News Blog

Stay Up to Date on the Latest CAMM News

Go Back to Blog Page

  • Los Angeles Maritime Museum harbor
  • South Street and Lower Manhattan with in the foreground the three-masts tall ship Wavertree. Photo credit Richard Bowditch
  • ship deck

Category: News & Updates

Free access to ShipIndex.org for all over Labor Day weekend

Posted on by CAMM Admin
I thought CAMM members might like to know that my vessel database, ShipIndex.org, will be fully and freely available to all users, without any required signup, through the Labor Day holiday weekend. From now through the end of Monday, September 2, anyone can search as much of ShipIndex.org as they would like, without needing to register.
CAMM members who want to promote maritime history research might find it useful to mention this resource on their websites, FB pages, or in an email blast to their members, as there’s no similar tool for doing comprehensive research on vessels.
I continue to offer on-site access for free to all CAMM institutions; if a CAMM member doesn’t have ShipIndex access set up for access by their employees and visitors yet, they should feel free to reach out to me so we can get it set up.
All the best,
Peter McC

Learn to Care For and Interpret Military Stories

Posted on by CAMM Admin
Military Collections Camp 
Workshop 
October 22 – 24 
Oklahoma History Center 
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 

Save $50 When You Register by September 24

$300 AASLH Members / $425 Nonmembers (Register by September 24)
$350 AASLH Members / $475 Nonmembers (Register by October 15) 

REGISTER HERE  |  BECOME A MEMBER

Do you have military artifacts in your museum collection but aren’t sure how to handle or talk about them? Do you want to put together new military interpretation or refresh older exhibits? This two-and-a-half-day workshop will focus on the care, conservation, and exhibition of military artifacts in museum collections and help you create great military interpretations no matter your budget or site type.

During the workshop, you’ll learn:

  • The basic types of military artifacts common in American museum collections.
  • How to properly identify and handle military artifacts.
  • The current issues and trends in the preservation of military collections.
  • How to ensure the safety of visitors, staff, and artifacts when exhibiting or storing military items.
  • Explore the variety of issues related to exhibiting and storing military history collections.
  • Become familiar with simple conservation procedures that are safe to perform and when to call a professional conservator.

This workshop is facilitated by Myers Brown, Executive Director of Belmont Mansion in Nashville, and Gordon Blaker, Director/Curator of the U.S. Army Artillery Museum at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Both facilitators have decades of experience caring for military collections and interpreting military stories.

Receive a 30% discount on the AASLH book Interpreting American Military History at Museums and Historic Sites at rowman.com when you register for the workshop.

REGISTER HERE  |  BECOME A MEMBER 

Don’t Miss These Other Fall Workshops! 

Inclusive Interpretation of Slavery for America 250 and Beyond: Virtual Workshop
October 30 – 31
Facilitator: Kristin Gallas 
This workshop will discuss pedagogically sound and emotionally aware techniques for developing tours and programs on slavery, as well as strategies for training and caring for staff. Using the themes from AASLH’s Making History at 250: The Field Guide for the Semiquincentennial, you’ll explore ways to broaden visitors’ understanding of slavery and enslaved people’s lives during the Revolutionary Era, and the legacies of slavery that exist in our society today. Register here.

Reimagining the Historic House Museum
November 12 in Dallas, Texas
November 14 in Houston, Texas
Facilitators: Ken Turino and Max van Balgooy 
Learn how historic sites are using new models to engage with their communities to become more relevant, are adopting creative forms of interpretation and programming, and earning income to become more financially sustainable.

Register Now! InformationLiteracy.gov Training Webinars Sept. 4 and 5

Posted on by CAMM Admin

Register Now! InformationLiteracy.gov Training Webinars on September 4 and 5, 2024

The Institute of Museum and Library Services, as part of its Information Literacy Initiative, will be hosting free InformationLiteracy.gov Training Webinars on Wednesday, September 4, 2024, at 3 p.m. ET, and Thursday, September 5, 2024, at 10 a.m. ET

The webinar will provide an overview of the trainings and resources available on InformationLiteracy.gov and how these tools can support information literacy needs in communities throughout the country.

REGISTER HERE

IMLS has developed a comprehensive website with information literacy resources and community engagement ideas, including:

  • Checklist on how to recognize real vs. fake information online
  • Comprehensive lesson plans and worksheets for library and museum professionals to facilitate in-person or virtual trainings
  • Partnership engagement tip sheet on how to identify and engage partners at the local level
  • Fact sheet on how to spot trustworthy information online
  • Social media messages and graphics
  • Flyers to promote digital, health, and financial literacy trainings in communities

The work of the Information Literacy Initiative is focused on helping confront the challenges faced by people of all ages of a lack of information literacy in many areas—from health and finance to civic engagement and public safety.

Mark your calendar. We hope you can join us for one of these sessions!

To attend Wednesday, September 4 at 3 p.m. ET, register here.  

To attend Thursday, September 5 at 10 a.m. ET, register here.

For more information on the IMLS Information Literacy Initiative and to access resources, visit www.InformationLiteracy.gov.

