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Pre-Conference Program For The 2014 Small Museum Association Conference
Pre-Conference Program For The 2014 Small Museum Association Conference
30
th
Anniversary
Small Museums: Past, Present & The Future SMA Annual Conference February 16 - 18, 2014 * Ocean City, MD www.smallmuseum.org
ABOUT THE SMALL MUSEUM ASSOCIATION The Small Museum Association is an all volunteer organization serving small museums in the Mid Atlantic region & beyond. SMAs mission is to develop and maintain a peer network among people who work for small museums, giving them opportunities to learn, share knowledge and support one another, so that they, in turn, can better serve their institutions, communities & profession.
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Twitter Feed: Tweet about whats happening at the conference by using the hashtag: #sma14 Sunday Night Eat And Engage: Are you looking to make new friends or talk shop with other attendees? Eat and Engage provides an opportunity for SMA attendees to meet up for dinner and chat about a variety of topics. There will be an Eat and Engage at the Dough Roller and in the Clarions restaurant. The price of dinner is not included with registration. RSVP required. Monday Lunchtime Option: The Flash Sessions Enlightening, and Faster than Lightning: Working on an interesting project? Have an interesting idea? Want to share information about an upcoming program? Join us for the flash sessions. Each speaker will get 3 (timed) minutes to tell us about something at lightning speed and then were on to the next interesting tidbit. Come prepared to share! Monday Night Banquet Theme: 1980s! The Monday night banquet is a favorite of many SMA attendees. While dressing up is optional, it is encouraged. Let your imagination run wild! Activities include dinner, dancing, awards, half and half raffle, and silent auction announcements. (Have you emailed Helen Wirka at helenwirka@gmail.com andDoris Pullman at tealady@atlanticbb.net.yet with your silent auction submission?)
SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 16 Registration (12:00p.m. - 5:45 p.m.) Workshops (12:30 - 4:00 p.m.) State Meetings (4:30 - 5:30 p.m.) Wine and Cheese Reception (5:45 - 6:45 p.m.) Eat and Engage (Meet at 6:45p.m.) MONDAY , FEBRUARY 17 Registration (8:15 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.) Breakfast (7:15 - 9:15 a.m.) Keynote Address (8:15 - 9:15 a.m.) Sessions (9:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.) Roundtables (3:45 - 4:45 p.m.) Special Events: Resource Hall open Ice Cream Social and Coffee Break in Resource Hall Evening Costume Themed Banquet - 1980s (6:30 - 10:00 p.m.) Silent Auction TUESDAY , FEBRUARY 18 Registration Plenary Address (8:15 - 9:15 a.m.) Sessions (9:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.)
Images (right) of SMA through the years, courtesy of Mike Leister. If you have photos of previous years, please email conference@smallmuseum.org!
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SUNDAY WORKSHOPS
Included in the cost of registration. All Hands on Deck: Evaluating your Volunteer Program and Planning for the Future. B/I. Katherine C. Grier & Susan J. Ellis. This workshop will introduce you to trends in volunteering in non-profit organizations and discuss where museums fit into these changes. Participants will learn about best practices in volunteer management and will fill out a self-evaluation form. The results of this self-evaluation will be discussed in the Tuesday follow-up session. This workshop is part of the Sustaining Places project, a partnership between the Museum Studies Program, University of Delaware and the Tri-State Coalition of Historic Places, funded by the Institute for Museum and Library Services. Museum Administration: What Would You Do? B/I/E. Rod Cofield & Others. Using real-life scenarios theyve experienced on the job, several small museum administrators will explore the policies, procedures, and best practices that museums should have in place to run smoothly and meet legal and ethical requirements.
KEYNOTE & PLENARY ADDRESSES Monday Keynote Address: Robert Kiihne & Sheryl Hack (8:15 - 9:15 a.m.)
What would make a diverse group of teenagers actually want to visit an early colonial house museum? Come and see what Connecticut Landmarks (CTL) learned from teens in museums, kids interpret a historic house, a student production about ghosts, blogging museum goers, and the community leaders. CTL, with the help of an IMLS grant hired Reach Advisors, RKExhbits and Writers Block to work with students over the summer to find out what interests them about the Hempsted House and its historic occupants. Hopefully the resulting interpretive planning process will help chart a path to a new kind of interpretation for all 9 of their properties.
Mary will highlight 30 years of small museum history and achievements while challenging attendees to think about the next 30 years of needs and challenges.
B - Beginner, I - Intermediate, & E - Expert level session. Final rooms to be announced in final program.
