Funding for the brochure comes in the form of a small grant from the Virginia Foundation for the Humanities (VFH). The VFH has also assisted in the organization of the Network by providing an organizational structure and a small stipend to provide lunch a the Network’s quarterly meetings. The meetings consist of sharing of calendars, discussion of needs, planning and socializing so that the partners learn each others strengths.

Collaborations such as found in this rural setting could be applied to many regions that have clusters of small museums. Exhibits, brochures, programs and collaborative school tours are all possible when working within a group structure. With the economic downturn in funding for small museums, networks are one way that museums can work together for their own survival. Sharing of other resources such as volunteers, curators, office supplies, promotional brochures and websites are attributes that make museum networks a viable alternative to going it alone.

The museum has many interesting exhibits that tell the stories of the Native Americans and European settlers who turned the wilderness into a thriving but isolated community. The railroad, coal mining, military history and the cultural heritage of the region are featured. The barn gallery tells the story of agriculture and features the implements that helped the settlers turn the wilderness into land for farming.

In addition to the museum and its exhibits there are 15 log and/or stone structures that have been moved from various locations in the region surrounding Tazewell. The Major David Peery cabin is the earliest dating to 1802. The variety of these furnished and interpreted structures include a family dwelling, blacksmith shop, physician’s office, smokehouse and other agricultural buildings. Each of them adds interest to visitors who can imagine themselves as pioneers of this mountainous region.

Special events throughout the year serve as an attraction for visitors and help them to learn about the history and culture of this region. A visit to the Historic Crab Orchard Museum is a day well spent.

Six Simple Steps: Improve Your Collections Storage for a Few More Dollars or Donations!

 Bigger Bucks – Now that you’ve done such a great job organizing your storage you can ask for donations! Show your board what you’ve accomplished and show them what you still need to protect those valuable collections. Ask for donations from members, local businesses or foundations to help fund these items. Use the photos you’ve taken to document your progress!

• If you have space to hang clothing, make padded hangers for each item, hang them on a clothing rack and cover it with a washed muslin dust cover; if not, pad clothing, textiles and dimensional items with acid-free tissue; wrap small items in acid-free tissue or washed muslin and box them; pad and roll large flat textiles with the decorative side out and wrap them in a washed muslin cover.  
• House books (especially those with damaged bindings) in adjustable acid-free book covers.  
• Flatten maps, prints or other large documents and store them in a lockable metal flat file cabinet.
• Purchase acid-free foil-back labels, and acid-free storage boxes for your objects.
• Remove framed items from frames and store in flat file cabinets or reframe them using appropriate acid-free materials and preservation glass.
• Add storage furniture, ideally plated or powder coated metal shelf units on wheels so they can be pushed together to save space; and lockable fire proof file cabinets.

Six Simple Steps: Improve Your Collections Storage for Just a Few Dollars!

A few dollars can help you make a big difference. Be sure to ask your local hardware store for donations or a discount on some of these items. Take photos of your progress!

• Purchase acid-free storage boxes, files, envelopes, etc. as needed, and test old paper-based storage materials with a pH pen to ensure they are still acid-free, replace them with new ones.

• Take a look inside your storage boxes. Are documents, file folders, books, objects, etc. leaning against one another or sliding down in the box and curling? Make acid-free rigid supports/spacers to put inside the boxes so that the contents stay upright and are fully supported.

• Line wood shelf units with a barrier of acid-free mat board or inert foam sheeting; use barrier materials of acid-free mat board or inert foam material as needed between objects.

• Add dust covers to your open shelf units by covering them with polyethylene sheeting, but leave openings for air exchanges.

• Begin an environmental monitoring program: purchase an inexpensive digital thermo-hygrometer (temperature and humidity measuring device) for your storage space; record temperature and humidity levels at approximately the same time each day; keep the records in a logbook. Make adjustments to the climate control system when problems with spiking humidity or temperature are identified.

• Monitor the area for pests; purchase inexpensive sticky traps and place them around your storage area where you can reach them beneath storage units, in dark corners and on window sills; inspect them each month, throw away the old traps and replace them with fresh ones; keep a record of your captures. Don’t know what you’ve caught? Ask a local naturalist or high school biology teacher to help you with identification. Have the area treated as needed if destructive pests are found.

•  

Improving your collections storage doesn’t have to cost big bucks! You can make a big difference just by doing a little housecleaning and reorganizing. Follow these six simple steps. Take photos of your progress!

Get Started:

• Designate a space just for collections storage! It should be a clean, dry space, preferably separate from other activities, ideally one that can be locked. (If all you have is a small space that must be shared with other storage or activities, separate them as much and as clearly as possible.)
• Remove any non-collection items (cleaning and exhibit supplies, sales items, office furniture and equipment, etc.) from the collections storage space and store them separately; remove and dispose of any inappropriate materials (broken equipment, cardboard boxes, paint cans, etc.)
• Avoid using collections pieces such as original furniture for storage: remove any items inside them and store them in acid-free materials.
• House objects and boxes of similar size together, and organize them so they are easy to find and access and you can easily dust around them.
• Create a designated “oversize space” on your shelves for large objects and containers to ensure all materials on the shelves are fully supported. Move any objects sitting directly on the floor onto shelves, low platforms or blocks to get them up off the floor; if that is not possible, place an inert moisture barrier (like polyethylene sheeting) underneath the pieces.
• Darken your storage space completely by covering the windows and keeping the lights out when the space is not in use.