IMLS Maintains Commitment to Museums, Opens FY25 Grant Funding Cycle

Posted on by CAMM Admin

IMLS Maintains Commitment to Museums, Opens FY25 Grant Funding Cycle

 The primary source of federal funding for US museums and related organizations is now accepting applications to eight grant programs. Proposals to offer programming, manage collections, and enhance the workforce can be submitted through November 15, 2024. 

ribbon-cuttingphotobyJamesAutery-1-lowres

Photo: Thomas Cole National Historic Site, New Studio ribbon cutting. Courtesy of the Thomas Cole National Historic Site

 

WASHINGTON, DC— The Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for eight museum grant programs. Museums and related organizations across the United States are encouraged to apply to the programs below by November 15, 2024.

Supports projects that offer professional development to the current museum workforce and create opportunities to train and recruit future museum professionals

Supports small museums of all disciplines in project-based efforts to serve the public.

Builds the capacity of African American museums and supports the growth and development of museum professionals at African American museums.

Build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums to serve their communities, and broadly advance the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino institutions.

Supports projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes.

Supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public.

Support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public.

Support Indian tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in sustaining heritage, culture, and knowledge.

To ensure a complete understanding of the programs’ policies and recommendations, applicants should review the Notices of Funding Opportunity carefully and make use of applicant resources.

Notices of Funding Opportunity

Notices of Funding Opportunity (NOFOs) detail the requirements and benefits of each grant program. Applicants should reference them regularly. This year, NOFOs have been reformatted for ease of reading.

READ

Getting Started with IMLS Museum Grants

This recorded webinar provides an overview of each grant program and the application process. Similar videos, detailing the specificities of each program, will be available soon.

WATCH

LIVE Getting Started with IMLS Museum Grants

The Office of Museum Services will host a live webinar for potential applicants on September 9th. The event will include a Q&A period.

REGISTER

Counseling Calls

IMLS staff members are available to help you decide which program is best suited for your project, and to answer general questions about the application and review process.

MLS FY 2025 Museum Services Funding Opportunities

Posted on by CAMM Admin

IMLS FY 2025 Museum Services Funding Opportunities

Education and Engagement Toolkit for Associations  

Opportunity

Museums and related organizations across the United States have eight opportunities in the coming months to apply for grants from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s primary source of federal funding for museum services.

As a valued stakeholder and IMLS partner in the museum field, we would like to ask for your help communicating these funding opportunities with your members and encouraging interested institutions to apply. Raising awareness of IMLS grant programs among potential applicants is one of our key agency priorities, and we appreciate your efforts to assist IMLS in achieving this goal

IMLS is accepting applications for eight grant programs, all due no later than November 15, 2024:

  • *NEW* Museum Grants for American Latino History and Culture - Designed to build the capacity of American Latino history and culture museums to serve their communities, and broadly advance the growth and development of a professional workforce in American Latino institutions.
  • Museums Empowered - Supports projects that use the transformative power of professional development and training to generate systemic change within museums of all types and sizes.
  • Museums for America - Supports museums of all sizes and disciplines in strategic, project-based efforts to serve the public.
  • National Leadership Grants for Museums - Support projects that address critical needs of the museum field and that have the potential to advance practice in the profession to strengthen museum services for the American public.

Here are a few ways to engage with IMLS and your communities:

Social Media Messages

We encourage you to follow IMLS on our social platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, X/Twitter and Instagram, and reshare our reminders about each funding opportunity.

We also ask that you share information about IMLS museum grant programs and the accompanying informational webinars for each funding opportunity via your own social media channels, newsletters, etc. Sample messages are provided below for your use, and you can download the IMLS logo from our website to accompany these messages:

 X/Twitter:

 

Facebook and LinkedIn:

  • FUNDING: @Institute of Museum and Library Services is now accepting applications for eight museum grant programs. Museums and related organizations across the United States are encouraged to apply by November 15, 2024.  https://www.imls.gov/grants/apply-grant/available-grants

 

Instagram:

  • FUNDING: The Institute of Museum and Library Services (@US_IMLS) is now accepting applications for eight museum grant programs. Museums and related organizations across the United States are encouraged to apply by November 15, 2024. Visit their website to learn more!

Newsletters

If your organization sends a newsletter to members, below is suggested copy to use through the grant deadline on November 15. You can edit this message to fit your newsletter’s style and standard word count, and you can download the IMLS logo from our website to accompany this message.

IMLS Museum Funding Opportunities Open Now through November 15, museums and related organizations across the U.S. are encouraged to apply to the eight grant funding opportunities provided by the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), the nation’s primary source of federal funding for museum services.

For more information and to access applicant webinars and sample applications, please see our latest announcement!

Additional Information

For more information, please contact Dorothy Peck, Communications Specialist at dpeck@imls.gov.

Sessions for Small Museums at the 2024 AASLH Annual Conference

Posted on by CAMM Admin

Most history organizations are small but mighty, preserving local history for future generations. If you work at a small museum or historic site, be sure to attend the 2024 AASLH Annual Conference and attend the suggested sessions below.

All sessions are included with conference registration. The Putting it All Together workshop and the Small Museums Luncheon have an additional cost and require preregistration.

