May 15, 2016       
Northern States Conservation Center Northern States
Conservation Center

The Collections Caretaker e-Newsletter


Preparedness

In This Issue
Regional Workshops
Conferences and Meetings
Submissions and Comments
Disaster Planning: Why we cannot be Ostriches with our heads in the sand
KEEPSAKES: Memoir on the 'museum of you' & estate planning
19th Century Photographic Prints ID Chart Revised
June 2016 courses
July 2016 Courses
Early Bird Discounts Available for Full Length Courses
 
An Early Bird Discount will be available for anyone who signs up for a full length course from museumclasses.org 30 days prior to the start of that course.  
 
Sign up for a full length course up to 30 days prior to its start and pay only $399.00!
 
For our course list or to sign up: http://www.collectioncare.org/course-list  
 
To take advantage of this discount, you must enter coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout at collectioncare.org

The Early Bird Discount deadline for June courses is May 21, 2016.

The Early Bird Discount deadline for July courses is June 1, 2016.
Upcoming Classes
Steal This Handbook
Author: the Southeastern Registrars Committee. This is a comprehensive book covering emergency preparedness and response for every conceivable type and scale of disaster on historic and non-historic materials. Written by the Southeastern Registrars Committee of the American Association of Museums, we purchase it before it is bound and have it punched to fit in a three ring binder. Adding dividers, it becomes an instant addition to an institutional emergency response plan. Response professionals can add useful articles to the enormous amount of recovery information already provided in the book.
Steal This Handbook
$25.00
Safeguarding Cultural Properties
Safeguarding Cultural Properties is a step-by-step guide for creating and maintaining a comprehensive security program in any cultural facility or public institution. Author Stevan P. Layne, the leading expert in the field of cultural property protection, draws from his many years of experience providing protection training and planning to more than 350 cultural and public institutions around the world.
 
Designed especially for those with limited security budgets, the book provides a proven and effective program for hiring the right security personnel, selecting the appropriate electronic security systems, and coordinating critical emergency response, along with all the other security issues unique to the needs of a cultural institution. For individuals responsible for the protection of the people, assets, and collections, Safeguarding Cultural Properties saves time and money by providing the essential resources needed for creating a short- and long-term protection plan.
  • The only how-to manual written specifically for security managers of museums, libraries, zoos, and other public and private historic sites
  • Suitable for both large and small cultural institutions, it covers topics such as personnel security, fire protection, physical security, emergency response, theft protection, and more
  • Provides actionable, cost-effective solutions for institutions with limited security budgets and resources
Safeguarding Cultural Properties
$49.95
Regional Workshops

Where you can find some of our instructors in 2016:

Stevan P. Layne

  • American Alliance of Museums 2016 Annual Meeting, May 28, 2016
Certified Institutional Protection Manager Class
  • American Alliance of Museums 2016 Annual Meeting, May 29, 2016
Certified Institutional Protection Manager (CIPM) Class
  • Association of Midwest Museums, July 27, 2016
  • Association of Midwest Museums, July 28, 2016
  • Aspen, CO, August 28-31, 2016
  • Hosted by ASIS International and sponsored by the ASIS Cultural Properties Council, Orlando, FL, September 13, 2016

Gawain Weaver
  • University of Kansas Libraries, June 13-16, 2016
Conferences and Meetings

Association of Academic Museums and Galleries
Washington DC
May 24-25, 2016
 
American Alliance of Museums
Washington, DC
May 26-29, 2016   

National Conference on Cultural Property Protection
National Museum of Natural History, Washington, DC, June 1, 2016
 
Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections
Berlin, Germany
June 20-25, 2016

Society of American Archivists
Joint Annual Meeting of the Council of State Archivists and Society of American Archivists
Atlanta, GA
July 31, 2016 - August 6, 2016

International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection
Aspen, Colorado
August 28-31, 2016

ASIS International
Orlando, FL
September 12-15, 2016
 
American Association of State and Local History
Detroit, Michigan
September 14-17, 2016

Alberta Museums Association
Calgary, Alberta
September 15 - 17, 2016

Oklahoma Museums Association
Bartlesville, Oklahoma
September 21-23, 2016

Western Museums Association
Phoenix, AZ
September 25-28, 2016.  
 
