Subsidized Hazard Surveys

Through funding from the National Endowment for Humanities (NEH), BACC is pleased to offer a limited number of subsidized hazard surveys for $350. Applications are due May 31, 2012.

A hazard survey is the first step in developing an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan that is tailored to an institution's specific needs and circumstances. Participating institutions must complete a pre-visit questionnaire and self-evaluation exercises designed to identify specific risks. Field Service staff then complete a one day, on-site hazard survey to examine the facilities and speak with museum staff. Potential vulnerabilities, such as environment, security, fire and water detection and suppression or abatement, collection management policies and procedures, and pest control, are analyzed. The result is a report that will provide observations, recommendations, and resources to better manage and mitigate risk as well as to develop an Emergency Preparedness and Response Plan. Following the survey, Field Service staff use the information gathered to assist in revising an existing emergency plan or drafting a new plan for the
organization. 

Please contact the Field Service office at wrfso@bacc.org>
wrfso@bacc.org or 619-236-9702 for an application.

Balboa Art Conservation Center (BACC)

Western Region Field Service Office

Elise Ciez

Field Service Project Manager

mailing address: PO Box 3755, San Diego, CA 92163

phone: 619-236-9702 fax: 619-236-0141

BACC website: www.bacc.org

Small Museum Scholarships for AASLH

Small Museum Scholarship Application

2012 AASLH Annual Meeting

Salt Lake City, Utah, October 3-6

DEADLINE: June 30

The American Association for State and Local History will hold its 2012 Annual Meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah. This year, participants will explore the empowering, challenging and special connections between people and place. This year’s Annual Meeting, Crossroads: Exploring the Vibrant Connections Between People and Place, will examine the personal, communal, and organizational journeys that lead to vibrancy and authenticity. Learn how these journeys allow us to achieve meaningful social change and sustainability. Join us as we welcome speakers Pat Croce, Laura Thatch Ulrich, and Will Bagley and explore the theme together.

Unfortunately, many working in our nation’s small museums feel as if we can only dream of attending this meeting. In a perfect world, boards would grant every request to fund our professional development. Institutions of modest means, however, may not have the resources to help us become effective stewards of our community’s memory.

Websites, listservs, and social media constantly offer new sources of technical and psychological support, but nothing is better than the face-to-face fellowship of sharing survival strategies. Every year, increasing numbers of Annual Meeting sessions address issues specifically affecting small museums. These sessions can be as practical and wide-ranging as training, marketing, and strategic planning. Other sessions focus on creative ways to forge and re-energize relationships with the surrounding community.

Now in its seventh year, AASLH’s Small Museums Committee is offering scholarships to any AASLH members who are full-time, part-time, paid, or volunteer employees of small museums. The $500 scholarship will cover the cost of the conference registration and the Small Museums luncheon. Any remaining funds may be used to offset travel and/or lodging expenses.

To qualify, the applicant must work for a museum with a budget of $250,000 or less. They also must either be an individual AASLH member or work for an institutional member. Application forms are available at www.aaslh.org/SmallMuseums.

The deadline for applications is June 30. The committee will email award winners by July 15. For questions, please contact Bruce Teeple, Small Museum Scholarship Subcommittee Chair, at mongopawn44@hotmail.com

                                

Employment Opportunity: PA Looking for History Curators

The Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission (PHMC), the Commonwealth’s official history agency, is seeking Museum History Curators within the Bureaus of the State Museum and Historic Sites and Museums. Museum History Curators perform work that includes assisting with collections inventories, performing basic research on artifacts/specimens, cataloging artifacts/specimens, entering
collections data into the PHMC’s collections database and reconciling inventory discrepancies. The PHMC expects to fill vacancies for a pilot project to inventory collections beginning spring, 2012.  In
order to be eligible for these positions, you must take the Pennsylvania Civil Service examination for Museum History Curator through the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Civil Service Commission. Pennsylvania residency requirement has been waived for these positions. The examination, instructions and additional information may be accessed directly at:
http://www.portal.state.pa.us/portal/http;//www.portal.state.pa.us;80/portal/server.pt/gateway/PTARGS_0_73945_1225164_0_0_18/2012-030_Museum_Curator,_History_1.htm

How to Create, Run and Sustain an Effective Internship Program at Your Museum

RC-MAAM and Cornerstone Workshop

How to Create, Run and Sustain an Effective Internship Program at Your Museum

March 30, 2012

9:00-3:00

Chemical Heritage Foundation

315 Chestnut St, Philadelphia, PA 19106

Interns are an integral part of how museums fulfill their mission and having an internship is a “must” for most students in order to move forward with their career goals. Seems pretty straightforward, right? Think again! There are a lot of expectations involved in the partnership between an intern and an institution.

How do you know if they are a good fit? How do you design a project that will give you and the intern the most value for your time? What do they do?  What are you required to do? Do you pay or not pay; stipend or wage? How do you get more?

 This workshop is divided into two sessions.  During the morning session, three of the largest museum studies programs will explain what they are looking for in an internship opportunity for their students.  They will also share what sorts of things are not acceptable as an internship (hint:  museum internships shouldn’t be shown on Dirty Jobs.) The afternoon session will be an introduction to two successful internship programs that can work at any museum.  The presenters will share ideas, handouts, stories, suggestions and give advice on what sorts of things have worked in their programs.  There will be time for questions and discussion to follow each session.

Lunch is on your own in the great city of Philadelphia and there are several wonderful places within walking distance and are reasonably priced.

COST:   $40 MAAM Members

                $50 Non-MAAM members

Speakers to include:

Petra T. Chu (Seton Hall), Pauline Eversmann (University of Delaware), Jacqueline R. Emerick (The George Washington University), Katie Friedland (Pennsylvania Museum of Art), Rachel Kassman (Jewish Museum of Maryland), and Jobi Zink (JMM)

To Attend this workshop please contact MAAM at their website or by phone at (202) 452-8040.

For additional information contact:  Elizabeth Alberding, Chair, RC-MAAM (240) 462-8399