Save on conference registration by becoming an AASLH member and registering by the August 16 online deadline! 
 

Wednesday, September 13 OR Saturday, September 14

Putting It All Together: Preparing for 2026 at Small History Organizations
Workshop
Cost: $45; Preregistration Required
The U.S. 250th is an opportunity to share history that tells everyone’s story and to strengthen the history field. AASLH has developed key resources to help practitioners both conceptually and concretely plan for this commemoration’s transformative potential. Attend this workshop to learn about the Making History at 250 Field Guide, our new handbook of low-resource programming ideas, and how to effectively apply these tools to your site or organization.

Thursday, September 12 

Capturing Oral Histories
This session will help you understand and improve the skills needed to capture oral histories, from deciding which topics need to be recorded, identifying interview subjects, and determining who conducts the interview.

Small Museums Luncheon
Cost: $42; Preregistration Required
Always a fun and informative event, this gathering is a chance to meet other staff and volunteers from small institutions, network, and share ideas through group discussions. There will be a short presentation and prizes. Everyone is welcome! Sponsored by Aurora Regional Fire Museum.

Small Museum, Big Impact: Steps for Ensuring Your Exhibition Resonates 
Learn about a project that brought an under-represented history to the community through cultural and institutional collaboration. Panelists will discuss the motivation for and execution of the traveling exhibition “Artistry in Iron: Blacksmiths of New Orleans” and challenge attendees to apply the strategies of adaptable design and local partnerships at their small museums.

Surviving Disaster: Learn By Doing the Work
This session will provide practical steps to preparedness, response, and community involvement gleaned from the loss of eight museums and historic sites in the August 2023 Lahaina wildfire disaster.

Friday, September 13

Strategic Vision at Small Museums
This session will help jump-start strategic planning by exploring the crucial role of mission, vision, and value statements at small museums preserving local history amid global challenges. Learn to engage public audiences by expanding historical relevance to broader audiences.

FSA Tips: America 250 on a Shoestring
Building on the America 250 Programming Handbook, this session features field services providers from across the country expanding on examples of how small history organizations can leverage resources to maximize 250th programming and impact.

Marketing 101: Minimal Effort for High Reward 
This session focuses on basic marketing and communications practices you can implement in just 1 – 3 hours per week. Get the most out of your time and budget and see results!

Small Museums Affinity Committee Meeting
Have you ever wanted to deepen your connection with AASLH? Are you looking for ways to connect with other museum professionals and volunteers? Consider getting involved with the Small Museums Affinity Committee. Join us for our annual in-person meeting, where you can get to know committee members, meet others connected to small organizations, ask questions, share what needs you have, and learn about what we do. Everyone is welcome!

Saturday, September 14

Creative Approaches to Primary Sources
Discover innovative ways for using primary sources and connecting the past with the present. Attendees will participate in Black and Latino Studies lessons developed for high school students. Learn how the Connecticut Museum creatively utilized primary sources from their collection to highlight the importance of telling underrepresented local stories.

What I Wish I Learned in School: Small Museums Edition
In small museums all operations are the responsibility of only a few staff members, often just the director. These include liability insurance, taxes, human resources regulations, building operations, and collections. A panel of small museum directors will share their experiences, including real-life situations, and places they found help.

URGENT: Contact Congress to Oppose Drastic IMLS Funding Cuts

Posted on by CAMM Admin

The House Appropriations Committee last week approved a bill that if enacted would make drastic funding cuts to the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS) and its Office of Museum Services (OMS), for fiscal year 2025, which begins October 1, 2024.

If enacted, the bill would cut the OMS by $9.3 million by eliminating National Leadership Grants for Museums, leaving an OMS total of $46.1 million — down from an historic high of $55.5 million.

National Leadership Grants are vital as they fund cutting edge programs that are models for the museum field at large. Recently, Made By Us, of which AASLH and many of its members are a coalition partner, received this grant to build the Youth250 program. This program will supply hundreds of history organizations with access to Gen Z input and guidance on their U.S. 250th programming.

The bill also would entirely eliminate funding for overall IMLS Research, Analysis and Data Collection ($5.6 million), which would include ending the agency’s ability to conduct the first ever National Museum Survey, which it has already developed and field-tested. All of this preparatory work would be for naught, and all monies spent, wasted. In addition, overall IMLS Program Administration would be cut by $5 million (22%). Libraries were not spared: library discretionary grants were slashed by $25.2 million to $5 million in a bill that would cut education programs by 14% and would eliminate 57 programs. While these proposed cuts are unlikely to make it past the Senate and White House, it’s critical for you to voice your opposition to your Representative now!

Please use the link below to fill out a contact form provided by our colleagues at the American Alliance of Museums.

The FY 2025 Appropriations process has a long way to go. Senate action has lagged behind the House. In the meantime, it’s critical to oppose these drastic proposed cuts.

Thank you for your advocacy in support of IMLS! This agency provides vital support to AASLH members and your colleagues in the national history community.

Quick Links

Home

Annual Conference

Become a Member

News Blog

Resources

Follow CAMM on Facebook button

Get In Touch

Find Members by Location

Find Members by Name

Send Us a Message