Taking the Mystery Out of Evaluation: How Museums Can Gather and Use Visitor Feedback Efficiently and Effectively. B. Kirsten Buchner. This session will be an introduction to ways museum staff can begin to conduct their own evaluations and audience research projects to help them better understand, improve and make decisions about how you serve your visitors. Using examples drawn from evaluations Insight Evaluation Services has conducted for small local area museums, we will discuss how and when visitor feedback can be solicited at different stages of project development for the purpose of informing next steps and reporting progress to stakeholders. Using the System for Pleasure and Non-Profit. I. Aaron Marcavitch. Learn how to work your networks and your systems in unique and creative ways to build collaborations, find partners that pay you (or at least dont charge), and land a few more grants all while making new friends. We will discuss the 10,000 foot level and then zoom in on a few projects that worked out well enough that it seemed ok to talk about them. We will walk through some of the arts and sciences of grants, budgets, fee-for-service models and how partners can make that all happen a little bit easier. We will especially point to larger regional scale programs like the National and Maryland Heritage Areas programs but we will make sure we look at all the connections you can use to for pleasure and non-profit.
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Creating and Administering Quality Overnight Programs. B/I. Brian Auer. This session will highlight several approaches to creating activities and strategies for implementation that will ensure the best possible experience for participants for the long timeslot of an overnight program. Also discussed will be effective administration strategies for organizing overnight programs in the most efficient way possible. Case studies and example programs from Historic Ships in Baltimores overnight program will be shown. The Red Dragon: A Model for Engaging the Community in Exhibits and Programming. B/I/E. Sharon Stowers, Ruth Ann Robinson, Jeanne Colopietro, & Jamie Colopietro. This workshop will address how small museums can better collaborate with community organizations and community members to develop dynamic and relevant community-based exhibits and programming. Our presentation will draw on our experience at the Hays-Heighe House at Harford Community College of developing the Welsh Heritage Project and the accompanying exhibits, The Red Dragon: Celebrating Welsh Hertiage in Harford County, in the Spring of 2013. This project was funded by a Maryland Traditions Grant from the Maryland States Arts Council. We will teach workshop participants how to conduct basic ethnographic research of their communities, how to develop a dynamic exhibit from community information and local artifacts, and how to use new media/social networking not only to involve to the local community in the project but to reach out and involve a national and international audience. Protecting Your Collection: How Risk Management Principles Can Help Small Museums Sustain Their Mission. B. Molly Slattery & Deborah Peak A round table session about common insurance/risk management questions, concerns or issues facing small museums.
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Susan J. Ellis is President of Energize, Inc., a training, consulting, and publishing firm that specializes in volunteerism. She founded the Philadelphia-based company in 1977 and since that time has assisted clients throughout North America (48 states and 6 provinces), Europe (11 countries), Asia (4 countries), Latin America (2 countries), Australasia (2 countries), and Israel to create or strengthen their volunteer corps. Robert Forloney the Director of the Center of Chesapeake Studies at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime. Whether working at an art institution or a history museum, Robert attempts to make objects and images accessible to audiences through facilitating conversations as well as utilizing experiential learning techniques. Jodi Frederiksen is an M.A. candidate in the Department of History at the University of Delaware. Prior to attending UD, she spent seven years as a Curatorial Assistant at the Thomas Jefferson Foundation, a private, non-profit that owns and operates Thomas Jeffersons Monticello, where she was chiefly responsible for daily care of the collection. Jesse Gagnon is the Director of Education for the Marshall Steam Museum + Friends of Auburn Heights Preserve. She graduated with an MA in History from the University of Delaware and Museum Studies Certificate. Katherine C. Grier is director of the Museum Studies Program at the University of Delaware. She is the principal investigator for the Sustaining Places project and the creator of the Museum Studies Programs Collections SWAT Team program, which just completed its fifth annual volunteer collections management project. Frances Harreell is a Preservation Specialist for the Northeast Document Conservation Center. She sits on the Executive Committee for COSTEP MA- Coordinated Statewide Emergency Preparedness Massachusetts. Dana Hines is the CEO of Membership Consultants in St. Louis. She is co-author of the essential text, Membership Development, and the recently published Pulse of Membership 2012. She has been a presenter at numerous regional and national conferences. Christina Inge is a marketing and museum professional with 15 years experience. The former head of marketing for the New England Quilt Museum and currently for EdTrips, she works with museums of all sizes to attract audiences and build revenue. Tracy H. Jentzsch serves in dual position of Assistant to the Director of the Museum Studies Program, and Media Specialist in the History Media Center at the University of Delaware. She brings a varied background to her current role as an Alt Ac in Digital Humanities. Stephanie Lampkin is a doctoral candidate in History at the University of Delaware and received the museum studies certificate in 2010. This is her second year serving as a Graduate Assistant for the Museum Studies Program. Kate Livie is currently the Director of Education at the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, where she shares the stories of the Bays history, culture, and environment with visitors of all Kate currently manages over 80 education docents in CBMMs successful volunteer program. Aaron Marcavitch, Executive Director of Anacostia Trails Heritage Area Inc. has 10 year of experience in non-profit operations, community development, affordable housing, and historic preservation in Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Rhode Island, and Massachusetts. He has a B.S. in Historic Preservation from Roger William University and a M.A. in Public History from Middle Tennessee State University. Mary Mark Ockerbloom is currently the Wikipedian-In-Residence for the Chemical Heritage Foundation in Philadelphia, PA, where she is helping to contribute images of collections items to Wikimedia Commons and improve information on Wikipedia about the history of science.
