Blog and Newsletter

The Association of Maine Archives and Museums publishes quarterly print newsletter that is sent out to members in February, May, August, and November. We also maintain the blog on this page for members to share their announcements more immediately.

Quarterly Print Newsletter

Submissions: If you are a member interested in submitting articles, dispatches, opportunities, and/or photos to the print newsletter, please review these guideline and deadlines.

Advertising: If you are interested in advertising in the print newsletter, please review these specifications and deadlines.

Read now: Click here to view the current and past issues of the print newsletter (members-only; log in first).

News Blog

Members and non-members of MAM may post news of interest to the field using the blog below. To post an event, see the event listings. To post a job or internship opportunity, see the job/internship board. MAM reserves the right to edit or reject postings as it deems appropriate. This service is free to members; non-members are charged $20.

Posts to this news blog are automatically shared to the MAM Facebook page to get even more exposure!

MEMBERS: Log in, then click "Add Post." If you have trouble logging in, email info@mainemuseums.org.

NON-MEMBERS: To submit your bulletin board post, please email info@mainemuseums.org.

  • 27 Nov 2013 12:14 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
    Maine Memory Network cataloger/production staff

    Maine Historical Society seeks a part-time project cataloger and
    production assistant for Maine Memory Network, a statewide digital museum
    (www.mainememory.net). This person is responsible for vetting all records
    added to MMN, managing the digital image archives, and doing production
    work related to MMN. This person will work as part of the MMN team and
    serve the requirements of the project as needed, including assisting the
    MMN curator, website testing, and other special projects. This position is
    part-time, grant-funded.

    http://www.mainehistory.org/PDF/MHSJobListing-MMNCataloger.pdf
  • 25 Nov 2013 3:11 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    ABBE MUSEUM

    Curator of Education

    Bar Harbor, Maine

    Type: Full Time, Experienced

    Required Degree: MA/MS

    Salary: Competitive with benefits and is commensurate with current salary structure

    Description: The Curator of Education is a highly visible position at the Abbe Museum, a Smithsonian Affiliate,

    responsible for developing, coordinating, implementing, and evaluating programs and educational services for

    all museum audiences – children, adults, school groups, teachers, and regular museum-goers (seasonal and

    local). This individual is also a key member of the exhibits team to plan, organize, and implement exhibits and

    frequently serves as lead exhibit curator.

    The Curator of Education communicates the Museum's vision and mission and spearheads all educational

    initiatives in the institution; works closely with the President/CEO and carries out policies established by the

    President/CEO and the Trustees; serves as a primary content provider and liaison for museum-tribal

    partnerships and collaborations.

    The Curator may be assigned to other duties as required by the small museum environment, including Gala

    support, guest services support, etc.

    Organizational Relationships: This is a full-time, salaried position reporting to the President/CEO. The

    Curator of Education participates as part of the senior management team which includes the President/CEO,

    Director of Finance and Administration, and the Curator of Collections. In addition, the Curator serves on the

    Exhibits Team, the Education Team and Advisory Committee, and other teams, task forces, and work groups as

    assigned. The Curator of Education manages education volunteers and staff.

    Skills: The Curator of Education has a natural social aplomb in working with audiences and constituents and

    maintains the highest professional standards of discretion. Independent judgment, decision-making authority

    and common sense are essential prerequisites of the job. This individual must also have the highest standards

    of integrity, be outgoing, self-starting, well-organized, tactful, detail-oriented, innovative, and capable of

    working under pressure and meeting deadlines.

    Institutional Expectations:

    Every employee participates as a team member.

    Every employee is cognizant of our fundraising needs and is involved in the process.

    Requirements: An advanced degree in museum work or related field and a background in Native American

    studies, anthropology, and/or archaeology, plus three to five years experience in a museum setting. Thorough

    familiarity with classroom and museum-based learning, museum best practices, and Native concerns is a must.

    Computer proficiency required.

    Interested candidates should mail a resume or CV, cover letter, and salary history to: Cinnamon Catlin-

    Legutko - Abbe Museum - PO Box 286 - Bar Harbor, ME 04609. Or, email the package in pdf format to

    cinnamon@abbemuseum.org. No phone calls, please.

