Ohio Local History Alliance

We've changed our name -- OAHSM is now the OHIO LOCAL HISTORY ALLIANCE

2010-10-06T13:39:00.000-07:00

If you've come to this blog looking for news from the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums, you'll see some things have changed! As of Oct. 1, OAHSM is now the OHIO LOCAL HISTORY ALLIANCE, or 'the Alliance" for short. We have a new logo, showing at the top of this blog, and a new tag line that explains what we do -- Inspire. Connect. Educate.

Below is an article from Christie Weininger, the Alliance's incoming president, explaining the great reasons for our change of name. This article also appears in the September - October 2010 issue of The Local Historian newsletter.

Ohio Local History Alliance - OAHSM Adopts New Name, New Logo During the past year, OAHSM board members have been hard at work developing an ambitious new strategic plan that will help ensure a strong future for OAHSM, better serve our existing member base, and attract new members to our organization.

The outline of the plan was shared in the January/February 2010 Local Historian. This plan has generated a great deal of momentum and energy and it was shared in detail at OAHSM’s annual business meeting during the Annual Meeting and Conference on October 1-2, 2010.

There’s one other piece of news that we are excited to share with you. As part of the strategic planning process, we’ve developed a new name and a new logo that exemplifies our identity and values. Effective at OAHSM’s annual meeting on October 1 the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums has become the Ohio Local History Alliance or “the Alliance” for short.

The risks of changing the name of a well-established and valued organization were not taken without thorough consideration by the board. The Alliance’s former name was clear about who the organization was for: local historical societies and museums in Ohio. Our new name, Ohio Local History Alliance is more about what our organization does: it connects, it educates, and it inspires.

Our organization connects local historians and historical organizations by providing networking opportunities at regional and annual meetings and other events. It educates by offering opportunities for local historians to become better at saving and sharing local history through face-to-face workshops, in the Local Historian, and—increasingly—via the Internet. And, our organization inspires. One of the things members regularly note is that they come away from our meetings with fresh ideas and renewed enthusiasm for what they do. (Granted, local historians in Ohio are generally people who love what they do. We are inspired by you.)

Our new name is shorter and easier to say, too.

Please be assured that the new Ohio Local History Alliance will still offer the same excellent programs as the old OAHSM. There will be regional meetings in the spring and they will follow the same general format, only they will be called the regional meetings of the Ohio Local History Alliance. You’ll still receive the Local Historian newsletter, but it will bear the name and new logo of the Ohio Local History Alliance. We’ll still have our statewide annual meeting in the fall of 2011, but it will be the annual meeting of the Ohio Local History Alliance.

Watch for the new name on other communications. You’ll see Ohio Local History Alliance on your membership renewal invoice, on your membership card, on letterhead, and on the Internet at our new address www.ohiolha.org. To help members make the transition to the new name from the old, our communications to you will include the new name and logo of the Ohio Local History Alliance (OLHA) and the old one for OAHSM at the beginning.

Remember that even with the new name—Ohio Local History Alliance ("the Alliance")—we are, as ever, your resource for preserving and protecting Ohio’s local history.

Grant Writing Workshop at Dennison RR Depot Museum - Register by Sept. 15 and Save

2010-09-02T08:41:00.000-07:00

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
What: Comprehensive Grant Writing Workshop
Where: Dennison Railroad Depot
When: October 20, 8am - noon (Wednesday)

The workshop covers the entire grant writing process from A to Z. Cost is $100 per person, early bird rate of $75 per person if paid by September 15th.

For registration information, contact the Dennison Railroad Depot toll free at 1-877-278-8020 or director@dennisondepot.org

Attention Historical Organizations in Eastern Ohio--Meetings at the Dennison RR Depot Museum to Put on Your Calendars

2010-09-02T08:14:00.000-07:00

Dear Historical Societies and Tourism Partners in Eastern Ohio: you won’t want to miss these! Two important upcoming meetings full of important info at the Dennison RR Depot in Dennison, Ohio:

September 13 10am (Monday)
Columbus-Pittsburgh Tourism Corridor Update. Join us as we unveil the new branding and marketing plan for the Corridor. You won’t want to be left out of this campaign that includes new logo and new website. Meet the Corridor marketing consultants as they amaze you with their visionary plan.

November 10 8am (Wednesday)
Be a part of building the plans to promote the Civil War Sesquicentennial in Tuscarawas County and this region of Ohio. Mark Holbrook from the State’s Civil War 150 program will be on hand to assist. We need your input and ideas!

Questions? Contact:
Wendy R. Zucal, Director
Dennision Railroad Depot Museum
P.O. Box 11, Dennison, Ohio 44621
740-922-6776
740-922-4929 (fax)
Toll Free 1-877-278-8020
director@dennisondepot.org

Register today--2010 OAHSM Annual Meeting, Oct. 1-2

2010-08-05T09:16:00.000-07:00

Make plans now to attend the annual meeting of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums (OAHSM). The meeting will take place on Oct. 1–2, 2010 at Embassy Suites hotel in Dublin, Ohio—easy to get to off the I-270 outer belt on Columbus’ northwest side.

The printed annual meeting brochure will be mailed soon, but we wanted to share with you a sneak preview of the meeting. Click here for the annual meeting program. We have almost 30 sessions planned, including some on collections care, recruiting volunteers, time management, and something brand new to OAHSM’s meetings, the Tech Help Desk.

You can register by contacting the Ohio Historical Society's Local History Office and requisting a registration form, or you can wait for annual meeting brochure to arrive in your mailbox. Register now and give the brochure to a colleague, and invite them to come to the meeting.

Local History Office, Ohio Historical Society: 614-297-2340 or toll-free 1-800-858-6878 or oahsm@ohiohistory.org

Of course, feel free to forward this post to your friends and colleagues in local history in Ohio. All are welcome at OAHSM’s annual meeting. See you Oct. 1-2—and register today!

OAHSM 2010 Annual Meeting Program

2010-08-05T08:30:00.000-07:00

2010 Annual Meeting & Conference
Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums
Celebrate & Commemorate - Using History to Grow Your Organization

October 1 – 2, 2010, Embassy Suites, Dublin

OAHSM’s first annual meeting in 1960 brought together local historians to network and discuss common challenges and share innovative solutions. Fifty years later OAHSM is still bringing Ohio’s local historians together. This year’s meeting is made up of nearly 30 workshops and panel sessions, addressing such topics as time management, collections care, and attracting volunteers. There are also many opportunities to network during breaks, at meals, and during our Friday evening reception.
A brand new addition to the annual meeting is the “Tech Help Desk.” If you’re a beginner and want to create an email account or blog or use “Facebook” at your organization, “Tech Help Desk” is for you.

Register by September 10 and save!

Meeting Schedule and Sessions:
Friday, October 1:
8 am–3:30 pm Registration

8–10 am Continental Breakfast

8 am–3:30 pm History Marketplace Discover grant opportunities from the Ohio Humanities Council, learn about resources that can help you manage and promote your organization, and see what other history groups are up to. Reserve a space to showcase your organization. Register today to save your spot – space is limited.

9–9:50 am Concurrent Sessions
Workshop / Collections Management 201: Mastering Best Practices for Collections Care is for organizations wishing to take their collections management to a “good” and “better” level as described by the AASLH StEPs standards for Stewardship of Collections. Virginia Weygandt, director of collections at the Clark County Historical Society, will discuss developing a collection plan, a disaster plan, pest management and conservation plans, condition reports, humidity, light and temperature monitoring, and legal status of artifacts. (Note: this session ends at 10:50)

Workshop / Marketing Your Historical Society: Inspiration over Information Marketing is perhaps the most misunderstood part of what we do. Is it advertising? Branding? Brochures? And, how do we maximize marketing with ever shrinking budgets? Learn the answers to these questions and more without spending more money. Mark Holbrook of the Ohio Historical Society shares a simple approach to marketing.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk Appointments Do you want to set up an email account for your historical society or start a blog or begin using Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace? Mark the box on the meeting registration form and sign up for a Tech Help Desk appointment. Appointments available in three areas: Creating an e-mail account, Starting a blog or basic website, and Using Facebook, MySpace, or Twitter.

Make an appointment at one, two, or all three areas (just not all at the same time, please). By the end of your appointment, you will have created an email account, or blog / basic website or Facebook, Twitter, or MySpace account for your organization. Back at your institution, you’ll be able to use your new account. Tech Help Desk is available both mornings of the annual meeting. Your instructors are the staff of the Ohio Historical Society’s Outreach and Field Services Department.

10–10:50 am Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Collections Management 201: Mastering Best Practices for Collections Care –continued. See description under 9 –9:50 concurrent sessions

Workshop / Engaging Your Board: Starting New Board Members Off Right Getting board members to “pull in the same direction” can be a challenge. Matching potential board members’ interests to your organization’s mission and setting expectations for new board members can help. Learn from Vickie Bondi of the Centerville-Washington Township Historical Society how one organization prepares its board members for their duties.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk See description above.

10:50–11:10 am Mid-morning Break

11:15 am–12:05 pm Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Time Management Basics Many local historical societies need more money but all local historians and leaders of local history groups know they need more time. Since a day is only 24 hours long, the challenge is to make the best use of the time you have. Rachel Sullivan of Impact Education will share tips to help you define priorities, delegate, and say “no” to extra demands on your time. You’ll learn how to manage your time and that of others wisely.

Workshop / Having Fun and Sharing History: How to Help Docents Do the Best They Can for Your Organization The impression your visitors have of your organization is largely a result of their interaction with your front line people, whether you call them “docents,” “tour guides,” or “interpreters.” Learn from Andrea Erbskorn, curator of education at Sauder Village how to help docents be the best and most knowledgeable representatives of your organization that they can be.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk See description above.

12:15–1:20 pm History Community Lunch & Keynote Address As we move into the 21st century, history organizations are increasingly challenged to find new ways to sustain themselves into the future. Enjoy lunch and networking with your friends in local history and hear OHS Executive Director Burt Logan’s thoughts on sustainability for historical organizations and his observations about the state of history in Ohio $19

1:30–2:20 pm Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Focusing on Productivity Making your days as productive as possible takes skills—which you can learn! Rachel Sullivan of Impact Education will help you discover the difference between being busy versus productive (and how to be productive), identify time wasters in your day (and how to overcome them), and make priorities (and see them through).

Panel / Tough Times Don’t Last, but Tough Organizations Do: Thriving in a Downturn The “Great Recession” has adversely affected some historical societies. But for others, the best defense has been a good offense! Find out from Todd McCormick of the Logan County Historical Society, Bill Lawson of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, and Wendy Zucal of the Dennison Rail Road Depot Museum how three organizations have made headway in these lean times, and leave inspired to press ahead at your organization.

Workshop / History in a Pod: How to Produce a Podcast for Your Organization For the absolute beginner, or just the curious, learn from Maggie Marconi of the Follett House / Sandusky Library, what a “podcast” is, how it can benefit your organization, and how to get started in “podcasting.” Then, with Amy Estep of eTech Ohio, discover the possibilities of podcasting by exploring what you can do in the podcast medium.

2:20–2:40 pm Mid-afternoon Break

2:45–3:35 pm Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Selling the History Experience: How to Find and Sell Museum Store Merchandise If visitors enjoy themselves, they want to buy a memento of their good time—and school children always crave souvenirs from the “gift shop.” Find out from Becky Wildman, manager of the Ohio Statehouse Museum Shop, where to buy quality merchandise for your museum store, how to price it for a profit, and how to display it so it sells.

Panel / How to Make your Community and History a Destination for Travelers Your local historical society alone contains enough material to enthrall tourists, but you’ll increase the odds of getting visitors if you collaborate with other attractions to make your community a destination. Amir Eylon of the Ohio Tourism Division of the Ohio Department of Development, will tell you how to collaborate with others to make your community a destination. Debbie Stamper of the Clinton County Convention and Visitors Bureau, will explain how to build a mutually supportive relationship with your convention and visitors bureau.

Workshop / Take a Bite Out of Crime: Security Tips for Historic Sites and Museums Unfortunately, historic collections, public art, and various cultural sites are more and more the target of thieves, vandals, and others bent on “making a quick buck” or expanding their personal collection. Ohio is not exempt. The good news is that there are effective techniques you can apply to prevent theft, which you’ll discover from John Kleberg of Security Risk Management Consultants.

3:45–4:35 pm OAHSM Business Meeting OAHSM President Patricia Murphy of the Oberlin Heritage Center invites you to the annual business meeting to review OAHSM’s accomplishments during the past year and elect new officers for 2011. At the meeting, you will also learn of OAHSM’s new efforts to promote its value to Ohio’s community of local historians.

5:30–7:30 pm Evening Reception The Embassy Suites’ spacious salon and atrium is the backdrop to OAHSM’s annual meeting reception. Enjoy hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine, and soft drinks as you catch up with old friends and meet news ones. The reception is a relaxing opportunity to follow up on the great ideas you gathered from colleagues during the day’s workshops and panel sessions. $18 / $15 for OAHSM or OHS members

Saturday, October 2

8 am–2 pm Registration

8–9 am Continental Breakfast

8 am–3 pm History Marketplace See Fri., Oct. 1 for details.

9–9:50 am Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Collections Management 101: Organizing Artifacts, Keeping Useful Records covers the basics of collection management: written policies, scope of collections, documentation of ownership, loan agreements, labeling and numbering systems, and record keeping. Led by Kay Fisher of the Clinton County Historical Society, the workshop is based on AASLH’s new StEPs standards for Stewardship of Collections. If your organization needs basic collections care guidelines and you don’t use a computer to manage your collection, this workshop is for you. (Note: this session ends at 10:50)

Workshop / Bringing History to Life, Literally!: How to Start a Living History Program Want to add living history to your organization’s repertoire of programs? Discover from living historian Anthony Gibbs of Historic Impressions and Joy Armstrong of Sylvania Historical Village the pros and cons of first person vs. third person interpretation, find out where to acquire costumes and props, get tips on how to develop living history characters, and learn how to engage an audience.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk See description under Fri., Oct. 1, 9–9:50 Concurrent Sessions.

10–10:50 am Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / Collections Management 101: Organizing Artifacts, Keeping Useful Records –continued. See description under 9 – 9:50 Concurrent Sessions

Panel / Speaking the Language of Teachers: How to Connect with Educators and Engage Their Students Does your historical society want to connect to students and teachers in your community? Are you uncertain how to engage with educators so they will use you as a resource? Learn from Corbin Moore of the Hamilton City Schools, Beth Weinhardt of the Westerville Public Library, and Megan Wood of the Ohio Historical Society how collaborations between historical organizations helped enhance the grade school social studies instruction. Hear what teachers are looking for and how you can become an educational resource.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk See description under Fri., Oct. 1, 9–9:50 concurrent sessions.

10:50–11:10 am Mid-morning Break

11:15 am–12:05 pm Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / A Window to the Past: Storefront Displays and Design Tips to Promote Your Organization Learn from volunteers Amy Atkins & Jean Beard of Fairfield Heritage Association how to inexpensively turn empty storefront windows on your Main Street into billboards that promote your society’s programs. Along the way, you’ll pick up tips and advice you can apply to other displays and exhibits by your organization.

Panel / The Primary Source: Making Collections Come to Life for Teachers and Students Teachers in Ohio need primary sources, the “raw material” of history to address the “learner outcomes” on state-mandated tests. Local historical societies are full of primary sources and want to excite young people about local history. Using the Ohio Historical Society’s Teaching American History Grants primary source activities as a case study, learn from Stacia Kuceyeski and the Faculty Services Department at Ohio Historical Society how you can make primary sources accessible to teachers and meet the demand for alignment to standards and testing.

Workshop / Tech Help Desk See description under Fri., Oct. 1, 9–9:50 concurrent sessions.

12:15–1:45 pm OAHSM Award Luncheon OAHSM Outstanding Achievement Awards honor the work of local historians who dedicate their time and talents to preserving and sharing community history. Attend the luncheon, honor winners’ achievements, and gather ideas for your historical society $19

2–2:50 pm Concurrent Sessions
Workshop / How to Preserve and Share Information from Oral History Interviews Do you have oral history recordings in storage? Are you unsure about the best ways to preserve them? Do you need tips on how to share the stories saved in your recordings? Find out how to preserve recordings and pick up ideas for presenting oral historical information from oral historian and archivist Steve Paschen of Kent State University.

Workshop / How to Plan Great Commemorations and Events The150th anniversary of the Civil War begins in 2011 and the bicentennial of the War of 1812 is a year later. Many places will be commemorating their roles in these events or celebrating their own community anniversaries. Learn from Rachel Barber of the Auglaize County Historical Society, Jackie Barton, Civil War 150 coordinator at the Ohio Historical Society, and Leianne Neff Heppner of the Summit County Historical Society how to plan commemorations that build partnerships, make history the focus, and create community legacies.

Workshop / You’ve Got a Friend: How to Use Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter to Promote Your Organization Social networking site like Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter offer ways to make local history a regular part of a history lover’s day. Noell Evans from Mills James Productions will introduce you to Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter, and you’ll learn what all the brouhaha is about regarding social networking and discover the opportunities it creates for local historical organizations.

3–3:50 pm Concurrent Sessions

Workshop / How to Establish an Archive for Your Community There are irreplaceable historical materials in attics, closets, and basements all over your community—and grown children “who aren’t interested in this stuff.” Where will these materials be preserved for future generations? Jim Oda of the Piqua Public Library will walk you through the steps of creating a community archive and share advice about how best to insure the survival of your community’s history.

Panel / How to Find and Keep Great Volunteers, According to Great Volunteers For organizations that rely on volunteers, no volunteers can mean no historical society! Moreover, many groups in a community, not just historical societies, vie for the same pool of volunteers. During this panel, you’ll find out from three great historical society volunteers, Katie Sullivan, Chuck Malone, and Mary Lou M. DiDonato of the Ohio Historical Society, how they got involved and what keeps them active and happy. Apply their advice to your organization.

Workshop / Tips for Improving Exhibit Labels and Signage How many kinds of exhibit labels do you have in your museum? Handwritten labels, next to typewritten labels, next to labels printed on old dot matrix printers? Are they faded? Is the type hard for visitors to read? It’s time to redo your labels! Learn how to make the labels that don’t make your visitors squint and help them discover your history from Rosa Rojas, an exhibit designer at the Ohio Historical Society.

Registration Information, Accommodations & Other Important Details:

To Register Call or email the Local History Office of the Ohio Historical Society and request a registration form. Fill out the registration form and fax it to (614) 297-2233 or mail it to OAHSM 2010 Annual Meeting and Conference c/o Local History Office, Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave., Columbus, OH 43211-2497 (address also on form). Or, register online 24/7 through September 24 at www.ohiohistory.org/register. To register by phone using VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover, call 1-800-858-6878 Monday - Friday 8 am - 4 pm through September 24.

Register by September 10 for best rates. See the registration form for details. Advance registration closes September 24. After September 24, you must register at the door October 1-2 at the higher on-site rate.

General Information Spouses and guests may register for special events, meals, and tours without registering for the full meeting. All sessions take place at the Embassy Suites Columbus in Dublin, 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio. The hotel is accessible to people with disabilities. If you have dietary, mobility, or other special needs of which we should be aware, please contact the Local History Office at 1-800-858-6878 so we may accommodate your needs.

