Representatives Dina Titus and Suzanne Bonamici are circulating a letter for other members of the House of Representatives to sign, asking the Trump administration to reconsider the executive order that guts the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS).

Please call your members of the House of Representatives to ask them to sign the letter. The deadline for members of Congress to sign the letter is end of day Friday, March 28 so calling will be the best option given the short turnaround time.

Our partners at the American Alliance of Museums (AAM) have created a draft script you may use. Type in your address to display your House member’s phone number.

CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVE
Museum Associations Send Letter to Acting IMLS Director
AASLH, along with AAM, Association of Art Museum Directors, American Public Gardens Association, Association of Children’s Museums, Association of Science and Technology Centers, Association of African American Museums, Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the Association of Science Museum Directors have sent a letter to Acting Director of IMLS Keith Sonderling.

The letter highlights the importance of museums to our economy, educational infrastructure, and communities as well as the critical support IMLS provides for the field. The letter also asks Sonderling to meet with the leaders of these nine associations and alliances.

READ THE LETTER
U.S. Senators Send Letter

Today, a bipartisan group of senators—Jack Reed, Kirsten Gillibrand, Susan Collins, and Lisa Murkowski—sent a letter to Sonderling. These senators are the co-authors of the last act that reauthorized IMLS. The letter urges Sonderling to continue IMLS’s mission to engage with and support libraries and museums, as Congress intended when it created the agency. Read the letter.

Additional Advocacy Actions You Can Take

Write and call your members of Congress about what could be lost if IMLS is gutted.

Write and call your state-level elected officials and ask them to advocate for IMLS with your members of Congress.

Encourage your museum’s Board, supporters, and members to write and call their members of Congress.

Invite Congress to your organization. Members of Congress will be in their home districts for two weeks on April 13 – 27 and periodically home for extended weekends. Take the opportunity to invite your members of Congress to your organization, schedule a meeting with them in their district offices, or attend public forums that your members of Congress might be hosting.

Share your story with local media. Here are some examples of media stories and essays that have already been published:

• Trump administration seeks to starve libraries and museums of funding by shuttering this little-known agency
• Funding for Iowa museums, libraries in jeopardy following Trump executive order
• Holland Museum facing “critical financial challenge” amid federal funding cuts
• The president is dismantling an important program for Alaska libraries and museums – and Alaskans. Please help save it.

Registration is now open for the Summer Session of AASLH’s popular Online Courses. If these courses are of interest to you, don’t delay in registering. Our Online Courses almost always fill before the registration deadline.

AASLH members save $100 on course registration. Become a member.

Online Courses that are available each session rotate throughout the year. Visit our website to see the courses that will be available later in 2025.

Summer Online Courses
Registration Closes June 9

Introduction to Financial Management*
June 16 – July 13
$199 AASLH Members / $299 Nonmembers
Designed for staff and volunteers of all abilities and organizations of all sizes, this course provides an accessible, clear, and even fun introduction to the financial concepts of running a history organization. Register here.

Basics of Archives
June 16 – August 10
$230 AASLH Members / $330 Nonmembers
Learn the core aspects of managing and protecting historical records collections, using appropriate principles and best practices. Register here.

Caring for Museum Collections*
June 16 – August 10
$230 AASLH Members / $330 Nonmembers
This course deals with the physical care and preservation of your museum collections. It will cover how collections age and deteriorate, handling collections, storage requirements, environmental considerations, housekeeping, and risk management. Register here.

Developing Exhibitions: Planning and Design*
June 16 – August 10
$230 AASLH Members / $330 Nonmembers
Guided by an expert instructor and supported by cooperative student learning, you’ll develop an exhibition and create a design package. Participants will decide what their exhibit will be about and why, identify its storyline ideas and organizing concepts, develop a budget, and decide on its look and feel. Register here.