  • 18 Nov 2013 9:13 AM | Anonymous member
    The Old Berwick Historical Society and MSAD 35 were recently recognized for "organizational excellence" for their joint educational program, the Hike through History.  In a ceremony in Falmouth on November 14, Greg Paxton, director of Maine Preservation, presented the award to Vicki Stewart, representing the school district, and Nina Maurer and Nicole St. Pierre representing the historical society.

    Maine Preservation promotes and preserves historic places, buildings, downtowns and neighborhoods, strengthening the cultural and economic vitality of Maine communities. The Hike through History route travels through a district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

    According to the winning award nomination, "The South Berwick Hike through History, a unique local history program led by the Marshwood school system in collaboration with the Old Berwick Historical Society, has galvanized awareness of and public support for South Berwick's historic village over the past two decades, helping to stabilize a fragile corner of Maine's architectural heritage."

    For almost 20 years, the South Berwick Hike through History has been an annual event for South Berwick Central School.  For each stop on the Hike, the Old Berwick Historical Society has researched stories of real South Berwick citizens who lived or worked there. In recent years, younger children on the Hike have "met" local residents from the past, portrayed by older students, including eighth graders from Marshwood Middle School.

    In a recent joint project, the Old Berwick Historical Society and teachers of the two schools have incorporated improvements to the Hike, including better integration of curriculum goals; use of historic documents and artifacts from the society's Counting House Museum; development of teacher workshops and an eighth-grade training program; and creation of companion museum programs and a website of student resources, www.hikethroughhistory.org .

    Donors to the special planning project include the Marshwood Education Foundation, Kennebunk Savings, People's United Bank, Central School PTO, Maine Community Foundation, New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, and Davis Family Foundation.

    "We think the Hike through History is unique in New England," said Nina Maurer, project coordinator for the Old Berwick Historical Society. "Each year we are astonished by the remarkable achievements of students interpreters and the extraordinary outcomes of a hard-won collaboration between three schools, two museums, 60 teachers, dozens of business and property owners, town officials, and a phalanx of presenters and volunteers."

    "Both the eighth grade and third grade interpreters do a fantastic job, first conducting their own historical research, and then communicating what they learn to a younger audience," added Nicole St. Pierre, the historical society's project curriculum coordinator.

    Last spring, when the Hike's theme was "Journeys," children investigated a Native American bark canoe at a place on the river where Wabanaki Indians paddled 300 years ago.  They cared for a horse at the house of Sarah Orne Jewett, where the author learned to ride as a child in the 1850s.  At a building that was once a stagecoach tavern where Gen. Lafayette stopped on his visit to Maine in 1825, pupils staged a re-enactment of that event.

    Old Berwick Historical Society members have already begun "Adopt-a-Prop" fundraising for historic replicas students will use during "Trades," the theme of next year's Hike.  Over $1000 was raised for props at the society's recent fundraising event, the Lighting Up Fall.
  • 15 Nov 2013 10:12 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
     
    - Are you looking for a way to recharge your professional life?  
    - Do you crave a challenge that will get you thinking about archives in a radically new way?  
    - Would you like to expand your network of peers while building relationships that will impact you for the rest of your career?

    The Archives Leadership Institute (ALI) at Luther College is a dynamic program that provides advanced leadership training and mentorship for 25 innovative archival leaders, giving them the knowledge and tools to transform the profession in practice, theory and attitude.  

    If you would like to be a part of the 2014 Cohort, please apply before January 3, 2014. Details about the application process and what characteristics the ideal ALI participant has can be found at www.archivesleadershipinstitute.org/p/apply.html. Participants selected as the 2014 Cohort will be notified by the end of February.

    The Archives Leadership Institute has been funded by the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) since 2008 and was held at the University of Wisconsin Madison until 2012. Luther College has been selected to develop and host ALI for years 2013, 2014, and 2015.

