Category: Topics

Connecting to Collections Care Webinar, April 21

Please excuse cross postings.
Sign up for the next Connecting to Collections Care webinar on museum environments – it’s free!
“When Less is All You Got! Budget-conscious solutions to protect collections on display and in storage”
April 21, 2015, 2:00 – 3:30, EDT, with Ernest Conrad and Lisa Mibach.
In an ideal world, all buildings that house and display collections would have purpose-designed environmental control systems that work, enclosed display cases, chemically-neutral storage and display cases and containers, and enough trained staff to care for collections. Unfortunately, this is not always the case.
The first part of the webinar will illustrate the diagnostic effects of the lack of environmental controls, and will discuss budget-conscious solutions to protect collections on display and in storage. The second part will deal with proper storage and display conditions so that objects can weather minor disruptions. If you don’t have ideal storage and display conditions, you need to have regularly updated priority lists of objects (in order of vulnerability) to check during/after an environmental failure or change.
Check the Calendar for more upcoming events.
Connecting to Collections Care is sponsored by the Foundation of the American Institute for Conservation with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services.

Your Conservation Career: Resources for Negotiating Your Next Salary

In November of 2014, I gave an ECPN Webinar titled “Beyond the Portfolio: Your Conservation Career” in which I briefly discussed salary negotiations (that webinar is here). Whether you’re just starting out or are further along in your career, here are two more resources to help you research and negotiate your next salary.
1) BUST magazine recently had a short but excellent feature on how to negotiate a salary for a new job. If you’re male, be aware that although BUST is aimed at women, most of the content is great for men, too. Including this article, which you can read here.
2) The 2014 AIC/FAIC Compensation Survey is online now, here! I LOVE these things! They are gigantic goldmines of data about our profession. But back to you – here is how to use this survey report for salary research. Start by having an overall look at how the report is organized, and then start to think about which sections and criteria apply to your situation. Page 69 gives an example of how to combine criteria to determine a salary.
Let’s use the survey for a pretend scenario: you are applying for a full-time job at a medium-sized, private museum in Washington, DC; you have a master’s degree in conservation and 3 years of post-graduate experience. What kind of salary offer should you expect?
To do this exercise, you’ll need to have the survey in front of you. Flip to page 70, Exhibit 3.17. We’ll move back and forth between columns a bit; because you’re a relatively new grad, you can expect your salary to be below the median in most categories. But I also don’t want you to aim too low, so we will stick mostly to the 25th percentile column* and not reference the 10th percentile data. Once you get the hang of this, though, you can figure out a range for yourself with points at the high, middle, and low end.
You can see that a salary in the 25th percentile for a medium-sized museum is 49K – write that down. It’s not part of a university, so the 25th percentile there is about 47K. Write that down, too. For a private museum, we’re at 46K. Keep writing these numbers down. You have less than 5 years of experience, but here let’s look higher – you’re really good, right? The 75th percentile for your level of experience is 47K. This would be a new position for you, so 35K. Look at the numbers for gender (yes – look again, my friends!). We’ll say you’re female. Write down 45K. Nope, that was too painful for me.  Erase 45K! Let’s assume instead that your work is worth the same as a man’s; write down 60K. You have a master’s degree in conservation, so write down 45K. Probably no one will be reporting to you, so write down 34K. Will you have input into the department’s budget? Probably not? Write down 34K. We’ll say you’ll be working under supervision, write down 34K. DC is in the “South Atlantic” as defined by the survey (which you know, because you paged through it and looked at how the report is organized), so write down 43K.
Based on this super basic research, you should be looking at a salary somewhere between 34 and 60K/year. Add together all the numbers you wrote down (I got 474) and divide by 10 to get the mean, which is 47. 47K/year would be a solid salary offer that you could feel good about.
Remember that you can calculate a salary range for yourself based on the different criteria and percentiles given in this table. Also remember the gender disparity; if you’re female and you feel a salary offer is too low, this survey provides solid statistics to which you can point.
Finally, you can use this survey for more than salaries; it gives good data on rates charged by private conservators, and you can also use it to evaluate benefits packages. In case you were wondering, I had nothing to do with this survey. I just really like it. Good luck!
* When you use this survey to find a salary range, make sure you use the data in a way that makes sense for your situation. This example is written for a recent graduate, which is why I suggest the 25th percentile in most places. If you’re mid-career, look at the 50th percentile. If you’re quite senior, look higher. There are also a few places where the survey data are sorted by level of experience. In these places, look at the midpoints that match your criteria.

