CAM e-NEWS 8/6/2008

FIND YOUR MUSE... Be a member of the California Association of Museums! CAM is the only professional association specifically addressing the needs and interests of California's museums and relies on membership dues to support its programs and services. Membership benefits and fees are available at http://www.calmuseums.org/membership.

FOURTEEN CAM INSTITUTIONAL MEMBERS TO RECEIVE CONNECTING TO COLLECTIONS BOOKSHELF

Dr. Anne-Imelda Radice, Director of the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), announced that 776 museums, libraries, and archives have been selected to receive the IMLS Connecting to Collections Bookshelf. The contents of the bookshelf were selected by a panel of conservation experts; it includes an essential set of books, online resources, and a user’s guide that can profoundly affect the ability of small libraries and museums to care for their collections. The IMLS Bookshelf was made possible by a cooperative agreement with the American Association for State and Local History with support from the Getty Foundation, the Henry Luce Foundation, and the Samuel H. Kress Foundation. It is part of Connecting to Collections: A Call to Action, a strategic initiative by IMLS to address the challenges described in A Public Trust at Risk: The Heritage Health Index Report on the State of America’s Collections.

CAM congratulates the following institutional members for being selected to receive the bookshelf: San Lorenzo Valley Museum (Boulder Creek); Coronado Historical Association (Coronado); Museum of the San Ramon Valley (Danville); Folsom Historical Society (Folsom); Tahoe Maritime Museum (Homewood); Lake County Historical Courthouse Museum (Lakeport); Mariposa Museum and History Center (Mariposa); Kelley House Museum (Mendocino); Dunsmuir-Hellman Historic Estate (Oakland); California State Military Museum (Sacramento); Santa Cruz Museum of Natural History (Santa Cruz); and the Agricultural History Project (Watsonville). To read the IMLS press release or to see a complete list of recipients, see http://www.imls.gov/news/2008/080508.shtm.

NEW STUDY FINDS 26% OF AMERICANS VOLUNTEERED IN 2007

A new report, from the Corporation for National and Community Service, says that more than one out of every three people who had volunteered in 2006 had not done so again in 2007. David Eisner, who heads the Corporation for National and Community Service, says nonprofit groups ought to be more strategic in the ways they recruit, manage, and retain volunteers. Despite the turnover in volunteers, last year’s volunteering rates remained relatively steady after a 6-percent decline in total volunteers from 2005 to 2006. Last year, 60.8 million people, or about 26 percent of Americans age 16 or older, performed unpaid work for a nonprofit organization, the report says, and the proportion of volunteers donating more than 100 hours annually was 34 percent, the highest level since 2002.

The report analyzes data culled from annual Census Bureau surveys of roughly 60,000 households around the country. For the full article on this study, see http://philanthropy.com/news/updates/index.php?id=5284

Mark your calendars! CAM is pleased to announce that it will be hosting its next conference in San Francisco, California, February 25-27, 2009 at the Hotel Kabuki in the heart of Japantown. There is a buzz of excitement surrounding this meeting and we want you to be a part of it. This conference will bring together a diverse group of museum professionals from across California for a stimulating and enjoyable exchange of ideas, perspectives and resources.

JULY MONTHLY MUSEUM POLL RECAP: DO YOU OWN YOUR BUILDING OR LAND?

In past CAM surveys, we have asked California museums if their organization pays for the maintenance of their building, what their governance structure is, and about the square footage of their building or land. This is a complicated subject since many museums have private/public partnerships and there are numerous ways these relationships can be structured. But, we have never specifically asked about the ownership of museum facilities and land. The monthly poll for July asked “Does your museum own its building and land?”

According to our informal survey, 58.1% of California museums own their building and 39.5% own their land. For the organizations that do not own their building or land, three out of four museums (75%) indicated that the city government has ownership. Equal numbers of museums, one out of eight museums (12.5%), have their land or building owned by the county government or an individual.

To read additional comments from our subscribers on this topic, visit http://www.calmuseums.org/e-news/poll/2008-07.html.

MONTHLY MUSEUM POLL: SHOULD MUSEUMS BE FREE OF CHARGE?

