AASLH

Most organizations make commitments to staff diversity in their strategic plans, but these aspirations often fail to be realized. This session looks at how the Minnesota Historical Society has developed replicable strategies for pre-professional development that is creating pathways to employment for minority and American Indian students. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/standing-at-the-crossroads-of-diversity-creating-pathways-to-employment-for-under-represented-communities/

AASLH is a leading advocate for increased federal funding for history organizations. Now more than ever, it is important that you do your part to help. Learn about successes and discover ways the field can work together to preserve and increase funding, strengthen existing national programs, and advance professionalism in the field. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/advocacy-for-history-organizations-2011/

Whether responding to an immediate crisis or ongoing social problem, museum professionals will consider how to support families struggling with difficult issues that impact the community. In the context of current events, participants are challenged to consider how families might benefit from their museums knowledge, experience, and resources. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/responding-to-history-in-the-making/

Community collaboration and advocacy is essential to the health of a small museum. Small museums can transform their role in the community and increase their relevancy by going beyond their four walls and partnering with other organizations or businesses. They can strengthen their standing in communities through civic engagement. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/transforming-organizations-through-community-involvement/

As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states began the process of developing or, in some cases, updating statewide disaster plans. In this session, statewide planning and implementation grant representatives will discuss their approaches to disaster planning at the institutional and statewide level. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-the-future-statewide-disaster-preparedness-planning/

Panelists explore real-world applications of how collections management policies, preservation, and interactive education can be brought together for the best possible visitor experience. Panelists also explore implications for accreditation when violating the “Rembrandt Rule” as we embark on a new era in historic house museum management.

Sponsored by the National Council on Public History, this panel analyzes the opportunities for acknowledging difficult and controversial chapters of the past at historic sites and museums. Drawing on their first-hand experiences in the trenches of public history, panelists will share their ideas for constructive ways to engage, rather than to avoid, problematical history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/engaging-in-the-problematic-past/

As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states included an advocacy element, which included outreach to elected officials, state agencies, and the public. This session reviews lessons learned in some of these efforts and provide advice on how to conduct similar activities in your state. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-the-public-advocacy-for-collections-care/

As part of their Connecting to Collections Statewide Planning Grants, many states developed tools and techniques that are available to other groups. Representatives of statewide projects discuss their tools, how they were developed, and where to find them. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/connecting-to-collections-tools-you-can-use/

Town Hall Meeting at the 2011 AASLH Annual Meeting sponsored by the Virginia Association of Museums. As interpreters of our nation’s past, our field searches for meaning in the achievements and trials of those who came before us. Commemoration aims to celebrate, educate, and honor the past. With commemoration comes reflection. How do we remember key pieces of our nation’s history? Whose lens do we use to see the past? How can these spaces become meaningful and relevant? It brings the promise of new beginnings as we continuously reflect on our past, future, and stories we tell. This interactive session, moderated by Dr. Spencer Crew, featured a rich conversation about the significance of remembering and forgetting, the responsibilities of commemoration, and the power of the voices we choose to recall history. Download at: http://resource.aaslh.org/view/how-does-commemoration-impact-american-memory/