August 9, 2012 is the deadline for applications for conservation projects supported through the Art Works program at the National Endowment for the Arts. The NEA’s guiding principle is embodied in one sentence: “Art works.” “Art works” is a noun; the creation of works of art by artists. “Art works” is a verb; art works […]
Archive | 2012 Webinar Archives
Security for Collections: Preventing Loss and Planning for Any Budget
From loss prevention to staff training to electronic security, there is a lot to consider when safeguarding your institution’s collections. Stevan Layne, a leading authority on security management, risk assessment, emergency preparedness, violence prevention, and loss prevention spoke live with participants on how to incorporate smart security into their collections care plan – at any […]
Selecting a Conservator
Even the most well-meaning and well-informed personnel cannot and should not perform all the collections care tasks that their artifacts need. Consulting a conservator is good practice when planning any collections care activity but hiring one is particularly recommended when working with specialized collections, delicate conditions, extensive projects, or dangerous materials. How does one find […]
MayDay! Create a Game Plan
Mayday is an international emergency distress signal derived from the French m’aider, which means “help me.” The MayDay effort to prepare for disasters has grown to be a national initiative. On May 1, libraries, museums, archives, historical societies, and preservation organizations across the country will take one simple step to protect the art, artifacts, records, books, […]
Outsourcing Digitization
Digitization: we all know it’s the one way to improve preservation and access to collections and bring our institutions into the 21st century, but it is a daunting task. Choices need to be made on what to digitize, how to digitize, where to host the digital records, and how to ensure those records are maintained […]
Introduction to LED Lighting
Have you been considering using LED (light emitting diode) bulbs for your exhibits? This rapidly-developing class of environmentally friendly lighting fixtures has generated quite a buzz. The staff at the Shelburne Museum in Shelburne, Vermont, has been researching and using LED bulbs in some of its galleries for about eight years. Recorded: Thursday, March 29, […]
Applying to NEH’s Preservation Assistance Grants
The National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) Preservation Assistance Grants help small and mid-sized institutions—such as libraries, museums, historical societies, archival repositories, cultural organizations, town and county records offices, and colleges and universities—improve their ability to preserve and care for their significant humanities collections. These may include special collections of books and journals, archives and […]
Choosing the Datalogger That Is Right for You
Temperature and humidity have a powerful impact on the condition of the collections in your care. Being aware of the environment in the areas that house your collections is essential to ensuring their long-term health. Dataloggers are battery powered devices equipped with sensors and a microprocessor to monitor and record data such as temperature, relative […]
Making the Most of the Storage You Have
This webinar explored the realities of using the storage you have to the best benefit of collections. Recorded: Monday, March 5, 2012 Duration: Approximately 60 minutes Guest Experts: Laura Hortz Stanton, Director of Preservation Services at the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA) and Julia Clark, Curator of Collections at the Abbe Museum. […]
Objects on the Move! Packing and Transporting Collections
This webinar concerned the moving of collections into temporary or new storage, or re-configuring existing storage. Covered topics included estimating time and staff to pack and move items, ordering supplies, arranging transportation, packing properly, and even featuring this behind-the-scenes work in public outreach and education. Recorded: Wednesday, February 8, 2012 Duration: Approximately 60 minutes Guest […]