Southeastern Museums Conference
Charlotte, NC
October 10-12, 2016
 
 
Mountain-Plains Museums Association
Oklahoma City
October 23-27, 2016

National Association for Interpretation
Corpus Christi, Texas 
November 8-12, 2016
 
New England Museum Association
2016 Annual Conference
Mystic, CT
November 9-11, 2016

2017
Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections
Denver, CO 
June 18-24, 2017
 
Society of American Archivists
2017 Annual Meeting
Portland, OR
July 23 - 29, 2017

Southeastern Museums Conference
2017 Annual Meeting
New Orleans, LA 
September 11-13, 2017

Western Museums Association
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Dates TBA 

New England Museum Association
2017 Annual Conference
North Falmouth, MA
October 25-27, 2017
 
National Association for Interpretation
Spokane, Washington
November 14-18, 2017

  2018
Society of American Archivists
2018 Annual Meeting
Washington, DC
August 12-
18, 2018

Western Museums Association
Tacoma, WA
Dates TBA
 
 
Southeastern Museums Conference
2018 Annual Meeting
Jackson, MS
October 8-10, 2018
 
National Association for Interpretation
Dates and location TBD
November 2018
 
2019  
National Association for Interpretation
Denver, Colorado
November 12-16, 2019

Submissions and Comments

 

How to submit an article or upcoming workshops for inclusion in the Newsletter:  

If you would like to submit an article, notice of an organizational meeting or upcoming workshop for an upcoming Collections Caretaker Newsletter, send your submission to peggy@collectioncare.org.  

 

We are always looking for contributions to this newsletter. Submission deadline is the 10th of each month. 

 

Have a comment or suggestion?   

 

Send it to peggy@collectioncare.org

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Quick Links
Welcome to the Collections Caretaker e-Newsletter from Northern States Conservation Center. The newsletter is designed to bring you timely and helpful content that is pertinent to situations we all encounter in our museum and archives work. Feel free to let us know what topics you would like to see featured in Collections Caretaker or even contribute an article.
Disaster Planning: Why we cannot be Ostriches with our heads in the sand
By Peggy Schaller  
 
Why can't we ignore this issue? Because it is not a matter of IF something may happen at your institution, it is a matter of WHEN and you need to be prepared. An emergency is an incident that happens in your institution that is handled well with policies, procedures and practiced plans. A disaster is an emergency that is not handled well. How do we prevent an emergency from becoming a disaster?
 
First and foremost, have a plan. Not one that sits on the shelf in a huge binder that never gets looked at, but one that has been read and practiced by everyone in your facility--more than once! What should this plan include?
     
Incident Command Structure : What is this? The incident command structure is a way for the institution to identify who is in charge during an emergency, in addition to other vital roles that need to be filled with at least a three deep backup for each. These roles include the Incident Commander--the person in charge of coordinating with first responders and staff; a Public Information Officer--the ONLY person that is permitted to talk with the press; Operations--those in charge of developing and executing the response; Planning and Logistics--what do you need and where and how do you get it; Financial/Administrative--the person or persons who have control over the money for needed supplies, services and salaries.
 
Phone tree with current numbers : Make a list of current contact information for staff, volunteers, contractors, suppliers and board members. Include the best method for getting a hold of family members of staff and volunteers to let them know what is happening--if they are kept in the loop, they are less likely to tie up the phone lines needed for vital communications. Contractor and supplier contracts for recovery should be set up in advance with clear cut response and pricing built in.
 
Emergency/Disaster Plan : What are your possible threats and how will/can they be prevented or managed? What are your assets--skill set questionnaires for staff, volunteers, and board members; the administrator may not be the one in charge during an emergency if he/she panics in such situations. What are the institutional responses to the identified threats--ex. what happens when someone slips and falls or when a fire starts or when someone calls in a bomb threat?
 
Clear instructions for staff and visitors : What are the responsibilities of staff in evacuations or if you need to shelter in place. Do you have posted exit routes? Make sure staff understands the need for performing sweeps for stay behinds or injured persons. Do you have a plan for disabled persons assistance and/or safe areas where they can be taken to wait for assistance?
 
Develop relationships with first responders : Invite the fire department and police/sheriff department to your facility to take a tour. Talk about their expectations in an emergency. Talk about your expectations in an emergency. Remember that life safety is everyone's priority--both the first responders and YOURS!
 