* Small Museum Pro!
Small Museum Pro! is a professional certificate program for history practitioners who work or would like to work in small history organizations. It provides practical guidance and education on a variety of topics. To receive a certificate, applicants must complete and pass five courses from the program. Learn more about SMP!

We are still accepting applications for our summer 2025 field school in Italy. Now in its 26th year, with alumni from over 170 colleges and universities worldwide, SGPS is dedicated to the preservation of cultural heritage. We offer students the opportunity to study and travel in Italy where they acquire hands-on experience in restoration and conservation. The deadline for applications has been extended to April 15. For those wishing to apply through West Virginia University in order to received credit, their deadline has been extended to March 23.Please forward this notice to any person who may be interested in our programs, thank you. Session One (June 2 – 27)Building Restoration – Touching the StonesRestoration of Traditional Masonry Buildings and Sketching and Analyzing Historic Buildings (Program includes lectures and restoration field projects*) Archaeological Ceramics RestorationAnalysis and Restoration of Archaeological Ceramics in Italy (Program includes lectures and restoration workshop*) Book Bindings Restoration Introduction to the History and Craft of BookbindingsIntroduction to the Preservation and Preventive Conservation of Books (Program includes lectures and practical workshop*) Short Intersession Program (June 30 – July 9)Preservation Tour – Italy A ten-day trip visiting Florence, Siena and Rome: places of cultural interest, with emphasis on the urban and historical development of each town, including specialized visits to places of interest to restorers.  Session Two (July 14 – August 9)Paper RestorationIntroduction to the Restoration and Conservation of Paper in Artwork and Archival Documents (Program includes lectures and restoration workshop*) Traditional Painting TechniquesTraditional Materials, Methods of Painting and Art Restoration Issues (Program includes lectures and painting workshop) Preservation Theory and Practice in Italy Restoration Theory, Ethics and Issues (Program includes lectures and discussion) *Field Projects:Restoration of Porta Tuderte (13th century city gate) Analysis of medieval buildings in San Gemini as part of an urban study of the city Restoration and conservation of classical archaeological ceramics from the Parco del Colosseo in RomeRestoration of the Historic Archives, City of San Gemini (material ranges from 14th to 19th centuries)

APPLY NOW

SGPS is a program of the International Institute for Restoration and Preservation Studies, based in New York. An academic relationship has been established with West Virginia University that offers our students the opportunity to apply for and receive credits through the WVU Art History Department. We have established cooperation agreements with the Universita degli Studi della Tuscia in Viterbo. We have collaboration agreements with the Museo della Storie di Bergamo and the archaeological area of the Parco del Colosseo in Rome to study and conserve archaeological artifacts from those institutions. We have an ongoing collaboration with the Historic Archives of the City of San Gemini, the Historic Archives of the Diocese of Terni, Narni and Amelia for SGPS to study and conserve archival documents. Our courses are open to students from various disciplines, both undergraduate and graduate. All lessons are taught in English.Contact: Polly Withers, pwithers@iirpsemail.org, Tel: +1 718-768-3508. www.sangeministudies.org

THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL MUSEUM OF AMERICAN HISTORY is conducting a survey to understand how and why people search, seek, explore, and use our collections, online and in person. This information will be used to help shape our plans for improving our catalog. We strive to incorporate the voices of a range of user types, from both inside and outside of NMAH. We hope you will:

• Take the survey (closes March 19)

We invite everyone’s participation, regardless of your role and level or type of familiarity with the collection. Staff, volunteers, docents, contractors, interns, fellows, from all departments (and any unit)—please add your voice.

• Forward the survey to others in your network

We are looking for anyone with an interest in museum or history collections for work, learning, or fun. That means scholars, teachers, genealogists, students, enthusiasts, collectors, makers, and people who love history!  Click here for language you can cut-and-paste into emails, listservs, and social media.

Please see this job opportunity below.

https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina/jobs/4809635-0/education-curator

Accommodation arrangements for the upcoming conference are now on the conference webpage: https://councilofamericanmaritimemuseums.org/annual-conference/ Please note that all reservations must be made no later than March 17, 2025.