Accommodations A block of rooms has been reserved at the Embassy Suites Columbus in Dublin, 614-790-9000 / http://www.embassysuitescolumbusdublinhotel.com/. Mention the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums annual meeting to receive the discounted conference room rate of $114.99+tax (single occupancy) and $119.99+tax (double occupancy). Be sure to book your reservation by September 9; after September 9, the block of rooms will be released and the hotel may charge higher rates. Parking is free.

A Word to the Wise Hotel rooms will be at a premium because of other events, so make your reservation early.

Directions The Embassy Suites Columbus in Dublin is at 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio which is located on Columbus’s northwest side, off of the I-270 outbelt. From I-270, take Exit 17A Dublin/161 exit. Follow 161/Rt 33 to Frantz Rd. Turn right onto Frantz Rd and go 1/2 block and turn right onto Upper Metro Place. Hotel is on the right.

Cancellation Policy Canceled meeting registrations will be refunded in full, less a $20 processing fee, through September 10, 2010. For further information, call toll-free 1-800-858-6878 or e-mail oahsm@ohiohistory.org. Hotel reservations must be cancelled at least 48 hours prior to stay.

Questions? Contact OAHSM Annual Meeting and Conference, c/o Local History Office, Ohio Historical Society, 1982 Velma Ave., Columbus, OH 43211-2497, 1-800-858-6878, oahsm@ohiohistory.org.

The Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums’ Annual Meeting and Conference is organized for OAHSM by the Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office.

The Ohio Humanities Council, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities, is pleased to help support the 2010 Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums’ Annual Meeting and Conference.

Call for Local History Articles for Social Studies Journal

2010-08-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Social Studies Review, the peer reviewed journal from the Ohio Council for Social Studies has put out a call for articles as part of the Spring issue, due out in March of 2011.

See below instructions for submitting to the journal or find more information at www.ocss.org/OSSR.htm

To be sent for peer review, manuscripts must be:

Original, accurate, meet submission guidelines, and not under consideration elsewhere.
Submitted in Microsoft .doc or .docx format.
Submitted in Publication Manual of the American Psychological Association (6th edition) style. Please note that this is a most recent version of APA.
Manuscripts that do not comply with APA style will be returned without review.
Formatted in Times New Roman, size 12 font, double spaced with graphics embedded in text in .gif or .jpg file formats.
From 2,000 to 4,000 words in length, including references.

Please include:

A title page with complete contact information for all authors, including address, telephone, fax, and email.
An abstract of 200 words or less following the title page.
A biographical sketch of each author of 50 words or less at the end of the manuscript.

Submission Instructions:

Submit your manuscript with an email message indicating that it has not been published elsewhere, is not under consideration for publication elsewhere, and that copyright will be given to the Ohio Social Studies Review should it be accepted for publication.

Manuscripts should be submitted no later than November 1, 2010, to: doppen@ohio.edu

Ohio winners at National History Day, 2010

2010-06-21T12:27:00.000-07:00

By Mary Bezbatchenko, State Coordinator, National History Day in Ohio

From June 13 - 17, 48 Ohio students with 32 projects competed at National History Day at the University of Maryland in College Park. The week was a culmination of a year's worth of research, discovery, and analysis for these students. This year's theme was "Innovation in History: Impact and Change" and the Ohio projects ranged from a performance on Charles Darwin to an exhibit about the Triangle Shirtwaist fire. I am very proud of all the Ohio students. They represented our state well, both in their actions and their scholarship.

Out of the 32 projects, 12 placed in the top 15 in the country in their category:

13th place: Junior website by Nathan Christian from Birchwood School titled “Alan Freed and the Music of America”

13th place: Senior Individual Documentary by Caira Lee from Shaker Heights High School, titled “Bebop Jazz: The Evolution of Culture Through Music”

12th place: Junior Individual Performance by Max Freyberger from Mercy Montessori, titled “Charles Darwin and the Origin of Species”

11th place: Senior Group Documentary by Jacob Miller, Leo Katz, and Isaac Hoffman, from Shaker Heights High School titled” Devastation to Exploration: The Impact of the V2 Rocket”

10th place: Senior Individual Performance by Hannah McCandless, from Shaker Heights High School titled “Incognito: The Revolutionary Reporting by Nellie Bly”

7th place: Junior Group Performance by Clare Pruitt and Zaeem Mustafa, from Birchwood School titled “On the Brink of Collapse: George C. Marshall’s Innovative Plan to Rebuild Europe”

6th place: Junior Individual Documentary by Benjamin Wu, from Birchwood School titled “The Printing Press: A New Chapter in Human Communication”

6th place: Senior Group Exhibit by David Neary, Matt Neary, and David Gabriel, from Shaker Heights High School titled “Medieval to Modern: Peter the Great’s Transformation of Russia”

6th place: Senior Individual Performance by Jonah Weinstein, from Shaker Heights High School titled “The Kingfish’s Cry: Huey Long’s “Share Our Wealth” Program”

6th place: Senior Individual Documentary by Elise Eiden from Magnificat, titled “The Transistor: A True Innovation”

2nd place: Junior Individual Exhibit by Harsha Ramesh from Mason Middle School, titled “The Innovation of the Smallpox Vaccine: Impacting and Changing Medicine”

2nd place: Senior Individual Exhibit by Claire Lo from Shaker Heights High School, titled “The Devil’s Rope: Pioneering the West”

The Outstanding State Entry awards are given to one junior and one senior project from each state. Ohio’s winners were:

Junior: Calla Gilson from Pike Delta York Middle School for the Junior Individual Performance titled “A Bitter Aftertaste: Nazi Manipulation Through Propaganda and Public Enlightenment

Senior: Emily Hirsch and Alexandra Wagner from Shaker Heights High School for the Senior Group Performance titled “From Icon to Ire: Barbie and the Feminist Movement

One very special award was given to an Ohio student. Claire Lo, from Shaker Heights, was awarded the full scholarship from Chaminade University in Honolulu, Hawaii. Claire created an amazing individual exhibit titled “The Devil’s Rope: Pioneering the West”

Newspaper Digitization Workshops from Ohio Historical Society

2010-06-14T06:48:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Historical Society, in conjunction with the National Digital Newspaper Program, will be presenting two workshops at the following locations:

Athens, June 22nd, Ohio University, Alden Library)
Dayton, June 23rd, Wright State University, Dunbar Library)

These two-hour presentations will cover the following topics:

10 AM – Noon workshop Digitizing Your Newspaper Collections (for organizations interested in digitizing newspapers): Join the staff of the National Digital Newspaper Program in Ohio for an overview of digitizing a newspaper collection from start to finish. Topics will include vendor selection, metadata and image specifications, and other useful tips and tricks for a project.

3 PM – 5 PM workshop Using Digitized Newspapers (for librarians, school media specialists, and educators): Come learn how to incorporate digital newspapers into your lesson plans and reference tools. We will cover the use of the Library of Congress’ Chronicling America digitized newspaper database and other digital newspaper repositories.

Two contact hours will be made available to educators and refreshments will be served for all.

For information, please contact Eric W. Schnittke at eschnittke@ohiohistory.org.

To learn more about the National Digital Newspaper Program in Ohio, go to http://ohsweb.ohiohistory.org/ondp/

Need your help: history organizations and archives in Congressman Steve Driehaus' district

2010-06-10T12:53:00.000-07:00

If you live or if your organization is in Congressman Steve Driehaus’ district (1st Ohio: central and western Hamilton and SW Butler counties), we need your help—and soon, by June 15!

On Wednesday, June 9, the American Assoc. for State and Local History (AASLH) is testifying on Capitol Hill on behalf of increased reauthorization for the National Historical Records and Publications Committee (NHPRC).

Your representative, Steve Driehaus (OH-1), is a member of the Information Policy, Census and National Archives Subcommittee that is hearing the testimony. AASLH has been asked to recruit letters from historical organizations in his district testifying to the need for increased NHPRC funding. Letters should not necessarily be from those that have already benefitted from NHPRC, but rather from those that should or could – with increased funding.

And what can funding for the NHPRC do for you? To get right to the point, it’s a source of funding for you to pay for projects that preserve archival materials—documents, photographs, manuscripts, etc. If your historical organization or archives can use funding for projects such as these, write in support of increased funding to Congressman Driehaus’ office. For more information about the NHPRC and its grant programs, go to: http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/

Please fax your letters of support for increased funding for the NHPRC to Congressman Driehaus’ Washington D.C. office at 202-225-3012. If it’s convenient, please also email a copy to the Ms. Terry Davis, Director of the American Assoc. for State and Local History (davis@aaslh.org) and Anthony Clark at the U.S. House of Representatives (Anthony.clark@mail.house.gov)

For a copy of the testimony or a sample letter, please write to Andy Verhoff at averhoff@ohiohistory.org.

We hope you can make 5 – 10 minutes of your day available by June 15 to write to Representative Driehaus. Thanks!

Help OHS and partners plan internship program for local history organizations

2010-06-08T14:31:00.000-07:00

We need your help. Kent State University, the Ohio Historical Society and the Ohio Humanities Council are collecting data about internships at local historical organizations, libraries, archives, and museums as part of an IMLS planning grant (IMLS = Institute for Museums and Library Services).

The purpose of the planning grant is to create and test a framework for a statewide internship program for students in history, public history, library science and other related fields. The partners are collecting data from staff and volunteers at local historical organizations and museums, students (graduate and undergraduate), recent grads, staff at libraries and archives, and faculty at Ohio colleges and universities.

Please take 5-10 minutes to fill out the Building Connections survey. This survey will help the planning committee to put together a pilot program for finding, training, and placing interns that will be to the mutual benefit of the students, the hosting organization, and the academic institution.

Survey link: http://atrial.qualtrics.com/SE?SID=SV_6ED5IG461L8BgnG

If you have any questions about the survey or the project, please contact:

Megan Wood

Unit Manager, Education Programs and Partnerships

Ohio Historical Society

mwood@ohiohistory.org

p: 614.297.2343

Thanks for your time and information!

"Is you, or is you ain't, my constitency?"

2010-06-07T15:08:00.001-07:00

Question of the Day: “Is you – or is you ain’t – my constishensy?”

I love movies. Some of my favorites are big and serious. Others are pretty brainless and a little embarrassing to admit out loud. But the best ones end up working their way into my vocabulary. And that’s where I got today’s question, from “O Brother, Where Art Thou?”

Charles Durning, as the ultimate greasy corrupt politician, is asking the people before him, “Is you – or is you ain’t – my constishensy?” [And I apologize for that spelling…he’s aiming for “constituency”…but it sounds better when I try to spell it the way he says it!]

So, who is your constituency? If you’re like me, you find that you have multiple constituencies: Wilmington College students; Wilmington College faculty and staff; Quakers in southwest Ohio; Quakers across the country; local historians; genealogists; schools…you get the idea. And, of course, no two groups want or need the same thing.

I sometimes think of it also as traveling/living/working in three distinct worlds: the Quaker world, the academic world, and the museum world. Very rarely to those worlds overlap…but often they collide!

I know I’m not alone in this, and it goes a long way to explain why we all feel like we’re being pulled in a million different directions. So what brainstorms do you have to make the most out of your exhibits, your programming, your events, your collections, to get more bang for your buck, to reach as much of your “constishensy” as you can in one fell swoop?

CALL FOR APPLICANTS, Executive Director, Historic Southwest Ohio, Inc.

2010-06-07T11:23:00.000-07:00

CALL FOR APPLICANTS
Executive Director Historic Southwest Ohio, Inc.

Historic Southwest Ohio (HSO), which operates the Heritage Village Museum, promoting an appreciation of the culture of 19th century Southwest Ohio, seeks a candidate for the position of Executive Director. Heritage Village, a picturesque gathering of thirteen historic buildings located in Sharon Woods in the Greater Cincinnati area, is the setting for guided visits, special events, school programs, summer camp and exhibits relating to the period.

The Executive Director reports to the HSO Board of Directors and will be responsible for providing strategic leadership to establish long-range goals, plans and policies. The successful candidate must be able to increase and diversify funding and earned income; plan, implement and facilitate HSO’s programs and special events; cultivate relationships with corporate, educational, arts, social and neighborhood constituencies, locally and regionally; and overseeing budgets and finances, the organization’s personnel and volunteers, advertising and promotion, and maintenance.

The position will require weekend duties from time to time for special events. Minimum requirements include a college degree, Master’s preferred, in museum management, business or public administration, art history or related field; five years’ related experience desirable; three years supervisory and development experience; and the ability to understand and analyze financial statements. Exceptional communication (written and verbal), interpersonal, organizational, leadership and supervisory skills required.

Please send resumes and cover letters to :
Carolyn Nightingale
c/o Historic Southwest Ohio
11450 Lebanon Road
Cincinnati, OH 45241 or
pcnightingale@hotmail.com

Act Now--local historical organizations 501(c)3 non-profit status could be threatened

2010-05-13T08:31:00.000-07:00

An item from the IRS has come to our attention recently and it’s something that may require your urgent attention today.

According to the IRS, all non-profit organizations with gross receipts under $25,000 must file an IRS 990 form by May 17 or risk losing their tax exempt status. Please go to the IRS’s website for more information: http://www.irs.gov/charities/.

For a news story about this requirement, go to http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=126745771

Please feel free to forward this post to any other non-profit organizations in your communities that could be affected.

Save the Date! -- Ohio Connecting to Collections Regional Meetings

2010-05-12T13:15:00.000-07:00

Dear local history leaders and OAHSM members,

In January 2010, the Ohio Connecting to Collections survey was distributed to over 800 institutions statewide responsible for preserving Ohio’s cultural heritage. The results from the survey are in and we want to share them with you.

We are inviting you and other key decision-makers from Ohio’s local historical societies and museums, as well as libraries, archives, and cultural heritage institutions to one of a series of regional meetings around Ohio. At a meeting, you'll discuss the findings of the Connecting to Collections project, and future directions for artifact preservation and care of archival materials in our state

Save the date a meeting near you:

July 15, 2010 National Underground Railroad Freedom Center, Cincinnati
July 20, 2010 Athens Public Library, Athens
July 21, 2010 Ohio Wesleyan University, Delaware
July 26, 2010 Bedford Historical Society, Bedford
July 29, 2010 Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green

All meetings will run from 1 - 4pm, and are free and open to the public.

Specific meeting details and registration instructions will be posted to this blog as they become available.

In addition to discovering the survey’s results, you will be asked to assist in prioritizing the strategic goals and initiatives to be included in the Ohio Heritage Strategic Plan. We hope to use comments from the regional meetings and the strategic plan to prepare for a Connecting to Collections Implementation grant.

The Ohio Heritage Partnership is a collaborative effort of the State Library of Ohio and the Ohio Historical Society, with project support from the Intermuseum Conservation Association and is funded by an Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) Connecting to Collections Statewide Preservation Planning Grant.

Question of the Day: When and how do you say “no” to a potential donor?

2010-05-11T10:21:00.001-07:00

I’m not talking about turning down a donation – either of cash or items for the collection. I can handle those! I’m talking about the never-ending process of donor cultivation.

The Scenario: Sunday, Mother’s Day. I’m at church (Living in the same small community where I work and being a member of the church where a majority of our members go is a topic for another day!), when Mrs. X approaches me. “My daughters are in town for the day, and I’d love for them to be able to see the exhibit. Would you mind opening the gallery for us this afternoon?” Sigh.

The Background: Mrs. X loaned many of the items on display in the current exhibit. Mrs. X is financially “very comfortable”, and regularly makes monetary donations to the museum and other related groups and organizations in the community. Mrs. X has known me since I was 12, thinks my dad is the bees knees, knows my aunt and uncle, knew my grandparents…you get the idea.

So…that afternoon, I drag my (luckily pretty easy-going) daughter into the museum for about 90 minutes so that I can accommodate Mrs. X and her daughters, which, I’ll admit, made for a pretty fantastic Mother’s Day for them. For me, not so much.

So now I’m back to the question: In a field and community where this kind of request could easily consume my life (8 to 5? Monday to Friday? What’s that?), when and how do I say “no” to Mrs. X?

I know I’m not alone in this…any words of wisdom are more than welcome!

Cemetery preservation workshop in Bedford, OH Sept. 24-25, 2010

2010-04-19T07:51:00.000-07:00

The Bedford Historical Society in Bedford, Ohio is hosting a cemetery presevation workshop on September 24-25, 2010. Topics covered include

*Understanding Ohio Cemetery Law

*Interpreting Funerary Art

*Grassroots preservation

*Basics of stone preservation with hands-on participation

*Intermediate stone preservation with hands-on participation.

*Demonstration of advanced stone preservation.

For more information and to register, go to the "Events" page of the Bedford Historical Society's website at http://www.bedfordohiohistory.org/events/index.php

Photo from the Free Frank Cemetery Restoration Project in New Philadelphia, IL. To learn more about this project, go to http://www.freefrank.org/cemetery-restoration-project.shtml

Discover history and "webinars" with Buckeye Council for History Education

2010-04-19T07:29:00.000-07:00

Do you want to learn more about Ohio history and American history? Do want to find out what a “webinar” is and how it works? You can do both by registering for two webinars offered by the Buckeye Council for History Education (BCHE). Register today for:

Women in the Civil Rights Movement

Tuesday, April 27, 6:00 – 8:30PM
Dr. Kim Little, Ohio University
This webinar will center on the role of women in the modern U.S. civil rights movement, focusing on the years 1954 to 1965.

First Ohioans
Thursday, May 27, 6:00 – 8:30PM
Dr. Brad Lepper, Ohio Historical Society
This webinar will discuss the early inhabitants of Ohio, including the Adena and Hopewell cultures.

You can register for just one or for both webinars. All you need to participate is a computer with a high-speed internet connection. No travel required!

Buckeye Council for History Education webinars are FREE for BCHE members and $20 for non-members. If you would like to become a member of BCHE, go to http://www.ohiohistorystore.com/BCHE-C130.aspx. To learn more about BCHE, go to http://www.gatewaytohistory.org/bche/ All participants will receive a CD with primary sources form Ohio Historical Society related to the webinar topic.

A chance to learn more about StEPS!

2010-04-07T06:18:00.001-07:00

Webinar for History Institutions
April 13, 2 p.m. Eastern

Join us for a FREE, one-hour webinar to learn about StEPs and the many ways it can benefit your organization. The webinar will be conducted by Cherie Cook, AASLH Senior Program Manager.

StEPs offers self-assessment questions and performance indicators to help your organization rate its policies and practices in six standards areas. Although the target audience for StEPs is small- and mid-sized history organizations, the program is open to institutions of all sizes.

Participation is free, but pre-registration is required at http://www.learningtimes.net/stepswebcasts.

More Information:

For more information about StEPs, visit www.aaslh.org/steps or contact Cherie Cook, Senior Program Manager, at cook@aaslh.org or
(573) 893-5164.

Wood County Historical Center (paid!) Summer Internship

2010-03-30T08:09:00.000-07:00

The Wood County Historical Center is looking to hire an intern for this summer. The intern will be responsible for cataloging items in our textile collection. The textile collection is probably our strongest collection, yet it has never been properly cataloged. The term is a 12 week internship, 40 hours per week, 9.00 / hour.