    If you have any questions, please visit www.archivesleadershipinstitute.org or contact Sasha Griffin at <coordinator@archivesleadershipinstitute.org>.
  • 06 Nov 2013 6:31 AM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Manager of School & Interpretive Programs

    The Maine Historical Society (MHS) seeks an innovative and energetic manager to provide leadership in the development of K-16 programs and interpretive strategies that promote engagement with Maine history. We are seeking a rising professional with vision, a keen interest in the future direction of museum education, and a desire to help define and build our 21st century museum program.

    The Manager of School & Interpretive Programs is responsible for the development and implementation of curriculum and interpretive strategies that utilize MHS collections, exhibits, and historical resources across Maine to help students, families, and members of the public develop knowledge, skills, and connections with their communities. Specific responsibilities include development and implementation of on- and off-site school and family programs; interpretation of museum exhibits and the Wadsworth-Longfellow House; training guides and docents; developing programs and resources that nurture dynamic school participation in and use of our nationally-recognized Maine Memory Network; and building and maintaining relationships with Maine teachers, schools, and community partners through outreach, collaboration, special projects, and social media.

    The Manager of School & Interpretive Programs will play a key role in the continued growth and evolution of a progressive statewide cultural organization known for its innovation and leadership. This position provides the opportunity to grow professionally and to be a major contributor to a collaborative team that includes staff, trustees, volunteers, supporters, and community members in one of the country's most beautiful, vibrant, and up-and-coming cities.

    Minimum qualifications: Masters degree in history, education, or museum studies; two years teaching experience in museum and classroom settings; knowledge of museum and K-12 programs, practices, and standards. Strong leadership and management skills.

    See full job description

    Please send cover letter, resume, and a list of three references to: Manager of School & Interpretive Programs Search, Maine Historical Society, 489 Congress Street, Portland, ME 04101. EOE. Electronic submissions are encouraged and should be sent to lwebb@mainehistory.org. Rolling review; closing date: November 21, 2013. No phone calls accepted.

  • 31 Oct 2013 3:38 PM | Anonymous member
    That’s what the Cultural Emergency Resource Coalition would like to help
    you answer.

    The Maine State Museum was recently awarded a one year grant from the Maine
    Emergency Management Agency, through Homeland Security, to form the
    Cultural Emergency Resource Coalition (CERC: Maine). A partnership of key
    cultural organizations, conservators and emergency management personnel,
    and based on the COSTEP <http://www.nedcc.org/free-resources/costep>program
    developed in Massachusetts, its mission is to create awareness among
    Maine’s cultural institutions of the importance of disaster planning and to
    help connect those institutions with the resources and people they need to
    best respond to and recover from a disaster. See the end of this message
    for the full CERC: Maine Steering Committee.

    Here’s what CERC: Maine would like you to help them answer:

    What would be the most useful support to you and your organization in
    developing a disaster plan? As part of this project, CERC: Maine expects to
    develop online resources, workshops, and contact and vendor lists. Your
    feedback will play an invaluable role in shaping these products, to ensure
    that they are answering the needs of Maine’s cultural community.

    If you are affiliated with a cultural institution, please take a few
    minutes and complete the survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/625Q2B3.

    If you are not affiliated with a cultural institution but would like to
    provide feedback, please email CERC.Maine@gmail.com.

    Thank you for adding your voice to the conversation!

    --
    Ellen Dyer
    CERC: Maine Coordinator
    Maine State Museum
    83 State House Station
    Augusta, ME 04333
    CERC.Maine@gmail.com

    *CERC: Maine Steering Committee*

    Jon Brandon, East Point Conservation
    Jeff Cabral, McArthur Public Library
    Molly Carlson, Head Tide Archaeological   Conservation Laboratory
    Dave Cheever, Maine State Archives
    Nancy Crowell, Scarborough Public Library
    Bernard Fishman, Maine State Museum
    Dwane Hubert, Maine Emergency Management Agency
    Aedan Jordan, Maine State Museum
    Linda Lord, Maine State Library
    Kate McBrien, Maine State Museum
    Jessica Routhier, Maine Archives and Museums
  • 31 Oct 2013 3:26 PM | Anonymous member


    Dana Baldwin, the PMA’s Peggy L. Osher Director of Learning and Interpretation, has accepted a position as Program and Communications Director at the Maine Philanthropy Center (MPC) in Portland. MPC is a regional association of grantmakers working to promote philanthropy and to increase its impact in Maine.  Dana’s last day at the museum will be Wednesday, November 27, 2013.