Makerspaces for Museums and Historic Sites

Webinar

February 6

3 p.m. Eastern

$25 AASLH Members | $45 Nonmembers

REGISTER HERE | BECOME A MEMBER
Makerspaces — where visitors can engage in hands-on learning activities related to a collection or exhibit — are increasingly common features at museums and history sites. They can encourage tactile and intergenerational learning, connect museum content to STEM principles, and help history come to life. In this webinar, you’ll explore the transformative potential of makerspaces, discovering how interactive environments can enhance visitor engagement, spark creativity, and deepen connections to history and culture.

Tim Betz, author of Making History: Makerspaces for Museums and Historic Sites, will provide real-world examples and practical guidance on designing and implementing makerspaces that complement existing exhibits and collections. By embracing the Maker Movement ethos, museums can come to life in new, dynamic ways.

Gain insights into integrating makerspace activities that appeal to diverse audiences and foster collaboration, learning, and exploration. Whether your institution is large or small, this webinar will equip you with tools to start or refine a makerspace, offering fresh and engaging experiences for all visitors.

Registrants for this webinar will also receive a 30% discount code for Making History: Makerspaces for Museums and Historic Sites.

On Monday, January 27, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) released Memorandum M-25-13 instructing all federal agencies to temporarily pause the obligation and distribution of all federal funding (other than payments to individuals). This order was challenged in court, and a federal judge temporarily blocked part of the order before it could go into effect on Tuesday, January 28. The OMB ultimately rescinded the memo today, Wednesday, January 29. This issue is still critical for the future of museums and history organizations. 

Federal funding through the Institute of Museum and Library Services, National Endowment for the Humanities, National Endowment for the Arts, Department of Energy, NOAA, FEMA, and other federal agencies supports history organizations throughout the country in various ways. Loss of these funds, especially with little or no time to plan for the impact of the loss, could cause significant damage to the ability to preserve and interpret, as well as to educate the public about the rich history of our nation, particularly as we prepare for the 250th anniversary of the United States in 2026. 

AASLH is watching for further developments of this rapidly changing issue and others in Washington that impact history organizations. Please look for our Weekly Dispatch newsletter for updates and ways you can get involved. If you do not receive Dispatch, you can subscribe at www.aaslh.org. 

We also encourage you to do more research on the impact of these executive orders on cultural organizations in your state. AASLH is a proud supporter of the American Alliance of Museum’s (AAM) Advocacy Day held each February. AAM’s website includes information on how to contact your Congressional delegation to let them know the importance of federal funding to the museums, libraries, history organizations, and other nonprofits in your community. Please take time to contact your members of Congress using the AAM template letter to express your concerns about how this memo will impact your museum or community.

The Michigan Maritime Museum seeks to hire their next Executive Director, following a 15-year tenure and growth period led by the current ED, Patti Montgomery-Reinert.

https://tinyurl.com/MMMExecDir

Dear Colleague, Applications are open to the American Alliance of Museums’ popular Museum Assessment Program (MAP)! Designed for small to mid-sized museums, MAP offers a free, year-long process of self-assessment, peer review, and expert guidance to enhance your museum’s effectiveness—whether you’re just starting out or gearing up for accreditation.⁠ Since its inception over 40 years ago, the Museum Assessment Program (MAP) has helped nearly one-quarter of US museums create an institutional roadmap and strategic plan.  Use these resources to submit your application by the February 15 deadline, to make sure your museum is part of the 2025 cohort: This year, MAP offers four different assessments to choose from—explore them below!Our website has robust information about what’s involved in participating, who is eligible to apply, and much more, including FAQs.Download the sample application (a fillable pdf) before you begin the official online application!

Apply to the Museum Assessment Program today!

If you have additional questions, don’t hesitate to reach out to us, your MAP Program Officers, at map@aam-us.org.