Blog and Newsletter

Interested individuals are invited to apply to the Maine Digital Humanities Institute, a FREE online seminar facilitated by Dr. Dianne Fallon, YCCC, from January 22 through March 8, 2019.  The workshop is aimed at building both skills and communities of practice, with the goal of building expertise within the Maine humanities communities, including educators, museum staff and volunteers, and students, especially graduate students.  The project is an outgrowth of efforts at YCCC to expand faculty and student knowledge of digital humanities tools.

Applications, which are mostly aimed at a getting a sense of applicants and their projects, are due by Monday, November 25.

In the workshop, participants will work on developing their own digital project over a seven-week time period.  Projects might range from a personal or professional project that you want to play around with, to developing a student assignment that incorporates some of these tools.

You can find more specific information at a basic website that I have set up here:

https://virtual.yccc.edu/MEDigitalHumanitiesInstitute

(The application is at the bottom of the page, on the left hand side. Feel free to be in touch with questions!)

FMI Contact:

Dianne Fallon, Department Chair for English
NEH Project Director: Go Local: Building Capacity for Public History in York County
York County Community College
112 College Drive
Wells, Maine 04090

The Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education at the University of Southern Maine is seeking applicants for the part-time (20 hours per week), temporary (up to one year from start date), non-benefitted, hourly position of Educational Outreach Assistant in the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education (OML SCCE) located on the Portland campus. Hours are typically Tuesday to Friday, morning through early afternoon (K-12 schedule). Expected start date around November 1, 2018.

The Educational Outreach Assistant will assist the Coordinator of Educational Outreach with curriculum development, field trip support (on and off site), teacher workshops, and increased outreach to local high school educators. This position provides administrative and complex clerical work for OML SCCE outreach, with a strong emphasis on K-12 outreach, organization, and follow through. This position works collaboratively in a small team environment to support the mission and services of the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education. Independent judgment and initiative are frequently exercised. The Educational Outreach Assistant works with other staff on library marketing, social media, and website activities and content. This position has extensive in-person, telephone, and online interactions with students (K-12 and university), faculty, staff, and the general public, and utilizes a wide range of resources in a variety of formats. For more information about the position and qualifications, please visit the job ad.  Applications are due by October 14, 2018.

Museum L-A is thrilled to announce a new gallery exhibit opening this fall that explores the Franco-American experience through a new medium: cartoons. The exhibit, “Beau-frog: The Art of Peter Archambault,” will display the artwork and political cartoons of Peter Archambault, a native of Madawaska, Maine. His artwork, featured monthly in a Franco-American publication at the University of Maine at Orono, Le F.A.R.O.G. Forum, provided rich political commentary, an investigation into immigration practices, and an exploration of the Franco-American culture in Maine and New England.

The public is invited to attend the free opening reception of the exhibit on October 3, 2018, at 5:30 pm. 

During the exhibit, Susan Pinette, Director of Franco American Programs at the University of Maine will give a free talk about the artwork on display and Peter Archambault’s life on November 14, 2018, at 6:30 pm in the Museum L-A gallery space.  The history of Franco-American communities in the seventies and eighties has not yet been written.  This talk aims to begin to fill this void by exploring drawings made by a Franco-American artist engaged in struggles to support and defend the rights of Franco-Americans.

 Archambault created a character called “Beau-frog” as a way to reclaim the common slur generally directed toward francophone and French heritage people during this era. The daily exploits of the frog truly illustrate the trials and tribulations of a minority figure coming to terms with their personal and cultural identity while surrounded by the pressures of an Anglophone majority. Despite this work being created for the Franco-American students on the Orono campus, the cultural exploration found in Archambault’s cartoon drawings can speak to the experiences of the people in our community of Lewiston-Auburn, a place deeply affected by French Canadian immigration since the 1850s. While on display in the Museum L-A gallery, his work gives visitors the chance to explore these themes of immigration and cultural identity through the unique medium of cartoons, and allows them to come up with their own interpretations and conclusions about the meaning behind the art.

 “Beau-frog: The Art of Peter Archambault” was created in partnership with The Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine and the UMaine Franco American Programs.

  “This exhibit comes to our gallery space at a very appropriate time, since Museum L-A is dedicating Fall 2018 to talking about immigration at the local and national level through the Becoming American program,” Museum L-A’s Director of Education and Outreach, Kate Webber says. Becoming American is a public program that features films, discussions, and a wide variety of events across the twin cities in collaboration with over 20 community partners. Museum L-A was selected as one of 32 sites across America to host this program series. For more information about the upcoming programming, please visit Museum L-A’s website.

 Museum L-A is located in the Bates Mill Complex at 35 Canal Street in Lewiston, Maine.  Its hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm.  Special tour requests and large group tours outside of these hours are available by appointment.

 For more information, please contact info@museumla.org or call 207-333-3881.

