Blog and Newsletter

Hello Friends of the Arts!

 

The Maine Arts Commission is currently in the midst of developing a Cultural Strategic Plan to guide the future of arts and culture in Maine. We ask that you lend your voice to this important project by taking a five-minute online survey. Your responses will help strengthen the creative vitality of the state.

 

Click here for the survey:

https://www.research.net/s/Maine_Arts

 

Hard copies of the survey are also available--contact the Maine Arts Commission to request a copy.  mainearts.info@maine.gov or 207-287-2724.

 

Thanks very much for your participation!

 

 

Please feel free to forward this message to others. To be removed from future communications about the Maine Arts Commission Public Opinion Survey, please click the unsubscribe link below.

 

What Is #AskAnArchivist Day?

It’s an opportunity to:

• Break down the barriers that make archivists seem inaccessible.
• Talk directly to the public undefined via Twitter undefined about what you do, why it’s important and, of course, the interesting records with which you work.
• Join with archivists around the country and the world to make an impact on the public’s understanding of archives while celebrating American Archives Month!
• Interact with users, supporters, and prospective supporters about the value of archives.
• Hear directly from the public about what they’re most interested in learning about from archives and archivists. 

How Does It Work?

On October 30, archivists around the country will take to Twitter to respond to questions tweeted with the hashtag #AskAnArchivist. Take this opportunity to engage via your personal and/or institutional Twitter accounts and to respond to questions posed directly to you or more generally to all participants.

Questions will vary widely, from the silly (What do archivists talk about around the water cooler?) to the practical (What should I do to be sure that my e-mails won’t get lost?), but each question will be an opportunity to share more about our work and our profession with the public.

Between now and October 30:

PROMOTE #AskAnArchivist Day among your users and constituents via your institution’s website, Twitter account, blog, newsletter, and any other mediums available to you. Click here for the public announcement (and feel free to pick up language from it for your own promotions).

For additional inspiration on what your promotion of #AskAnArchivist Day might look like, see these great examples of the recent promotion by museums of #AskACurator Day:

• incinnati Museum Center
• Indianapolis Museum of Art
• The Library of Virginia
• Presidential Libraries of the National Archives

Examples of possible Twitter promotion:

• Happy #AskAnArchivist Day! Our archivists are waiting for YOUR questions. Tag us at @TWITTERHANDLE and use #AskAnArchivist.
• Archivists at @TWITTERHANDLE are gearing up for #AskAnArchivist Day on October 30! Literallyundefineddocuments and photo boxes stacked and waiting!

ENCOURAGE the public to use #AskAnArchivist and your institution’s Twitter handle (e.g., @smithsonian) when asking questions so you won’t miss any that are intended for youand so we will be able to track questions and answers to measure overall participation.

TALK to your staff and colleagues to develop a plan for responding to tweets throughout the day.  Will one person respond to all tweets?  Will you share the task? Will individuals sign up for time slots and let the public know who will be available when?

Here’s one example:

• During this year’s #AskACurator Day, one person at the Indianapolis Museum of Art was selected to monitor both the general hashtag and tweets sent directly to @imamuseum. When direct questions came in or interesting general questions were posed via the hashtag, the designated monitor sent the questions to participating curators via email. The curators (and their archivist!) replied with their answers, and the monitor posted all answers from the @imamuseum Twitter account. (See the Storify of the IMA's participation in #AskACurator Day for results.)

CREATE an institutional Twitter account if you don’t already have one. #AskAnArchivist Day and American Archives Month are both great opportunities to start one! Click here to get started.

And if an institutional Twitter account is not an option for you, go ahead and answer questions from your personal Twitter account! If your institutional affiliation and job title are not already listed on your profile, be sure to add that for the duration of #AskAnArchivist Day.

TWEET and GREET! Take advantage of this opportunity to join with archivists from around the country to talk to and hear directly from the public on October 30.

Congresswoman Chellie Pingree's office has reached out to MAM to share information about upcoming Federal grant deadlines with Maine museums, archives, and cultural organizations.

The Bowdoin College Archives invites applicants for a full time position as Archives Assistant in the George J. Mitchell Dept. of Special Collections and Archives.

Major duties include processing manuscript collections and archival records; assisting with the management of the College's records management program and archival a/v media collections; performing basic reference services in Special Collections & Archives; and digitizing library resources, editing digital image files, and coordinating vendor-supplied digitization activities.

The successful applicant will have a bachelor's degree; effective oral and written communications skills; the capacity to attend to accuracy, attention to detail, and discretion; and, the ability to work in a team environment, solve problems, and understand complex hierarchical arrangements. The position also requires technical skills appropriate to digitizing textual and visual objects and to editing image files.