Train, Train, Train : Practice the plan! Involve the first responders in your training. Run actual scenarios so that everyone knows how to respond to each. Evaluate the response--it will not go as planned. Use the failures to improve your plan. Run table top exercises as well as actual exercises.      
 
Identify your most valuable collection assets : Once the emergency has been addressed and all persons are accounted for, first responders may (but are not required to) be able to assist with retrieval and protection of your priority collections.
 
Business Continuity Planning : Plan for how you will get your institution up and running again--how will you pay the recovery bills and payroll? Identify and protect your vital documents with copies offsite in a safe, yet accessible, location.
 
Collection Documentation : Keep copies of your ownership records and your collection documentation offsite in a safe, yet accessible, location. Be sure you have a current inventory of your collection and that the collection is insured. Both these will make it easier for the institution to qualify for FEMA assistance in regional disaster.
 
Develop a relationship with your local Emergency Management Team : Make sure that your institution is 'on their radar' so you receive the help you need in a regional/local emergency.
 
Develop relationships with other institutions in your area and create a mutual aid agreement so that you can help in their recovery or house their collections if something happens to them and they can do the same for you.
 
Plan for the possibility that you may be on your own for as many as 72 hours during a widespread disaster.   With the proper planning and training you can prevent emergencies from becoming disasters and can survive widespread emergencies so that you can get back to doing what you do best--serving your constituency and protecting your collections.
 
There is training available to help you put your plan together. Find a workshop or training course and take it.

You do not have to keep your head in the sand but can stand tall and be prepared!   
 
Reprinted from Collections Research News, Summer/Fall 2013.

Peggy Schaller, founded Collections Research for Museums in 1991 to provide cataloging, collection-management training and services. She has worked with a large variety of museums and collections for more than 20 years. Peggy, who lives in Denver, Colorado, has a bachelor's degree in anthropology with minors in art history and geology from the University of Arizona in Tucson. She has a master's degree in anthropology with a minor in museum studies from the University of Colorado in Boulder and is a Certified Institutional Protection Manager II. She provides workshops and project services to museums and historical societies all across the country. The mission of Collections Research for Museums is to inspire museums to improve their professional standards, collections stewardship and service to their constituency through training in, and assistance with, documenting, preserving, protecting and managing their collections. For more information visit her web site  Collections Research for Museums. Peggy is also the Publications Manager, Certificate Program Coordinator, and Course Monitor for Northern States Conservation Center and museumclasses.org.
Course of the Month:
Disaster Plan Research and Writing
Every museum needs to be prepared for fires, floods, chemical spills, tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters. But surveys show 80 percent lack trained staff, emergency-preparedness plans for their collections, or both. Disaster Plan Research and Writing begins with the creation of disaster-preparedness teams, the importance of ongoing planning, employee safety, board participation and insurance. Participants will learn everything they need to draft their own disaster-preparedness plans. They also will be required to incorporate colleagues in team-building exercises. A written disaster-preparedness plan is not only a good idea, it's also a requirement for accreditation. In the second half of the course, instructor Terri Schindel reviews and provides input as participants write plans that outline the procedures to follow in various emergencies. The completed plan prepares museums physically and mentally to handle emergencies that can harm vulnerable and irreplaceable collections. You will have a completed institutional disaster-preparedness and response plan at the end of the course. Once completed with this course, we recommend the Disaster Preparation and Recovery course taught by Helen Alten to provide more information about staff organization and management during and after a disaster.

Join instructor Terri Schindel to learn about preparing for a disaster and write a disaster plan for your institution!   MS205/206 Disaster Plan Research and Writing begins July 1, 2016.
NEW BOOK FOR FAMILY COLLECTIONS AND MUSEUMS

KEEPSAKES: Memoir on the 'museum of you' & estate planning
by Dr. Sherene Suchy (2016 - DUO PLUS)
 
Keepsakes is a personal guide for families about the "stuff" and "stories" they want to share with the next generation (family or museum). The memoir combines Dr. Sherene Suchy's experience as a Social Worker and co-executor for a family estate in Oregon USA with insights from nearly 100 interviews with families plus specialists in estate and heritage management: conservation staff, reminiscence therapists, and experts in significance assessment. In eight chapters, Sherene provides a framework based on her work with the family estate and how she used museums as role models for the 'museum of you' at home. Along the way, readers (family and professionals) discover the true meaning of inheritance and how provenance (an heirloom's life story) can become the 'first page' of a much bigger story. For example, the flight suit on the front cover belonged to Sherene's father who was an officer in the US Air Force. The flight suit and accompanying military memorabilia was donated to the Evergreen Aviation Museum in Oregon along with documentation matching the keepsakes with stories. The director of collections said, "I wish every family knew how to create a book of provenance like this. It would make our job as museum professionals so much easier!"
 
