Volume 28 | January 2024

AIM monthly news & updates

Check out upcoming programs and latest news in the museum field.

Easy Way to Jump into Museum Evaluation

Museum evaluation can feel daunting, especially if it is something your museum doesn’t regularly undertake. This presentation will explore ways to collect some basic data from your visitors to answer staff questions and fulfill grant reporting requirements. Join us to get some new ideas and share what you have tried!

About the Speaker:

Susan Foutz, Director of Research and Evaluation at The Children's Museum of Indianapolis, leads the museum’s evaluation department. Before joining the museum in 2014, Susan was an evaluation consultant at the non-profit Institute for Learning Innovation for 9 years. She co-edited the books In Principle, In Practice and Free-Choice Learning and the Environment. Susan holds a MA in Museum Studies from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

$5 Non-Members | Free to Members

Not yet a member? Click here to join today!

Click here to register for the AIM-to-Connect program.

Volunteer as a Judge for National History Day Indiana!

Contest judges play a vital role in the success of NHDI. Beyond influencing which projects advance to the next level of competition, judges provide valuable feedback for each project they judge. They provide an invaluable service by encouraging student exploration of history and their own interests, practice public speaking skills, and gain confidence in articulating and defending a researched argument. Judges do not have to have any particular knowledge of history or specific subject matter – the best judges are those who enjoy speaking and working with kids in grades 4-12, and those who enjoy learning something new.

Judges are generally needed on contest days at locations around the state from 8 a.m. until 2 p.m. They will work with a team of other judges to discuss projects with students and write thoughtful feedback for students to use to improve their projects. All training is provided through digital webinars, PDFs, and other videos. Additional training and orientation will take place the morning of the contest, where additional materials such as rule books will be provided for your reference.

Lunch is provided for all judges. Should you wish to judge with a specific person, please contact Claire Anderson, the Coordinator of Volunteer Services and Human Resources.

CONTEST DATES

NORTHEAST: February 17, 2024 – Columbia City High School

SOUTH: February 24, 2024 – Franklin College

WEST: March 2, 2024 – Indiana State University

IPS: March 6, 2024 – Indiana Historical Society

NORTHWEST: March 9, 2024 – John Young Middle School

CENTRAL: March 16, 2024 – Carmel High School

The STATE CONTEST is being held on April 20, 2024, at Marian University.

Learn more and sign up to become a judge here.

AMM 2024 Conference Call for Proposals

The Association of Midwest Museums (AMM) is hosting its 2024 Conference in Columbus, Ohio. Submit your session proposals by January 19, 2024. Click here to learn more.

Interior Department Announces Final Rule for Implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

The Department of the Interior announced on December 6, 2023 a final rule to revise regulations that implement the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). These regulations provide systematic processes for returning Native American human remains, funerary objects, sacred objects, or objects of cultural patrimony to lineal descendants, Indian Tribes, and Native Hawaiian Organizations (NHOs). Click here to learn more about the Final Rule.

On January 12, 2024 the NPS website about NAGPRA has released some new templates and guidance handouts (more forthcoming). Click here to learn more.

National NAGPRA Program Webinars

Want to learn more about the new regulations? The National NAGPRA Program will host a series of 10 webinars on the new regulations on the third Friday of every month from 1pm to 2:30pm Eastern time. Registration is required, but the meeting information is always the same. Register once and attend any session. Mark your calendars and bring your questions. Sign up here.

The Center for Collections Care at Beloit College is pleased to offer scholarships funded by the National Endowment for the Humanities for in-person and online courses in 2024. $250 scholarships for online courses and $600 scholarships for in-person courses are available.

APPLY EARLY TO ENSURE YOUR BEST CHANCE OF RECEIVING A SCHOLARSHIP

Applicants must submit a complete Scholarship Application by March 1, 2024. Applicants will be informed of the status of their application by March 8, 2024. Click here to learn more and apply.