Sharpen Your Skills by Attending Training
The following list is gathered by the Local History Services team. Please send updates as needed.
Conferences/Workshops
Elegant Authenticity: Implementing and Interpreting Historic Landscaping
March 1 - Online: 10 to 11 am (CT). Texas Historical Commission - Historic landscaping can be beautiful and artistic, giving visitors to your site a more accurate impression of the past, but how do you get started? Presenters will share their years of experience and give participants a model for how to research, implement, and interpret historic landscaping at their own site. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Budgeting for Collections Care
March 1 - Online: 11 am (CT). Conservation Center for Art & Historic Artifacts - In this webinar, we’ll look at strategies for investing in the future of the organization by budgeting for collections care. Tips for preservation planning, documenting existing preservation investment, and cost analysis will be discussed in addition to advice about advocating for preservation funding both internally and externally. Cost: Free. Learn more »
The Role of the Board Chair Series
March 1 - Online: 2 to 3 pm (CT). Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Whether you’re just stepping into this leadership role or are a seasoned board leader, this training will help you be more effective in your role. You’ll learn how to bring your best leader self to the board chair role, artfully facilitate meetings that net results, and improve the leadership work of the board as a whole. Cost: $60 members. Learn more »
Beginning Grantwriting
March 2 - Online: 9 am to 12 pm (CT). Minnesota Council of Nonprofits - Join this hands-on, beginner-level session to take your grantwriting skills to the next level. Cost: $89 members/$129 nonmembers. Learn more »
Fundamentals of Nonprofit Board Governance
March 7 - Online: 9 am to 12 pm (CT). Propel Nonprofits - You will learn typical board responsibilities and explore the nuances of board authority and relationships. Participants take home Propel’s Nonprofit Board Governance workbook, which includes the Fiduciary Duties of Directors of Charitable Organizations. While this training is open to all, it is designed for those new to serving on a board or those who are contemplating joining a board. Cost: $75. Learn more »
Looking Ahead with a Long-Range Preservation Plan
March 8 through 22 - Online: Wednesdays 2–4 pm (CT). Midwest Art Conservation Center - A Long-Range Preservation Plan (LRPP) will help your institution to prioritize preservation needs and develop concrete goals for the short-, medium-, and long-term. In this 3-session online course, participants will draft their own LRPP and learn how to use it to achieve conservation treatment goals and to submit competitive grant proposals for state and federal funding. Cost: $200. Learn more »
How Access Influences Preservation in Museum Libraries and Archives - Part 1
March 9 - Online: 1 pm (CT). New England Museum Association - Access to library and archival collections enables deeper and broader engagement with the objects, exhibitions, and programs that are so crucial to museums. Discuss how access can–and should–influence preservation practices within our museum libraries and archives. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Fire and Emergency Protection Plan Development
March 15 - Online: 1 pm (CT). Lyrasis - Participants in this webinar will be presented with the components of a Protection Plan and the process to follow for the development of a plan following guidelines provided by the National Fire Protection Association’s Code for Protection of Cultural Resource Properties. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Exhibiting Photographs
March 21 - Online: 12 pm (CT). Connecting to Collections Care - In this webinar, learn the process of planning and executing the preparation of photographic objects for exhibitions with a focus on collections care issues. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Arcus Course: Introduction to Indigenous History
Online self-paced: American Association for State and Local History - Are you a history or museum professional who is interested in learning Indigenous history, but haven't taken the time to do it yet? In this course, you will be given a basic introduction to Indigenous history from a basic vocabulary to contemporary issues today. Cost: $65 members/$90 nonmembers. Learn more »
How to Measure Museum Social Impact: From Participant Recruitment to Retention
February 23 - Online: 11 am (CT). American Alliance of Museums & Visitor Studies Association - As the national Measurement of Museum Social Impact (MOMSI) study comes to a close, come learn how study sites navigated visitor participation in the project. Hear from three different organizations–a rural museum, an art museum, and a zoo–on their successes and challenges in all steps of the project, from recruitment to participant retention. No study is perfect, but the recommendations we have just might help you on your next evaluation project. Cost: Free. Learn more »