    Reflecting on her accomplishments, PMA’s Director Mark Bessire said, "Dana's ability to be a local and national leader of the arts has placed the Portland Museum of Art in a position of leadership and reverence within the museum and educational communities. We congratulate her on her exciting new position and we will miss her greatly." 

    Dana Baldwin has been Director of Learning and Interpretation at the PMA since 1992. In 2003, she was named the Eastern Division’s Outstanding Museum Educator of the Year by the National Art Education Association, and in 2005 she was named Art Advocate of the Year by the Maine Art Education Association. In 2011, she was named the National Arts Educator of the Year by the National Arts Education Association. During Dana’s tenure at the museum, she has led the effort to establish the Bernard A. Osher Lecture series as one of the major annual cultural events in Portland and to launch the annual Nelson Social Justice Fund Lecture as a keystone of the PMA’s programs. She has been Project Director of 11 National Endowment for the Arts projects at the Portland Museum of Art, including a project to digitize more than 250 wood engravings by Winslow Homer for the museum’s website in 2009. Dana has increased collaborations with area social service agencies, interactive exhibitions imbedded in the Museum’s galleries, cell phone tours of special exhibitions, and a series of Regional Docent Symposia with attendance by volunteers from six states. In 2005 Baldwin was invited by the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles to serve as a Guest Scholar of the Getty Research Institute where she studied philosophies of interpretation.  

  • 12 Oct 2013 12:29 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Leonard's Mills is the centerpiece of the Maine Forest and Logging Museum, Inc. (MFLM), a nonprofit organization incorporated in 1960, and dedicated to keeping alive the forest industry of long ago for the present-day citizens of the State of Maine. Located on approximately 400 acres on Blackman Stream in Bradley, Leonard's Mills is at the actual site of an early pioneer settlement, identified by the remains of a stone dam and the foundations of several houses. Today, Leonard's Mills is "alive" once again, as the Museum is represented by an authentic reconstruction of a logging and milling community of the 1790s. The Museum, through our Living History site at Leonard's Mills, teaches people of all ages about the forest and logging history of Maine. Our general purposes are to collect, preserve, and share artifacts, documents, tools, and equipment, and stories relating to the history of the Maine woods - particularly the pioneer and lumbering periods.

    Position Overview and Responsibilities

    The Executive Director is responsible for the organization's consistent achievement of its mission through its operational and financial objectives. The Executive Director must be an organized self-starter, an experienced communicator, an enthusiastic fundraiser and a team player to successfully oversee the day-to-day functions of MFLM. He or she must have the ability to move capably and confidently between a wide range of responsibilities including program coordination & development, financial management, human resources, fundraising, public relations, board and volunteer relations, building management and staff oversight. The Executive Director reports to the MFLM President and Board of Directors.

    Responsibilities

    Fundraising (Estimated time 40%): The ED will cultivate and solicit individual, corporate, and foundation support as well as seek out grant opportunities as they arise to support MFLM.  This effort must include finding new sources of capital in order to further the museum’s mission.

    Program Management (Estimated time 30%): Develop short-term and long-term strategic plans for the MFLM that support the Mission and objectives of the organization. Oversee and engage in the planning, organizing, and operation of events – both onsite and offsite as appropriate. 

    Operate as the lead contact on potential additions to the MFLM Collections to ensure donations fit the mission.

    Communications and Public Relations (Estimated time 15%):  The ED will serve as the “public face” of the organization at events, with donors, and with the media in order to promote the MFLM and its programs. In addition he or she will oversee and engage in the creation of promotional materials including MFLM newsletters, press releases, and enhancing MFLM’s web presence.

    In addition, the Executive Director will directly oversee and manage all MFLM employees, and serve as a conduit to the Board for those employees.

    Budget and Finance (Estimated time 15%): The Executive Director will work closely with the Board President, Treasurer, and Budget and Finance Committee to develop organizational and program-specific budgets and ensure the organization operates prudently within those budgets.  The ED will also coordinate the paying of bills to the various vendors the museum uses.