Coping with Professional Rejection: Advice from Conservators in the Field; compiled by ECPN

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN)
Coping with Professional Rejection: Advice from Conservators in the Field

The field of conservation provides opportunities for rewarding and enriching work. As in other areas of life and other competitive fields, most of us in conservation have also experienced the disappointment of rejection and can lend an empathetic ear. Internships, graduate school, fellowships, jobs, conference presentations and papers– not scoring something that you’ve been working towards can be difficult to cope with, even when you’re aware that it is a challenging goal. It may be comforting to know that even the most accomplished conservators have experienced rejection in some form; in fact, greater ambition can lead to more frequent rejection. A few of us on the ECPN board have reached out to peers and supervisors, as well as others in related fields, to hear how they’ve coped with rejection and to compile some of their advice for emerging professionals. Below are some of those anonymous responses. We plan to carry this momentum of thinking creatively about navigating opportunities in conservation and related fields into future ECPN programming, so stay tuned. Of course, much of what is reported below is subjective, so if you have further advice to offer, please comment at the end of the post and share your story.

Coping with Rejection:

When talking to supervisors, people on hiring committees, and program chairs for conferences and publications, the advice most frequently offered was to recognize that rejection is not personal. There are many, many factors that go into selection decisions that you will be unaware of when applying. For example, there may be a planned upcoming exhibit at a museum that the public does not know about. One candidate may have experience that relates to this exhibit and you do not. You have good rapport during the interview, but ultimately the other candidate is better suited to the undisclosed future needs of the lab. The upside is that the institution now knows you and perhaps will contact you in the future when another position opens (something that has actually happened to respondents).

The phrase “everything happens for a reason” can feel a little too cheerful when you’ve just received disappointing news, but for most people, there is truth in that statement. Perhaps an even better opportunity or experience will come your way! One person that we interviewed remembered the time she was declined for a prestigious summer internship. Her “back-up plan” for that summer turned into one of the most important projects in her early career– an opportunity that eventually led to a published paper and a fellowship. Think about times in your life when this sort of thing has happened to you, and find comfort in unknown possibilities.

Some respondents mentioned that they really wanted a job or fellowship for reasons other than the job itself (i.e. the institution, geographic location, etc.) and being turned down made them realize they would not have been a good fit in the actual position. Sometimes rejection happens to a qualified individual because their personality is not a good fit for the particular lab or institution. Some workplaces might have need for a bubbly personality to help balance out a shortage of energy around the lab. On the other hand, another conservation department is looking to add a calming presence to their space. Graduate programs are known to aim for a sense of diversity and overall harmony amongst the personalities of the students in an entering class. It’s practically impossible to anticipate the needs of the hiring manager or interview panel, so just be your authentic self and have a certain level of faith that you will end up in the right place for you. It may seem counter-intuitive, but even decisions partly based on personality aren’t personal.

There are many articles written on “not getting the job” advice through other fields. Here is a small sampling:

“10 reasons you didn’t get the job (reasons you can and cannot control)”

“6 reasons you didn’t get the job that no one told you”

“How to ask for feedback”

Seeking Feedback:

Though it may not feel like it initially, remember that rejection can be an opportunity to grow. Turn a disappointing moment into a constructive one by requesting feedback and using that information to become an even stronger applicant when you submit your next application. If the bad news is delivered over the phone, politely ask the person if it would be possible to receive feedback on why you didn’t get the job, or how you could strengthen your application for next time. If you receive a non-acceptance email, reply in a way that is professional, being careful not to burn bridges. This a small field and you are likely to meet this person again. And you never know if another job will open up in the future. Graduate programs expect to provide feedback to applicants, as do places that regularly host interns and fellows. Even if someone is not used to providing feedback, if asked nicely, they will usually respond politely. Try not to be defensive about the feedback you receive, even if it stings. Taking constructive criticism to heart will make you a stronger candidate for future interviews.

Previous ECPN webinars have addressed how to make the most of your pre-program experience, strengthen your applications, and how to self-advocate. The webinars are free to watch on the AIC YouTube channel, https://www.youtube.com/user/aiconservation.

Conferences and Publications:

It may not be possible to seek feedback when your abstract is not accepted for a conference or publication. Just as in a work environment, you never know what the other abstracts provide – they may be more applicable to the theme of the conference, or together develop a theme that does not include your paper. It can be helpful to try smaller conferences (like regional groups) or allied fields for presentations, and smaller publications (like newsletters or a guest spot on an established conservation blog) for written work. Even though your work was not accepted by one outlet, does not mean that it is not worthy of publication or presentation! If you are unsure where to submit next, or what to do after your abstract or paper has been turned down, ask your mentors and peers for feedback; they may have advice on other submission options or suggestions to help refine your idea.

