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The Association of Maine Archives & Museums (MAM) is pleased to announce it is the recipient of a major grant from the Maine Humanities Council and the Pulitzer Prize Centennial Campfires Initiative. The award will fund MAM’s 2016 Professional Development Series titled “His Story, Her Story, Our Story: Making Meaning of Your Collections” that will culminate with Pulitzer Prize winning historian and author, Dr. Laurel Thatcher Ulrich’s, keynote address at MAM’s annual conference in October.

MAM’s 2016 Professional Development Workshop Series based on the theme of storytelling is designed to expand the knowledge and skills of staff and volunteers working with collections. With over 1000 collecting institutions, Maine’s public and private collections span the breadth of the humanities—from arts and literature to religion and politics. Much of the work in museums and archives is in the humanities and related to researching, preserving, and interpreting collections and this work culminates in sharing stories - whether it’s through interpretation and exhibits, research, marketing, publications, advocacy, and more.

MAM’s workshop series will offer avenues to varying perspectives, invigorating discussions, and opportunities to gain deeper understanding of collections to the study of the humanities. Participants will learn how to better care for and manage their collections and understand inspiring new ways to interpret collections according to best practices in the field. An exciting lineup of opportunities is already scheduled. Visit MAM’s website, www.mainemuseums.org, for more information and to register for the following workshops:

May 9: Storing Collections, at the L.C. Bates Museum in Hinckley

May 17: Accidental Stories Pertaining to Collections and How to Use Them to Reach New Audiences, at the Cole Land Transportation Museum in Bangor

June 8: Nuts and Bolts of Exhibit Development, at Camden Public Library

June 18: Grant Writing Basics: Crafting Your Story for Fundraising Success, at the Aroostook Medical Center in Presque Isle

June 27: Caring for Collections, at the L.C. Bates Museum in Hinckley

The 2016 Professional Development Series concludes at MAM’s annual conference on October 14, at the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine Orono. The conference will feature special guest Laurel Thatcher Ulrich, Ph.D., 300th Anniversary History Professor at Harvard University. In 1991 she received the Pulitzer Prize in History for her groundbreaking work “A Midwife’s Tale: The Life of Martha Ballard, Based on Her Diary, 1785-1812.” The book examines the life of Martha Ballard, who practiced in the Hallowell area. Dr. Ulrich served as president of the American Historical Association in 2009. She has authored several books and articles on early American history, women’s history, and material culture and is currently writing a book on 19th-century Mormon diaries. In her keynote, she will share her experiences and insights in researching and bringing to light unknown stories of objects in Maine’s past and will inspire participants on how to make meaning of their own collections.

MAM’s 2016 Professional Development Series is funded in part by the Maine Humanities Council as part of the Pulitzer Prize Centennial Campfires Initiative, a joint venture of the Pulitzer Prizes Board and the Federation of State Humanities Councils in celebration of the 2016 Centennial of the Prizes. The initiative seeks to illuminate the impact of the humanities on American life today, to imagine their future, and to inspire new generations to consider the values represented by the body of Pulitzer Prize winning work. For their generous support for the Campfires Initiative, we thank the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation, the Ford Foundation, Carnegie Corporation of New York, the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, the Pulitzer Prizes Board, and Columbia University.

Camp Tecumseh, Moultonborough, NH seeks a temporary full or part-time Processing Archivist for its 2016 summer season.  This non profit overnight summer camp for boys, founded in 1903 by three University of Pennsylvania Olympic athletes, is located on Lake Winnipesaukee.  See www.camptecumseh.net   The Camp Tecumseh Archives contains paper-based materials dating from 1903 to the present, many digital photographs and oral histories, and some artifacts.

Possible tasks, depending upon hours / weeks worked, are:
-- Accession large collection of digital and print photographs; develop selection criteria
-- Accession two other donations
-- Oversee and assist in scanning of Camp newsletters collection; prepare finding aid
-- Appraise Camp facilities records;  preserve, arrange, and describe those records of archival value; determine which ones may warrant digitization
-- Determine appropriate processing scheme for records and papers collected for the published Camp history

An experienced consulting Archivist will make periodic visits to assist, and be available for consultation at all times.

Qualifications.
BA in relevant field; enrollment in MA or MLS program with archives management component and / or equivalent archives experience
Strong oral and written communication skills
Familiarity with archival theory and techniques: appraisal, accessioning , arrangement and description
Familiarity with preservation practices, including digitization for access
Familiarity with office software applications
Ability to lift and move 40 lb containers

Logistics and compensation.  For a candidate who lives beyond a reasonable commuting distance,  the Camp can provide free room and board during the weeks the Camp is in full operation (June 19 - August 21, 2016).   Meals also are available during those weeks to a successful candidate who is within commuting range.

