{"id":8062,"date":"2013-05-27T09:15:15","date_gmt":"2013-05-27T14:15:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.conservators-converse.org\/?p=8062"},"modified":"2013-05-27T09:15:15","modified_gmt":"2013-05-27T14:15:15","slug":"collective-energy-harnessing-the-power-of-community","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/resources.culturalheritage.org\/conservators-converse\/2013\/05\/27\/collective-energy-harnessing-the-power-of-community\/","title":{"rendered":"Collective energy: harnessing the power of community"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you ask me if I’m connected, I might at first think, well, I have a smartphone where I can access my Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn accounts, my family and I share a Google calendar, so sure, I guess I’m connected. But what does it really<\/em> mean to be connected? With all of these devices, apps, and programs, I find that it is becoming increasingly easier to never leave the comfort of my home or desk in order to feel like I’m an active part of a community – whether it be my neighborhood, my family, or the conservation field.
\nBut nothing replaces the experience of connecting with other people face-to-face.\u00a0Our field is experiencing some big changes, and making the effort to go to conferences each year, and even venturing a bit outside of our close-knit community, may be more valuable than ever before. By attending allied professionals meetings, I believe that we will find that this not only benefits us as individuals, but our field as a whole.
\nLast week I spent 2 very full days at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) annual meeting<\/a> in Baltimore and I returned feeling inspired and energized with new ideas.
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\"AAM<\/a>
AAM attendees filing into the general session in the ballroom at the Baltimore Convention Center<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nThis was my first time attending this meeting, and as Chair of the Emerging Conservation Professionals Network (ECPN<\/a>), I went on behalf of our group in an attempt to promote ECPN to the wider museum community, to connect with the AAM Emerging Museum Professionals <\/a>(EMP) network, and to seek ideas and ways for ECPN to collaborate with other emerging museum professionals. In the interest of supporting the significant work of ECPN, The University of Delaware<\/a> generously supported my participation.
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\"A<\/a>
A shot from the AAM opening reception at the American Visionary Art Museum<\/figcaption><\/figure>
\nI was fortunate to have a meeting buddy \u2013 ECPN Vice Chair Eliza Spaulding also attended the conference, and between the two of us, we sought out as many opportunities to take in all AAM had to offer. Some of the highlights included:<\/p>\n