ANSM Beacon eNewsletter - January 9, 2012

We have two Museum Studies Program workshops coming up this spring! To register, download and mail usthis form.

Museums 101
Date: April 12 & 13, 2012
Location: Queens County Museum, 109 Main Street, Liverpool
Facilitator: Karin Kierstead, ANSM Museum Advisor

Museums 101 is the introductory module for a series of eight workshops covering core museological functions: collections management & curatorship, interpretation, museums & community, facility management, management & governance and marketing.

For more information, click here.

Collections Management
Date: May 10 & 11, 2012
Location: Whitney Pier Historical Museum, 88 Mount Pleasant Street, Sydney
Facilitator: Karin Kierstead, ANSM Museum Advisor

Good collection management practices are the backbone of solid museum management. This workshop offers a comprehensive introduction to the main functions of managing a museum collection.

For more information, click here.

Advisory Service – Important News

The 2012 service contracts were sent to ANSM members participating in the Advisory Service (Passage Project) in December. A reminder to participating museums that completed contracts, with annual service fee, are due by January 31, 2012. 

In 2012, we are opening the full Advisory Service to up to five new or returning museum organisations. ANSM requires membership in good standing for participating museums and a simple application process relating to organisational collections management/information technology capacity. Participation in this year’s full (Sustaining) Advisory Service is on a first come first served basis. Interested organisations are encouraged to get in touch with our Museums Advisor, Karin Kierstead, as soon as possible if interested in participating in this important province wide initiative. The full (Sustaining) Advisory Service is offered at the very reasonable rate of $250.00/year. Returning organisations or those with existing collections databases may have some extra fees relating to data preparation/migration into the CollectiveAccess system.

This year ANSM also introduces a new Supporting Advisory Service level at a fee for service of $100/year. The new service level will be implemented in conjunction with the membership year cycle of June-May. The Supporting level offers all the benefits of the Advisory Service without requiring participation in the collections management database system. More details will be made available as June approaches, but an important aspect of this new service level is the potential for inclusion in the new public collections website ANSM will be launching at the fall conference in 2012. The public website will initially include collections information accessible through the CollectiveAccess system, but future plans look toward broadening and strengthening the resource to include Nova Scotian collections content housed in other database systems. The potential is very exciting!

2012 Fall Conference Update

As many of our members will be aware, ANSM has decided to move its annual conference and AGM from spring to fall presentation. In 2012, we are delighted to be hosted by Acadia University, Wolfville, September 13 - 14 in their beautiful Fountain Commons facility. The university serves as a major sponsor for the conference which is only fitting as this year’s theme is Engaging Youth. The theme was chosen by participants at last year’s conference and plans are underway to provide a rich and inspiring program.

The Local Arrangements Committee, chaired by Sherry Griffin of the Annapolis Valley Macdonald Museum, has begun its work and has solid representation from both the local museum community and the university. Mark the dates as you will not want to miss this year’s conference!

Call For Your Events