That feedback plus a focus on intangible heritage in ICOM's 'Memory of the World' project became the catalysts for the book which was peer-reviewed prior to publication by a cultural property lawyer, a consultant in collection management, and a family estate lawyer. Judith Mason with Cultural Images in Portland Oregon said, "Truly an important and timely subject for so many of us in the business of "stuff" - whether in museums, as dealers, or as family members wondering what the heck to do with it all. So glad you are creating an impetus to start the dialogue." Michael J Perkins, family estate lawyer with Perkins Fahey in Sydney Australia said: "This book is a grounded and practical guide for families wanting to hand on the keepsakes you describe, normally the most fragile elements of their wealth and heritage. I appreciate the rigour of the process you advocate for this work and the contribution cultural sector practice has made to the development of this process."
 
Dr. Suchy is based in Australia. She is the author of Leading With Passion: Change Management in the 21st Century Museum, a contributor to Museum Philosophy for the 21st Century (ed. Hugh Genoways), Museum Management and Marketing (ed. Richard Sandell & Robert Janes), and cited in The Social Work of Museums (Lois Silverman). Check the following website for information and order forms: duopluseq.com Note: Orders from the USA require a special form provided on request.
19th Century Photographic Prints ID Chart Revised
From Gawain Weaver, instructor for MS222 Care of Photographs

Our 19th Century Photographic Prints ID chart has undergone a major graphic revision this month based on my experience teaching with the chart in the 4-day Care and ID of Photographs workshop. You can find the new version of the chart on my website in the usual place:
 
 
Direct links to the charts:
 
Please print, share, post, and use freely.
 
Thanks to photograph conservators Cecilia Salgado and Alejandra Mendoza we also have a Spanish language version of the chart. A Spanish language version of the Photomechanical chart is forthcoming, and I'm sure other languages will follow eventually.

Gawain Weaver teaches international workshops on photograph conservation and preservation. He earned his master's degree in art history and conservation from New York University's Institute of Fine Arts and was a fellow at the George Eastman House and Image Permanence Institute for two years. His interest in photograph conservation included studying at Library and Archives Canada, the Amon Carter Museum, the Museum of Modern Art, and the Northeast Document Conservation Center. For more information visit his web site  Gawain Weaver Art Conservation.   Join Gawain for the MS222 Care of Photographs course beginning June 20, 2016 to learn more (see details below).
June 2016 Courses
June 20 to August 5, 2016
Instructor:  Gawain Weaver
Description:
Photographic materials cover a diverse range, everything from the daguerreotypes and wet plate negatives of the 19th century to the gelatin silver, chromogenic and inkjet prints of the 20th and now 21st century. Care of Photographs offers a broad introduction to the history, technology, identification, and care of these and other photographic materials. Topics include environmental monitoring, the effects of temperature and relative humidity, and the importance of cold storage for certain photographic materials. It is intended to help those caring for photographic materials to gain a better understanding of their collections and how to care for them.
July 2016 Courses
 
July 1 to August 26, 2016
Instructor: Terri Schindel
Description:
Every museum needs to be prepared for fires, floods, chemical spills, tornadoes, hurricanes and other disasters. But surveys show 80 percent lack trained staff, emergency-preparedness plans for their collections, or both. Disaster Plan Research and Writing begins with the creation of disaster-preparedness teams, the importance of ongoing planning, employee safety, board participation and insurance. Participants will learn everything they need to draft their own disaster-preparedness plans. They also will be required to incorporate colleagues in team-building exercises. A written disaster-preparedness plan is not only a good idea, it's also a requirement for accreditation. In the second half of the course, instructor Terri Schindel reviews and provides input as participants write plans that outline the procedures to follow in various emergencies. The completed plan prepares museums physically and mentally to handle emergencies that can harm vulnerable and irreplaceable collections. You will have a completed institutional disaster-preparedness and response plan at the end of the course. Once completed with this course, we recommend the Disaster Preparation and Recovery course taught by Helen Alten to provide more information about staff organization and management during and after a disaster.
 