Compensation commensurate with skills and experience.

Please submit the following electronically to :
Cynthia G. Swank, C.A., C.R.M.
mailto:cgswank@inlookgroup.com 

– A cover letter expressing interest in the position, and outlining relevant experience
– A curriculum vitae of education and employment
– A finding aid and additional writing sample in the form of exhibition text,  presentation, blog post, etc.

The Boothbay Railway Village is searching for a creative and energetic individual to join its team as Education Director & Curator.

The right candidate for this position will be collaborative, resilient, innovative, passionate, independent, strategic and confident. We are seeking someone who thinks outside the box, uses resources wisely and creatively, cares deeply about history and others, and is street smart and works with urgency. If you have read Good to Great and know what it means to be the right person on the bus we want to hear from you!

The Museum’s extensive campus is located in the beautiful coastal community of Boothbay, Maine.  We offer our full-time staff a 100% employer paid health plan, generous paid leave, flexible work hours and work from home privileges, and matching contributions to a retirement plan.

This position has responsibility for the interpretation program at the Museum, as well as the management and maintenance of the extensive artifact collections, year-round workshops and lectures, and seasonal artisan demonstrations. The Museum’s five year-strategic plan defines public education as its principle deliverable and envisions a living village that engages visitors in stories about how technologies like steam trains, automobiles, and electricity impacted life for Mainers from the mid-19^th to mid-20^th centuries.  Our next Education Director & Curator has the unique opportunity to make a big impact on the future of this museum.

Applicants should review the full job description. Interested candidates should send a cover letter, résumé, and the names of 3 references (indicating relation to the candidate, phone number, and e-mail address) to Margaret Hoffman, Executive Director, at margaret@railwayvillage.org.  Paper copies may be sent to Boothbay Railway Village, PO Box 123, Boothbay, ME 04537, but electronic submissions of material are preferred.  No phone inquiries, please.  This is a critical vacancy and review of applications begins immediately.

Did you want to participate in the Cultural Emergency Resource Coalition's facilitated disaster planning program, but the timing just didn't work out for you? Consider applying for an NEH Preservation Assistance Grant for Smaller Institutions!

Deadline: May 3, 2016 (for projects starting no sooner than January 2017)

Amount: Up to $6,000 (no match required!)

For this round NEH is particularly interested in projects that address disaster planning. If your organization is interested in hiring a consultant to help walk you through CERC's process for writing your own disaster plan, we can help you determine your needs, identify a consultant and develop a budget for a grant application.

Eligibility: Applicants must 

• care for and have custody of the humanities collections that are the focus of the application;
• have at least one staff member or the full-time equivalent, whether paid or unpaid; and
• make their collections open and available for the purpose of education, research, and/or public programming, as evidenced by the number of days on which the institution is open to the public, the capacity to support access and use, and the availability of staff for this purpose.

For more information, see the program description:

The Owls Head Transportation Museum is now accepting resumes for the position of Accounts Manager. The successful applicant will be an experienced professional with a strong knowledge of accounting principles. A strong knowledge of Quickbooks and Excel is required. Duties will include, though are not limited to, AP/AR, GL, payroll, applicable taxes and filings, financial recording, reporting and related controls.

The Accounts Manager is part of a team involved in Museum events, programs and services. He/she must be a detail-oriented self-starter with strong organizational skills. The ability to work under pressure and interact with volunteers and the public is a must. Experience in non-profit financial management is a plus. This is a perfect opportunity for someone wishing to work in a dynamic, people-oriented work environment that offers excellent compensation.

Please forward resume with cover letter to: nj@ohtm.org or the Owls Head Transportation Museum, ATTN: Niki Janczura, P.O. Box 277, Owls Head, Maine 04854.

Historic New England sends us this job opening announcement:

POSITION: Guide–House Museum(s)

CLASSIFICATION: Seasonal/Part-Time

LOCATION: Sarah Orne Jewett and Hamilton Houses in South Berwick, ME, Sayward-Wheeler House in York Harbor, ME

DESCRIPTION: Historic New England seeks seasonal part-time Guides to work at the Sarah Orne Jewett House (1774) and Hamilton House (1785) in South Berwick, Maine and the Sayward-Wheeler House (1718) in York Harbor, Maine, for the 2016 season.  Guides will conduct tours and assist with daily museum operations including tour admissions, museum shop sales, membership sales, housekeeping, and opening and closing the museum. Training is provided. 