According to CAM’s 2006 survey of California museums, the majority of the state’s museums are accessible: about half of the state’s museums do not require an admission fee and virtually all museums that charge admission offer free admission days. However, in some cities and in other countries, there has been a movement to make museums free of charge through government funding or sponsorships. There are excellent reasons why museums charge admission -- namely to cover the costs of providing their programs and services. And, there is evidence that the average ticket price does not cover the cost of serving that visitor. But, there are some who believe that museums collections and services should be available at no charge to the public. We are interested in your theoretical thoughts on this topic.

MONTHLY MUSEUM POLL:

Do you think museums should be free of charge?

Click here to participate in the poll

(or copy the following URL and paste it in your browser: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=SPhVlgMUUuqtwE_2bcemJRbA_3d_3d)

OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

WESTERN MUSEUMS ASSOCIATION 2008 ANNUAL MEETING IN ALASKA
It isn't too late to register for the Western Museums Association's 2008 Annual Meeting, co-sponsored by Museums Alaska. No Limits: Museums Define the Future will take place September 17-21, 2008. Located in Anchorage, Alaska, the land without limits, this meeting explores how museum professionals can break out of the rules and limits that stifle the potential and possibilities of our institutions. Pre-conference workshops in native villages, panel discussions, and solo presentations by museum colleagues and experts from the worlds of business, native culture, collections and education; evening events at local museums; and, most importantly, the opportunity for interaction with your peers. Pre-registration is required for all events. To register online go to http://www.westmuse.org/.

NEW STUDY RELEASED ON THE NEXT GENERATION OF LEADERS IN THE NONPROFIT SECTOR
Ready to lead? Next Generation Leaders Speak Out is a national study produced in partnership by CompassPoint, Nonprofit Services, The Annie E. Casey Foundation, the Meyer Foundation, and Idealist.org. As the Baby Boomers retire from their leadership positions over the coming decades and the labor market grows ever tighter, how will the nonprofit sector attract the most committed and talented leaders? What would draw Generation Xers and Generation Yers to positions that typically offer long hours for short pay? In September 2007, research around this topic was conducted. Close to 6,000 people across the country responded to the disadvantages and benefits of heading a nonprofit organization. The survey results described in this report tell us a lot about the nonprofit sector, and not all of it is flattering. The wisdom on the streets—confirmed to some degree by this study—is that nonprofit work and the people who do it are undervalued. For the full report, see http://www.meyerfoundation.org/downloads/ready_to_lead/ReadytoLead2008.pdf

NEW LAW PROPOSED IN RESPONSE TO EXHIBIT AT SAN FRANCISCO ART INSTITUTE
A committee in San Francisco’s city government has introduced a bill that would allow misdemeanor or felony criminal charges to be brought against any artist or financial backer who causes “the death, abuse or suffering of an animal” when making a work of art. The proposal comes in response to a recent video installation by Algerian-French artist Adel Abdessemed at the San Francisco Art Institute (SFAI) showing the killing of six farm animals. The Art Institute was forced to close the show in late March after only one week when Abdessemed, curator Hou Hanru and staff members received a series of death threats from animal rights extremists (The Art Newspaper, May 2008, p3). For the complete article, see http://www.theartnewspaper.com/article.asp?id=8065.

EARLY BIRD REGISTRATION FOR ASTC CONFERENCE IN PHILADELPHIA ENDS AUGUST 8
The 2008 ASTC Annual Conference will feature discussions and dialogue focusing on science centers’ place at the crossroads of the scientific community and the general public, hosted by the Franklin Institute on October 18-21, 2008. Across the conference schedule are sessions that challenge participants to explore our responsibility to both our scientific and public constituencies. Throughout the conference, these six areas will be developed and explored: Research in Learning, Current Science, Technology, Public Policy and Issues, Marketing and Communications, and Leadership and Management. For registration dues and more information, see http://www.astc.org/conference/registration.htm.

VISITOR EXPERIENCE WORKSHOPS IN CALIFORNIA
Registration is continuing for Infopeople's new daylong workshop—"Experienceology"—designed to help participants find creative ways to improve the experiences visitors have in libraries, museums, and other nonprofit organizations. To sign up for any of offerings in California libraries through October 2008, please visit the Infopeople website at http://infopeople.org/workshop/375. Workshops are $75.