Remembering Other Options:

When entering a small competitive field, like conservation, a savvy long term strategy is to have a “Plan B.” Thinking about career alternatives does not mean you are less dedicated to your career goals. Instead, see your “Plan B” as an alternative path to professional success, which may or may not intersect with conservation in the future. Set parameters and create a timeframe for yourself by realistically considering how much time, energy, and financial resources you want to spend on achieving your goal. It’s important to remember that the path to being a conservator is often not a straight road from an undergraduate degree and pre-program internships to graduate school and a great job. People enter conservation with a diverse range of experiences, sometimes after spending years in another field where they have developed other useful skillsets. Many conservators have shaped successful careers by making decisions and finding opportunities that were outside the path of institutional fellowships and jobs. For example, one conservator we interviewed had to move to a new city with her family. The new location did not have a conservation job available, so the conservator worked as a curator for seven years until a conservation job opened. Working as a curator helped the conservator understand how all departments in a museum work together for preservation, and ultimately this understanding made the person a better conservator and an indispensable employee.

Plan B

Preservation and collections care are not only the responsibility of conservators but are managed by professionals working in many fields. Below we have compiled a very brief list of museum departments, careers, and fields of study that are essential to the preservation of cultural heritage.

-Collections Care departments, including collection managers and registrars, play an integral role in the acquisition, safe storage, transit, and display of objects. Like conservation, professionals in these fields often have a background in art history, anthropology, studio art, or museum studies.

-Chemical and Materials Science departments within universities and other institutions offer fascinating careers for those with a strong science background. Working in analytical research brings a different perspective to future conservation projects and forms connections to researchers and scientists.

-Museum Education is an evolving field that is dedicated to helping visitors better understand and engage with museum collections. Working with many departments across a museum, educators develop and run

programs that relate to works in a collection or special exhibition. Through teaching and outreach museum education plays a vital role in enhancing the public’s knowledge of and access to cultural institutions.

-Development and Fundraising is an essential part of all cultural institutions. Successful development campaigns not only facilitate the construction and expansion of museums, but the acquisition and long-term care of collections.

-Public policy for cultural heritage is a critical aspect of preservation. This is particularly true during periods of war and political turmoil when invaluable objects of art and cultural heritage can be threatened by looting or destruction.

-Library and information science has long been an allied field to conservation through the preservation of books and archives. As a developing field that is shaped by technology, areas of specialty also include database engineering and management, information analysis, and web development.

-Moving image archivists focus on the preservation of film, video, and digital media. Graduate programs are offered at a few major universities in the United States. Follow the links below to find out more about the field and graduate programs.

Association of Moving Image Archivists, http://www.amianet.org/

Selznick School of Film Preservation, http://selznickschool.eastmanhouse.org/

New York University, http://www.nyu.edu/tisch/preservation/

University of California, Los Angeles, http://mias.gseis.ucla.edu/

Private Practice

Don’t forget about private practice! Conservators who have completed training can consider joining or starting a private conservation practice as a great way to create their own opportunities in the field, especially if there are scant institutions with conservation jobs in a particular area. FAIC offers an online course for establishing a conservation practice, and joining the AIC specialty group Conservators in Private Practice (CIPP) can provide a network of support. ECPN is partnering with CIPP at this year’s AIC Annual Meeting in Miami for a discussion panel that includes established and emerging private practice conservators. The panel will be from 4-6pm on Wednesday, May 16th, 2015 and is followed by the annual ECPN Happy Hour from 6-8pm. See the AIC website for more details.

ECPN is planning future resources for developing “alternative” career paths and working in private practice. In the meantime, an ECPN-hosted Q&A Webinar with established private practice conservators can be found on the AIC YouTube channel (“Considering Your Future Career Path: Working in Private Practice”), as well as a written synopsis of the main portion of the webinar on the AIC blog Conservators-Converse.

Your Advice?

Art conservation is a competitive field in part because the people who pursue it are passionately driven. As we continue to advocate and educate, we will create more opportunities and more qualified candidates. Responding well to constructive criticism and expanding our concepts of the “ideal path to a conservation career” can be very helpful when dealing with rejection. What do you think? How do you cope with disappointment? What was your path to the field?