Microsoft, however, has designed bar code symbols that can be custom designed to reflect the museum logo, brand or some other symbol that is chosen to represent the museum and can be designed in color or black and white. The tags are free and will allow the museum to connect its visitors to expand their experience.

Tags can be placed inside exhibit cases or on any vertical surface so that the phone can read it. Once the user reads the tag, the phone will connect with the web and bring it to the site where information on the exhibit or object can be read. The URL can be changed frequently to allow for updating of the information in the exhibition or it may even point to other sites on the web where additional information can be found. Tracking the use of the tags is also available allowing the museum to determine which tags are being utilized. This is an excellent way to bring more information to the user.

The use of smart phones is growing, the AP or application access information is displayed by the Tag allowing those unfamiliar with Tags to upload the AP on the spot and begin “touring” the information the museum is providing. This is a good way to connect with younger audiences who are very tech savvy and who rely on their phones to keep them informed.

More information can be found in the Microsoft Implementation Guide found here:  http://tinyurl.com/2fhyrpk

• Strengths may include the museums assets and collections, uniqueness, staff, membership, location, or community support.
• Weaknesses may be seen as inadequate space to expand exhibitions, poor cash flow, too many objects in storage, too few visitors, unclear mission, inadequate staffing, lack of sustainable funding, inadequate security.
• Opportunities may include focusing on marketing through social networking, websites and blogs; collaborating with other museums/community groups; revising mission; or offering focused programs to groups with a strong community presence.
• Threats may include competition from other organizations; loss of public funding; drop in attendance by school groups; or public reliance on interactive entertainment.

   By identifying the internal and external factors that affect the performance of the museum, the board and staff can then use this information to set institutional goals. The strategic initiatives that come out of the planning process become the roadmap the institution follows over a period of 3 to 5 years. The strategic plan provides a platform that influences all decision making and resource allocation.

   In review, the SWOT analysis is used to identify internal or external influences that affect the institution’s ability to follow its mission and helps the board and staff to formulate a strategic plan for future performance.

“All of the sessions that I attended were well organized and offered good information. I helped facilitate a session on “which history, whose history” which offered participants an opportunity to discuss what truths their visitors would like to know and whether they are the same as those that we offer in our interpretations. It was a lively and thoughtful discussion that helped participants think about what is important to their visitors. Following this same theme I attended a strategic planning session for small museums which uses survey and other forms of communication with audiences to help formulate the vision of the museum. And then attended a session on money vs mission which discussed staying true to one’s mission while developing new sources of funding.

“A session called “small museums, big impact” talked about using social media, school programming and high quality public programming to increase the exposure and to improve the community support for small museums. The General Tommy Franks Museum in Hobart, Oklahoma was used as an example as they have programming that extends far beyond the doors of their small town museum and have even built a travelling trailer that visits schools around the country to introduce school children to the concepts of leadership. 

“I attended two other sessions that dealt with cyberspace, one talked about the use of cell phone technology to provide interpretive information to visitors via their cell phone and the other was on the usablity of web sites. Technology was talked about quite a bit among the participants and it is generally accepted that a web site is or should be a priority for all museums as the first line of introduction to one’s mission.

“As a graduate of the Seminar for Historical Administration, I attended a reception for graduates and those interested in participating in this 3 week intensive museum training program sponsored by AASLH, AAM, the National Park Service and others which is held at the Indiana Historical Society each fall. It’s new director, John Durel, was introduced and it was a great time for graduates to enthusiatically inform those interested in the program all of the merits of this “museum boot camp.” 

“I have worked on the AASLH Mentor Committee for the last year, the program had faded away and our committee sought to revive the program which is so helpful, especially for those new to the field who need a “leg up.” The program was reintroduced at the meeting and information about it is available on the AASLH website (www.aaslh.org). 

“There were programs to fit every need, but as you can see I tended to seek out those programs most important to small museums. I was impressed by their content and the fact that the presenters were small museum workers who are in the trenches every day producing quality programming and great interpretation with small staffs of both paid and unpaid workers. Next year the annual conference will be held in Richmond, Virginia, I would recommend attending for the quality of programming and also for the networking opportunities.

   Those eligible to file Form 990-EZ for all three years – can use a one-time voluntary compliance program (VCP) to come back into compliance. To participate an eligible organization must: File complete and accurate paper Forms 990-EZ and/or Forms 990 for its current and two prior tax periods by the extended due date of October 15, 2010; submit a signed checklist agreeing to the terms of the VCP; and mail a check for the correct compliance fee (ie fine). Go to the IRS website, www.irs.gov for details.

   A quick perusal of the list of at-risk organizations in the mid-Atlantic states of Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, North Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia found 114 museums and support groups who will automatically have their tax exempt status revoked after October 15, 2010. Many of these are small museums known to be in operation and it is hoped will get the word that they are at risk of losing their status and therefore ineligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.