QUALIFICATIONS:  Applicants should enjoy working with the public, have an interest in history and have basic computer skills. Experience in retail sales and customer service desirable.  Requires a high school diploma or equivalent education. A Bachelor’s degree is preferred.  Must be available weekends, have a flexible schedule and commit to employment through the end of the 2016 season (May- October).  Diversity candidates are encouraged to apply. Developing and sustaining a diverse staff furthers the institution’s goals and mission.

APPLICATIONS: Please e-mail resume and cover letter to JewettHouse@HistoricNewEngland.org. Note: If you are applying for a guide position at more than one property, please indicate this in your cover letter. EOE.

The Lincoln County Historical Association (LCHA), steward of three historic properties in Midcoast Maine – the 1754 Chapman-Hall House in Damariscotta, the 1761 Pownalborough Courthouse in Dresden, and the 1811 Old Jail in Wiscasset – seeks a part time Executive Director. Primary duties include strengthening the Association’s financial base; developing the membership program; and assisting in the daily business of LCHA.

The ideal candidate will be experienced in non-profit fund raising, donor development, grant writing, and financial management; skilled in both written and oral communication, and in working with individuals as well as groups such as trustees, volunteers, and members; competent with office computer processing and communications software; and passionate in support of historic preservation and public history.

This is an annual, part time contract position, at 20 to 30 hours per week, to begin on or about 1 June, 2016. The Executive Director reports to the President of the Board of Trustees.

For a complete job description, please visit the LCHA website at www.lincolncountyhistory.org

The Castine area, a beautiful and historically interesting town on the coast of Maine, saw millennia of use by Native Americans before European contact and changed hands repeatedly from the outset of the colonial period through the War of 1812.  The peninsula’s development in the nineteenth and twentieth century’s represents a microcosm of American commercial and cultural history.  As its mission states, CHS “seeks to engage residents and visitors of all ages in the exploration and stewardship of Castine’s diverse historical resources.”

The intern will work as a member of a professional team on two projects central to the CHS mission and choose a public history project consistent with his/her interests.  One of the two ongoing projects includes gaining experience with PastPerfect museum software, and the other involves working with volunteers to provide historic walking tours.  The public history project could be producing audio podcasts for self-guided historic tours or a preservation or education project proposed by the intern.

Applications are due by Monday, March 21, 2016.  To view the full internship description and application instructions, visit http://castinehistoricalsociety.org/pages/news/castine-historical-society-2014-intern-job-description or contact Paige Lilly via email at curator@castinehistoricalsociety.org.

Nominations for American Association for State and Local History (AASLH)'s Leadership in History Awards are due March 1. It usually takes at least two-three weeks to put together a great nomination, so don't wait to get started! Nominations are reviewed by a national committee in the summer of 2016 with formal presentation of the awards made during the AASLH Annual Meeting, September 14-17, in Detroit, Michigan. 

The AASLH Leadership in History Awards Program recognizes exemplary work completed by state or federal historical societies, institutions, or agencies; regional, county, or local historical societies, institutions, or agencies; specialized subject societies in related fields such as oral history, genealogy, folklore, archaeology, etc.; junior historical societies; privately owned museums or foundations; individuals; and organizations outside the field of traditional historical agencies. Awards are given for exhibits, public and educational programming, special projects, publications, multimedia, and individual achievement. Nominees need not be members of AASLH to qualify. 

Nomination information may be obtained by visiting about.aaslh.org/awards, or by contacting the AASLH office by phone: 615-320-3203 or email: hawkins@aaslh.org. A list of state award representatives who can advise nominees can be found at the AASLH website. 

The Maine Historical Records Advisory Board is pleased to be able to support the efforts of Maine's nonprofit organizations as they preserve their original historical records. The following workshops are available in 2016 to assist these efforts:

May 16^th (Augusta) and May 23^rd (Bangor) - The full-day archival workshops will cover definitions, mission statement, collecting policy, appraisal and related issues, arrangement, description (and use) of collections.

March 29^th (Portland) - The full-day town clerk workshop covers topics of specific interest to clerks, such as preservation/restoration of old records, destruction of records, FOIA, indexing, vault requirements, digitizing records, disaster recovery, Rules for Disposition.

April 8^th (Augusta) - This workshop will focus on proposal requirements for the Historical Collections grant program (skills are applicable to any proposal). The workshop includes hands on practice with time to ask questions and get feedback on draft Historical Collections grant proposals.

For more details and contact information visit the Maine State Archives website (under What’s New), http://www.maine.gov/sos/arc/.