ECPN Officer Vacancies

Are you an emerging conservator who wants to advocate for the interests of other emerging conservators? If so, then please consider one of the open officer positions on AIC’s Emerging Conservation Professionals Network:

  • Vice Chair
  • Professional Education and Training Officer
  • Communications Officer
  • Outreach Officer

All positions will serve for a one year term, beginning in June 2015 just after AIC’s 43rd Annual Meeting. New officers will have the option of renewal for a second year, except for the Vice Chair who will be expected to move into the Chair position after the first year, for a one year term.
To learn more about ECPN, please visit: conservation-us.org/emerging
Position descriptions should be requested and any questions directed to Megan Salazar-Walsh at salazar.walsh@gmail.com. To apply, please submit a brief statement of interest and your resume to Megan Salazar-Walsh, ECPN Chair, by April 6th 2015.

AAM’s Direct Care Survey: Please complete ASAP

As I recently wrote about on the Conservators Converse blog (http://www.conservators-converse.org/2015/02/direct-care-and-conservation/), the AAM has formed a task force to better define the meaning of “direct care” in regard to deaccessioning. This issue has a direct impact on funding for preservation and conservation at museums.  Unfortunately, their task force did not include any conservators but now it is our chance to be heard.  Anyone, not just AAM members, can fill out the short survey.
The link is:
https://newknowledge.az1.qualtrics.com/SE/?SID=SV_cIb6SW5TiJB6GBD
The survey deadline is tomorrow, Mar. 4, so please complete it ASAP and forward it to other conservators.

ECPN Webinar – Presenting Talks and Posters

Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) Webinar:
Presenting Talks and Posters
Wednesday, March 11th at Noon EST
Registration Page:  Click here to visit the registration page
Conference season is quickly approaching!  If you are busy working on a poster or presentation, or even preparing for graduate school interviews, join the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN) for our upcoming webinar Presenting Talks and Posters on March 11th at Noon EST.  ECPN is excited to feature two conservators with professional experience in presentations, Katie Sanderson and Ariel O’Connor.  The speakers will discuss writing an abstract, putting together an effective PowerPoint, presenting a talk, and creating a poster.  ECPN is seeking question submissions for the Q&A portion.  Please contact ECPN Chair Megan Salazar-Walsh at salazar.walsh@gmail.com or Webinar Coordinator Fran Ritchie at FranRitchie@gmail.com for questions.
Registration: Click here to register for the webinar.  Closer to the date, you will receive an e-mail with information on how to connect to the webinar.
If you miss Presenting Talks and Posters or need a refresher, it will be recorded and uploaded onto the AIC Youtube channel.  For a listing of past ECPN Webinars, click here (or visit the AIC Youtube channel).
Webinar Presenter Bios:
Katie Sanderson Katie Sanderson is an Assistant Conservator of Photographs at The Metropolitan Museum of Art. She earned her M.A. in Art History and C.A.S. in Conservation at the Institute of Fine Arts, New York University, where she is currently a member of the adjunct faculty. Prior to her current position, she held the Andrew W. Mellon Research Scholarship in Photograph Conservation at The Metropolitan Museum of Art and worked in labs at the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, The Better Image, and New York Public Library. Her current research involves measuring color change in photographs over time using a spectrophotometer and micro-fade tester. The main goal of this work is to develop a better understanding of the effects of exhibition and climate conditions on photographic materials.
Ariel O’Connor Ariel O’Connor is currently an Objects Conservator at the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. Prior to Air and Space, Ms. O’Connor was an Assistant Objects Conservator at the Walters Art Museum, Assistant Objects Conservator and Samuel H. Kress Fellow at the Harvard Art Museums, and Andrew W. Mellon Fellow at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Her research focuses on materials and technology in archaeological Asian art. Her archaeological fieldwork includes seasons at the Aphrodisias Excavations, Mugello Valley/Poggio Colla Archaeological Project, and Gordion Excavations Project. She holds an M.A. and C.A.S. in Art Conservation from Buffalo State College.
Don’t let this bad presentation happen to you!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rIABo0d9MVE
The ECPN webinar program seeks to provide resources for issues faced by the conservation field, especially emerging conservators.  “Emerging conservators” are defined as those with 7 or fewer years of experience (which includes schooling and pre-program).  Contact a member of the ECPN Board for ideas on future webinar topics.
 