Creating Successful Traveling Exhibitions online course
Starts March 6 - Online Course: Museum Study, LLC - Ever wanted to know how to develop a traveling exhibition? If so, Creating Successful Traveling Exhibitions is for you. This four-week class will be focused on providing you with the nuts and bolts on how to develop and tour traveling exhibitions. We will be delving into all stages of the traveling exhibit development process and tips and strategies will be provided to build sustainable frameworks for these types of exhibitions. Cost: $400. Learn more »
Leadership and Administration for History Organizations
March 20 through May 14 - Online: American Association for State and Local History - This eight-week course addresses governance and administrative structures, nonprofit status and the public trust, mission and vision, the relationship between board and staff, including their roles and responsibilities; strategic planning, human resource development and management, and leadership. Cost: $215 members/$315 nonmembers. Learn more »
Conservation on the George Floyd Global Memorial
February 24 - Online: 1 to 3 pm (CT). Garman Art Conservation Department - Virtual panel discussion on grassroots efforts to conserve cultural material created to commemorate and protest violence rooted in racism and social injustice. The panel discussion will cover conservation, collection management, organizational structure, administration, and funding of the George Floyd Global Memorial. The story of the memorial will be the start of an ongoing dialogue on community-centered conservation. Cost: Free. Register »
Leadership and Administration for History Organizations
March 20 through May 14 - Online: American Association for State and Local History - This course addresses governance and administrative structures, nonprofit status and the public trust, mission and vision, the relationship between board and staff, including their roles and responsibilities; strategic planning, human resource development and management, and leadership. Cost: $215 members/$315 nonmembers. Learn more »
Call for Proposals for Organization of American Historians Conference
March 1 - (deadline): Organization of American Historians - Call for proposals for their annual meeting, “Public Dialogue, Relevance, & Change: Being in Service to Communities and the Nation,” in New Orleans, LA, April 11-14, 2024, and online April 25-May 16, 2024. Learn more »
Call for Proposals for Association of African American Museums Conference
March 13 - (deadline): Association of African American Museums - Call for proposals for their annual conference, “Museums, Music, and Movements,” in Nashville, TN, July 26-28, 2023. Learn more »
Talking Trades
3rd Friday of the Month - Online: 12 pm (CT). The Campaign for Historic Trades - The Talking Trades series will give historic trades trainers, educators, and supporters a regular networking opportunity to learn from colleagues and hear about programs from across the country. Cost: No cost. Learn more »
Choosing a Funding Opportunity for FY 2023
Recorded webinar - IMLS Office of Museum Services - Learn basic information to decide which FY 2023 IMLS museum funding program may fit your project idea and your organization.
Watch video »
Preservation Housekeeping for Small Museums
Self-paced online: Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) - The course covers a variety of topics related to preservation housekeeping, with an emphasis on small institutions and heritage sites. The course consists of six sections, which cover a variety of topics, including: cleaning, agents of deterioration, condition reporting, housekeeping plans, how to conduct walkarounds, and health and safety. This course will take approximately 1.5 hours to complete. Cost: No cost. Learn more »
Planning for Changes in the Archives: 12 steps for undertaking collection relocation
Recorded Webinar: Midwest Archives Conference - The presenter walks through the 12 steps so you’ll have a framework to follow for your project. This framework helps focus your plans and ensures you consider possible options. These steps have been honed through experience moving archives and special collections materials. Watch video »
Elmer L. Andersen Research Scholars Program
The Elmer L. Andersen Research Scholars Program supports scholarly research projects using materials from the Libraries’ rare and special collections. Named for former governor and University of Minnesota regent Elmer L. Andersen, the new program honors the Governor’s passion for collecting and for expanding the use of the collections. The program is available to scholars including faculty, graduate, postgraduate, and independent researchers using the collections in the Department of Archives and Special Collections. This program is not available to currently enrolled University of Minnesota graduate or undergraduate students or UM faculty.
