[Preservenw] IMLS to Sponsor 6 Connecting to Collections Webinars

[Gary Menges]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 15, 2010

Press Contacts
202-653-4630
Mamie Bittner, mbittner at imls.gov


IMLS to Sponsor Six Connecting to Collections Webinars

Advanced Registration is Required

Washington, DC-From October 28 through December 9, the Institute of Museum
and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with Heritage Preservation
(http://www.heritagepreservation.org/) and the American Association for
State and Local History (http://www.aaslh.org/), will be sponsoring a series
of six webinars based on the national initiative Connecting to Collections:
A Call to Action. The series has a dual focus: four of the webinars will
help participants learn how to conduct outreach to the media, the public,
and funders on behalf of collections; and two webinars will help
participants derive maximum benefit from the Connecting to Collections
Bookshelf.

Using the content of the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf, forums, and
workshops, these highly interactive webinars will connect participants with
experts and colleagues to discuss issues of common concern. These free
webinars are designed for staff of museums, libraries, and archives who have
been part of this network and want to reconnect, and for those who have not
previously been involved but are eager to participate.

Participants may sign up for the entire series or select only the sessions
of most interest, and are encouraged to organize groups in their
institutions or communities to participate in the webinar, then work
together to put what they have learned in action. The series is being
offered in association with Learning Times (http://www.learningtimes.com/),
and will be archived and available online for those who cannot participate
at the scheduled time.

The schedule for the webinars is as follows (you must register in advance at
http://learningtimesevents.org/c2c):

Thursday, October 28, 2010
The series is launched with a Double Feature!

11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m. EST
Telling the Story of Your Collections to the Press


?Presenter: Anne Edgar, Founder and Principal, Anne Edgar Associates, New
York
?Commentator: Judith H. Dobrzynski, Freelance Arts Writer, New York
Do you feel that your collection is rich in stories, but no one is
interested? Publicist Anne Edgar, who has generated media coverage for
museums large and small, will discuss how to attract the attention of
journalists, especially for stories that don't appear compelling at first
glance. She will be joined by Judith H. Dobrzynski, freelance arts
contributor to the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and other
publications. Even if you are not responsible for public relations at your
institution, their advice will help you present your collections' stories in
a way that will draw attention.


1:00 - 2:00 BREAK

2:00 - 3:30 PM
Using Social Media to tell Your Collections' Stories

?Presenter: Nancie Ravenel, Objects Conservator, Shelburne Museum, Vermont
?Commentator: Colleen Dilenschneider, Museum and Non-Profit Blogger,
California
While the morning session will focus on attracting the attention of
journalists who will tell your story, this afternoon's session on social
media will help you tell the story yourself, directly to readers, through
the ever-expanding worlds of Facebook, Twitter, Flickr, Foursquare, and
beyond. Nancie Ravenel, a conservator with an interest in social media, has
taken the lead in using social media to share information about the
Shelburne Museum. Colleen Dilenschneider writes the popular blog Know Your
Own Bone, and helps museums and non-profits evolve through community
engagement using social media.


Thursday, November 4, 2010
2:00 - 3:30 p.m., EST
Getting the Most from your Bookshelf: Care of Art and Objects

?Presenter: Kristen Laise, Vice President for Collections Care Programs,
Heritage Preservation
?Commentators: Catharine Hawks, Objects Conservator, Virginia
?Deborah Long, Objects Conservator, Gerald Ford Conservation Center,
Nebraska
?Margaret Holben Ellis, Eugene Thaw Professor of Paper Conservation,
Institute of Fine Arts, New York University and Director, Thaw Conservation
Center, Morgan Library & Museum, New York
More than 3,000 libraries, museums, and archives now have the Connecting to
Collections Bookshelf, a set of collections care resources designed to
assist small institutions in caring for their collections. While rich with
information, the Bookshelf can be challenging to navigate. Kristen Laise,
who organized selection of Bookshelf texts and prepared the User's Guide,
will lead participants through means to find the information they need in
the Bookshelf and in its companion Guide to Online Resources. Catharine
Hawks, a conservator of natural science collections who consults regularly
with small museums, Margaret Ellis, author of The Care of Prints and
Drawings, and Deborah Long of the Gerald Ford Conservation Center at the
Nebraska Historical Society will answer questions about steps you can take
at your own institution.
NOTE: While this session will be of primary interest to institutions that
have the Bookshelf, others may well find it of interest. The Bookshelf Users
Guide, available as a PDF, is a useful guide to resources for collections
care for all, as is the Guide to Online Resources. It is recommended that
all participants have both resources handy during the webinar.