PMG Winter Meeting – "New Photo Histories in West Africa" by Erin Haney, Feb. 21

This was the final session of the 2015 PMG Winter Meeting.  Speaker Erin Haney is an art historian and co-founder/co-director of Resolution, which hosted the 2014 “3PA” workshop in Benin. During the Q&A afterward, one conservator remarked that her talk “reminds us why we do what we do.” That couldn’t be more true. She provided an exciting glimpse of family and private photograph collections in West Africa that have not been widely seen nor studied. The stewards of important West African photography collections have recently started to come together to explore strategies for their preservation as well as raising their visibility worldwide.
She began by saying that West Africa has valuable historic photographs that won’t come up on Google searches. The reason is simply that these photographs tend to be dispersed widely in private and family collections. There are very few cultural institutions, archives and museums that have enjoyed stability from the colonial era to the present day. Some institutions have lost all or part of their photographic collections in times of political upheaval. Instead, it is primarily families and private owners who have safeguarded that region’s photographic heritage.
Haney showed just a few examples that reflect the diversity of images that can be found in these collections. These include photographs made during the colonial period, the images made by the great, early studios (often now in family collections of their descendants), domestic portraits, group portraits, and events of social and political importance. There are images of the social elite and the wealthy, showing a materially rich and cosmopolitan West Africa that is seldom seen, and a history that is seldom taught. She showed a daguerreotype by Augustus Washington, who went to Liberia from the US and made daguerreotypes in cities all along the West African coast. There were photographs made by the Lutterodt family, which established a far-reaching network of family photography studios that operated from the 1870’s to the 1940’s. There were British colonial scenes, portraits by early French-run studios, portraits of West African women and their Bordeaux trader husbands, and debut portraits–young women dressed in the finest cloth, showing their readiness for marriage. More recent images included Gold Coast soldiers, independence movements, city skylines and infrastructure, and prominent political figures. These are but a few of the many treasures in these collections, spanning the 19th and 20th centuries. There is an extraordinary variety of subjects and photographic traditions.
She showed how photographs were made and remade in order to improve them and preserve them. Some photographs took on new meaning as memorial objects when the sitter passed away. These could be marked with crosses, mounted, and/or captioned by loved ones. Other photographs that had condition issues over time might be heavily overpainted to refresh them. In one case, a painting of a Dutch ancestor was remade by photographing it, in order to present it alongside a group of other family portrait photographs. The original image was not sacred. To study these collections, one has to understand how the images functioned when they were made and how they continue to function. Theirs is an iterative practice of artistry, which must inform preservation and conservation decision-making.
Of grave concern today is that these collections are at risk when the custodians feel they must sell or dispose of them to reclaim the valuable space they occupy in a private home, or generate much-needed income. Resolution communicates the importance of photographic cultural heritage to people in West Africa and around the world. The Benin workshop provided participants with the skills to document and manage their collections, while networking with others in the region working toward the same goals. The workshop involved nine countries in Francophone West Africa and is actively building partnerships and capacity to make a case for the ongoing support of photographic collections. There is a growing recognition of their critical importance for national identity, education and research. It was an inspiring end to this PMG Winter Meeting.

PMG Winter Meeting – "Cataloging Is Preservation: An Emerging Consideration in Photograph Conservation Programs" by Robert Burton, Feb. 20