    Qualifications

    Strong candidates will possess the following qualifications:

    • Strong organizational in communication skills
    • Experience in fundraising and grant proposal writing
    • Ability to work independently
    • Strong operational and financial management skills
    • Passion for preserving and showcasing Maine’s forest and logging history
    • Experience communicating with and organizing volunteers
    • Strong computer skills, including but not limited to, Microsoft Word, Excel.  The successful candidate will also be familiar with electronic communications, social media and be willing to expand their skillset into database programs. 
    • Have experience managing education programs and the accompanying physical site.

    Compensation

    Pay is commensurate with experience.  This is a part-time year-round position at 30 hours per week.

    Location

    MFLM’s office is the US Forest Service Building on the Government Road in Bradley, Maine.

    Additional Job Information

    MFLM’s employment committee will be conducting the candidate search. Please e-mail your resume and cover letter to Scott Robinson, Employment Committee Chair, at sdrobinson@prentissandcarlisle.com .
    10/31/2013
    Executive/Senior Management
    Negotiable
    Bangor Area
  • 07 Oct 2013 2:11 PM | Anonymous member
    Giving Voice to History-Oral History Workshop

    The Yarmouth History Center, along with the Oral History and Folklife
    Research Inc., will be conducting a workshop on Saturday October 26th from
    10:00 AM to 2:00 PM.  Keith Ludden and Molly Graham will give a talk on
    Thursday October 24th at 7:00 PM to introduce the goals and concepts of
    oral history and the importance of giving voice to member of our
    communities.

    Oral history is an effective means of capturing a history that cannot be
    found in traditional historical records.  The recorded interviews can be
    archived and preserved for future researchers giving a voice to a sector of
    the community that might not otherwise be represented.

    Some of the topics to be covered in this work shop will include;
    definitions and goals of an oral history, setting up a project including
    what equipment is needed, interviewing skills, practice interviews and how
    to interview family members.  

    The cost for the workshop is $10 for members of the Yarmouth Historical
    Society and $15 for non-members. Students who are involved in oral history
    projects will be allowed to participate at no charge but are asked to
    notify us in advance. Space is limited so registration is encouraged. The
    Yarmouth History Center is located at 118 East Elm Street, Yarmouth.


    For more information, please call Amy Aldredge at 846-6259 of e-mail at
    aaldredge@yarmouthmehistory.org
  • 30 Sep 2013 9:30 AM | Anonymous member

    Don't let September 30 go by without connecting with Maine Archives and Museums!


    First, be sure to register for our annual conference TODAY to receive special early-bird pricing.  This year's theme isRe-charge Your Mission: Ideas to Ignite and Inspire, and we've got a great line-up of speakers, including a keynote by New York Times bestselling author Tilar Mazzeo. Tuesday, October 29, at the Collins Center for the Arts at the University of Maine, Orono: You won't want to miss it!


    Second, remember that TODAY is the deadline for newsletter submissions and ads! This issue will cover the months of November and December 2012 and January 2013, so please send only information on exhibitions, events, and opportunities that will be relevant to that time period. We are especially interested in your plans for holiday events and exhibitions! Find complete guidelines here. (REMEMBER: You must be an up-to-date member of MAM to submit material to the newsletter!  Need to renew?  Do it now, online: click here.  Not sure of your membership status, or having trouble renewing or registering for the conference?  E-mail info@mainemuseums.org.)


    Finally, if you represent an institutional member of MAM, don't forget to respond TODAY to our annual institutional member survey! We've designed this year's survey with the goal of compiling an up-to-date, statewide Economic Impact Statement for our industry--and by filling out the survey, you'll also be gathering answers that you can use to create your own organizational Economic Impact Statement.  We're going to report on the results at the Annual Meeting and Conference, and the more who respond, the better and more useful the information will be.  Don't worry--it's completely anonymous.  Follow this direct link and take the survey now! Link: https://www.surveymonkey.com/s/2013SurveyEIS.


    Thanks for all you do to make Maine's community of collecting

    institutions stronger, more connected, and better in every way!

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