Effective November 1, 2012, Maine Archives and Museums will move from a traditional calendar-year membership format to “rolling” membership, allowing members to enjoy a full 12 months of membership benefits no matter what time of year they join the organization.  Traditionally, MAM’s membership year ran from January 1 to December 31.  The new rolling membership will allow member benefits to run for a full calendar year from the date of enrollment.  “We are excited to offer the rolling membership option to our members,” said MAM President Jay Adams.  “This is just one of the many benefits resulting from our decision last year to upgrade to new membership management software.”  According to Adams, the new software allows for easy tracking of memberships no matter when members join.  This is a real benefit to organizations that close during the winter season and renew when they reopen in late spring each year.  “Essentially, those members who were closed in the off-season would miss the renewal drive held every January and could, as a result, miss several months of newsletters and benefits,” explained Candace Kanes, who sits on MAM’s membership committee.  “It makes sense to let members join when it suits their calendar and budget year.  It allows them to take advantage of a full year of MAM benefits, including the newsletter, email updates, seasonal workshops, and the like.”  The change will have no impact on current members and requires no action by current members.  MAM’s membership management software monitors all renewal dates and automatically sends electronic updates to members to inform them of pending expiration dates and renewal procedures.   When members renew, their membership will be in effect for one year from the date their renewal is processed.  For more information on MAM’s rolling membership visit www.MaineMuseums.org or email info@MaineMuseums.org.