January 5, 2022
Northern States Conservation Center

Collections Caretaker eNewsletter
Collection Moves
Welcome to the Collections Caretaker e-Newsletter from Northern States Conservation Center. the newsletter is designed to bring you content that is pertinent to situations we all encounter in our museum and archives work. Feel free to let us know what topics you would like to see featured in Collections Caretaker or even contribute and article.
In this Issue

Moving a Museum Collection
NSCC 2022 Course Schedule
Featured Courses
Conferences and Meetings
Moving a Museum Collection
By Helen Alten
Edited by Peggy Schaller

Starting to think about moving a collection, no matter what the size, can seem like a daunting task. The following will, hopefully, give you the information you need to make your move proceed smoothly.

To every project there is a starting point; Point A or “where am I now?” and an ending point or goal, “where am I going?”. How you get there involves working within certain constraints. In moving, the major constraints are commonly time and money.
 
You have now set your outside parameters.
 
Every museum is different, working within different constraints. What is possible within the time and money constraints?
 
I normally start the process by answering the questions who, what, where, why, how and when. When you start answering those questions, you are on your way.
 
The goal of the class is to help you define your constraints, look at what others have done within their concerns and constraints and be able to develop a plan for your own institution.
 
You will learn how to communicate your expectations and develop a system that works within your group and how to augment the communication pathways you already have; how to evaluate and assess the risks of your collection move by identifying potential hazards and plan for mitigation of those identified hazards; how to estimate costs, schedule and find funding for your project.

Excerpted from MS262 Moving Collections.
Helen Alten lives in Haines, Alaska. Prior to coming to Haines she founded Northern States Conservation Center and Museum Classes. She is an objects conservator with a desire to bring about change through museums, improving our communities and the patrimony we leave to our off-spring.   
Photo: National Museum of the American Indian
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To learn more about Museum Collection Moves join instructor Stefani Pendergast for MS262 Moving Collections starting January 10, 2022
Featured Course:
Moving Collections
Moving collections is a daunting task. Fragile items need special packing and care to be safely transported. Large, heavy or awkward items like dinosaurs and oversized sculptures require special equipment and support from local authorities. How do you design your project to meet the budget and timing demands of your administration? Are your collections over-packed in acidic boxes and does your move includes improving their storage and care? Collections often take up more room when they are stored properly. How do you determine your needed storage space when the collection is decompressed? Moving Collections provides an overview of how to plan and manage a move to avoid the many pitfalls. The course includes: defining your project, developing a Request for Proposal (RFP), developing a work plan, staffing, and packing protocols. Whether you are moving part of the collection within your building or moving the entire collection to another facility, Moving Collections provides a blueprint for you to follow.
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Want to learn about the ins and outs of moving collections safely? Join Stefani Pendergast as she shares her knowledge and experience about moving collections in MS262: Moving Collections Starting January 3, 2022
Featured Course:
Condition Assessments Short Course

Whenever an object leaves or enters your museum, it should have a dated condition report completed. A condition report is so much more than "good" or "poor." Learn about different types of condition reports, what is essential and what is optional information in each, the function of a condition report, and how to use an online condition assessment tool.
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Join Elizabeth Burton for the first of two MS010 Condition Assessments short courses scheduled for 2022 starting January 10, 2022 and learn why condition reports are so important and how and when to do them.
Featured Course:
An Introduction to Collections Preservation
Every museum professional needs a solid foundation in preservation principles and techniques. Introduction to Collections Preservation provides an overview of current preservation issues from environmental monitoring to collection cleaning, exhibit mounts and storage furniture. Participants learn about every aspect of the modern museum and how the building, staff and fixtures affect preservation. Subjects include the agents of deterioration, risk management, object handling and transport, object labeling, exhibit lighting, security, emergency preparedness, materials for storage and display, storage and exhibit philosophies, and condition assessments.
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Join instructor Laura Elliff-Cruz for MS104 An Introduction to Collections Preservation and learn more about the basic principles of preservation and implementing them in your museum and collection starting February 7, 2022
Early Bird Discounts Available for Full Length Courses
 
An Early Bird Discount is available for anyone who signs up for a full length course from museumclasses.org 30 days prior to the start of that course. 
 
Sign up for a full length course up to 30 days prior to its start and save $100.00!
 
For our course list or to sign up: http://www.collectioncare.org/course-list
 
To take advantage of this discount, you must enter coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout at collectioncare.org

Earlybird Discount Deadline for February 2022 Courses is January 7, 2022

Earlybird Discount Deadline for March 2022 Courses is February 5, 2022
2022 Course Schedule





January Courses

February Courses
 
March Courses
 
April Courses         
 
May Courses
 
July Courses
 
August Courses
 
September Courses
 
October Courses
 
November Courses
Covid-19 Resources

Many organizations have put together information on resources for Museums and Covid-19. Here are a few links to those Resources. Check back with these organizations for updates.

Use the drop-down menu in the upper right to find Webinars, Virtual tours and more


Conferences and Meetings
Double check each organization's website for more information. Some may still be going virtual this year due to continued safety concerns over Covid 19.
2022
Archaeological Institute of America/Society for Classical Studies, San Francisco, CA, Hybrid
January 5-8. 2022

Society for Historical and Underwater Archaeology Philadelphia, PA
January 5-8, 2022

California Association of Museums
CAM Across California: Shifting Terrains will take place over the course of five mini-conferences in San Diego, Los Angeles, the Central Valley, the Bay Area, and Northern California in Spring 2022.

Texas Association of Museums, Waco, TX
March 22-25, 2022

Museums Association of New York, Corning, NY
April 9-12, 2022

American Alliance of Museums, Boston MA
May 19-22, 2022

American Alliance of Museums, Boston, MA
May 19-22, 2022

Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections, Edinburgh, Scotland, UK
June 4-10, 2022

Association of Academic Museums and Galleries, Logan, UT
June 14-17, 2022
Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums, Tacoma, WA
June 23-28, 2022

Association of Midwest Museums, TBA

Society of American Archivists, Boston, MA
August 20-27, 2022

Mountain-Plains Museums Association, Tulsa, OK
TBA

Oklahoma Museums Association, Enid, OK
September 14-16, 2022

National Association for Interpretation, Cleveland, OH
November 29-Decemver 3, 2022

American Association of State and Local History, Buffalo, NY
September 14-17, 2022  Virtual and Live

Southeastern Museums Conference, Northwest Arkansas
October 24 - 26, 2022
 
New England Museum Association, Springfield, MA
November 2-4, 2022

2023
American Alliance of Museums, Denver, CO
May 19-22, 2023

Society of American Archivists, Washington, DC
July 22-29, 2023
Submissions and Comments
How to submit an article or upcoming workshops for inclusion in the Newsletter: 
If you would like to submit an article, notice of an organizational meeting or upcoming workshop for an upcoming Collections Caretaker Newsletter, send your submission to [email protected]
 
We are always looking for contributions to this newsletter. Submission deadline is the 10th of each month. 
 
Have a comment or suggestion?  
 
Send it to [email protected]
Northern States Conservation Center (NSCC) provides training, collection care, preservation and conservation treatment services. NSCC offers online museum studies classes at museumclasses.org in Collections Management & Care, Museum Administration & Management, Exhibit Practices and Museum Facilities Management.
 
Sincerely,
Helen Alten, Director
Peggy Schaller, Publications Manager