PROPOSED BILL COULD HAVE MAJOR EFFECT ON CALIFORNIA FOUNDATIONS
AB 624 (Joe Coto, D-San Jose), which would have required California foundations with assets over $250,000,000 to collect and post diversity data on governance, contracts and grantmaking, was pulled in June when negotiations between the author, sponsor and foundations resulted in an agreement by the foundations to pursue a plan to boost funding in the coming years to strengthen the staff and infrastructure of minority-led, grass-roots nonprofits. The foundations also promised to devote more attention to "activities that will bolster and train a diverse pipeline of executives, staff and board members" and "to funding ongoing research on the nonprofit sector in California, including the number of minority-led, community-based nonprofits and their capacity needs." To read the policy statement from the California Association of Nonprofits on this issue, see http://www.fileden.com/files/2007/3/29/937563/CAN%20AB624%20Policy%20Statement.pdf.

WHITE HOUSE CONFERENCE ON STRENGTHENING COMMUNITIES - AUGUST 18, SACRAMENTO
"Ignite and Unite: A Partnership Summit to Strengthen Communities" is the theme of a statewide conference scheduled for August 18 at the Sacramento Convention Center. Presented by The White House Office of Faith Based and Community Initiatives and California Volunteers, this event will provide resources and training on a variety of topics, including volunteer trends and management, disaster preparedness and response, crime prevention/intervention, prisoner reentry, accessing private, State and Federal resources and more. The conference is free, but pre-registration is required at http://www.dtiassociates.com/fbci/logisticsCA2.cfm?location=CA2.

CALIFORNIA STORIES: HOW I SEE IT EXHIBITED IN LIBRARIES THROUGHOUT CALIFORNIA - AUGUST
How I See It is the third major campaign of California Stories, the Council’s multiyear initiative designed to strengthen communities through the sharing of stories. The population of California is growing increasingly younger, with more than a quarter of its residents under the age of 21. How I See It: My Place, a Council-developed photography and writing program for teens in 21 California libraries. The following five libraries will hold exhibits of the teen work in August: Fresno County Public Library, Riverside Public Library, San Jose Public Library, San Leandro Main Library, and Sutter County Library. For more information about How I See It: My Place or CCH, see http://www.calhum.org/programs/programs_main.htm.

Get the Word Out in CAM e-News!
Please email the CAM office at editor@calmuseums.org to list any announcements pertaining to professional development programs, grant opportunities, or related opportunities in future editions of CAM e-News and on the CAM web site. Since it is not possible to include all the details of an announcement, please include a phone number, web site address, or email address so interested parties can get additional information. Please do not exceed a limit of 150 words per listing. All announcements are subject to editing by CAM personnel.

A CAUTIONARY NOTE
For access to some of these articles, the publishers may require that you become a member of their web site. For access to recent articles, this is usually a free service. However, you may need to pay for access to archived articles. In all instances, they will collect your contact information and probably send you advertisements. If you do not wish to become a member of a newspaper web site, we recommend that you note the title, author, newspaper, and publication date and visit your local library. If you are having trouble connecting to the appropriate article via the link provided below, we recommend that you go directly to the newspaper's web site and search with key words.

The Hammer Museum’s James Elaine builds a bridge to China’s art scene
By Suzanne Muchnic, Los Angeles Times, August 3, 2008
http://www.latimes.com/entertainment/news/arts/la-ca-china-art3-2008aug03,0,5693724.story

Claremont Museum of Art receives $10 million grant from anonymous donor
Philanthropy News Digest, August 2, 2008
http://foundationcenter.org/pnd/news/story.jhtml?id=223000004

New law would cost SF Zoo its accreditation
By Marisa Lagos, San Francisco Chronicle, August 2, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/02/BAPA1240OP.DTL

Mexican Museum may finally have found a home
By: Robert Selna, San Francisco Chronicle, August 1, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/01/MN0H12253U.DTL

Performing arts museum could also be built
By: Robert Selna, San Francisco Chronicle, August 1, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/08/01/MNML12317M.DTL

Lots of fun and facts in corporate museums
BY: Victoria Colliver, San Francisco Chronicle, July 27, 2008
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/26/BUG311UVUI.DTL

Please note that CAM does not necessarily endorse the information contained in these articles or the source(s) of the information.