Check out the listing here:

http://woodcountyhistory.org/pr_internship.html

Region 1 meeting

2010-03-20T15:33:00.000-07:00

Thanks to Jackie & Andy and Region 1 representatives for helping to make this regional meeting in Sylvania so successful. Joy Armstrong

Connecting to Collections Survey -- There's Still Time (But It's Winding Down)

2010-03-10T09:03:00.000-08:00

Attention, local history museums, historic houses, and local historical societies! To help you in the future, we need your help today. Please complete the Ohio Connecting to Collections Survey, a vital component of the Ohio Heritage Partnership.

Complete the survey online at: http://oh.webjunction.org/ohconnectcollect

The survey was distributed electronically on January 26. The original deadline for returning it was March 1. Our new deadline is March 19. The partnership's partners, the Ohio Historical Society and the State Library of Ohio, need to know what kinds of artifacts and archival materials you care for and--more importantly--the challenges you face in preserving them.

Individual responses to the survey will be kept anonymous, but they are important! Your answers and those from hundreds of others from museums, archives, libraries, local historical societies, and county records managers will help the Ohio Heritage Partnership identify the needs of and challenges faced by Ohio's "collecting institutions" as they care for our communities' and state's cultural inheritance.

Armed with the results of the Connection to Collection Survey, our goal is to obtain federal grant funding to help you meet those needs. Only you can tell us what those needs are.

If you have any questions about the survey, or questions about survey questions, please contact one of our survey trainers for help. You can find a list of trainers and other information about the survey at

http://oh.webjunction.org/ohconnectcollect/-/resources/bparticles

Thanks!

THEFT ALERT! Be on the lookout stolen artifacts!

2010-02-22T08:30:00.000-08:00

The Uhrichsville Clay Museum, which is operated by the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, has been robbed twice recently. Theives have taken more than 50 plus sewer pipe folk art items such as dogs, tree trunk lamps, tree truck planters, frogs, lions, miniature shoe sets, marbles, and other artifacts.

The stolen artfiacts are easily identifiable. They look like hand made clay items with a very shiny dark glaze. The missing items are examples of local folk art and irreplaceable and very valuable.

If anyone comes to your museum offering to sell these type of items to you, please contact Wendy Zucal, Director of the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum at (330) 340-1445. Please make note of the physical description of the seller (height, weight, build, hair color, sound of voice, etc.) and, if possible, get the seller's name, address, phone number, email, or any other information that could lead law enforcement and the museum to the stolen items.

Safety first always! If it's safe for you to gather information about the sellers of these stolen items, please do. If not, then don't. In any case, please note the physical description of the seller and contact Wendy at the Dennison RR Depot Museum (that number again, 330-340-1445). Thank you!

Dayton History is Hiring - Position Announcements

2010-02-17T12:11:00.000-08:00

STAFF INTERPRETER - DUNBAR HOUSE/OLD COURT HOUSE/MEMORIAL HALL
Position Description: The Staff Interpreter will assist the Director of Education and Museum Operations in planning and conducting daily historical interpretation, demonstrations, public programs and educational workshops at the Paul Laurence Dunbar State Memorial, Old Montgomery County Courthouse, Memorial Hall and other Dayton History sites as needed. The successful candidate will work a Wednesday through Sunday schedule, with periodic evening commitments.

Duties Include:

Mastering historically accurate information pertaining to Dayton History’s collections and exhibits
Conducting both structured and improvisational educational programs
Assisting in the training and continuing education of volunteer interpreters
Occasional participation in community outreach programs
Physical tasks associated with program implementation throughout a 65-acre site and other, varied historic structures and campuses
Other tasks as assigned by the Director of Education and Museum Operations or Assistant Education Director

The position is a full-time, permanent, salaried one with the expectation of a minimum 40-hour workweek, some evening assignments and regular weekend duties. The salary range is $20,000 to $24,000, dependent upon qualifications. The position carries health, disability, life insurance and retirement benefits that are available after a 30-day introductory period.

Qualifications: A degree in education, history, or a closely related field, as well as experience in museum interpretation is required. The individual in this position will have strong communication skills, be efficient, be a problem solver, be able to work with diverse individuals, deal well with the unexpected, and maintain a professional attitude and appearance in all interactions with clients, staff, volunteers, and the visiting public.

Please send cover letter, resume, and at least three references to:
Alex Heckman
Director of Museum Operations
Dayton History
1000 Carillon Boulevard
Dayton, OH 45409
or email: aheckman@daytonhistory.org

Deadline for application is February 26, 2010. Employment to begin on or near March 1, 2010.

EDUCATION ASSISTANT
Position Description: Education Assistants at Carillon Historical Park are responsible for the instruction of the Park’s educational workshops and for performing educational demonstrations in the Park’s exhibit buildings. Individuals in this position are responsible for mastering the instruction of educational workshop programs, contributing to their evaluation and assisting in the maintenance of associated materials. This position reports to the Assistant Director of Education. The position is part-time, hourly and seasonal with a schedule of 20-30 hours per week, including regular weekend assignments, between March 1 and October 31. Pay rate is $9.00 per hour.

Qualifications: A degree in education, history, or a closely related field, as well as experience in teaching or an equivalent supervisory role is required. The individual in this capacity must be a skilled teacher who enjoys all ages and backgrounds, be efficient and flexible, and have strong organizational skills.

Please send cover letter, resume, and at least three references to:

Alex Heckman
Director of Museum Operations
Dayton History
1000 Carillon Boulevard
Dayton, OH 45409
or email: aheckman@daytonhistory.org

Deadline for application is February 26, 2010. Employment to begin on or near March 1, 2010.

PART-TIME PROPERTY TECHNICIAN
Position Description: The Part-Time Property Technician is responsible for general maintenance duties at Old River Park and the other properties of Dayton History. These duties include: trash removal, lawn mowing and associated tasks, painting, restroom cleaning, special event setup and all other tasks as assigned. The Part-Time Property Technician will also assist in overseeing other part-time, seasonal staff at Old River Park. This position reports to the Property Manager. The position is part-time, hourly and seasonal with a schedule of 30-35 hours per week, including regular weekend assignments, between April 1 and October 31. Pay rate is $8.00 per hour.

Qualifications: A high school diploma and a valid Ohio driver license are required. Experience in directing the work of part-time employees is strongly preferred. The individual in this capacity must be a problem solver, be efficient, be able to work with diverse individuals, deal well with the unexpected, and maintain a professional attitude and appearance in all interactions with clients, staff, volunteers, and the visiting public.

Please send resume and three references to:

Chris Taylor
Property Manager
Dayton History
1000 Carillon Boulevard
Dayton, OH 45409
or email: ctaylor@daytonhistory.org

Deadline for application is March 1, 2010. Employment to begin on or near April 1, 2010.

PROPERTY TECHNICIAN
Position Description: Dayton History Property Technicians are responsible for general maintenance duties at the Old Montgomery County Courthouse, Memorial Hall and the other properties of Dayton History. These duties include: trash removal, lawn mowing and associated tasks, painting, restroom cleaning, special event setup and all other tasks as assigned. This position reports to the Property Manager. The position is a full-time, hourly one with the expectation of a 40-hour workweek, including regular weekend and periodic evening assignments. The pay rate is $9.00 per hour. The position carries health, disability, life insurance and retirement benefits that are available after a 30-day introductory period.

Qualifications: A high school diploma and a valid Ohio driver license are required. Experience with HVAC, mechanical, plumbing and electrical systems strongly preferred. The individual in this capacity must be a problem solver, be efficient, be able to work with diverse individuals, deal well with the unexpected, and maintain a professional attitude and appearance in all interactions with clients, staff, volunteers, and the visiting public.

Please send resume and three references to:

Chris Taylor
Property Manager
Dayton History
1000 Carillon Boulevard
Dayton, OH 45409
or email: ctaylor@daytonhistory.org

Deadline for application is March 1, 2010. Employment to begin on or near April 1, 2010.

To learn more about Dayton History, go to http://www.daytonhistory.org/

How do young people get interested in local history?

2010-02-08T07:39:00.000-08:00

Want to know how young people become interested in history? Click here for an example from OAHSM's immediate past president Greg Myers. It's from the Wapakoneta Daily News.

What person, place, thing, or event sparked YOUR interest in the past?

(Photo: grade schoolers learning the manual of arms during a program at the Campus Martius Museum in Marietta)

Grant Writing Workshop at Dennison RR Depot

2010-01-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum presents the workshop Comprehensive Grantwriting Strategies

When: Friday, March 5, 8am to noon.

Where: Dennison Railroad Depot Museum, 400 Center Street, Dennison (for directions, go to www.dennisondepot.org)

Cost: $100 per person. EARLY BIRD SAVINGS: Register by February 15th and save $25.00! Fee includes workshop supplies, binder with all handouts, and continental breakfast. Lunch is not included but is easily available in the Depot at Trax Diner.

Don’t delay! Workshops are done in small groups and seating is limited to 25. Contact the Dennison Railroad Depot to register.

Workshop description: Take the mystery out of grant writing. In today’s economy, every dollar is important. Find out how to increase your budget through grants, corporate and private donations. This comprehensive grant writing workshop covers all details from A to Z. We will take you through the entire process in one morning, teaching you proven tips that work. Learn how to make your grant proposal stand out and increase your odds at getting your proposals approved. In a difficult economy, there is greater competition for dollars. Invest in a competitive edge and get a positive result from potential funders by attending this workshop.

Topics include: project development, targeting donors, letters of support, supporting material, how to declare your intentions, matching dollars, how to develop measures of success, partnerships, grant appearance, networking, public feedback and more. There are many factors that need to be included to be successful in grantwriting!

Dennison is located where state routes 250, 800 and 36 meet. Take the Dennison Exit off 250, go south on second street to Center Street, turn left.

For additional information: Contact the Dennison Railroad Depot toll free at 1-877-278-8020 or depot@tusco.net.

Tips for Blogging

2010-01-26T12:43:00.000-08:00

By Megan Wood, Unit Manager, Education Programs and Partnerships, Ohio Historical Society

In the world of written communication, blogs are a different kind of beast than writing for newsletters, press releases, or even web sites. Here are a few tips to keep in mind for blogging.

1. Read and follow other blogs in your area of interest. When writing blog posts, make links to those blogs when applicable. Reading other blogs will help with writing style and connecting to other blogs will help your blog get more readers.

2. Keep the tone conversational. Editing for spelling and grammar is preferable, but don’t overdo it. Reading a blog should feel like talking to a friend. Don’t over-edit or it may lose its casual tone.

3. Use images when possible to illustrate ideas.

4. Keep each post short. It is ideal not to scroll during an individual blog post. It also makes the blog seem more appealing to read.

5. When it is possible, link to web sites that provide more information about the topic.

6. Make real world connections to your virtual musing. Using a blog as a way to follow up after meetings, presentations, or conferences drives those audiences to your blog and makes those stakeholders feel connected. After school visits I tell students to read the blog and when they go there they’ll see that the “History Day Expert” mentions their school.

7. Update the content frequently. Make a point to post at least once a week so there’s a reason for readers to keep coming back to the blog.

While there is definitely lots of other advice about blogs on the web, these are my main tips based on experience with blogging over the last three years!

Board

2010-01-12T11:42:00.000-08:00

Thank you, I am now on the OAHSM blog. Joy

OAHSM Board to Post to the OAHSM Blog

2009-12-28T08:44:00.001-08:00

As part of OAHSM’s commitment to adopting 21^st century communications, I sent the OAHSM board members for 2010 an invitation to post to this blog today. My hope is that each board member will regularly post news from his or her region. Thus, if you are an OAHSM member and would like to have your news added to the blog, you can contact a nearby OAHSM board member (the list with email contacts can be found in your latest Local Historian) or the Local History Office at oahsm@ohiohistory.org.

Thank your state rep.; tax check off bill passes Ohio House

2009-12-24T09:23:00.000-08:00

Dear OAHSM Members & Friends of Local History:

This summer, our state lawmakers heard from us when we were upset about state budget cuts to history. They deserve our personal and heartfelt thanks when they help us, too.

OHS received the good word on Dec. 17 that the Ohio House of Representatives passed House Bill 75—the legislation that will create a tax check off and matching grant program in support of local history projects in our state. Give some of your time in the New Year to call or write your state rep. and thank him or her for voting for House Bill 75. Our state representatives will likely be back in their offices on or around Jan. 5., so your best bet is to make your contacts after that date.

The vote was 95 – 1 in favor of the bill. It now moves to the Senate for consideration and so we still have work to do to see that HB 75 becomes law.

When (not IF) House Bill 75 becomes law, it will create a competitive matching grant program to which local historical organizations can apply for grants. The money from the grants will come from individual Ohioans, who will be able to check a box on their state income tax returns indicating that they want a small portion of their tax refund to go to the Ohio Historical Society. The program will be administered by the Ohio Historical Society, but the pool of funding will be committed to local history groups through the grant program. Checking the box on the tax return and donations to the fund are voluntary!

A similar tax check off program for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources generates $500,000 - $800,000 annually for the agency’s nature conservation efforts and since it started in 1984 has raised $22 million.

After you call or write to thank your state representative, make a call to your state senator and ask him or her to support the tax check off bill in the Senate.

For more information about House Bill 75, go to http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory/home/. For contact information for your state representative and senator, go back to http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory/home/ and scroll down ‘til you see “Change My Location.” Put in your ZIP code to find your legislators.

A letter or email of thanks is great, a phone call of thanks is better, and a personal visit and thank you is best. Take a few moments now and thank you state rep.—and thanks! Merry Christmas!

OAHSM President, Pat Murphy, Named to American Association of Museums Accreditation Commission

2009-12-19T10:15:00.000-08:00

OAHSM's new President as of January 2010 is going to be a very busy woman.

The American Association of Museums (AAM) recently announced the appointment of Oberlin Heritage Center Executive Director Patricia Murphy to serve on its nine-member Accreditation Commission for a five-year term. Commissioners are senior museum professionals with significant experience in all aspects of museum management and operations. The Commission meets three times a year in Washington, D.C. to render decisions regarding accreditation.

Pat Murphy led the Oberlin Heritage Center’s work to obtain museum accreditation, which it achieved in 2005. She has also been instrumental in establishing the Oberlin Heritage Center as a regional visitor attraction and community asset and in promoting heritage tourism and historic preservation.

Information courtesy of Oberlin Heritage Center (www.oberlinheritage.org).

Historian's Craft Brass Tacks Workshop, Nov. 10, Kidron

2009-10-30T08:52:00.000-07:00

Become a Better Researcher and Writer of Your Community’s History
Register for the Brass Tacks Workshop The Historian’s Craft: Understanding the Past through Primary and Secondary Sources

Want to “craft” better history? Learn how to use the raw materials and tools of the historian to discover your community’s past.

With the Smithsonian Institution’s traveling exhibit Between Fences as an example, the Historian’s Craft workshop will give you the tools you need to make sense of the raw material of history: primary and secondary sources. You’ll learn how historians use these sources to understand, write, publish, and exhibit past events. The workshop will be led by two historians well-known in Ohio: J.D. Britton, the former director of Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office, and Tim Messer-Kruse, chair of the Ethnic Studies Program at Bowling Green State University and a founder of the web site Toledo’s Attic (http://www.toledosattic.org/).

The workshop will conclude with a presentation by Jack Shortlidge of the Ohio Humanities Council. He will describe grants available from the council, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.

The workshop’s cost is $25 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and all workshop materials.

WORKSHOP DATES AND LOCATIONS

KIDRON
November 10, 2008, 9am-3:30pm, Kidron-Sonnenberg Heritage Center, 13153 Emerson Rd. http://www.kidronhistoricalsociety.org/

GROVEPORT
January 12, 2010, 9am-3:30pm, Groveport Cultural Arts Center/ Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main St. www.groveport.org/sections/affairs

BREMEN
February 15, 2010, 9am-3:30pm, Bremen Area Historical Society, 161 Carter St. www.bremenvillage.com/historical.htm

TRENTON
May 11, 2010, 9am-3:30pm, Fellowship Hall, Trenton Mennonite Church, 2 East Main St., hosted by the Chrisholm Historic Farmstead http://www.butlercountymetroparks.org/

To register:

Register online 24/7 at www.ohiohistory.org/register or

Call 1-800-858-6878 and register by phone using your VISA, MasterCard, American Express, or Discover, or

Click here to download workshop information and a registration form from http://www.oahsm.org/. (PDF files will load in new browser windows and will require Adobe Acrobat ® Reader) or

Fax the registration form to 614-297-2233 or

Mail the registration form to:

Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums
c/o Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office
1982 Velma Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497

Please register no later than five business days before your workshop. After we receive your registration, we’ll send you a confirmation along with a map and directions to your workshop location.

The Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop is offered in conjunction with the Ohio tour of the traveling exhibit Between Fences. Between Fences is part of the Smithsonian Institution's Museum on Main Street (MoMS) service. MoMS is a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils. MoMS mission is to bring high-quality, low-cost traveling exhibits to small towns across the nation. The Ohio Humanities Council is our state’s sponsor of Between Fences and is a co-sponsor, with OAHSM and OHS’s Local History Office, of the Historians Craft Brass Tacks Workshop.

To learn more about Between Fences and the Smithsonian’s Museums on Main Street Service, go to http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/

For more information about the Ohio Humanities Council and its grant programs, go to http://www.ohiohumanities.org/.

Free workshop--Preserving Our Cultural Heritage

2009-10-29T06:38:00.000-07:00

December 9, 2009 7:00–8:30PM
Bowling Green State University, Bowling Green, Ohio
Jerome Library, Pallister Conference Room (1st Floor)

The Ohio Preservation Council and the Intermuseum Conservation Association jointly developed "Preserving Our Cultural Heritage," a statewide preservation outreach initiative. The inaugural session was held in late 2008 at Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens in Akron. The 2009 session will be presented in northwest Ohio at Bowling Green State University.

Topics covered will include: a definition of preservation; the difference between preservation and conservation; appropriate types of supplies; disaster preparedness; print and online resources; and strategies for preservation fundraising. This program is free and open to the public.

To ensure that we have adequate handouts, please RSVP to ICA Director of Education Nicole Hayes by December 7, 2009: (216)658-8700 or nicole@ica-artconservation.org

Hurry, hurry, hurry! Ohio Humanities Council accepting applications for traveling exhibit program. Application deadline Dec. 1

2009-10-23T13:30:00.000-07:00

Ohio Humanities Council presents in 2011
New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music

Starting in March, 2011, The Ohio Humanities Council will sponsor a 10-month tour of New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, an exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street. This exhibition was developed especially for small institutions and rural audiences that typically do not have access to traveling exhibits. OHC invites applications from historical societies and museums, libraries, or other institutions with the requisite resources for hosting New Harmonies.

EXHIBIT SUMMARY
Listen to America's music and hear the story of freedom. It's the story of people in a New World, places they have left behind, and ideas they have brought with them. It is the story of people who were already here, but whose world is remade. The distinct cultural identities of all of these people are carried in song -- both sacred and secular. Their music tracks the unique history of many peoples reshaping each other into one incredibly diverse and complex people -- Americans. Their music is the roots of American music, whether we call it the blues, country & western, folk, or gospel.