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Jack McCarthy is a certified archivist and longtime Philadelphia area archival/historical consultant who has held leadership positions at several historical organizations and directed a number of archives and history projects. He is currently serving as Project Director for the Historical Society of Pennsylvanias Hidden Collections Initiative for Pennsylvania Small Archival Repositories. Anne Morgan is a new archivist who graduated from Simmons College Library and Information School in May of 2012. She is enjoying establishing the Imperial Valley Desert Museums archive and preserving the stories of the archaeologists who built the museum as well as the Native Americans who make the Yuha Desert their home. Deborah Peak has over 30 years experience as fine art insurance broker, account handler, claims manager and currently is the underwriter for Huntington T. Blocks small museums and conservators fine art insurance programs. She also manages, trains, and acts as a resource for HTB employees. Kelsey Ransick is the Curator at the Arden Craft Shop Museum in Arden, DE and the Woodfin Fellow at Newlin Grist Mill in Glen Mills, PA. She has a BA in history from University of San Francisco and an MA in history and certificate in museum studies from University of Delaware, where she served as the Sustaining Places Webmaster for two years. Chris Reich is the Senior Advisor in the Office of Museum Services of the Institute of Museum and Library Services, working on a broad range of organizational, managerial and technical issues related to grants management and agency operations. He previously held curatorial and director positions in museums in Connecticut, Alabama, and Iowa. Ruth Ann Robinson is the founder and director of the old Line Museum in Delta, PA and spearheaded the restoration of the historic Welsh Cottage in Coulsonton, PA. Julia Rocchi is the Associate Director for Digital Content at the National Trust for Historic Preservation, where she manages the PreservationNation blog, curates and connects content, and edits/writes/films any story she can get her grubby little mitts on. She is all about combining accessible communication, marketing science, and goal-oriented project management for social good. Julia is currently pursuing her MA in Writing at Johns Hopkins University with the goal of becoming a starving artist. Amanda Shepp is a graduate of SUNY Fredonia and the University at Buffalo (graduate work). She helps out the Center For Inquiry frequently, and is always up for a challenge. Amanda resides in Buffalo, NY with her husband Chris and their cat, Ebi. Lauren Silberman is the coordinator for the Museum Assessment Program with the American Alliance of Museums. Molly Slattery has 14 years experience as a fine art insurance broker with Huntington T. Block Insurance Agency, Inc. She specializes in placement of affordable Fine Art Insurance for Small Museums, Art Centers, Non-Profit Organizations, and Historical Societies. Sharon Stowers Ph.D. is an Associate Professor of Anthropology and Sociology at Harford Community College. She received her Ph.D. in Anthropology from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, MA and a Masters in Applied Anthropology from the University of Maryland, College Park, and a Masters in Nutrition from Framingham State College in Massachusetts. She has taught for over 20 years in a variety of institutions of higher learning, including UMass, Amherst and Towson University. She has extensive experience researching and writing about immigrant communities in the United States, especially Salvadoran and Haitian populations. Most recently, she served as Project Coordinator overseeing the development of the on-campus historic Hays-Heighe House into a living classroom and exhibit space. She is especially interested in the anthropology of museums and how small museums can better engage the communities they serve. Allison Titman is the Assistant Director/Curator at the Hammond-Harwood House in Annapolis, MD and a member of the SMA Conference Organizing Committee. She completed the Museum Studies program at George Washington University in 2008, and since then has built boxes, researched women in the military, worn 18th century clothing, and puzzled over how to keep small museums and historic houses relevant in the 21st century.
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Laura Wallendal is a travel professional with over 5 years experience in the student group travel industry. As co-founder of EdTrips, the online platform to organize and manage school trips, she works schools and museums to build and organize effective group learning programs. Allison Weiss has been in the museum field for 15 years, primarily at small history-focused institutions that need new life breathed into them. Her main interest is in creating ways for the community to become heavily invested in the museum, by allowing individuals and organizations to co-create programs and take ownership of the museum. Sheldon Wolf has worked in the museum field for more than 25 years. For two years he served as chairman of AAMs Development and Membership Committee, and he served on AAMs national Program Committee. He has been a frequent presenter at conferences, including AAM, NEMA, SEMC, MAAM, PA Federation of Museums, and others. Presently, he is a consultant based in Philadelphia.