July 1 to 29, 2016
Instructor: Peggy Schaller
Description:
Cataloging may not be the most exciting museum task, but it is among the most important. Without a clear knowledge of your holdings, you can't protect, care for, research or exhibit them. Without knowledge of an item's history, you can't properly appreciate its value to your museum. Cataloging Your Collection covers all details needed to catalog a collection. Procedures for handling, measuring and describing all types of objects and materials are discussed in detail. Participants receive sample forms and learn the best practices for numbering artifacts, performing inventory and assessing the condition of objects. Participants practice describing everyday objects and cataloging items from their own collections or households.
 
July 1 to August 12, 2016
Instructor: Christina Cain
Description:
The only thing worse than mice or cockroaches in your kitchen, is finding them in your museum collection. Participants in Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives learn low-toxicity methods of controlling infestations. IPM is the standard method for treating incoming items and monitoring holdings. Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Libraries and Archives discusses how infestations occur, helps identify risks, provides feasible mitigation strategies, discusses the different techniques of treating infested materials, and helps you complete an IPM plan and monitoring schedule for your institution. The course covers pest identification, insects, rodent, birds, bats, other mammals and mold infestations, as well as other problems raised by participants.

NEW ADDITION: MS225: Care of Baskets
July 1 to 29, 2016
Instructor: Helen Alten
Description:
Baskets are an important part of nearly every world culture. Caring for baskets requires an understanding of why and how they deteriorate. Care of Baskets provides a simplified explanation of the chemistry and structure of basketry materials. Starting with an overview of the history and function of baskets and how they are made, Care of Baskets will cover guidelines for handling, labeling, exhibiting and storing baskets, including condition assessments and an introduction to integrated pest management. An overview of treatments used on baskets and how appropriate they are for the long-term preservation of the basket will help students make care decisions when consulting with conservators.
 
 
July 1 to 29, 2016
Instructor: Karin Hostetter
Description:
So much to say and so little space in which to say it. That is the dilemma when scripting an exhibition. How do you say what needs to be said in the space available? How do you even figure out how to limit the information in the first place? Discover the value of themes, tangibles, intangibles, and universals in writing exhibit text that visitors really want to read -- and remember. Additional resources provided on font size and colors as well as label layout.
 
July 1 to 29, 2016
Instructor: Helen Alten
Description:
Moving collections is a daunting task. Fragile items need special packing and care to be safely transported. Large, heavy or awkward items like dinosaurs and oversized sculptures require special equipment and support from local authorities. How do you design your project to meet the budget and timing demands of your administration? Are your collections over-packed in acidic boxes and does your move includes improving their storage and care? Collections often take up more room when they are stored properly. How do you determine your needed storage space when the collection is decompressed? Moving Collections provides an overview of how to plan and manage a move to avoid the many pitfalls. The course includes: defining your project, developing a Request for Proposal (RFP), developing a work plan, staffing, and packing protocols. Whether you are moving part of the collection within your building or moving the entire collection to another facility, Moving Collections provides a blueprint for you to follow.
 
July 1 to 29, 2016
Instructor:  Peggy Schaller
Description:
This course will examine the role of ethics in museums and related institutions. Topics addressed will include the differences in ethics, laws, and morals; what ethics are and where they come from; the ethical codes that museum professionals follow; how ethics affect professional practices; why ethics are important; and how ethical standards can help museums and related institutions better serve society. Participants in the course will gain an understanding of the importance of ethics in professional museum practice, how codes of ethics are written and why they are important, and will develop an understanding of the most significant codes of ethics subscribed to by museum professionals.
Northern States Conservation Center (NSCC) provides training, collection care, preservation and conservation treatment services. NSCC offers online museum studies classes at museumclasses.org in Collections Management & Care, Museum Administration & Management, Exhibit Practices and Museum Facilities Management.

 

Sincerely,
Helen Alten, Director

Peggy Schaller, Publications Manager