EXHIBIT DESIGN
The structure for New Harmonies is freestanding, with lightweight, modular sections, which require 800 square feet of space and 71/2 foot ceilings. The exhibit travels in easy-to-handle wheeled crates and requires no tools for assembly. The exhibition space must be clean and well lighted, but no specific environmental controls are needed. Only limited security is required, but personnel must be near the exhibit at all times it is open.

Host institutions and community partners will be expected to develop associated programs that expand on the themes presented in New Harmonies. Activities could include school design and essay contests, oral history projects, film and literary discussions, guest lectures, and artifact collection and interpretation for an exhibit on the importance of roots music such as blues, country and western, ethnic, folk, and gospel music in the host community. The Ohio Humanities Council partners with other institutions to create programs that will be available to most exhibit hosts.

EACH HOST INSTITUTION WILL RECEIVE:
• Exhibit rental for approximately 4-6 weeks
• An exhibition support manual detailing installation, public relations, and evaluation information

• Promotional materials such as posters, brochures, banners, and a press kit
• Workshops on program planning and exhibit installation
• Consultation with OHC staff for project planning and implementation
• Access to OHC’s mini-grant program

EACH HOST INSTITUTION WILL BE REQUIRED TO:
• Pay a $1,000 cash fee to the Ohio Humanities Council to off set exhibit rental and shipping costs
• Identify a staff member or volunteer who will attend all planning meetings and act as project director
• Maintain and publicize regular exhibition hours (no less than 25 hours per week)
• Conduct locally-based public programming during the exhibit’s stay
OHC will select host institutions based on factors such as geographic distribution, ability to provide public access to the exhibit, and interest in community programming.

Luxurious facilities and previous experience with traveling exhibits or public humanities programming are NOT essential to a successful application. The application deadline is December 1, 2009. For more information , please contact Jack Shortlidge at 1-800-293-9774 or jacks@ohiohumanities.org.

Inexpensive Collections Survey from Intermuseum Conservation Association

2009-10-20T06:24:00.000-07:00

The Intermuseum Conservation Association (ICA) in Cleveland is pleased to announce its third annual “Subsidized Survey Program.” The purpose of the program is to help a cultural institution identify its preservation needs. The information gained through the assessment can help an institution raise funds or apply for grants to address those preservation needs.

The ICA will offer a collection survey focusing on a pre-selected group of artifacts within an institution. An ICA conservator will visit the institution to examine the objects on-site for up to two days, and written condition reports and treatment recommendations will be provided. The institution will be asked to contribute only the travel costs associated with on-site visit(s). Any non-profit cultural institution that can demonstrate a commitment to collections care is eligible to apply for this survey.

The application form can be found at http://www.ica-artconservation.org/education/ICASubsidizedSurveyApplication.pdf. Applications can be mailed, e-mailed, or faxed and are due October 30, 2009. Preference will be given to applicants in Ohio and its adjoining states. Contact Director of Education Nicole Hayes at nhayes@ica-artconservation.org or 216.658.8700 with any questions.

The Intermuseum Conservation Association is the oldest not-for-profit regional conservation center in the United States. Founded in 1952, the ICA treats artifacts of all types including paper-based materials, paintings, textiles, outdoor sculpture and architectural elements, and three-dimensional objects in many media. For additional information, please visit our website at http://www.ica-artconservation.org/ or become a fan on our new Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Intermuseum-Conservation-Association/115017542950

OAHSM needs your input!

2009-10-07T15:03:00.000-07:00

OAHSM Members:

We have two opportunities for you to influence the direction of our programs in this blog post. We appreciate your time and input!

1) We are requesting your input into a survey on the value and future strategic direction of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums. The OAHSM Board of Trustees is beginning a new strategic plan this November, and we need your thoughts to help us focus on growing our best resources to help you meet the challenges facing local history organizations. The link for the 3-question online survey is below. If you have questions, please contact the Local History Office at 614-297-2228.
http://tiny.cc/oahsm

2) To help the Ohio Historical Society understand currents trends and better inform our temporary exhibit program development, we have a few questions about your organization’s use of temporary exhibits. This survey should only take about 5 minutes of your time and can be found at the link below. If you have questions, please contact Education & Interpretation at 614-297-2649.
http://tiny.cc/exhibits

Thank you. Your voice is important!

Register today for OAHSM annual meeting Oct. 1-3, 2009

2009-09-22T12:36:00.000-07:00

Register today for the annual meeting of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums. The meeting is two weeks away! -- Oct. 1-3 at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus.

Click here for the annual meeting program and list of workshops.

Click here for a printable meeting registration form.

Click here to register online 24/7 through Sept. 25.

OAHSM’s annual meeting is your opportunity to gain new skills and find out from others in organizations just like yours how they are doing in these historic times. The meeting is easy to get to at the Ohio Historical Center, located just off of I-71 at 17th Ave. and just north of the state fairgrounds.

The Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums, organized in 1960 under sponsorship of the Ohio Historical Society, is composed of local historical societies, historic preservation groups, history museums, libraries, archives, and genealogical societies throughout the state involved in collecting, preserving, and interpreting Ohio's history.

The Ohio Historical Society is a nonprofit organization that serves as the state's partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio's history, archaeology, and natural history.

Civil War 150th in Ohio on the Web

2009-09-22T12:24:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Civil War 150 website is live! We invite you to check it out and to add your own touch to the site: there are many ways for you to add to the site, whether by uploading your own photos of Civil War events or collections, adding your community’s events to the calendar, or starting a discussion in the forum.

www.ohiocivilwar150.org

If you have comments or questions, don’t hesitate to contact Jackie Barton, Coordinator Ohio Civil War 150 and Manager of Outreach & Field Services for the Ohio Historical Society: jbarton@ohiohistory.org.

Register for The Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop

2009-09-18T12:48:00.000-07:00

Become a Better Researcher and Writer of Your Community’s History. Register for The Historian's Craft Brass Tacks Workshop.

The Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop will give you the tools you need to make sense of the raw material of history: primary and secondary sources. You’ll learn how historians use primary and secondary sources to understand, write, publish, and exhibit past events.

The workshop will be offered at 5 locations around Ohio. See the list below for the location nearest you.

For more information, or to register for The Historian's Craft click here or go to www.oahsm.org. You can register online 24/7 at at www.ohiohistory.org/register. The cost is $25 and includes continental breakfast, lunch, and all workshop materials.

Dates and Locations
The Historian's Craft Brass Tacks Workshops

Sidney - October 8, 2009, 9am-3:30pm, Sidney Board of Education, 750 South 4th Avenue, hosted by the Shelby County Historical Society

Kidron – November 10, 2009, 9am-3:30pm, Kidron-Sonnenberg Heritage Center, 13153 Emerson Road

Groveport – January 12, 2010, 9am-3:30pm, Groveport Cultural Arts Center/Groveport Town Hall, 648 Main Street

Bremen – February 15, 2010, 9am-3:30pm, Bremen Area Historical Society, 161 Carter Street

Trenton – May 11, 2010, 9am-3:30 pm, Fellowship Hall of the Trenton Mennonite Church, 2 East Main Street, hosted by the Chrisholm Historic Farmstead

Two historians well-known in Ohio will lead the workshops: J.D. Britton, the former director of Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office and Tim Messer-Kruse, the Chair of the Ethnics Studies Program at Bowling Green State University and a founded of the web site Toledo’s Attic (www.toledosattic.org).

Workshop topics include

Difference between primary and secondary sources
Using primary and secondary sources to interpret museum artifacts
Telling the difference between good and not-so-good secondary sources

The Historian’s Craft concludes with a presentation by Jack Shortlidge, of the Ohio Humanities Council. He will describe grants available from the Ohio Humanities Council, eligibility requirements, and how to apply.

The Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop is offered in conjunction with the Ohio tour of the traveling exhibit Between Fences. Between Fences is part of the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street (MoMS) service. MoMS is a partnership between the Smithsonian Institution and state humanities councils. MoMS mission is to bring high-quality, low-cost traveling exhibits to small towns across the nation. The Ohio Humanities Council is our state’s sponsor of Between Fences and is a co-sponsor, with OAHSM and OHS’s Local History Office, of The Historian's Craft Brass Tacks Workshop.

To learn more about “Between Fences” and the Smithsonian’s Museums on Main Street Service, go to www.museumonmainstreet.org and click on Between Fences.

The Between Fences exhibit will travel to these locations around Ohio from September 2009 to July 2011.

Sidney
September 12 – October 16, 2009
Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop: October 9
Ross Historical Center / Shelby County Historical Society
201 North Main Avenue
(937) 498-1653

Kidron
October 18 – November 18, 2009
Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop: November 10
Kidron-Sonnenberg Heritage Center
3153 Emerson Road
330-857-9111

Groveport
December 29, 2009 – January 29, 2010
Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop: January 12
Groveport Cultural Arts Center / Groveport Town Hall
648 Main Street
(614) 836-3333

Bremen
February 2 – March 2, 2010
Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop: February 15
Bremen Area Historical Society
161 Carter Street
(740) 569-4099

London (Ohio)
March 5 – April 5, 2010
Madison County Museum of the Madison County Historical Society
260 East High Street
(614) 852-2977

Bowling Green
April 8 – May 7, 2010
Wood County Historical Center
13660 County Home Road
419.352.0967

Trenton
May 11 – June 10, 2010
Historian’s Craft Brass Tacks Workshop: May 11
Chrisholm Historic Farmstead
2070 Woodsdale Road
(513) 726-5265

Lakeside
June 14 – July 11, 2010
The Lakeside Association
236 Walnut Avenue
(419) 798-4461 x239

The Ohio Humanities Council, with funding from the National Endowment for the Humanities , is pleased to help support The Historian's Craft: Understanding the Past through Primary and Secondary Sources.

New Marketing Opportunities to be Unveiled at Town Hall Meeting

2009-09-17T11:16:00.000-07:00

Team members of the Ohio Tourism Division, invites you to attend one of the town hall meetings around the state as we roll out our new 2009-2010 Partnership Opportunities. Please join us to hear the latest information about our marketing opportunities for Ohio’s Travel Industry in advertising, public relations, telemarketing and fulfillment, and more. This is a terrific opportunity to leverage your marketing resources with the Division as well as tell the world about Ohio and your destination, attraction, restaurant, hotel, festival, etc. This interactive session will be your chance to both learn and ask questions of our team.

So come on out and find out what’s new for the upcoming seasons.

September 21, 2009
9am -12noon
Hilton Columbus at Easton
3900 Chagrin Drive
Columbus, OH 43219

September 23, 2009
9am-12noon
National Underground Railroad Freedom Center
50 East Freedom Way
Cincinnati, OH 45202

September 29, 2009
1-4pm
Positively Cleveland Visitors Center
Ste 100
100 Public Square
Cleveland, OH 44111

October 1, 2009
1-4pm
Stuart's Opera House
46 Public Square
Nelsonville, OH 45764-1133

October 15, 2009
9am-12 noon
Lucas County Downtown Arena
500 Jefferson
Toledo, OH 43604

R.S.V.P.s to Joy Doty, Ohio Tourism Division at Joy.Doty@development.ohio.gov or (614) 466-5377.

Grantwriting and Volunteer Workshops at Dennison RR Depot Museum

2009-09-14T14:19:00.000-07:00

The Dennison Railroad Depot Museum presents a day of business-building workshops in October. Attend one or both workshops!

Comprehensive Grantwriting Strategies and
How to Engage the Community and Build Volunteer Support

When: Wednesday, October 14, 2009. Comprehensive Grantwriting Strategy from 8am to noon. How to Engage the Community and Build Volunteer Support from 1 to 5 p.m.

Where: Dennison Railroad Depot Museum 400 Center Street, Dennison, Ohio. Dennison is located where state routes 250, 800 and 36 meet. Take the Dennison Exit off of US Route 250, go south on Second Street to Center Street, turn left. For directions, go to: http://www.dennisondepot.org/

Cost: $150 per person for both sessions or $100 per person for one session. Includes workshop supplies and binder with all handouts. Morning session includes continental breakfast; afternoon session includes refreshments. Lunch is not included but is easily available in the Depot at Trax Diner.

EARLY BIRD SAVINGS: Register by October 5th and save $25.00!

Registration: Don’t delay! Workshops conducted in small groups and seating is limited to 25. To register and for questions, contact the Dennison Railroad Depot Museum at

740-922-6776 or toll-free: 1-877-278-8020, or
Email depot@tusco.net

Description: Comprehensive Grantwriting Workshop Take the mystery out of grant writing. In today’s economy, every dollar is important. Find out how to increase your budget through grants, corporate and private donations. This comprehensive grant writing workshop covers all details from A to Z. We will take you through the entire process in one morning, sharing with you proven tips that work. Learn how to make your grant proposal stand out and increase your odds at getting your proposal funded. In a difficult economy, there is greater competition for dollars. Invest in a competitive edge and earn positive results from potential funders by attending this workshop.

Topics of discussion include: project development, targeting donors, letters of support, supporting material, how to declare your intentions, matching dollars, how to develop measures of success, partnerships, grant appearance, networking, public feedback and more. There are many factors that need to be included to be successful in grantwriting!

Description: How to Engage the Community and Build Volunteer Support No organization can exist without the support of its community. But how do you get the community to become stakeholders, committing their time and energy to your efforts? How do you create a strong community backbone of support and network of communication? This workshop will guide you through this important process with helpful tips that can make your organization stronger. Volunteers of all age groups and all backgrounds are important to the success of your institution. Let us teach you how to create or improve your existing volunteer structure, and make the community a strong and valuable partner.

If you have ever found yourself without the volunteers you need or the community support you require to grow and improve, this workshop is for you!

Details about both workshops: Workshops are conducted in small groups allowing plenty of time for questions, discussions and feedback. Participants are strongly encouraged to bring their project ideas to this very hands-on workshop. Both workshops will be conducted by Executive Director Wendy Zucal. Zucal has been writing grants for over 20 years with great success, and has experience teaching a variety of grant writing and community development workshops. She is a graduate of Marietta College and Carnegie Mellon University, Leadership Tuscarawas and Dale Carnegie. She currently serves on the Tuscarawas County Community Improvement Corporation and the Twin City Chamber, formerly on the Tuscarawas County Convention and Visitors Bureau, and helped to create the Historic Center Street Association.

Ohio Historical Society Names Burt Logan Executive Director

2009-09-14T06:37:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Historical Society has new leadership. On Sept. 9, the Board of Trustees has appointed Burt Logan, currently president of the USS Constitution Museum in Boston, as its new executive director and CEO, effective Dec. 15, 2009.

“Burt Logan is the ideal person to lead the Ohio Historical Society into the future,” said OHS Board President Richard T. Prasse, who announced the appointment following the board meeting. “In these challenging times, his passion for helping people to understand and appreciate their history will guide us as the society approaches its 125th anniversary in 2010. The board is impressed by Burt’s national reputation, outstanding leadership abilities and strong management and fund-raising skills.”

Logan succeeds William K. Laidlaw Jr., who led the organization from 2003 until his death in August this year, and acting executive director Jim Strider, who will continue to serve as director of historic preservation and outreach services.

“Ohio’s heritage is about Ohioans, enriching their lives and uniting communities, and it is the mission of the Ohio Historical Society to help people create that better future,” Logan said. “It is one of the most important history organizations in the country and I am honored to have been chosen to serve all Ohioans.”

Logan, 55, has been the president of the USS Constitution Museum since 1995 where he supervises a staff of 50 and works with a 35-member board of trustees and a 100-member board of overseers. Under his leadership, he structured the museum’s $3-million budget to come from earned income and development efforts; he raised $15 million for capital and special projects; and he increased the museum’s net worth from $2.1 to $8.3 million. His efforts to revitalize the organization by accelerating its growth and outreach services were recognized by First Lady Laura Bush when he accepted the National Award for Museum Service and by the American Association of Museums Accreditation Commission.

In addition, he was the director of the Wisconsin Maritime Museum in Manitowoc, Wis., from 1986 to 1995, where he repositioned the museum as a statewide organization. From 1983 to 1986, he also was the director of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., where he managed the operations of a research library, museum and historic house.

Logan graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in West Point, N.Y., in 1976 and served as an Army officer until 1981. In 1983, he received his Masters of Arts in History Museum Studies from the Cooperstown Graduate Program. In 2005, he attended the Museum Leadership Institute at The Getty Center in Los Angeles, Calif.

Logan is married to Bonnie, a registered dietitian specializing in long-term care nutritional needs. They will be moving to the Columbus area. The couple has three adult sons: Mark, who works in the computer industry and lives in Los Gatos, Calif.; Garrett, who works in financial services and lives in Cambridge, Mass., and Sean, a senior majoring in horticulture at Oregon State University, in Corvallis, Ore.

“The Ohio Historical Society has been the beneficiary of great leadership for many years,” said Ford W. Bell, president of the American Association of Museums, a Washington, D.C.-based organization that serves all types of museums. “That tradition will continue under the stewardship of Burt Logan, as will the tradition of the Ohio Historical Society making Ohio’s rich history meaningful and accessible to Americans of all ages.”

Established in 1885, the Ohio Historical Society is a private, nonprofit organization that serves as the state’s partner in preserving and interpreting Ohio’s history, archaeology, natural history and historic architecture. It provides services in nearly every community in the state. Among its many programs, the Society:

Administers 58 historic sites and museums-the largest statewide network in the nation;

Collects, preserves and interprets millions of historic documents, photographs and objects;

Operates the state’s archives and a research library;

Conducts historic preservation activities;

Provides educational and collections resources online with more than 5 million visits each year to http://www.ohiohistory.org;/

Reaches more than 100,000 students in the state each year through its educational programs;

Presents public programs and special events throughout the year; and

Provides outreach services to local historical groups throughout Ohio.

A membership organization, the Ohio Historical Society is governed by a 21-member board of trustees, nine of which are appointed by the governor, nine are elected by the membership and three are selected by the board. By the end of 2009, it will have 184 full-time-equivalent staff members. State support in the current fiscal year amounted to $7.9 million of the $19 million operating budget.

Be on the Lookout--Artifacts Stolen from Monument in Hamilton

2009-08-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

OHS's Local History Office learned today of a break-in at the Soldiers, Sailors and Pioneers Monument in downtown Hamilton.

According to a story in the Hamilton Journal-News, stolen was an unknown amount of money and at least two Civil War era swords, two rifles and a model of a 1928 Thompson sub-machine gun, according to police records. The swords were later recovered in the bushes behind the monument.

The theft occurred sometime between August 1 - 5. If you have information about this crime, you are asked to call the Hamilton police public affairs office at (513) 868-5811, ext. 2007.

For the complete story, go to http://www.journal-news.com/news/crime/weapons-stolen-during-monument-break-in-244227.html. The image in this post is from that story and from a surveillance camera inside the monument.

In Memoriam, Dr. William K. Laidlaw, Jr., CEO, Ohio Historical Society

2009-08-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Historical Society's executive director and CEO, Dr. William K. Laidlaw, Jr., died Friday of an apparent heart attack while swimming in the ocean with his wife during a family vacation on Martha's Vineyard.