To see the full job posting and submit an application, please see: https://careers.bowdoin.edu/postings/search .

 We are seeking a dynamic, highly-qualified leader for the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum.  On land, on water and underwater, LCMM offers an amazing array of programs, exhibits and learning experiences, underwater discoveries and lake adventures that engage people of all ages in the rich history and archaeology of Lake Champlain.  LCMM hosts over 11,000 people annually in its fourteen exhibit buildings and on its working waterfront in Ferrisburgh, Vermont.  The 1776 replica gunboat Philadelphia II is a favourite with visitors.  The Schooner Lois McClure has travelled over the last ten years to New York, Canada and Vermont, educating over 20,000 people per year about the lake’s history.  Innovative boat building, after-school rowing programs, On-Water ecology classes and teacher training are part of the mix.  Our Maritime Research Institute engages in world-class nautical archaeology projects, exploring and documenting the lake’s 300+ historic shipwrecks and other underwater cultural sites. . . . And then there are shipwreck tours at beautiful Basin Harbor and the Burlington waterfront, where you don’t get wet using remotely operated vehicle technology.

The Executive Director will play a key role in:

• ·      Building a vision for the future that is both challenging and sustainable
• ·      Leading with innovation and passion
• ·      Keeping our programs and educational experiences robust and exciting
• ·      Creating financial stability and sustainability
• ·      Cultivating effective alliances with local and regional organizations, universities and other museums

Position is based at the Lake Champlain Maritime Museum in Ferrisburgh, Vermont.  To apply, send letter of interest and résumé to LCMMExecApplicant@gmail.com.

Competitive salary and benefits.

 

The application deadline is October 15, 2014.

No phone calls accepted.

Lake Champlain Maritime Museum is an equal opportunity employer.

www.lcmm.org

Freeport Historical Society (FHS) is seeking applicants for the position of office manager.  The position will be part-time (24hrs/week) and temporary(through 1/31/15).  However, the right applicant may be invited to continue in an expanded role beyond this date.

For more information, consult the FHS website, www.freeporthistoricalsociety.org or call 207-865-3170.  A resume and cover
letter should be sent to  director@freeporthistoricalsociety.org.

Chief Curator
Maine Historical Society seeks a Chief Curator who will be responsible for leadership and management of Maine Historical Society's curatorial program, including design and implementation of innovative exhibition strategies, care, management, and development of artifact collections, and oversight of the Wadsworth-Longfellow House and Garden.

Communications Manager
Maine Historical Society seeks a creative, collaborative, and experienced Communications Manager to help us share the unique and fascinating history of Maine with local residents and visitors from around the world. The Communications Manager is responsible for developing and implementing a marketing and communications plan that supports the Society's mission by expanding awareness, engaging the public, and attracting new audiences. Reporting to the Director of Institutional Advancement, the Communications Manager works directly with staff in each department to create consistent and inspiring content across all forms of marketing including social media, the MHS websites, weekly email updates, newsletters and print and news media. The position is part-time, 21 hours/week.

More info here: https://www.mainehistory.org/about_opportunities.shtml

2014 AASLH Online Conference 

September 18-19, 2014

Registration opens early August!

Held every year in conjunction with the Annual Meeting, the AASLH Online Conference provides an opportunity for you, your colleagues, and volunteers to attend the annual meeting virtually.

2014 Online Conference Sessions:

Many Small Surveys, One Big Impact – Using examples from collaboration among fifteen Minnesota Historical Society sites, panelists explore evaluation challenges, provide do-it-yourself tools, and discuss how to use results effectively.

Telling a Whole History: Methods of Interpreting Domestic Servants in Historic House Museums - Discuss methods and strategies for revitalizing interpretation in historic house museums to include the voices of domestic servants.

Museum Management Tune Up - In this session, you’ll evaluate your own skills in the following areas: employee assessment and review, communication, time management, and work relationships.

Your Most Valuable Partnership: Engaging Your Board to Ensure Success and Sustainability - Join colleagues from around the country to identify strategies you can use right away to ensure your board is engaged and effective.

Field Services Alliance Presents Navigating Legal Landmines in Museums and Archives - This session addresses legal concerns surrounding oral history, collections, and digital copyright to help increase your legal literacy in recognizing and understanding the various concerns organizations face in these areas.

Support Young Children, Grow Future Audiences – This session considers the impact building relationships with young children and their families will have on the future of your institution. 

More info at:  http://about.aaslh.org/am-online-conference/

• Are you looking for a way to recharge your professional life?
• Do you crave a challenge that will empower you to affect change?
• Would you like to expand your network of peers while building relationships that will impact you for the rest of your career?