The program will provide support for research projects that require the use of one or more of the collections. Awards range from $500 to $2,000 and provide funds for travel, housing and other research-related costs. The final research product (e.g., journal article, documentary film) must acknowledge the Libraries’ support and be deposited with the University Libraries. Learn more »
The ASALH Book Prize
The Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) awards an annual prize to recognize an outstanding book in the field of African American history and culture. Books must engage archives to be eligible for consideration, however, the book prize committee invites submissions from across disciplinary and interdisciplinary boundaries. Learn more »
Planning an Exit Strategy for a Board Member
Recorded Webinar: Network for Good - During this recorded webinar they discuss how to identify disconnected or poorly matched board members, craft a plan of action and help create a mutual exit strategy that doesn't impact the overall culture of your organization. Cost: No cost. Register to download »
Architecture Specialty Group (ASG)
Formed in 1988, the purpose of the Architecture Specialty Group is to develop and promote the conservation of immovable cultural property such as buildings, monuments, outdoor sculpture, and related heritage sites. The group provides a forum for the exchange of information yielded from practice and research in an effort to further the professional standards of architectural conservation. ASG activities include organizing sessions at American Institute for Conservation (AIC) annual meetings in addition to facilitating other regional conferences. In past years, sessions have followed overall AIC conference themes or concentrated on a unique theme often as part of joint sessions with other AIC specialty groups. Additional conference activities have included discussion groups, technical sessions, and architectural walking tours. ASG provides scholarships and support for emerging professionals to engage them in the field via a network of specialists. View group site »
Video: Catch up on Your Accessibility Procedures
DIY ADA Access Planning, with Scott Artley, Accessibility Program Director for the Metropolitan Regional Arts Council in Minneapolis/St. Paul. Artley developed a do-it-yourself approach to ADA planning that works for large and small cultural organizations, whether you’re just beginning to center inclusion for people with disabilities or ready to level-up your efforts. Learn how to conduct an accessibility audit and begin building your ADA Access Plan using tools provided. Watch Video »
Digital Stewardship Training Courses for Tribal Libraries, Archives, Museums, and Small Public Libraries
OCLC's WebJunction, in partnership with Washington State University's Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, is creating a series of 10 free online courses for staff at tribal archives, libraries, museums (TALMs), and small public libraries on digital stewardship and community-centered curation of cultural collections. Learn more »
Community Reflection on Black Lives and Archives
(Recording) - Webinar: Society of American Archivists - Society of American Archivists’ statement on Black Lives and Archives. The vitality of American archives depends on the safety of archives workers and an explicit commitment to social responsibility, justice, and anti-racism in the work that we do and the organizations we work within. As part of this the SAA Council convened a forum of reflection to move toward healing and understanding, of which a recording of this event is now available. Listen in »
Cultural Institutions at Times of Social Unrest
Recording of Carla Hayden and Lonnie Bunch discussing the future of their institutions and how they remain accessible and relevant during a period of global pandemic coupled with nationwide protests against injustice. Watch webcast »
'Talking About Race' Is a New Online Resource by the National Museum of African American History
Last week, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) released a new, online portal discussing race, racism, and racial identity. The new web portal, “Talking About Race,” was launched as a way to help everyone, including families and communities, talk about racism and racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. Learn more »
Free Access to MuseumsEtc Collection for Museums
In an effort to assist museums and galleries during the COVID-19 pandemic, MuseumsEtc has partnered with digital publishers Exact Editions to offer free access to the publisher’s complete book collection, comprising almost 70 titles, until November 1, 2020. The offer includes advanced remote access options to allow museum professionals to easily navigate resources whilst working at home over the coming months. Learn more »
PDF Reflecting on Museum Labor
A course in the Museum Studies program at University of Illinois at Chicago, centered on public engagement, produced a magazine/newspaper-style publication containing useful information about labor rights, history, and museums/places associated with celebrating labor movements and history. It also has interviews with folks in the field and activities like a custom labor-themed cocktail list. Download PDF »
History Responds to Crisis Workshops Recordings Now Available
Recordings are now available of online workshops with sessions focused on planning and responding to the unexpected. From planning for massive disruptions in operations to preparing your museum and collection for an extended period of closure to staying in touch with your members. View Recordings »
Repository of Distance Learning
American Alliance of Museums created the "Repository of Distance Learning" as a resource for parents with their children out of school for the foreseeable future. Museums across the continent have come together to add their programs to the site. Anyone looking for a trusted museum activity or resource can go to one site and find (at present) almost four hundred submissions from more than seventy-five history, art, and science museums, historical museums, as well as zoos, children’s museums, and other sundry cultural institutions. Consider adding your institution to this resource or scour it for ideas that your organization can do.