"It is with profound sadness that we learned of the passing of our friend and colleague, Bill Laidlaw," said Richard T. Prasse of Chagrin Falls, Ohio, chairman of the OHS Board of Trustees. "The entire Ohio Historical Society family mourns this tragic loss, and our deepest sympathies are with his family and friends during this difficult time."

His life is remembered and celebrated by: his wife, Donna; two children, Scott Laidlaw of Whately, Mass., and Christina Laidlaw Kimmel of Houston, Texas; three grandchildren; and a host of friends and colleagues throughout the state and country.

"Bill was wholeheartedly committed to the historical society's mission 'to help people connect with Ohio’s past in order to create a better future,'" Prasse said. “He was a good and decent man who inspired others by inviting new ideas and involvement in the organization. He guided the Ohio Historical Society through significant changes and tough economic times by laying the foundation for the Society’s reinvention as a stronger, more focused statewide history organization. We will miss Bill and his leadership, but will strive as an organization to build on his legacy.”

Dr. Laidlaw came to Ohio Historical Society in August 2003 as executive director and CEO after a career in higher education and nonprofit management. During his tenure at the Ohio Historical Society, he traveled extensively throughout the state advocating for the Society and the value of history, history education and historic preservation.

In addition to leading the Ohio Historical Society, Dr. Laidlaw was appointed by Gov. Ted Strickland in 2008 as the State Historic Preservation Officer. He also served as chairman of the Ohio Historical Records & Advisory Board and the Program Committee for the American Association of State & Local History 2007 annual meeting. He was a member of the Governor’s Residence Advisory Committee and the National Museum of Afro-American History and Culture Planning Council.

Dr. Laidlaw's family issued the following statement: Bill Laidlaw was profoundly devoted to family, professional colleagues and friends. His life was anchored in his love, compassion, and support for his wife of 44 years, their children and grandchildren. He was a loving mentor, counselor, helper, guide and friend. Bill cared deeply about his work at the Ohio Historical Society, and always measured success by his capacity to multiply through colleagues his own sense of professional integrity, commitment and loyalty. Bill often spoke of the inspiration and dedication of the Society’s board, staff, volunteers and many friends. He treasured the friends and neighbors, old and new, he and Donna shared.

At this time a memorial service is being planned by his family. Please click here if you wish to leave your condolences.

According to Prasse, Dr. Laidlaw had planned to retire at the end of the year, and the OHS board is conducting a nationwide search for a new executive director. "While Bill's untimely death is a terrible loss to the organization, we have a strong management team that Bill put into place and our board members, staff and volunteers are dedicated to continuing the mission and programs of the Ohio Historical Society."

Local historian and former OAHSM board member dies in accident

2009-08-04T13:26:00.000-07:00

OAHSM and OHS's Local History Office was sad to learn of the death of Barb McKeown. She died in a car crash Monday, August 3. Her husband Jack was injured, as was the driver and passenger in the other vehicle.

Barb was the former director of the Gnadenhutten Historical Society and was an OAHSM Trustee-at-Large from 2001—2005 and Region 4 representatives from 1995–1998.

For news about the accident and Barb, go to http://www.timesreporter.com/news/x1911311420/Head-on-crash-claims-Uh-ville-woman-3-treated.

Arrangements are pending and will be posted here as they become available.

Please keep her, Jack and their family in your thoughts and prayers. Barb was a great person and strong avocate for local history and all-volunteer local historical societies. She will be missed.

The Ohio Historical Society and the State Budget

2009-07-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Gov. Ted Strickland signed on Friday the $50.5 billion state budget for Fiscal Years 2010-11, which reduces state spending by $2 billion compared to the previous two-year state budget. The state’s economic misfortunes have been well publicized. The state received a whopping $2.32 billion less in tax revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30 in comparison to the previous year, an unprecedented 12 percent drop – the state’s worst performance in at least 50 years, according to the Ohio Department of Taxation. Coupled with state tax reductions enacted in 2005, the state’s dismal economy helped ensure this current two-year state budget would be the worst in generations.

Sure enough, the budget news is grim. The state budget signed on Friday makes an unprecedented disinvestment in history. The state reduced funding to the Ohio Historical Society from $13.5 million in Fiscal Year 2008 and $12 million in 2009 to $7.9 million in 2010 and 2011 – a whopping 42.5 percent reduction in just two years! In other words, Ohio is allocating a mere .69 cents per Ohioan to preserve its state history. That is the lowest allocation of state dollars to the Ohio Historical Society (in non-inflation adjusted dollars) since 1986. For more information about the Society’s recently announced budget cuts, click here.

Unfortunately, the bad budget news did not stop there. History supporters learned after budget passage that the Strickland Administration had removed the OHS income tax check-off provision from the state budget, despite bipartisan support from the House and Senate (House Bill 75 and Senate Bill 60). The Society had planned to use the voluntary contributions from the tax check-off for a competitive matching grants program for local history-related organizations. Additionally, standardized tests for 5^th and 8^th grade social studies were dropped (4^th and 7^th grade writing tests were also eliminated) as budget-cutting moves.

All of this begs the question: Does history in Ohio have a future?

We at the Ohio Historical Society are convinced that it does. The financial crisis has forced us to look hard at the way we do business. We have to work smarter than we ever have before. In the near future, we’ll be communicating how the Society is reconfiguring our programs and services to maximize our impact on history efforts throughout the state in an era of shrinking state support.

History in Ohio does have a future. However, whether that future will be one in which history thrives or merely survives depends largely on what you and I do in the present. “History is to the nation as memory is to the individual,” Ohio native Arthur M. Schlesinger, Jr. once wrote. Despite tremendous budget challenges, the importance of history and preservation will re-emerge in Ohio, but perhaps in non-budgetary ways. One of Ohio’s greatest strengths is its history – not only because of the stories and national impact – but because it is a powerful tool for facing the future and contributing enormously to the quality of life.

According to a recent survey of Ohioans by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center:

86% say that history and historic sites are important to them.
More than half say history is important to their career.
More than three-fourths say they think about the past when making important decisions.
Generally, Ohioans perceive that Ohio invests the same or less on history than neighboring states and that they are inclined to think that Ohio’s elected leaders should invest more.

Thank you for your budget advocacy efforts and choosing to be engaged citizens. Now is not the time to stop. The Ohio Historical Society would like to encourage you to stay engaged at the local and state levels and to participate in public forums this fall to further discuss the future of history in Ohio. Stay tuned for more details. In the meantime, please feel free to send us your questions or comments to me at govrelations@ohiohistory.org.

Celebrating Paper: The 25th Anniversary Ohio Preservation Council Symposium

2009-07-14T09:25:00.000-07:00

Celebrating Paper: The 25th Anniversary Ohio Preservation Council Symposium
The Msgr. Joseph Jessing Conference Center, Columbus, OH
September 17, 2009, 9:00AM-4:00PM

The Ohio Preservation Council is celebrating a quarter-century of protecting our shared heritage and you are invited to attend! Please join us for a day of informative presentations, demonstrations, and panel discussions on the history, art and preservation of books and paper. Keynote speaker Nicholas Basbanes is an internationally known author whose first book, A Gentle Madness: Bibliophiles, Bibliomanes and the Eternal Passion for Books, was a New York Times Notable Book of the Year that has sold more than 120,000 copies.

Online registration is available via the OPC website: http://opc.ohionet.org/symposiumregistrationinfo.html

The complete symposium program can be found here: http://www.ica-artconservation.org/education/OPCSymposium.pdf

A block of rooms has been reserved at the Days Inn & Suites in Worthington, OH. Additional information can be found here: http://opc.ohionet.org/symposiumregistrationinfo.html

Traveling exhibit available from Ohio Humanities Council & Museums on Main Street in 2011. Application deadline Dec. 1, 2009

2009-07-10T09:42:00.000-07:00

Starting in March, 2011, the Ohio Humanities Council will sponsor a 10-month tour of New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music, an exhibit from the Smithsonian Institution’s Museum on Main Street.

This exhibition was developed especially for small institutions and rural audiences that typically do not have access to traveling exhibits. OHC invites applications from historical societies and museums, libraries, or other institutions with the requisite resources for hosting New Harmonies.

New Harmonies: Celebrating American Roots Music is the story of people in a New World, places they have left behind, and ideas they have brought with them. It is the story of people who were already here, but whose world is remade. The distinct cultural identities of all of these people are carried in song -- both sacred and secular. Their music tracks the unique history of many peoples reshaping each other into one incredibly diverse and complex people -- Americans. Their music is the roots of American music, whether we call it the blues, country & western, folk, or gospel.

EXHIBIT DESIGN

The New Harmonies exhibit consists of lightweight, modular sections, which require 800 square feet of space and 7 1/2 foot ceilings. The exhibit travels in easy-to-handle wheeled crates and requires no tools for assembly.

The exhibition space must be clean and well lighted, but no specific environmental controls are needed. Only limited security is required, but personnel must be near the exhibit at all times it is open.

Host institutions and community partners will be expected to develop associated programs that expand on the themes presented in New Harmonies. Activities could include any or all of the following:

School design and essay contests
Oral history projects
Film and literary discussions
Guest lectures
Artifact collection and interpretation for an exhibit on the importance of roots music such as blues, country and western, ethnic, folk, and gospel music in the host community.

The Ohio Humanities Council partners with other institutions to create programs that will be available to most exhibit hosts.

EACH HOST INSTITUTION WILL RECEIVE:

Exhibit rental for approximately 4-6 weeks
An exhibition support manual wtih installation, public relations, and evaluation information
Promotional materials such as posters, brochures, banners, and a press kit
Workshops on program planning and exhibit installation
Consultation with OHC staff for project planning and implementation
Access to OHC’s mini-grant program

EACH HOST INSTITUTION WILL BE REQUIRED TO:

Pay a $1,000 cash fee to the Ohio Humanities Council to off set exhibit rental and shipping costs
Identify a staff member or volunteer who will attend all planning meetings and act as project director
Maintain and publicize regular exhibition hours (no less than 25 hours per week)
Conduct locally-based public programming during the exhibit’s stay

OHC will select host institutions based on factors such as geographic distribution, ability to provide public access to the exhibit, and interest in community programming. Luxurious facilities and previous experience with traveling exhibits or public humanities programming are NOT essential to a successful application.

Please contact Jack Shortlidge of the Ohio Humanities Council for an application. The application deadline is December 1, 2009. For more information , please contact Jack at 1-800-293-9774 or jacks@ohiohumanities.org.

To learn more about New Harmonies, go to

http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/newharmonies/index.htm http://www.museumonmainstreet.org/newharmonies/index.htm

Be on the lookout: Artifacts stolen from museum in Northwest Ohio

2009-07-10T06:56:00.000-07:00

OAHSM received word recently that artifacts were stolen from the MacDonell House of the Allen Co. Historical Society during the last full week of June. See below for details. Please be on the lookout for these items.

From: Allen County Museum & Historical Society
620 W. Market St., Lima, OH 45801
PH: 419-222-9426
FAX: 419-222-0649

Report of Stolen items - Please be on the look out

Two vintage beaded purses were stolen from the Victorian “MacDonell House”, owned and operated by the Allen County Historical Society, during the week of June 22, 2009.

Description of Purses:
1. Rectangular, (approximately 5 to 7 inches in width) hand-beaded purse with a large colorful peacock on the front and back. The beads were of normal size in colors of shimmering green, dark blue and gold with a touch of black. The latch and strap were tarnished gold or brass plated. The fringe was made to look like peacock tail feathers, in a “v” pattern. (ca. 1920s).

2. Rectangular beaded purse with a tarnished gold or brass plated latch and strap. The beads were very small gold with olive green patina design in an art deco pattern. A few strands of the bottom fringe were missing. (ca. 1930).

If you have any information about these items, please contact Patricia Smith, Museum Director, Allen County Museum at 419-222-9426.

Be extra careful in securing the collections of your organizations, too. Here’s a link to the Local History Notebook “Security for the Small Historical Organization,” published July / August 1996. It has good suggestions that organizations of any size can implement immediately.

http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/oahsm/notebook/julaug1996.html

Thanks for your help!

Buckeye Council for History Education Conference July 23-24th

2009-07-09T08:33:00.000-07:00

Come to the Ohio Historical Center to see the programming that OHS produces through its numerous partnerships!

The Buckeye Council for History Education invites you to attend our 2009 annual conference at the Ohio History Center in Columbus, Ohio on July 23-24, 2009. Our conference theme is Programs, Progress, and People: Innovation in History. It reflects next year's National History Day theme and a timely interest in the WPA and the New Deal as innovative programs.

Teacher Open House
All educators and their families are welcome to attend the Teacher Open House on July 23, 2009 from 10 AM to 5 PM at the Ohio Historical Center. Come learn about resources available to history educators in central Ohio. Admission is free.

Evening Reception and Dinner
Conference attendees are also invited to attend our opening reception and dinner, Thursday, July 23, 2009. Nick Taylor, author of American Made: The Enduring Legacy of the WPA, will speak on " The WPA and Ohio: Some High (And Not So High) Lights."
Please register if you plan to attend.

Conference Sessions and Luncheon
The conference will be held at the Ohio Historical Center and will run from 8:30 AM to 3:30 PM on Friday, July 24, 2009. Sessions will be led by academic and public historians, top educators from the state of Ohio and professional archivists and curators. Lunch will be provided. See the detailed schedule at www.gatewaytohistory.org/bche

Our keynote speaker at this year's conference luncheon will be Timothy Messer-Kruse, Historian, Professor and Chair of the Department of Ethnic Studies, Bowling Green State University, and author of Banksters, Bosses, and Smart Money: A Social History of the Great Toledo Bank Crash of 1931.

Conference registration is free with a Buckeye Council for History Education membership. If you are not yet a member of the Buckeye Council for History Education, please click here to purchase a membership. When you have purchased a membership, please return to this page to register for the conference.

Questions/Concerns? Contact us at bche@ohiohistory.org

Join us in telling the Ohio General Assembly that History Matters!

2009-07-01T13:23:00.000-07:00

The House Finance & Appropriations Committee Chairman Rep. Vernon Sykes (D-Akron) has set public hearings on the "impact of potential Senate budget decisions" in Statehouse Room 313 at the following times:

Thursday, July 2 @ 3 pm
Monday, July 6 @ 10 am
Tuesday, July 7 @ 2 pm

We need your voice! Don’t let Ohio History die! Please join us and other history supporters at the Statehouse and let the General Assembly know that HISTORY MATTERS!

You don’t have to speak at the hearings, but we need you to demonstrate your support by filling the hearing room and halls.

The best days to attend are Monday and Tuesday.

If you are able to attend the event please let us know by emailing govrelations@ohiohistory.org. Rep. Sykes' office will alert OHS when new information is available, or if changes occur to the schedule, etc. We will alert those that plan to attend via email as soon as possible.

If you have any questions, please contact OHS’ government relations office at govrelations@ohiohistory.org.

Thank you.

Speaking Points:

Ohio’s history is a clean and constantly renewable natural resource that, with proper stewardship, will not be depleted. Authentic local history cannot be outsourced.

The Ohio Historical Society reflects our state’s abundance of history that tells a quintessential American story as comprehensive as the American experience itself. The Ohio Historical Society offers not one, but multiple, points of access to Ohio’s history. It is the state’s museum curator, state archivist, historic preservationist, history interpreter, educator and its collective memory.

The historic sites of the Ohio Historical Society reflect the geographic and topical diversity typical of Ohio. The Society helps maintain and provide access to prehistoric monuments, battle forts, sites dedicated to early transportation, places that highlight nature, technology and even space exploration. As the state’s primary portal to Ohio history, the Ohio Historical Society works to reveal the distinctive character of the first truly American state and its people.

Connecting with history clearly allows people to connect with feelings of civic pride and responsibility, according to Exploring the Public Value of Ohio’s History, a February 2009 report by the University of Toledo’s Urban Affairs Center. There is a clear tie between those who say that history is important and civic participation – they are 23 percent more likely to do things like vote, join community organizations and find other avenues for civic engagement – than those who say they do not think history is important.

Ohio is home to 42,350 irreplaceable archaeological sites and more than 92,000 historic properties that have been recorded.

The historic cities, neighborhoods, buildings and farms in Ohio help tell a national story with an abundance of special places with a diverse blend of cultural influences. This is reflected in Ohio having the third-highest number of National Register of Historic Places listings in the country (nearly 3,700).

Ohio means family and friends. Our state has been among the most-populated for more than 150 years. It is also near the top among states with the most native-born residents still residing in Ohio. History well remembers the accomplishments of many notable Ohioans such as Ulysses S. Grant, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Wilbur and Orville Wright, Annie Oakley, Roy Rogers, Clark Gable, Bob Evans and Neil Armstrong.

OAHSM Awards Deadline Extended to August 1

2009-07-01T06:13:00.000-07:00

The Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums (OAHSM) wants to recognize your historical society's outstanding projects or outstanding people. Nominate them for OAHSM Outstanding Achievement Awards. OAHSM's board extended the he deadline for Outstanding Achievement Award nominations to August 1 (It was July 1).

For a nomination form and award nomination guidelines, please email oahsm@ohiohistory.org The guidelines are also printed below:

General Rules

All nominations must pertain to Ohio state, regional, or local history.
Any person or project nominated is eligible for the program; however, the nominator (person or group) must be a member of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums. To join, go to http://www.ohiohistory.org/resource/oahsm/members.html.
Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums members may nominate their own projects.
Submitted materials become the property of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums unless return is requested and a self-addressed stamped envelope is provided.
Nominations may be described or reviewed in the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums newsletter, The Local Historian, without specific permission.
Each nomination must be presented in a three-ring binder indexed into sections titled: Nomination Form, Description of Project, Budget, Letters of Support, and Publicity.

Deadline -- extended to August 1, 2009
The nomination form and necessary supporting materials must reach the Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office no later than August 1, 2009. The mailing address is:

OAHSM Achievement Awards
c/o Local History Office
Ohio Historical Society
1982 Velma Ave.
Columbus, OH 43211

The Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums does not assume responsibility for nominations lost or delayed in transit.

Process
Soon after the deadline, a group of reviewers will evaluate the nominations. It is anticipated that the review will be completed by August and award recipients announced by the end of the month. The awards will be presented at the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums Awards program, which will be held in Columbus on Saturday, October 3, 2009. The recipients or their representatives should attend to accept the award. Adisplay of award projects will be set up at the program.

Outstanding Achievement Awards Categories
Awards are presented in two categories: Individual Achievement and History Outreach.

Individual Achievement Awards recognize people who have made outstanding contributions to Ohio’s historical societies or history museums or to the understanding and appreciation of state or local history.

Individual Achievement Nominees must meet the following criteria:

Be involved in a historical society, museum, or related organization for at least five years.

Demonstrate activity and excellence in more than one area of the organization’s operations.

If involved in teaching, demonstrate creativity in teaching methods and expertise in local and state history.

Support Material for Individual Achievement Nominees

Nominations must be accompanied by letters of recommendation for the award, and, for publicity purposes, one or more color or black-and-white photographs.

Support material is very important. The review panel needs news clippings, activity information, lesson plans, publicity, and other material to help them gain a clear picture of the nominee’s contributions to local history, historical organizations, or teaching.