Monday, November 22, 2010
11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m., EST
Funding for Collections Care

?Presenters: Debra Hess Norris, Chairperson, Art Conservation Department,
University of Delaware
?Lee Price, Director of Development, Conservation Center for Art and
Historic Artifacts, Philadelphia
One of the biggest challenges in moving ahead with collections care projects
can be finding adequate funding. Donors, board members, and even your own
development staff often see collections care as less than compelling. The
speakers in this webinar have achieved success in raising funds for
collections care, both on behalf of their own organizations and for others.
Debbie Hess Norris will demonstrate how enthusiasm in making the case,
coupled with a rich understanding of the stories behind your collections,
can yield success in fund-raising. Lee Price will discuss strategies for
successful grant applications.


Thursday, December 2, 2010
2:00 - 3:30 p.m., EST
Public Outreach and Collections Care

?Presenters: Susan Blakney, Chief Conservator, West Lake Conservation,
Skaneatles, New York
?Beth Tice, Associate Director, Central Libraries, Baylor University, Waco,
Texas
?Amber Kerr-Allison, Paintings Conservator and Limited-Term Researcher,
University of Delaware, Art Conservation Department
Public awareness is the key starting point for building support --from
individuals, from local government, from the private sector. When people
have first-hand experience with the issues facing your collections, they can
become effective advocates in the community. Susan Blakney has helped many
small museums with which she has consulted involve their communities in
their collections. Beth Tice has reached beyond the university community to
show the residents of Waco ways in which the library's collections and
resources can help them preserve their own treasures. Amber Kerr-Allison has
conducted public outreach activities at the Smithsonian's Lunder
Conservation Center.


Thursday, December 9, 2010
2:00 - 3:30 p.m., EST
Getting the Most from Your Bookshelf: Care of Paper, Photographs, and
Audiovisual Collections

?Presenter: Kristen Laise, Vice President for Collections Care Programs,
Heritage Preservation
?Commentators: Julie Page, Co-Coordinator, California Preservation Program
?MJ Davis, Conservator in Private Practice, Vermont
?Jean-Louis Bigourdan, Image Permanence Institute, Rochester, New York
More than 3,000 libraries, museums, and archives now have the Connecting to
Collections Bookshelf, a set of collections care resources designed to
assist small institutions in caring for their collections. While rich with
information, the Bookshelf can be challenging to navigate. Kristen Laise,
who organized selection of the Bookshelf texts and prepared the User's
Guide, will lead participants through means to find the information they
need in the Bookshelf and its companion Guide to Online Resources. Julie
Page, a librarian, consultant, and expert on emergency preparedness,
Jean-Louis Bigourdan, a contributor to the IPI Media Storage Quick
Reference, and MJ Davis, a paper conservator who consults regularly with
small museums, libraries, and archives, will answer questions about steps
you can take at your own institutions.
NOTE: While this session will be of primary interest to institutions that
have the Bookshelf, others may well find it of interest. The Bookshelf Users
Guide, available as a PDF, is a useful guide to resources for collections
care for all, as is the Guide to Online Resources. It is recommended that
all participants in this webinar have both resources handy during the
webinar.


About the Institute of Museum and Library Services
The Institute of Museum and Library Services is the primary source of
federal support for the nation's 123,000 libraries and 17,500 museums. The
Institute's mission is to create strong libraries and museums that connect
people to information and ideas. The Institute works at the national level
and in coordination with state and local organizations to sustain heritage,
culture, and knowledge; enhance learning and innovation; and support
professional development. To learn more about the Institute, please visit
www.imls.gov.

About the Heritage Preservation
Heritage Preservation is the national organization dedicated to preserving
our nation's heritage. Its members include libraries, museums, archives,
historic preservation organizations, historical societies, conservation
organizations and other professional groups concerned with saving the past
for the future. For more information, please visit
www.heritagepreservation.org.

About the American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)
The American Association for State and Local History is a non-profit
membership organization comprised of individuals, agencies, and
organizations acting in the public trust, engaged in the practice of history
and representing a variety of disciplines and professions. It provides
leadership and support for its members who preserve and interpret state and
local history in order to make the past more meaningful to all Americans.
www.aaslh.org.

This Information has been forwarded by:

 

Susan Hanks

Library Programs Consultant

Library Development Services, California State Library

900 N Street

Sacramento, CA  95814

916-653-0661     fax 916-653-8443

shanks at library.ca.gov

 

The California State Library is closed the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Fridays of each
month due to the furloughs mandated by Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

 

 

 

Diane Hutchins

Project Manager - Connecting the Dots/Preservation Consultant

Office of the Secretary of State

Washington State Library Division

diane.hutchins at sos.wa.gov

Phone:  (360) 704-7137

Fax:  (360) 586-7575