Conference Committee Chair: Rod Colfield, Londontown, MD Speakers Coordinators: Lindsey Baker, Executive Director, Laurel Historical Society, Laurel, MD and Allison Titman, Assistant Director/Curator, Hammond-Harwood House, Annapolis, MD Exhibit Hall Coordinator: John Orr, Executive Assistant to the President, Chemical Heritage Foundation, Philadelphia, PA Members and Registration Coordinator: Jesse Gagnon; Director of Education, Marshall Steam Museum & Auburn Heights Hotel and Banquet/Silent Auction Coordinators: Helen Wirka, Historic Site Specialist/Curator, Carlyle House Historic Park, Alexandria, VA, and Doris Pullman and Doris Pullman, Queen Annes County Historical Society, MD Scholarships and Awards Coordinator: Rob Forloney; Director of the Breene M. Kerr Center for Chesapeake Studies, Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, MD Workshop Coordinator: Lindsey Baker, Executive Director, Laurel Historical Society, Laurel, MD Graphic Design: Lauren Silberman, Museum Assessment Program Coordinator, American Alliance of Museums, Washington, DC Publicity: Rebecca Lawrence, Museum Program & Volunteer Facilitator, Ephrata Cloister, PA
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SCHOLARSHIPS AND AWARDS The Small Museum Associations Lesley van der Lee Scholarships offer funding for ten SMA Conference attendees. The scholarship covers the cost of the conference registration, room, meals and a one-year membership in the SMA. Past conference attendees are encouraged to apply, but previous Lesley van der Lee Scholarship winners are not eligible.To receive an application please email Rob Forloney at rforloney@ cbmm.org . For more information about award opportunities, email Allison and visit our website at www. smallmuseum.org. Several additional scholarships are available. Visit the website to learn more. SILENT AUCTION All Silent Auction proceeds benefit SMAs Scholarship Program, enabling firsttime attendees from a variety of institutions to take part in our conference. Past scholarship winners have taken active leadership roles in the museum community and SMA is proud to support their careers. To contribute to the Silent Auction, please contact Helen Wirka at helenwirka@gmail.com and Doris Pullman at tealady@atlanticbb.net. MUSEUM RESOURCE HALL Once again, the SMA Resource Hall will be full of museum resource professionals offering their services, from exhibition design firms and preservation consultants, to publishing and gift shop item companies. The Resource Hall will be open on Monday of the conference. If you know of any spectacular resource professionals that youd like to see at the hall, please contact John Orr at jorr@chemheritage.org for more information. GETTING TO OCEAN CITY Ocean City is located on the Atlantic Coast of the Delmarva peninsula, conveniently situated about 2.5 hours from Baltimore, Washington, Norfolk and Philadelphia. From Baltimore/DC and west, take US Route 50 East to Ocean City, and bear north once in the city. Follow Coastal Highway to 100 Street and the Clarion. From Wilmington, Del., Philadelphia and points north, follow I95 South to Delaware Route 1 South. Follow to Delaware/Maryland line where Del. 1 turns into Coastal Highway. Follow south to 100 Street and the Clarion. From Norfolk and points south, take the Chesapeake Bay BridgeTunnel to US Route 13 North towards Salisbury. Follow 13 to US Route 50 East towards Ocean City, and bear north once in the city. Follow Coastal Highway to 100 Street and the Clarion. Ocean City is served by Salisbury (MD) Regional airport. For more information about flight information, visit, www.sby. com. ABOUT THE CONFERENCE CENTER & HOTEL The Clarion Resort Fontainebleau Hotel is a full service hotel in Ocean City Maryland featuring luxurious hotel rooms. Located directly on the beach and overlooking the Atlantic Ocean, youll get the best with unmatched comfort and convenience. For your enjoyment the Clarion features ocean view rooms, two oceanfront restaurants, a nightclub, live entertainment, a health club and year round indoor pool. Clarion Resort Fontainebleau 10100 Coastal Highway / Ocean City, MD 21842 / 8006382100 / 4105243535 www.clarionoc.com / info@clarionoc.com 2014 Room Rates Per Night 1 standard room: $70 / 1 bdrm condo: $80 / 2 bdrm condo: $120 / 3 bdrm condo: $160
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For planning purposes please check any of the activities below that you plan to attend: Sunday afternoon workshops (Assessing Your Volunteer Program & Museum Administration) - No Charge Eat & Engage on Sunday Evening (please select one) - Meal and/or transportation costs not included in conference fees Dough Roller (off-site) or Clarion Hotel's Horizons Oceanfront restaurant Wine & Cheese Reception (Sunday evening) - No Charge Banquet (Monday evening) Office Use Only # _________ P / I Completed: Rec'd ________ / /
Registrations cancelled up to 2 weeks prior to the conference will be refunded at 50%. Cancellations after this time will not receive a refund. Questions? Please contact Jesse Gagnon at education@auburnheights.org