Visit site »
Webinar Recording: Oral History at a Distance: Conducting Remote Interviews
This timely webinar addresses the dynamics of conducting remote oral history interviews. It begins with an analysis of the pros and cons of conducting distance oral history interviews, then addresses aspects of interviewing in a distance environment, breaking down the interviewer and narrator experience in these exchanges, and offer direction on best approaches for interviewing at a distance. This session will cover best practices for recording archival-quality oral history interviews, then discuss in depth the tools and techniques available to enable the user to follow best practices in a remote setting. Listen in »
Webinar Recording: Insurance 101: Practical Considerations for Protecting Institutional Collections and Loans
Connecting to Collections - This webinar recording is appropriate for all levels of experience from beginner to expert as an introduction and review of collections insurance basics and how they are an integral part of collections care. We will examine loss prevention, loss control and how to protect the collection through good housekeeping, landscaping, managing patrons, and during transport of objects. In addition, examples of recent claims and outcomes to illustrate how insurance responds to loss and damage will be presented. Watch the recording »
A Guide to Approaching Audiovisual Digitization
This paper was written through support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The information discussed in the paper is meant to help collection holders prepare their materials and their technology systems for a digitization initiative, as well as give a brief overview of digitization workflows. There is also a discussion of some of the updates made to the BAVC workflow over the last two years. This section may be of interest to those interested in the technical and procedural aspects of digitization workflows. Download paper »
Archiving Classes - The Society of American Archivists often has events in Minnesota. Register »
Collections Webinars - The Connecting to Collections Online Community offers free webinars. Register »
Document Conservation - NEDCC has many webinars on paper, books, and similar items and topics. Register »
Nonprofit Education - Propel Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits feature local training.
Online Continuing Education
Free Webinar Recordings
Wisconsin Historical Society has pre-recorded webinars available for viewing: Intro to PastPerfect 5 and Basic Archival Supplies and Preservation Methods.
Free Collections Care Webinars
Connecting to Collections Online Community offers "Caring for Yesterday's Treasures--Today," a series of free, online courses about the preservation of archival and historical collections. Check online for dates and registration information.
ONLINE MUSEUM CLASSES THROUGH NORTHERN STATES CONSERVATION CENTER
Online museum classes offered by the Northern States Conservation Center.
Online Information for Exempt Organizations
IRS Exempt Organizations has developed an educational website with an online version of their popular workshop for Small and Mid-Sized 501(c)(3) organizations, plus mini-courses on other topics of interest, including information on the redesigned Form 990.
PastPerfect Online Training
The online training classes, "Cataloging Your Collection with PastPerfect 4.0" and "Managing Contacts, Donations and Membership with PastPerfect 4.0" are taught by a live, experienced PastPerfect instructor via internet and conference call.
Free ADA Training
Ten free training lessons regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act are available online from the U.S. Department of Justice.
Preservation 101
Northeast Document Conservation Center offers a set of free online courses in the basics of caring for objects.