History Outreach Awards History Outreach Awards recognize outstanding projects, including public programs, exhibits, and media and publications, that have educational content, have contributed to promotion and understanding of local and state history, and have had an impact on the community. At least one History Outreach Award will be given to an organization with a budget above $25,000 and one to an organization with a budget below $25,000.

Nominations will be accepted for projects in the following categories:

Public Programming These include school programs, audio-visual programs, workshops, tours, and lectures. Programs will be judged on the basis of historical/educational value and on their technical aspects. Adescription and visual evidence of the program should be provided.

Media and Publications This is a broad category that includes local and regional history publications in the form of books or journals, brochures, websites, newsletters, fundraising material, calendars, and posters. Nominations must demonstrate that the publication accomplished its goal, reached its intended audience, and/or promoted a greater interest in history. Style, creativity, and content will be considered.

Exhibits/Displays Exhibits will be judged on the basis of historical significance, accuracy, aesthetics, organization, and understandable narrative. Please include a physical description of the exhibit, a brief excerpt from the exhibit script, and sample labels.

Support Material for History Outreach Awards. For all projects nominated for History Outreach Awards, please include:

Detailed budget with itemized expenses. These costs may include, but are not limited to, salaries, in-kind expenses (outside institution or individual volunteer costs), postage, supplies, printing, construction costs, equipment, refreshments, transportation, and rentals. Nominations will not be considered without a budget.

Copies of publicity: press releases, articles, and photographs of the project and public who
participated in the event.

Letters of support from people who thought that the project provided a real service to the
community.

Brief narrative about the people involved in creating or implementing the project.

Assistance
Have questions about the awards program or need assistance in preparing a nomination? Contact:
Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums
c/o Ohio Historical Society
Local History Office
1982 Velma Avenue
Columbus, Ohio 43211-2497
ph: 1-800-858-6878 / 614-297-2330
fx: 614-297-2233
oahsm@ohiohistory.org

About OAHSM & the Outstanding Achievement Awards program
OAHSM is composed of local historical societies, historic preservation groups, history museums, archives, libraries, and genealogical societies throughout the state involved in collecting, preserving, and interpreting Ohio’s history.

Since 1960, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums (OAHSM), in partnership withthe Ohio Historical Society, has led the state in recognizing excellent projects, programs, and publications produced by Ohio’s historical societies, museums, and related organizations and the individuals who make them happen.

Don't let History Repeat Itself!

2009-06-25T08:09:00.000-07:00

Governor Strickland's latest budget proposal takes OHS back to 1986 funding levels.

What can you do?

What can you do to save Ohio history? Contact your state legislators and tell them to stop cutting what makes Ohio special – our shared history. Help generate awareness by sharing this with your friends and family. Find out more by going online to www.ohiohistory.org.

Save Your Ohio History!

2009-06-23T13:09:00.000-07:00

Following years of state disinvestment in history and preservation, the Ohio Senate and Gov. Strickland have proposed drastic budget cuts for the Ohio Historical Society.

Under the latest proposal from Gov. Strickland, the Society’s state budget could be reduced to as little as $7.5 million, down 45 percent from the $13.8 million just two years ago. This would represent the lowest allocation of state funding for the Society since 1986! This is not history that we want to repeat.

Every area of the Ohio Historical Society is threatened:

Successful statewide outreach initiatives such as the Society’s Local History Office and partnership with OAHSM, coordination of the Civil War 150 anniversary, Ohio Historical Markers, National History Day in Ohio, and teacher training are in jeopardy.
Dramatic cuts to the state’s 58 historic sites in every region of Ohio – funds necessary to maintain summer access and provide basic support for local site managers.
The Ohio Historic Preservation Office’s ability to obtain federal dollars and meet review deadlines would be affected, potentially impacting the state’s economic development.
The programs at the National Afro-American Museum & Cultural Center in Wilberforce would be endangered.
Programs and services at the Ohio Historical Center would be greatly diminished.

These funding cuts can be restored, but only with your help. Grab your bullhorn, telephone, or whatever you can and contact Gov. Strickland (614-466-3555) and your state legislators today and tell them to restore funding to the Ohio Historical Society.

Tomorrow may be too late, so please TAKE ACTION NOW!

An e-mail or letter is good, a phone call is better. A personal visit is best. For more details, please contact Todd Kleismit, OHS Director of Government Relations, at (614) 297-2355 or at tkleismit@ohiohistory.org.

Thanks!

Does History Matter?

2009-06-20T06:33:00.000-07:00

What can you do to save Ohio history?

Contact your state legislators and tell them to stop cutting what makes Ohio special – our shared history. Help generate awareness by sharing this with your friends and family. Find out more by going online at saveohiohistory.wordpress.com or www.ohiohistory.org.

Deadline July 1 for OAHSM Outstanding Achievement Award Nominations

2009-06-17T11:20:00.000-07:00

OAHSM is looking for exemplary people and projects for 2009 Outstanding Achievement Awards.

Is there an outstanding local historian or local history project in your community? Has your organization recently completed an effort of which you are especially proud? Recognize exceptional people and outstanding organizations that have furthered the cause of local history in your community: nominate them for the 2009 OAHSM Outstanding Achievement Awards!

Presented since 1960, the awards recognize the work of local historians and local historical societies, museums, and related organizations in Ohio. Nominations are due July 1.

For a nomination form, email oahsm@ohiohistory.org or call OHS’s Local History Office at 1-800-858-6878.

Auglaize County Public District Library to host Lincoln Exhibit

2009-06-16T07:00:00.000-07:00

The National Endowment for the Humanities has announced that the Auglaize County Public District Library has been selected to participate in the upcoming tour of the traveling exhibit “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War.” The library is one of only 25 libraries in the country awarded the privilege.

The exhibit will travel from August 2009 through 2013; Auglaize County is scheduled as a tour stop in 2013. Other institutions hosting the exhibit include Eastern Michigan University, the Nebraska State Library, Denver Public Library, University of Florida, Texas A& M, and Virginia Tech.

States M. Jo Derryberry, director of the Auglaize County Public District Library system, “We are thrilled to be one of the 25 libraries selected nationwide for an exhibit of this intellectual and historical significance. Also, considering we are one of only two Ohio locations, it is even more of an honor. We’re looking forward to hosting the Lincoln exhibit and the additional affiliated events during its visit in Auglaize County.”

Using the Constitution as the cohesive thread, the 1000-square-foot panel exhibition offers a perspective on Abraham Lincoln that focuses on his struggle to meet the political and constitutional challenges of the Civil War. The exhibition explores how Lincoln used the Constitution to confront three intertwined crises of the war—the secession of Southern states, slavery, and wartime civil liberties. Reproductions of significant documents signed by Lincoln, including the Emancipation Proclamation, the Thirteenth Amendment, and the Order to Blockade the Southern Ports—the official start of the Civil War—are included in the exhibition. “Lincoln: The Constitution and the Civil War” has been developed by the National Constitution Center and the American Library Association, with the support of the NEH.

The award also includes a $2500 grant to organize and present accompanying public humanities programming, including speakers, discussions, and exhibits of local artifacts that highlight Auglaize County's role in the Civil War. Local programming partners include the Auglaize County Historical Society, the Civil War Roundtable, and WBGU Television. The grant funds a trip to Philadelphia for ACPDL assistant director and project director Diana Schneider as part of exhibit orientation.

The exhibit will appear in Auglaize County during the midst of the state's Civil War Sesquicentennial commemoration. Jackie Barton, Coordinator of the Ohio Civil War 150, states, “It is a testament to Ohio’s importance in the nation’s nineteenth century history and to the vision of the Auglaize County Public District Library that the NEH chose this site. As a result of the library’s success, Ohioans across the state will have the opportunity to learn more about the Civil War and President Lincoln during the anniversary of the war itself. I can’t wait to see it myself.”

Does History Matter?

2009-06-15T06:28:00.000-07:00

Call you state representative and senator today and tell them that HISTORY MATTERS!

For more information and to find your state legislators visit the Legislative Action section of the Ohio Historical Society's website by clicking here.

See what you missed at the RALLY FOR HISTORY!

2009-06-12T07:25:00.000-07:00

Visit www.saveohiohistory.org to see how you can help.

200+ Attend Rally for History at the Ohio Historical Center

2009-06-11T11:11:00.000-07:00

Over two hundred local historians, teachers, students, faculty, and citizens attended the Rally for History today at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus. The event was staged to raise awareness about the effects the Ohio Senate's budget cuts will have on the State's history services if enacted.

Last week the Senate passed a budget that

removed $703,000 for Outreach Services, Line 509 (which includes the Local History Office, the Ohio Historical Markers program, the Civil WarSesqucentennial, National History Day in Ohio, and teacher professional development programs) and $750,000 for Historic Site opperations, Line 502.

If these cuts take place OHS will loose:

its ability to help over 800 local historical societies in almost every community in Ohio;
it will not be able to continue erecting new and maintaining existing historical markers (currently there are nearly 1,300 across Ohio);
it will end National History Day in Ohio (over 8,000 students participate statewide); and
it will end it's professional development programs for social studies teachers (currently providing free professional development for nearly 500 Ohio teachers in 73 counties).

Not only do these program reach across the state, they

also generate almost $1.5 million in federal and private support through grants, donations and fees-for-service. That's a 2:1 return on the State's investment...you can't find that in too many places today.

If you were not able to attend the rally today you can still help by signing this form and sending it to your state representative and senator (to find your legislators' contact info click here). You can also write a letter to your local newspaper (see previous posts for suggested language).

Images from the Cleveland Flash Mob

2009-06-11T06:35:00.000-07:00

On Wednesday, in order to draw attention to cuts made to the Ohio Historical Society's budget by the Ohio Senate, groups converged on Cleveland at the Soldiers and Sailors Monument in Public Square.

A Rally for History will be held today at the Ohio Historical Center in Columbus.

For more information about OHS funding cuts and events happening around the state visit www.saveohiohistory.org.

RALLY FOR HISTORY TOMORROW!

2009-06-10T10:15:00.000-07:00

Join us tomorrow, June 11 from noon – 1 p.m. to Rally for History! at the Ohio HistoricalCenter, located at I-71 and 17^th Avenue in Columbus.

The Ohio Senate voted last week to approve the next two-year state budget, which includes significant budget cuts that would reduce the state’s investment in the Ohio Historical Society to the lowest level since 1994. Now the budget goes to a conference committee made up of a small number of House and Senate members as well as Strickland Administration officials.

It’s time to Rally For History!

Rain or shine.
Speakers include Sen. Mark Wagoner (Ottawa Hills) and others.
Following the rally shuttle transportation to the Statehouse will be provided until 3:00 PM.
FREE parking and admission to the Ohio Historical Center for participating in the rally.

Can't make the rally but still want to help? Here's what you can do:

EMAIL and CALL:

If you have already called and emailed your State Senator, call and email your State Representative. You can also call, write and email Governor Strickland to show your support of restoring funding to the Ohio Historical Society in budget line 509! If you'd like to contact all three at once, use our Legislative Action page: http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory/home/

MOURN A HISTORICAL MARKER:

Show the public and the state that Ohioans do not want to watch their history die. State funding for things like the Ohio Historical Society is VITAL to a vibrant culture and we want our legislators to put the funding back where it belongs. In order to make as public a statement as possible we are calling on local historians across the state to show your support for OHS's Outreach Services by mourning a Ohio Historical Marker!

Click play on the video below to see how you can help.

Only mourn markers located on public property, and make sure to remove the mourning materials by Saturday, June 13. To find Ohio Historical Markers close to you visit Remarkable Ohio.

Support OHS Outreach Services by Writing Letters to Your Local Newspaper!

2009-06-08T14:36:00.000-07:00

Ohio Legislators monitor local newspapers, especially the editorial and opinion sections. These sections help legislators to know what their constituents are concerned about.

You can help advocate for OHS' Outreach Services by writing to your local newspaper and expressing how much our services mean to you and your community. While the paper may not print every letter, it will monitor the number of letters it receives about a particular topic. The more letters received, the greater the likelihood that an issue will be printed, will be placed in a prominent locationon the page, and will attract additional news coverage.

We encourage you to write a letter that expresses your individual thoughts, experiences, and value of OHS' outreach services. If you need help getting started we've written several sentences that you can use, modify, and (e)mail.

On June 3, 2009, the Ohio Senate passed its version of the state budget bill, which included cutting the Ohio Historical Society's Outreach Services programs from $703,638 to $0 and its Site Operations line by $750,000.
The State should restore all $703,638 in funding for Outreach and Partnerships line item (Line 509 in the Society’s state budget) and add back the $750,000 to its Site Operations program (Line 502). That funding is critical to the Society’s ability to serve teachers, students, local history organizations and Ohio communities, and it helps preserve and provide access to some of the world’s most important historic sites.
Line 509 does not support new programs. The Outreach and Partnerships funding supports very effective longtime programs such as teacher training for social studies teachers, the state’s National History Day program, the Local History Office that works closely with hundreds of local history organizations, the Ohio Historical Markers program and coordination of the state’s Civil War Sesquicentennial initiative (a responsibility that was recently assigned to the Society via a directive from Governor Strickland). OHS cannot be an effective statewide history organization without these extremely important components.
The Ohio Historical Society uses the $703,638 in state funding under this line item and creates $1.5 million in additional funding from fees-for-service and private and federal grants and donations. Cutting this funding will eliminate OHS’ ability to serve the statewide history community in an effective and economically efficient approach.
Line 502 supports the Society’s programs to preserve and provide access to historic sites throughout Ohio. Several of these sites are currently among the ten sites being nominated by the United States to UNESCO’s World Heritage site list. These sites help make history come alive to people young and old alike. The State needs to increase funding for this important program by at least $750,000.
I recognize the difficulty our legislators face in achieving a balanced budget. The Ohio Historical Society has been absorbing a disproportionate amount of state cuts in recent years. I urge everyone to write their legislators and tell them to do what’s best for Ohio by restoring this important funding.

As always, if you have questions feel free to contact the Local History Office at oahsm@ohiohistory.org, 1-800-858-6878, or Todd Kleismit, Director of Government Relations at tkleismit@ohiohistory.org, 614-297-2355.

Mourning History: This Tuesday through Saturday

2009-06-06T08:32:00.000-07:00

We want the public and the state to know that Ohioans do not want to watch their history die. State funding for things like the Ohio Historical Society if VITAL to a vibrant culture and we want our legislators to put the funding back where it belongs.

In order to make as public a statement as possible we are calling on local historians across the state to show your support for OHS's Outreach Services by mourning a Ohio Historical Marker!

Click play on the video below to see how you can help.

Flash Mobbing for History! Come one, come all!

2009-06-06T08:22:00.000-07:00

We want the public and the state to know that Ohioans do not want to watch their history die. State funding for things like the Ohio Historical Society if VITAL to a vibrant culture and we want our legislators to put the funding back where it belongs.

We'll be staging flash mobs in three locations this week. (Click here to find out what a flash mob is)

We'll be in Toledo and Cincinnati on Tuesday, June 9, and in Cleveland on Wednesday, June 10.

Here's what we'll do.

Toledo: Arrive at Levis Commons next to the fountain Tuesday at Noon. We will call for a freeze. Several people will lay on the ground while others hold signs reading "Don't let Ohio History Die", "Save our history", etc. The flash mob will end by 12:10.

Cincinnati: Arrive at Fountain Square Tuesday at Noon. Set cell phone alarm for 12:15 pm. When your alarm goes off, let it beep and drop dead. Sidewalk, bench, wherever. There will be people in black holding up signs “SAVE OHIO HISTORY.” At 12:20, someone with a bullhorn will speak. At this point, resume normal activities. Feel free to bring a prop (book, lunch, etc) so that you blend in with the crowd before the flash.

Cleveland: Arrive at Public Square Wednesday at Noon. Set cell phone alarm for 12:15 pm. When your alarm goes off, let it beep and drop dead. Sidewalk, bench, wherever. There will be people in black holding up signs “SAVE OHIO HISTORY.” At 12:20, someone with a bullhorn will speak. At this point, resume normal activities. Feel free to bring a prop (book, lunch, etc) so that you blend in with the crowd before the flash.

Please note that property owners have been contacted and have given permission to conduct these activities on private property.

Mark Your Calendars To RALLY FOR HISTORY!

2009-06-04T13:53:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone who has shown their support of the Ohio Historical Society’s Outreach and Field Services by contacting your State Senators about funding.

STATUS

Here's the situation, the Senate voted on the budget yesterday without restoring on funding BUT our contact with state Senators and Representatives shows that our message is being heard!

Next the budget will go into conference committee where members from the House, Senate and the Governor's office will reconcile differences in the budget. HERE is where our funding has the best chance of being restored.

So, what can you do now?

RALLY FOR HISTORY

Please mark your calendars for Thursday, June 11 from noon – 1 p.m. to Rally for History! at the Ohio Historical Center, located at I-71 and 17^th Avenue in Columbus.

The Ohio Senate voted yesterday to approve the next two-year state budget, which includes significant budget cuts that would reduce the state’s investment in the Ohio Historical Society to the lowest level since 1994. Now the budget goes to a conference committee made up of a small number of House and Senate members as well as Strickland Administration officials.

There is still time to make an impact and help restore funding for historic sites and the Society’s Outreach programs that affect students, teachers, local history organizations and Ohio communities. It’s time to Rally For History! Please join us on Thursday, June 11. FREE parking and admission to the Ohio Historical Center for participating in the rally. More details coming very soon…

EMAIL and CALL:

UPDATE: Restore State Funding to Ohio Historical Society

2009-06-04T07:50:00.000-07:00

We have good news and bad news--and we still need your help.

The bad news:
Line 509 in the Ohio Historical Society’s budget was not restored in the Senate version of the budget bill. Line 509 funds the Local History Office, Ohio Historical Markers, the Civil War 150th, National History Day, and teacher training programs.

The good news:
Our state Senators and Representative are hearing our message! We've had some encouraging communications that we can get the funding back (at least partially) in conference. After a budget is passed by the House and Senate, it goes to a conference committee to settle differences. This includes players from the House, Senate and Governor's office.

A reminder:
Line 509 is not new funding. Rather, it’s funding from other parts of OHS’s budget (used to fund Local History and outreach programs in the past) and placed under the heading “Outreach and Programs,” as requested by the legislature and state budget office.

What's next?
We will continue to communicate next steps in the coming days. In the meantime, if you haven't done so, write your State Representative, Senator and Governor Strickland. OHS’s Legislative Action page makes it very easy:

Go to: http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory
Identify your state representative and senator
Click “Take Action”
Type in your name, address, etc.
Change the message or leave it as is
Sign your name
SEND

Thanks!--and stay tuned for updates.

URGENT: Senate May END FUNDING for OHS Local History and Education

2009-06-01T13:07:00.000-07:00

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR IMMEDIATELY! Senate action removes funding for local history, other educational activities.

On Friday, May 29 the Ohio Senate made big budget cuts that once again targeted the Ohio Historical Society. More than $700,000 was eliminated from the Society's budget that serves teachers, students, local history organizations and Ohio communities. The Senate changes reduced the Society's Outreach and Partnerships line item (Line 509 in the Society's state budget) from $703,638 to $0.

