Disaster Preparedness & Response

Spend a day in Skowhegan and join colleagues from around the state for an in-person, hands on workshop at the Margaret Chase Smith Library. You will learn the skills you and your institution need to be prepared for disaster. 

Over the course of a three hour workshop you will: 

• Learn the basics tools for writing a disaster plan and what materials you need for institutional disaster kits
• Learn about resources available via MAM's partner organization North East Document Conservation Center (NEDCC)
• Take part in a hands-on wet salvage activity

About the Presenters:
Nicole Potter, Curator of Collections at the Margaret Chase Smith Library, holds an M.S. in Library and Information Science from Syracuse University School of Information Studies. Nicole’s specialization is cultural heritage preservation. Previously she worked at cultural institutions in New York, New Mexico, and Alaska, including ones preserving the legacies of other noteworthy Americans such as artist Georgia O'Keefe and author Ernest Hemingway. Nicole serves on the Board of Directors of MAM.

John Taylor is the Museum Assistant & Communications Manager at the Margaret Chase Smith Library. He is the state coordinator for National History Day (NHD) in Maine and represents New England on the NHD Executive Council of Coordinators. He also assists in educational programming, emergency planning, and the creation, installation, and maintenance of museum exhibits. John is a past member of the Board of Directors of MAM and served as the organization's last Interim Executive Director. 

Jesse Keel is based in Northeast Document Conservation Center’s Andover, MA office and provides preservation consultations, training programs, assessments, and disaster advice to a variety of cultural heritage organizations nationwide. Since joining NEDCC in 2023, she has performed preservation assessments and custom consultations for museums, historical societies, historic homes, and universities both large and small in addition to presenting over 25 hours of training on topics ranging from digital preservation to disaster preparedness. Jesse currently serves as education chair and member-at-large on the Society of American Archivists Preservation Section Steering Committee and as the Web Administrator for New England Archivists. Jesse is a certified digital archives specialist and has earned an MA in English from the University of Vermont and an MLIS with a concentration in Archives Management from Simmons University.

MAM members receive discounted rates for workshops. Please login to your account to ensure your discount is applied. Trouble logging in? Email info@mainemuseums.org.