On September 16 from 11 am to 3 pm, the Westport Island History Committee in collaboration with homeowners, the Community Association, the Town Hall Committee and other island partners will be sponsoring an historic homes tour:  "An Island Home: Six Historic Houses of Westport Island Maine." 

The houses are all associated with families of the first Westport Island settlers.  Homesteads include characteristic features such as stone-walled pastures, barns and other outbuildings, mills, wharves and related waterfront structures. The homes are representative of 18^th  to 19th century Georgian, Federal and Greek Revival styles.

Tickets will be $20/person -- cash or check only -- and will be available on the day of the tour at the Old Town Hall, 1217 Main Road.  A light lunch will be Included in the admission fee; lunch will be available at the Town Hall for the duration of the event -- 11 am to 3 pm.  The historic Westport Community Church next door will also be open for viewing.  For questions: call the Town Office, 882-8477 ext. 3

Contact: Executive Director Shenna Bellows, 776-5404

Augusta—On Saturday, September 8 from 2 to 5, the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine opens a new exhibit, Everyday Maine, featuring over 190 photographs from 74 Maine photographers. Curated by Bruce Brown, the exhibit features a joyous collection of Maine’s diversity across ability, economics, gender, geography, national origin, race, sexual orientation and work.

“Our goal is to show in these times in our state, there is no ‘us’ and ‘them,’ there’s ‘we,’ said Associate Director David Greenham who has work featured in the show. “We can come together in celebrating and respecting our differences.”

Curator Bruce Brown and Associate Director David Greenham recruited a very strong group of Maine  photographers to share photos for the exhibit, including Melonie Bennett, Jeffrey Becton, Tonee Harbert, Sean Alonzo Harris, Tanja Hollander, Michael Cullivan, Jocelyn Lee, Peter Ralston, Jack Montgomery, Cig Harvey and many others. The exhibit also features photographs by the late, renowned national photographers Berenice Abbot and Olive Pierce. Nearly half of the photographers in the exhibit are women.

“Part of the inspiration for this show was to have an opportunity to sense the kinds of diversity that many of us take for granted,” said Associate Director David Greenham.  “Our work at the HHRC takes us to every area of the state, and we see how our diversity plays out in so many interesting ways in our large, mostly rural state. This exhibit reveals that diversity, but also celebrates all the qualities that make Maine so great. In the end it’s a very uplifting and inspirational look at Maine.”

Everyday Maine will be on display through the end of December at the Holocaust and Human Rights Center of Maine’s Michael Klahr Center, which is located at 46 University Drive on the campus of the University of Maine at Augusta. The Michael Klahr Center is free and open to the public Monday through Friday 8 to 4. 

Michael Klahr was a hidden child who survived the Holocaust. The Michael Klahr Center is dedicated to permanent exhibits commemorating Michael and other Holocaust survivors as well as rotating arts and culture exhibits highlighting contemporary and historical human rights issues. 

In addition to exhibit space, the Michael Klahr Center features a large classroom and a small auditorium appropriate for hosting school and community groups.  The Holocaust and Human Rights Center also provides free educational workshops to schools throughout Maine.

For more information, visit hhrcmaine.org.

Tonya Shevenell is looking for stories from all 16 Maine counties as she explores how love has been expressed from Maine’s Statehood in 1820 through its 200th in 2020. The funnel is wide and can include love between people; love of land, water, place, nature, horse, pets; love of a hobby; love of what you do. It can be modern day or from love letters, lockets, cemetery stones, etc. from generations ago. Tonya will be attending the Annual Conference October 12th but in the meantime, if you have ideas from your collections/communities, she’d be very pleased to hear from you at tonya@homeiceproductions.com or through the film website, www.shapeoflove.me 

 

Her first film, The Home Road, aired on Maine Public earlier this year and has been screened in over 20 locations in Maine and New Hampshire. 

Caring for your Family Treasures

Do you have any heirlooms that have been passed down in your family from generation to generation? Perhaps you have your grandmother’s wedding dress, or your great-uncle’s scrapbooks, or your mother’s baby pictures. Items like these can be decades old and hold a precious place in your heart and in your home. After they have been passed to you, it is your responsibility to protect them so they can be enjoyed by further generations. Do you know how to care for them?

Museum L-A is hosting the “Family Heirloom Preservation Workshop” to teach the general public about the ways that they can care for their precious documents, photos, or objects and stop the damage caused by common environmental threats. Emma Sieh, Collections and Exhibits Coordinator for Museum L-A, will be joined by conservation experts from the Northeast Document Conservation Center and the Maine State Museum to provide information and tips on how to maintain and store your own collections.

“We want people to walk away with a deeper understanding about the precious objects they have,” Emma comments. “Caring for heirlooms does not have to break the bank but you can still find ways to prolong their lifetime so that your children’s children can enjoy them just as much as you do.”