The Local History Office and OAHSM partnership that serves 400 plus local history organizations and thousands of Ohioans - Zeroed out!
Coordination of the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011-2015) initiative - Zeroed out!
National History Day in Ohio (national program that originated in Ohio) - Zeroed out!
Teacher training and educational programs that leverage federal funding - Zeroed out!
Ohio Historical Markers program - Zeroed out!

Here is a link to the OHS Legislative Update website that will provide you with all the information you need to communicate with your Senator (as well as the Governor and your state representative): http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory/home/ (After landing on this page, click on the Take Action button or scroll down for information on how to contact your legislator.)

PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE SENATOR TODAY!

At a minimum, please email and phone your State Senator immediately. If you have time, consider visiting your state senator’s local district office as this would have the biggest impact. The offices count the number of email and phone communications they receive on an issue. If we act together, we can make sure that funding for these important activities is restored. Please forward this email on to friends, colleagues or anyone else that would be willing to help us to protect community-based history programs in Ohio.

We at OHS will be working hard to communicate directly with the members of the Senate Finance Committee and others to change this action, but they also need to hear loud and clear from their constituents. If you’d like more information on this, please feel free to contact Todd Kleismit, our Government Relations Director at (614) 297-2355; tkleismit@ohiohistory.org.

History outreach and education zeroed out in state budget. Please help today! Visit http://tinyurl.com/l7efor to take action.

The Local History Office & OAHSM partnership that serves 400 plus local history organizations and thousands of Ohioans - Zeroed out! Contact your legislator now: http://tinyurl.com/l7efor

Coordination of the Civil War Sesquicentennial (2011-2015) initiative - Zeroed out! Contact your legislator now: http://tinyurl.com/l7efor

National History Day in Ohio (national program that originated in Ohio) - Zeroed out! Contact your legislator now: http://tinyurl.com/l7efor

Teacher training and educational programs that leverage federal funding - Zeroed out! Contact your legislator now: http://tinyurl.com/l7efor

Ohio Historical Markers program - Zeroed out! Contact your legislator now: http://tinyurl.com/l7efor

Writing for Clarity Brass Tacks Workshop

2009-05-27T15:38:00.000-07:00

June 26, 2009, 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.
Oberlin Depot, Oberlin, Ohio

Historical and cultural organizations have more avenues than ever to communicate with their audiences. Each medium requires a different style of communication and demands particular standards of etiquette. Keeping current can be overwhelming, let alone understanding the most appropriate way to communicate your organization’s message.

To help, the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums and Ohio Historical Society are pleased to present Writing for Clarity, a Brass Tacks Workshop for volunteer and paid staff at local historical societies, historic preservation groups, history museums, archives, libraries, and genealogical societies.

Four types of writing that local historians are routinely called upon to do will be addressed:

Writing effective press releases and newspaper articles;

Writing compelling copy for the web, blogs, and other electronic media;

Writing local history for general audiences; and

Writing informative, concise exhibit labels.

The workshop will teach you how to sharpen your writing and communication skills and you will learn how to engage readers and spark action.

Instructors include Professor David Mould of the Scripps College of Communication at Ohio University, Kelli Kling, Marketing, PR & Events Coordinator for the Wood County Historical Society & Museum, author Steve Paschen of the Kent State University Archives, and Bill Mahon of Ohio Historical Society’s Design Department.

A registration fee of $25 includes all workshop materials plus a continental breakfast and lunch. Space is limited. Registration deadline is June 22.

For a registration form, which you can print and return to OAHSM with the registration fee, click here. (Acrobat PDF will load in a new browser window and requires Adobe Acrobat ® Reader). To register online, click here.

Questions? Contact the Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office at 1-800-858-6878 or e-mail oahsm@ohiohistory.org.

The Writing for Clarity Brass Tacks Workshop is a cooperative effort of the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums and the Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office. Writing for Clarity if made possible in part with funding from the Ohio Humanities Council, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

NHPRC Grants!

2009-05-22T12:13:00.000-07:00

The following grant opportunities are available at the National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) website:

Digitizing Historical Records: Final Deadline: June 5, 2009
Electronic Records Projects: Final Deadline: June 5, 2009
Professional Development Grants for Archives and Historical Publishing: Two annual competitions:
Final Deadline: June 5, 2009
Final Deadline: October 5, 2009
Publishing Historical Records: Two annual competitions:
Colonial and Early National Period Final Deadline: June 5, 2009
New Republic through the Modern Era Final Deadline: October 5, 2009
Publication Subventions: Next Deadline: September 4, 2009

Preserving the American Historical Record (PAHR) Act has been reintroduced in Congress!

2009-05-14T08:47:00.000-07:00

The Preserving the American Historical Record (PAHR) Act has been reintroduced in Congress!

Representatives Maurice Hinchey (D-NY-22) and John McHugh (R-NY-23) reintroduced the PAHR bill (HR 2256) in the House of Representatives on May 5, 2009. The bill would provide $50 million in funding to states based on a formula that takes into account population and geographic size. If funded at the $50 million level, PAHR would allow the State Archives, part of the Ohio Historical Society, to provide grant funding of more than $1.65 million annually to Ohio's local recordkeeping institutions.

Ohio representatives Wilson, Ryan, Sutton, Fudge, Boccieri, and Kucinich have expressed interest in support for the bill.

You can help secure funding for Ohio’s historical records by contacting your representative. To easily find and contact your representative, the Ohio Historical Society has set up a website for your convenience. Go to http://capwiz.com/ohiohistory/home/ to find your representative and send them a message stating your support for PAHR.

ICOM and WFFM launch International Museum Day 2009: “Museums and Tourism”

2009-05-12T13:18:00.000-07:00

On May 18, 2009, thousands of museums on all continents will be celebrating ethical, responsible, and sustainable tourism by showing how heritage can bring tourists and local communities together in new, mutually beneficial relationships.

This year's theme, "Museums and Tourism" asks how museums can foster a new relationship between visitors and the local communities which rarely have a chance to meet to promote sustainable development.

Alissandra Cummins, President of the International Council of Museums (ICOM), suggests:

“It’s the heritage connection. Heritage is our shared identity-as humanity, as community. It’s whatever people like to think about themselves, whatever they believe in and however they choose to express it. “Museums & Tourism” encourages museum professionals and volunteers to work together with visitors and tourists, creating interactions with local communities in order to experience heritage both inside and outside of the museum walls.”

All this month museums will host contests, workshops, conferences, performances, stay open day and night, and devise new virtual or real tours where itineraries lead to and from museums and local sights. As opposed to the standard tour, these activities are embracing awareness-raising, educational, thematic, historical or chronological tours, with spice and passion, based on collections and sharing expertise. Inspired by World Heritage tours and high-end museum travel, the aim is to bring deeper mutual understanding drawing knowledge from heritage experienced together.

Click here to see an international sampling of museums celebrating International Museum Day. For a bibliography on tourism as it relates to the museum field, click here. Finally, the official International Museum Day poster, click here.

ICOM created International Museum Day in 1977 to encourage awareness about the role of museums in the development of society.

Recap: OAHSM Region 2 Meeting, North Fairfield Historical Association, May 2, 2009

2009-05-07T08:29:00.000-07:00

The North Fairfield Historical Association hosted the Ohio Association of Historical Societies & Museums meeting in Region 2 on May 2, 2009. The meeting was held at the North Fairfield United Methodist Church.

25 people representing 11 local historical organizations attended the meeting. They were welcomed by Ann Basilone-Jones, OAHSM Region 2 representative and director of the Milan Historical Museum, Ruth Earl of the North Fairfield Historical Association, Cheryl Pfanner, the mayor of North Fairfield, and Melissa James, the director of the Norwalk Area – Huron County Chamber of Commerce.

Kathleen Addlesperger of the Richland County Museum and OAHSM Region 2 representative conducted the business meeting, during which Ann Basilone-Jones was elected to her first full term as a Region 2 representative. Ann will replace Kathleen on the board as of January 2010.

Maggie Marconi of the Sandusky Library/ Follett House Museum and an OAHSM Trustee-at-Large gave the report on the association’s activities in the past year and urged members to stay involved by maintaining their memberships to OAHSM.

Andy Verhoff gave the Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office report.

Both Maggie and Andy urged attendees to write to their legislators in support of the proposed tax check off program, which would create a grant program for local historical organizations in the state.

Following a short break, the meeting convened in the sanctuary of the church for the panel session “Being a Part of the Community: Putting Fun into Our History.” Panelists were Ann Basilone-Jones, Veronica Vanden Bout, the director of the Merry-Go-Round Museum and Ruth Earl. Each described how their institutions are engaged in their communities.

Ann noted that the Milan Historical Museum created a strategic plan, facilitated by OHS’s Local History Office. The plan points the museum in the direction of becoming more engaged in its community, Milan, Ohio. Consequently, the museum has done so and awareness of and participation in museum programs is high.

Ann offered this advice:

No events of your own? “Piggyback” on existing community events as you can to add value to the event.
Create your own events. See the Milan Historical Museums events page for examples.
Especially popular are the museum’s Pumpkinpalooza, Gingerbread workshop, and outdoor movie nights, and beer tasting, among others.
Partner with downtown merchants to create events (if feasible).
If you want your community to be engaged and involved with your organization, you must be involved in your community—volunteer to help at other community events, join the local Chamber of Commerce, provide speakers to local service clubs, like Rotary and Kiwanis.

Veronica described how the Merry-Go-Round Museum is a part of Sandusky’s cultural offerings and shared these suggestions:

Created a puppet show for children featuring “Charlie Horse,” which told the history of carousels.
Offer a “Museum Explorer” type program, including scavenger hunt activities and pictures to color for children visiting your museum.
Veronica seconded the idea of offering a speakers bureau.
She also outlined a number of community events the museum is a part of, including International Museum Day, the Toast of Ohio Wine Festival, and others.
Veronica emphasized that the Merry-Go-Round doesn’t do events on its own, but is a part of larger community events.

Ruth from North Fairfield History Association noted that it engaged its community in a variety of ways:

Opening the museum and having it serve as an attraction during the communities peach festival annually.
Leading efforts to commemorate the area’s veterans by erecting monument to their service
She also noted that putting fun into community history is the fun that members of the historical society have working together and with others in the community.

An extensive question and answer session followed the presenters’ remarks and ranged over a variety of issues.

On attendee noted that organizations have to be flexible, in that their museums should be open when the public can visit—during community events in the evening, for example.

Another asked about overcoming “inertia”—breaking away from “doing things the same way we’ve always done them” and trying something new. Responses centered on the notion of confronting the fact that what’s always worked is not working anymore and trying something new is required to generate interest in the organization and its mission.

Another topic was how to get coverage by the media. Ideas for getting press coverage included:

Sending press releases on Monday mornings, to help reporters generate story ideas at the start of the week. Include photographs with press releases and try to email them, instead of fax or by mail.
Be a source of story ideas.
Become the “go to” person for history-related questions in a community.
Get the press release to the right person at the newspaper or media outlet and then call to make sure that person got the release.
Dealing with turnover among a newspaper’s reporters: when you see a new byline in the paper, buy that new reporter a cup of coffee—or send a note of welcome.

In addition to working well with the media, the question of working effectively with schools also came up. Strategies included:

Developing curriculum guides for teachers on how best they can use your organization in their instruction. “Publish” these guides on your organization’s web site.
Post children’s activities to your web site.
Make sure would-be school programs address state and district curriculum standands.
Reach out to home school groups and be prepared to work with groups that include many different grade levels all at once.

The final piece of wisdom shared by the panel: you don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Any new thing that your organization wants to try has likely been tried by another group. Find out who and learn from their experience. The Ohio Historical Society’s Local History Office can help you find organizations that do what you want to try.

A delicious lunch, prepared by the North Fairfield United Methodist Church, followed the panel and sharing time followed lunch, directed by Kathleen Addlesperger. These organizations were represented:

Edison Birthplace
Firelands Museum
Historic Lyme Village
Merry-Go-Round Museum (see above)
Milan Historical Museum (see above)
New London Historical Society
North Fairfield Historical Society (see above)
Ohio State Highway Patrol (historical information)
Richland County Museum (see above)
Sandusky County Historical Society
Sandusky Library / Follett House Museum (see above)

Maggie Marconi’s workshop “Taking the Fear Out of Technology: Blogs, Podcasts, and Other Forms of Communication” followed lunch and was made possible because the North Fairfield U.M. Church is wired to the Internet. Thanks to Max Schwanger, a senior at South Central High School in Greenwich, for his help.

Maggie introduced attendees to the technologies that will enable local historical organizations to engage their communities—and the whole world in cyberspace. She addressed these items:

Blogs
Postcasts
Social networking sites: Facebook, MySpace, and Twitter
Photo sharing sites, such as Flikr
You Tube

Maggie explained what each was, so attendees can now tell the difference among a “blog” and a “podcast” and a “tweet,” for example, and then went on to demonstrate how to create a blog by actually creating one during the session!

To produce a podcast, one must download recording software, such as Audacity: http://audacity.sourceforge.net

Her handout for the session included links to all of these sites:

Blog Hosts: www.blogger.com, www.typepad.com, www.livejournal.com, www.wordpress.com.
Examples of history-related blogs can be found at: www.westlakelibrary.org, http://firelandss.wordpress.com, http://clevhist.blogspot.com, and OAHSM’s blog right here.
To see what historical organizations are doing on Flikr, go to www.flikr.com/groups/ohiohistory and www.flikr.com/photos/library_of_congress
(For definitions of other now common computer and Web terms, like RSS, etc. go to http://wpg.cornell.edu/iws2/technology/techinfo.cfm#CP_JUMP_3080)

Maggie noted that the list above “is not an exhaustive list of resources, nor is it an endorsement of any particular site or product; rather, it is intended to get you started.”

The final workshop of the day was lead by Maggie’s colleague, Ron Davidson. He is the archives librarian for the Sandusky Public Library. Ron’s session was titled “Identifying and Organizing Your Historic Photographs.” Most of these notes are from his handout for the session. The bibliography of suggested books and other resources follow the of this entry.

Ron's handout:
PHOTOGRAPHS / FILM
Types:
Daguerreotype – ca. 1840-1860 – image on metal; “mirror with memory.” Primary preservation issues – metal/glass deterioration, case damage; solutions – avoid fluctuations in heat/humidity; good storage; minimal handling. Store flat or upright in individual envelope & acid-free box.

Ambrotype – ca. 1850-1880 – negative image on glass, with dark backing to create positive image. Primary preservation issues – glass damage, breakdown of emulsion, case damage; solutions – avoid fluctuations in temperature/humidity; good storage; minimal handling. Store flat or upright in individual envelope & acid-free box.

Tintype – ca. 1856-1900 (but still made today as novelties). Primary preservation issues – breakdown of emulsion, metal damage, corrosion; solutions – low humidity; minimal handling
Store flat in individual envelope & acid-free box.

Black & White (monochrome) Paper prints, many types:

Albumen – ca. 1850-1900 – most common of 19th-century paper prints.
Collodion – ca. 1850-1900.
Gelatin – ca. 1870- present – most common type overall.
Styles: carte-de-visite, cabinet card, photo postcard, snapshot, etc.
Primary preservation issues for black & white paper prints – deterioration due to bad environment: fading, water/humidity damage, handling damage; solutions – good storage environment (handling, temperature, humidity, low light exposure).
Store flat in individual acid-free envelope & acid-free box. If frequently used, clear envelopes best (polyester, polyethylene, polypropylene; NOT PVC!). Archivally-sound albums ok, but use sleeve pages or mounting corners – not glue or “magnetic” pages

Color prints - Most ca. 1930-present. Primary preservation issues – Color fading and breakdown; solutions – avoid light; cold storage, if possible; avoid fluctuations in temperature/humidity. Store flat in individual acid-free envelope & acid-free box. Avoid light as much as possible.

Polaroid – ca. 1947-present. Primary preservation issues – Color fading and breakdown, curling; solutions – avoid light; cold storage, if possible; avoid fluctuations in temperature/humidity; sandwich between archival board if curling.

NEGATIVES / SLIDES
Glass Negatives – ca. 1850-1920. Types:

Wet Plate – ca. 1850-1880.
Dry Plate – ca. 1880-1920.
Lantern Slides (positives) – ca. 1849-1950.
Glass – primary preservation issues – decay/damage to emulsion, broken glass; solutions – very careful handling, low humidity.
Glass – store upright in 4-flap enclosures, then in acid-free box with internal supports.

Film Negatives – ca. 1884-present. Types:

Nitrate
Acetate
Polyester
Film – primary preservation issues – decay/damage to emulsion, acetate film shrinkage, nitrate film decomposition; solutions – very careful handling, low humidity;
If you have nitrate film: immediately isolate it from the rest of the collection (cold storage, if possible); make plans to have it copied and disposed.

(Inkjet, laser copies)

Storage & handling notes for photographs / film:

Paper envelopes [unbuffered (pH neutral) paper – alkaline can damage some types of photos] –seamless envelopes are best for preservation, but less convenient.
Polyester(Mylar, Melinex), polyethylene, polypropylene sleeves – pvc-free [smell test for plastics – rule of thumb: if it has a plastic smell, don’t use it] .
Boxes or albums?—more volume in boxes, more viewing convenience in albums.
What to look for when buying – items that pass PAT (Photographic Activity Test – a worldwide standard for ensuring that materials are safe for storing photos).
How to label photos – pencil (preferred) or archival marker; as little as possible on the item; e.g., list names on a separate sheet.
Good environment is essential! – low humidity, moderate temperature (cold for color prints).

Display notes for photographs / film:

Use copies when possible (scanners now make this easy & inexpensive).
Use acid-free, pvc-free mats & framing supplies.
Do not fasten permanently into display frame or mat.
Use photo corners, double-matting, or other easily reversible method to attach photos.
Avoid strong light.
Don’t display for very long – the longer it is displayed, the more it fades (cumulative effect); color fades much faster than b&w.

Dating images by scenery and/or format – knowing some history can be helpful; e.g., fashions, major events, types of vehicles, architecture (see Dressed for the Photographer [in bibliography] as an example of one resource for identifying subjects in photos).

Rule #1 – Don’t do anything that you cannot easily undo!(e.g., don’t laminate; don’t cut; don’t glue)

SCRAPBOOKS / ALBUMS

Types, composition of old scrapbooks/albums. Covers: leather, cloth, cardboard/paper, plastic. Pages: black paper, plastic sleeves, etc.
Weigh importance of preserving context vs. preserving artifacts. Generally, you should not try to dismantle old scrapbooks (see Rule #1), but try to improve storage and handling conditions.
Common problems: acidic pages, glue, stains, wear, leather bindings. Overstuffing the scrapbook! Don’t force a scrapbook to hold more than it can handle.
Choices for new scrapbooks: plastic sleeves, paper pages w/ photo corners, “magnetic” pages – pros & cons for each. Avoid: “Magnetic” pages (adhesive coated on the pages), cheap plastics & paper, old scrapbook materials. Recommended: Slip-in sleeves for original documents; sturdy, acid free pages, with mounting corners; (Box instead of scrapbook? Create “digital scrapbook”?)
Storage & handling: Lying flat, but not stacked too high (ideally, don’t stack at all). Boxed – should fit in the box snugly (i.e., no sliding or rattling), but not too tightly. Low humidity & temperature. If you need to hold it together, use cotton tape (not string). Interleaving – acid-free pages inserted between pages to help reduce acid migration, abrasion.
See Rule # 1 above – Don’t do anything that you cannot easily undo! (no gluing, tape, lamination, binding original documents).
Reformatting options: reprint, digitize, etc. – take books apart or keep intact? Determine the risks & benefits – often the best thing to do is “nothing,” i.e., simply store properly and handle less often; making a copy (digital or photocopy) is often the easiest and best way to preserve, especially if you will view the contents often.