“Cataloging Is Preservation: An Emerging Consideration in Photograph Conservation Programs” was the first talk of the Biannual PMG Winter Meeting in Cambridge, MA, February 20-21, 2015.  Speaker Robert Burton began with a quote from his mentor Sally Buchanan, who stated, “Cataloging is preservation.” Burton went on to show how that is no overstatement. In a sense, the goal of all conservation is to preserve materials to enable continued access to them, and there is a direct relationship between cataloging and access. Descriptive records in prescribed formats, organized under controlled headings, make photographs discoverable. This in turn sparks research interest, helps institutions identify preservation priorities, and even helps them organize storage more efficiently. Burton showed that cataloging is the foundation of a comprehensive view of collections management and preventive conservation.
A good record should answer the questions: who, what, when, where, why, and how? It gives an institution administrative and intellectual control over its photographic materials. Whereas books and other text-rich objects are more self-identifying, photographs require additional data to be contextualized, and collecting this data requires a cataloger with the appropriate training.  A cataloger might be the first person to go through a photograph collection, and that person should possess visual literacy, an understanding of photographic processes, an ability to carry out basic preventive measures such as rehousing, and be able to bring objects in need of special care to the attention of conservators. Because different institutions have diverse approaches (different databases, digital asset management systems, missions, and constituents), catalogers must understand and apply data value standards to bring some consistency to searches for terms such as artists’ names, geographic place names, and so on. (Burton mentioned the Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus and the Name Authority File from the Library of Congress as examples.)
Recent advances in digital recordkeeping and digital imaging have reduced the administrative burden of cataloging and have also reduced the need for over-handling photographic materials, which can result in handling damage. There are new technologies on the horizon that will help with cataloging, such as automatic captioning of newly created images, or giving photographers a way to record voice annotations as additional metadata. Nevertheless, catalogers will need to find a way to enter this information so it can be searched.
Without knowing its holdings, instititions will not be able to adequately value or safeguard their materials, nor will they be able to care for them. Uncataloged items are essentially invisible: vulnerable to loss, their condition and value unknown.
Burton acknowledged that few library school programs provide students with the opportunity to study photographic materials specifically.  He urged this audience to view cataloging as a preventive conservation method on par with environmental monitoring, housings, and the like. He traced the development of this thinking to the 2002 Mellon survey at Harvard, which in turn became the model for the Weissman Preservation Center’s Photograph Conservation Program, and then FAIC’s Hermitage Photograph Conservation Initiative. These surveys show that, by coordinating conservation, cataloging, and digital imaging, photograph collections are more accessible and in better condition. This positive trend should continue as more institutions adopt Susan Buchanan’s mindset: “Cataloging is preservation.”

"Direct care" and Conservation

Starting today, the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is conducting an online survey on “direct care,” an issue of extreme relevance to conservators and one that could have a major impact on the future of the conservation field.
As most conservators are aware, deaccessioning museum objects is a complicated topic.  Currently the AAM’s Code of Ethics says: “disposal of collections through sale, trade or research activities is solely for the advancement of the museum’s mission. Proceeds from the sale of nonliving collections are to be used consistent with the established standards of the museum’s discipline, but in no event shall they be used for anything other than acquisition or direct care of collections.”
While it is commonly understood that funds from deaccessioning should not be used for normal operating expenses, what does the term “direct care” mean?  Does “direct care” mean conservation, and if so, could these funds be spent on conservation treatments?  Or does “direct care” only mean preventive conservation?  Either way, does “direct care” include conservation salaries?  Because the term “direct care” is vague, the AAM has established the Direct Care Task Force to clarify the term and make new recommendations.  Of course, each museum may have its own, more specific, guidelines and procedures.  And while the AASLH also allows for money from the deaccessioning to be spent on “preservation,” the AAMD has stricter guidelines, allowing only for money to be spent on new acquisitions.
What does this have to do with conservation?  If the definition of “direct care” were expanded to explicitly include conservation, more funding would potentially be available for conservation.  But deaccessioning is already ethically challenging; conservators don’t want to be put in a position of seeming to encourage deaccessioning or to violate our own code of ethics, with our primary goal being the preservation of cultural property.
This important issue calls for dialogue – both among conservators and with our museum colleagues.  AAM’s task force unfortunately does not include any conservators, so we must express our voice in other ways.
Links:
AAM Direct Care Task Force
http://aam-us.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/direct-care-task-force
 
AAM Code of Ethics:
http://aam-us.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/code-of-ethics
 

Help make Museums Advocacy Day a Success

Although registration for participating in Museums Advocacy Day 2015 here in Washington, D.C., is now closed, there is still much you can do from home. Advocates will be personally visiting Congressional offices in all 50 states on February 24 and 25 “to send a unified message to Congress about the value of museums and how federal policy affects their ability to serve the public.” The American Alliance of Museums (AAM) is coordinating this effort, and you can help by writing letters to Congress, sharing AAM’s postings on Facebook and Twitter (hashtag #museumsadvocacy), and using AAM’s advocacy tools.
Last year, more than 300 advocates visited Washington, D.C., for Museums Advocacy Day. If you are interested in joining them next year, be sure to check the AAM website to learn about registration this fall.
AAM’s resources:

Museums Advocacy Day 2014 By the Numbers:

  • More than 300 advocates gathered in Washington, D.C. on Feb. 24–25
  • Advocates visited 335 Congressional offices in all 50 states
  • Over 1,100 #museumsadvocacy tweets
  • Two Great American Museum Advocates
  • Hundreds of letters sent to Congress
  • Six congressional champions

Information for this post was taken from the AAM website, http://www.aam-us.org/advocacy/museums-advocacy-day. Visit their website to learn more, and reach out to your Congressperson to let your voice be heard.