This event will be held in the Museum L-A gallery on Saturday, August 25^th from 10:00 – 3:00. Tickets are $50 per person and include access to the full day of activities, free catalogs and informational booklets, as well as a lunch catered by Fishbones American Grill. When you purchase your tickets, your name will also be entered into a raffle to win a door prize of preservation supplies donated by Gaylord Archival and University Products valued at $100! There are only 40 spots available for this workshop, so please visit Museum L-A’s website at www.museumla.org to register!

“Over the years, many people have asked us if we could help teach them on how to preserve their family heirlooms”, says Rachel Desgrosseilliers, Executive Director.  “With the caliber of experts our Collection Department has been able to bring together, we feel the workshop will be a great learning experience for all who attend and we know they will leave with lots of guidelines for their own treasures.”

Museum L-A is located in the Bates Mill Complex at 35 Canal Street in Lewiston, Maine. Its hours of operation are Tuesday through Friday from 10 am to 4 pm and Saturdays from 10 am to 3 pm. Special tour requests and large group tours outside of these hours are available by appointment.  For more information, please contact info@museumla.org or call 207-333-3881. 

The Brick Store Museum announces its new exhibition, 1968. The exhibit focuses on the year’s events, many of which contributed to 1968 being called “the year that changed the world.” The exhibition will run through November 11, 2018.

Visitors to the exhibition are invited to share their own experiences from the 1960s, to contribute to the knowledge of the mid-20^th Century collected at the Museum. Music of the period fills the exhibition with familiar sounds as photos of local and national events help to inspire memory.

The purpose of the Museum’s 1968 exhibition is not solely to be a history display, but an active collection point for recent history. Sharing our history at the Museum will help future generations learn how people in the 1960s lived their lives. Topics covered in the exhibition include family life, Vietnam, protests and riots, civil rights, and the women’s movement. If you have stories to share, or wish to see what others have shared, visit the exhibition before it closes in November!

The Maine Humanities Council thinks there is wisdom to be gained when 

Mainers across the state get together to discuss important issues. 

Throughout 2018 and 2019, we are offering programs and grants to help 

spark public discussion on journalism’s role in creating an informed 

citizenry and a vibrant democracy.

Here are two ways to join the discussion this fall:

1. GRANTS– 

We are offering special grants for Maine non-profits wanting to explore 

how we can stay well informed and the role being informed has in creating 

a strong democracy. Projects might consider these or other related 

questions: What do we need to know for a democracy to thrive? How do we 

determine what to pay attention to when we are exposed to so much media 

content? How can we identify hidden biases in information we consume? 

What are some challenges social media platforms bring to traditional news 

sources?  

Applications are due October 15, 2018. See our website for an application 

form and more information. WE ENCOURAGE YOU TO APPLY. All Maine non-profit 

organizations are invited to apply, INCLUDING those that have already 

received an MHC grant this year, or intend to apply for a grant in a 

different category. Please see our website for more information, or speak with Jerome Bennett 

or Lizz Sinclair 

2. PUBLIC PROGRAM- “What’s Going On with the News?"

This is a panel discussion with journalists from the Bangor Daily News and 

The Portland Press Herald accompanied a historian of journalism. Together 

they will reflect on the contemporary challenges of reading and writing 

about what’s really going on.

These events are free and open to the public:

September 19th, 7pm at the South Portland Auditorium 

September 25th, 7pm at the Bangor Arts Exchange. 

More information is on our website: mainehumanities.org

The Maine State Museum in Augusta, Maine is advertising to fill a full-time Museum Education Specialist II position in the museum’s education division.  The Maine State Museum is currently open five days a week (Tue-Sat); the position would be required to work some weekend and evening hours. The position is responsible for developing and implementing innovative, engaging, and relevant gallery experiences for a wide range of visitors.  This position assists in training staff and volunteers; assists with the day-to-day operations of the museum public spaces and admission desk; and the development of special events.

 A well-qualified candidate is proficient in interdisciplinary, object-based teaching as well as interpretive writing, curriculum development, and the design of hands-on activities; knowledgeable of current inquiry-based pedagogy and teaching strategies; and has an interest in digital technologies and media for use in online and in-house interpretative projects.  Individuals with a natural science and/or STEM backgrounds are especially encouraged to apply.

Salary Range: $36,545.60 - $49,524.80. For additional information about the position, as well as additional representative tasks, knowledge, and skills required, and online application visit the Maine Bureau of Human Resources Career Page at http://www.maine.gov/bhr/state_jobs/direct_jobs.shtml a or Melinda Hansen, HR Generalist, General Gov. Service Center, 74 State House Station, Augusta, Maine 04333-0074, (207) 624-7430.  Applications are due by the end of the day on August 24, 2018.