DIGITAL FORMATS (Digital Copies & “Straight-to-digital”)

Pros & cons: convenience; easily accessible (remotely and multiple copies), but migration (converting from old format to new) and backups will be necessary; printed format needs no machines to read.
Selection for reformatting – how to choose what to digitize? E.g., copying old prints to the computer – Don’t waste time on pictures that are less important.
Preservation issues: proper environment – low humidity, moderate temperature, avoid magnetic fields (such as TV or speakers); obsolescence – reformat, hard copies. If you are saving your images permanently onto CD or DVD, be sure to use high-quality discs! (Many recommend gold CDs.).
Methods: scanning; digital camera; straight-to-digital (e.g., email & text files).

Ron also shared tips on how to manage a collection. He emphasized preservation management, or doing what you can to preserve what you have under the conditions you face. No conditions are perfect and you have to do the best you can.

He also noted that collections of photographs and images have to be organized physically and intellectually. You have to know where items are—physical organization. You also must organize collections of photographs (or any collection, for that matter) intellectually—who made the photograph, when, for what purpose, etc.

Intellectual organization of photographs requires that caretakers organize photographs by provenance and according to original order. Here is what these terms mean, according to a handy web resource, "Preservation 101" from the Northeast Document Conservation Center (http://unfacilitated.preservation101.org/session1/expl_collmgt-archives.asp)

Provenance requires that records created or accumulated by the same source—whether an organization or an individual—be kept together, since as a whole they shed light on the activities of the records' creator. For institutional collections, maintaining provenance allows the researcher to discern where certain types of information might be found by determining what organization, department, or person would have produced that information.
Original order requires that the archivist maintain the original organization of documents within a collection. This can provide useful information about the routine activities of an organization and also help date documents or attribute documents to an author. If, however, there is no discernible order to the collection, the archivist will impose as straightforward an order as possible.

Ron also stressed the necessity of describing photographs consistently and the need to create finding aids—so that instead of rummaging through files to find photographs, you instead use an aid to help you narrow your search.

He also recommended these books, from his bibliography for the session:

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn and Diane L. Vogt O’Connor. Photographs: Archival Care and Management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2006 – Could be the new “bible” for photograph curators.

Severa, Joan, Dressed for the Photographer: Ordinary Americans and Fashion, 1840-1900, Kent State University Press, 1995 – Detailed study of fashion trends among ordinary people in the 19th century; helpful tool for dating unidentified photographs.

Ron’s session generated many interesting questions, but one in particular deserves repeating:

Q: How do I convince my friend NOT to through out family photographs after he has scanned them—digitized them—and stored them in his computer?

A: All you need to see a photograph you can hold in your hand is your eyes. If an image is digitized, then you need a computer, costing hundreds of dollars, to see it—and who knows if your next computer will be able to “read” the format of our digitized photograph? Keep the original photos. Digitize is for access (such as on the Web), NOT preservation.

Ron’s handouts:

Preservation Resources and Suppliers – A Select List

WEBSITES:

Conservation Online (CoOL): http://palimpsest.stanford.edu/ -- I used to like the link, “Conservation/Preservation Information for the General Public,” but it appears that the site has not been updated for a long time, since most of the best links are dead!

Cyndi’s List: http://www.cyndislist.com/preservation.htm; http://www.cyndislist.com/photos.htm -- one of the most popular genealogy sites on the web, it has many links to preservation information; these links seem to work better than CoOL.

Ohio Preservation Council, “Preservation Yellow Pages”: http://opc.ohionet.org/opcyelpag.html -- lists contact information for various preservation services, including lists of bookbinders and archival supplies retailers.

American Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works: http://aic.stanford.edu/ -- “Public Info” section contains several online guides for care of items and tools for finding conservators.

Northeast Document Conservation Center: http://www.nedcc.org/ -- Particularly helpful is the “Resources” section, including “Preservation Leaflets.”

National Park Service “Conserv O Grams”: http://www.nps.gov/history/museum/publications/conserveogram/cons_toc.html -- A great resource for many aspects of collections preservation management.

Scrapbook Preservation Society: http://www.scrapbookpreservationsociety.com/ -- includes articles about scrapbooking and preservation, and terminology.

Library of Congress Preservation Directorate: http://www.loc.gov/preserv/ -- Provides online publications about care and preservation of various formats.

Image Permanence Institute: http://www.imagepermanenceinstitute.org/ -- mostly technical information, but some useful links, including “Consumer Photo Preservation.”

They also operate the website, “Graphics Atlas” http://www.graphicsatlas.org/, just released in beta version, April 2009. It looks like it will be a great source for identifying photographic processes and print types.

Wilhelm Imaging Research: http://www.wilhelm-research.com/ -- Reports on the latest research on stability of image formats, including computer printers, inks and papers. Also includes a link to a free download of the book, The Permanence and Care of Color Photographs: Traditional and Digital Color Prints, Color Negatives, Slides, and Motion Pictures.

BOOKS:

Williams, Don, and Louisa Jaggar, Saving Stuff: How to Care for and Preserve Your Collectibles, Heirlooms, and Other Prized Possessions, Fireside, 2005 – A senior conservator at the Smithsonian provides tips on caring for just about any item you might think of saving.

Long, Jane S. and Richard W. Long, Caring for Your Family Treasures, Harry N. Abrams, Inc., 2000 – Covers books, scrapbooks, photos, film, video, paintings, glassware, furniture, textiles, etc.

Tuttle, Craig A., An Ounce of Prevention: A Guide to the Care of Papers and Photographs, Rainbow Books, Inc., 1995 – Good basic guide.

Mace, O. Henry, Collector’s Guide to Early Photographs, Krause Publications, 1999 – Price guide for collectors of 19th-century photographs, also provides brief histories of early photo process and tips for care.

Ritzenthaler, Mary Lynn and Diane L. Vogt O’Connor. Photographs: Archival Care and Management. Chicago: Society of American Archivists, 2006 – Could be the new “bible” for photograph curators.

Taylor, Maureen A., Scrapbooking Your Family History, Betterway Books, 2003 – Covers many aspects of scrapbooking, including preservation, styles, history, etc.

Taylor, Maureen A., Preserving Your Family Photographs: How to Organize, Present, and Restore Precious Family Images, Betterway Books, 2001 – Designed for the beginner; charts and diagrams make it simpler to use.

Taylor, Maureen A., Uncovering Your Ancestry Through Family Photographs, Betterway Books, 2000 – Gives many helpful tips on how to date and identify family photographs.

Reilly, James M., Care and Identification of 19th-Century Photographic Prints, Eastman Kodak, 1986 – Another good technical manual from Kodak.

Gagel, Diane VanSkiver, Ohio Photographers: 1839-1900, Carl Mautz Publishing, 1998 – Listings of photographers in Ohio in the 19th century, including when and where they did business. Helpful if you know the photographer, but are not sure when or where the photo was taken.

SOURCES FOR PRESERVATION SUPPLIES

Mail-Order/Online Vendors (these are just a few of many available):

Light Impressions – Mostly photographic storage supplies; www.lightimpressionsdirect.com; 1-800-828-6216.

Gaylord – A source many libraries use; www.gaylord.com; 1-800-272-3412.

Hollinger Metal Edge – Specializing in high-quality boxes and paper; www.genealogicalstorageproducts.com; 1-800-634-0491.

Archival Products – www.archival.com; 1-800-526-5640.

University Products – www.universityproducts.com; 1-800-336-4847.

Bags Unlimited – www.bagsunlimited.com; 1-800-767-BAGS

With the conclusion of the sessions, attendees were invited to visit the museum of the North Fairfield Historical Association. Thanks to the Association and presenters for a great 2009 Region 2 meeting.

Save Our History grants available. Application deadline June 5.

2009-05-06T05:04:00.000-07:00

The History Channel invites applications for its annual Save Our History grant program. Grants for up to $10,000 will be awarded and local historical organizations are encouraged to apply. The deadline for applications is June 5. According to the Save Our History website, applicants must meet the following criteria for consideration:

Eligible applicants are required to be nonprofit 501(c)(3) history organizations such as a museum, historical society, preservation organization, historic site, library, archive, or other history organization;
Applicant organizations must be located in one of the 50 states or the District of Columbia;
Other eligible applicants include local government agencies such as a parks and recreation commission, historic commission, department of local history, or other local government agency that owns and/or operates a historic site or property;
Eligible applicants must partner with a local elementary, middle, or high school, or an organization that provides educational programming for children of similar ages. Applicants may partner with multiple schools or educational organizations;
Eligible applicants must submit the application on behalf of their partner school(s) or educational organization(s) as the school(s) or educational organization(s) are not eligible to be the applicant; and
Organizations that have received a Save Our History grant in the last three years are not eligible to apply.

Go to: http://www.history.com/content/saveourhistory/grant-program or http://www.aaslh.org/Saveourhistory.htm for more information.

Society of Ohio Archivists Conference

2009-05-05T06:57:00.000-07:00

You still have a few more days to register at reduced rates for the Society of Ohio Archivists Spring Conference. The early registration deadline has been extended to May 8. Continental breakfast, lunches, and an evening reception are included in the price of registration ($65/SOA members, $75/non-members). A special conference guest rate is available at the Ramada Plaza Hotel in Columbus. And, of course, regular registration will be accepted up to and including the days of the conference.

This annual meeting, whose theme is "Archival Access & Accessibility: Tradition & Technology," will be held at the Ohio Historical Society in Columbus, Ohio on May 21-22, 2009. The conference will focus on a variety of archives topics, particularly those related to improving access to archival materials. Highlights include plenary speaker Jill Hurst-Wahl (“What We are Learning from Google and Flickr About Digitization and Partnership”), student poster sessions, and a Thursday evening reception.

Online registration and printable registration forms are available at the Society of Ohio Archivists website (http://www.ohioarchivists.org/conference/2009/conference2009.html). For more information, see the website or contact Ron Davidson at the address below.

Ron Davidson

Conference Program Chair

Archives Librarian

Sandusky Library

114 W. Adams St.

Sandusky, OH 44870

(419) 625-3834

ron.davidson@sandusky.lib.oh.us

Tax Check-off on to the next stage!

2009-05-05T06:55:00.000-07:00

We have great news to share with you! The Ohio House of Representatives last week passed a version of the state budget for FY 2010-11 that included language from House Bill 75, which creates a new income tax check-off for the Ohio Historical Society. The Society and OAHSM have been working for several years to get the income tax check-off proposal enacted. OHS has testified that it will use the revenues from the tax check-off to establish a new pool of funds for a competitive matching grants program for local history-related organizations.

State Rep. Kathleen Chandler (D-Kent), the primary sponsor of House Bill 75, was instrumental in getting the tax check-off language into the state budget. Please click here to send her a thank-you message. You may also want to send a note of thanks to the other House sponsor, Rep. Mike Moran (D-Hudson) by clicking here.

But wait! We can’t take it to the bank just yet. We have to make sure the Senate and Governor Strickland keep the language in the budget. Sen. Mark Wagoner (R-Ottawa Hills) is in a good position to safeguard this provision as the vice chairman of the Senate Finance Committee. He sponsored Senate Bill 60, the OHS tax check-off legislation in the Senate. Please e-mail Sen. Wagoner by clicking here to tell him how important the tax check-off provision is for local history organizations like yours and to make sure it stays in the budget. The FY 2010-11 state budget should be approved and signed by Gov. Strickland on or about June 30.

Thanks for your help!

OAHSM Region 4 Meeting Re-Cap

2009-05-05T06:47:00.000-07:00

The Region 4 OAHSM meeting was hosted by the Sutliff Museum, the Trumbull County Historical Society, and the Upton Association.

Bruce Neff (Canfield Historical Society), Region 4 senior representative called the meeting to order. Robert Briell (Director, Warren-Trumbull County Public Library), Sandy Sarsany (Curator, Upton Association), Sally Thomas (Curator, Sutliff Museum), and Don Hazell (President, Trumbull County Historical Society) all welcomed participants to Warren on behalf of their organizations.

Next Bill Lawson, Director, Mahoning Valley Historical Society and Region 4 junior representative, facilitated the business meeting where Marcelle Wilson, Director of the Aurora Historical Society, was elected incoming Region 4 junior representative.

Wendell Lauth (Bristol Historical Society), OAHSM Trustee-at-Large, then gave the organization report followed by Jody Blankenship (Ohio Historical Society) who gave the Local History Office report.

Bill Lawson and Sally Thomas were joined by Carol Faustino (Liberty Historical Society) for the first session of the day, a roundtable discussion about how historical organizations have successfully engaged local communities. Bill began with a brief history of the Mahoning Valley Historical Society, and then jumped into his first suggestion: imitate other’s successful programs. Bill told the audience that OAHSM is a great organization where historical organization staff can come and hear about what others are doing and carry those programs back, adapt them, and carry them out to the benefit of their own institution.

Next Bill spoke about the success he has experienced with the Ohio Historical Markers program. This program has allowed MVHS to reach niche audiences in neighborhoods that don’t typically visit the museum by recognizing community history in the community. It also highlights the diversity of neighborhoods, cultures, and resources in a community. Finally, the Historical Markers program has a tendency to pull the whole community together for a celebration of history, and also attracts press coverage.

Bill rounded out his discussion by suggesting that historical organizations work closely with newspapers and universities. Contrary to popular reports, newspapers are still alive and have significant reach into the community. They are hungry for local content and will often print news releases verbatim. Universities are fantastic community resources also. Both faculty and students have an interest in helping local organizations and getting valuable experience at the same time. Internships are usually available, and often your institutions staff can take advantage of training offered by the university.

Next Carol described the Liberty Historical Society. Several years ago LHS had problems with their building and were not able to afford the repairs. They put their collections into storage and closed the museum. This led the organization to redefine their role in the community. LHS began rolling out a series of public programs including:

a lecture series,
pancake breakfasts and dinners that honor civic leaders and promote community pride,
traveling exhibits,
holiday programs in the town square and city hall,
a junior historian program,
a new website, newsletter, and
a series of publications

Because LHS no longer maintains a building they are able to keep membership due extremely low, $5/individual, $10/family, and $25/business. The low cost has grown their membership to 140 and climbing, and they’ve found that members tend to volunteer more often.

Sally rounded out the session describing the partnership the Sutliff Museum has built with the Warren Trumbull County Public Library. Owned by the Warren Library Association, a separate body from the Public Library Board, the Sutliff Museum formed a partnership with the Public Library almost thirty years ago. The Sutliff is located on the second floor of the library, which has benefits and problems.

Problems include:

The public doesn’t recognize that the Sutliff is an independent organization;
They are not able to fundraise on-site;
They must pay public wages for staff helping on weekends and evening events; and
They are not able to expand.

The benefits are great and include:

Access to library staff and services (photocopying, cleaning and set up, tech support, and use of the local history and genealogy resources);
Free advertisements in the lobby, a high traffic area;
Shared success and media exposure; and
A mutually beneficial financial arrangement.

Sally then shared a list of recommendations from IMLS for library/museum partnerships, which includes:

Engage the community;
Devote staff time to the partnership;
Be realistic, especially when it comes to finances;
Recognize institutional and audience differences, and build on commonalities.

Sally ended the session by listing the ways that the Sutliff works around physical limitations to engage the community, including bus tours, a suitcase museum program, dinners, and women’s teas.

Our second panel session followed lunch at the Upton House. Bill Lawson, Sandy Sarsany, and Martha Ellers (Trustee, Trumbull County Historical Society) were all panelists in this session about recognizing and overcoming misconceptions and limitations. Each presenter listed the common misconceptions that community holds about their organizations, including:

Membership is closed and very restrictive;
They are only for high society;
Only people who are politically conservative are allowed on the board;
They are women’s organizations;
The organization only caters to senior citizens;
The institution is not economically or civically important to the community;
They want to remain isolated; and
Only board members are allowed to volunteer.

Limitations include:

Space and location/being tied to a building that isn’t in the center of the community;
Financial resources;
Lack of physical infrastructure;
Rental schedule; and
The lack of local history content in state academic standards

Next, Bill asked the group to face the reality that not everyone in our communities is as passionate about history as we are. Many people see us as boring, stogy, elitist, stuck in the 19^th century, and in love with old stuff that is no longer relevant. Bill shared two audience surveys that MVHS conducted in partnership with Youngstown State University. They provided MVHS with extremely valuable information about what the community felt about the organization and what they would like from it. They suggested things like more flexible hours and a broader scope. MVHS has prioritized those suggestions that they are able to change and that still keep with their mission again their budget. As they move forward they’ll begin to opperationalize the suggestions in a long range plan.

Bill was also able to better understand they audience MVHS was attracting, and those that he was not. The data showed that young adults between ages 18 and 35 are simply not interested in history or the historical society. This isn’t because they dislike the subject or think it irrelevant, they are often preoccupied with school, the early stages of their career, and their young families. At around age 35 adults become more established and are able to devote more time to social causes and interests, and as Bill said, “they reach the age when they realize that their parents were right about a lot of things.”

Good places to find existing, general audience research include:

To wrap up the day, meeting participants were able to choose between session on strategic planning, newsletter content and design, and preserving recent historical materials. I attended the strategic planning session with ken Conklin of the Upton Association.

Prior to joining the board of the Upton Association, Ken worked for the 2^nd National Bank of Warren for 43 years, conducting employee training for much of that time. Ken began the session by offering a number of tips in preparing to conduct a strategic planning session. First he told the group to leave the flip charts, markers, and dot stickers at home – they turn people off. Second, Ken told the group to set a schedule for the planning and stick to it. Third, conduct the meeting off-site in a non-threatening, comfortable location. Finally, he stressed the importance of finding a person to conduct the planning session that both is respected by the board and respects the organization.

Next, make sure that you have the right people participating in the session. Seek out people that have talent, time, who treasure your organization, and who you trust. And, make sure your group is diverse in their ethnicity, economic situation, and who work across various industries.

Now that you have the right people, time, location, the appropriate materials, and the write facilitator you can begin. Ken urged the group not to plan for five years into the future; you don’t know what the world will be like tomorrow, let alone five years from now. David LaPiana offers similar advice in his book The Nonprofit Strategy Revolution: Real-Time Strategic Planning in a Rapid-Response World. During the planning session ask the following:

What does your organization do?
What is your mission?
What is your vision?
Who are your stakeholders?
What do you do right?
What can you improve?
If you had unlimited resources, time and talent, what would you do?

As you answer these questions make sure that the participants are honest and open with one another, even when it is difficult. As you begin to chart your path forward understand your value, review your mission, and communicate your purpose.

The day culminated with tours of the Upton House, the Trumbull County Historical Society’s John Stark Edwards House, and the Sutliff Museum.