, undated, Consumer Reports Archives, Iconographic Materials, Box PD20, David M. Rubenstein Rare Book & Manuscript Library, Duke University.