To view 24 additional articles featuring museums or related topics in newspapers through August 6, 2008, see Museums in the News.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES

EDUCATION DIRECTOR / HAYWARD AREA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

MEMBERSHIP MANAGER / AQUARIUM OF THE PACIFIC

CAPITAL CAMPAIGN MANAGER / SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM AND HISTORICAL SOCIETY

ARCHIVES ASSISTANT / JAPANESE AMERICAN NATIONAL MUSEUM

VOLUNTEER & INTERN PROGRAM MANAGER / SAN FRANCISCO MUSEUM OF MODERN ART

COLLECTIONS RENOVATION PROJECT MANAGER / SAN DIEGO MUSEUM OF MAN

To view position descriptions, application instructions, and contact information for the above open positions, see Museum Job Opportunities.

PERSONNEL NOTES

The San Jose Museum of Art has appointed Susan Krane director. She replaces Daniel Keegan, who resigned in January to become director of the Milwaukee Art Museum.

Pasadena Museum of California Art has hired Christopher Mount as its new executive director. Mount was most recently director of exhibitions and public programs at Parsons The New School for Design in New York. The previous director of the Pasadena Museum of California, Wesley Jessup, left to become executive director of the Boise Art Museum in Idaho.

Email admin@calmuseums.org to include personnel announcements in future editions of CAM e-News.

FUNDING OPPORTUNITIES

FUNDING AVAILABLE TO ATTEND NCPH ANNUAL MEETING IN PROVIDENCE, RI
The National Council on Public History is announcing the call for awards for the 2009 Annual Meeting to be held April 2-5, 2009, in Providence, Rhode Island. The following awards are available through the NCPH: Outstanding Public History Project Award, Book Award, G. Wesley Johnson Award, Excellence in Consulting Award, Michael C. Robinson Prize for Historical Analysis, New Professional Awards, Student Project Award, Graduate Student Travel Award. Award winners receive complimentary annual meeting registration and a meal ticket for the Awards Luncheon. Book Award nominations are due December 1, 2008. All other award nominations are due January 1, 2008. See http://www.ncph.org/ for more information and submission guidelines. For questions please contact (317) 274-2716 or nchp@iupui.edu.

NEH ANNOUNCES PICTURING AMERICA GRANTS
Grants support projects up to $350,000 that foster collaboration between K-12 educators and humanities scholars to strengthen understanding of the connections between great works of American art and significant events, themes and topics in the American experience. This program is also designed to help teachers and librarians whose schools display the Picturing America images to deepen students' understanding of art, American history, government, social studies, literature, language arts, civics and other core subjects by supporting two or more conferences and providing opportunities for participants to collaborate with resource scholars, master teachers, museum and library professionals and other experts. Information about Picturing America can be found at http://www.neh.gov/grants/guidelines/PASCP.html. The deadline for applications is October 1, 2008. For questions, contact Barbara Ashbrook, Carol Peters, or Robert Sayers of NEH’s Division of Education Programs at 202-606-8380 and education@neh.gov. Hearing-impaired applicants can contact NEH via TDD at 1-866-372-2930.

YOUTUBE OFFERS FUNDING FOR NONPROFIT ONLINE MARKETING
YouTube is offering nonprofit organizations the opportunity to tell the world's largest online video community about their impact and needs using a designated "nonprofit" channel on YouTube. Program benefits include: premium branding capabilities and increased uploading capacity; rotation of organizations' videos in the Promoted Videos areas throughout the site; the option to drive fundraising through a Google Checkout "donate" button; and listing on the nonprofit channels and nonprofit videos pages. For more information, see http://www.youtube.com/nonprofits.

PUBLICATION GRANTS OFFERED BY GETTY FOUNDATION
These grants support the print or electronic publication of groups of books by different authors. Books must have a coherent intellectual rationale, whether or not they are conceived as a formal series, and they must make a significant contribution to the understanding of art and its history. Presses may apply for support for various costs related to the development, editing, design, manufacturing, marketing and distribution of publications. The first step in applying for a Publication Grant is to submit a preliminary letter of inquiry to determine eligibility. If the project is eligible for consideration, the publisher will be asked to submit a formal application and will be sent the necessary application instructions. For more information, see http://www.getty.edu/grants/research/institutions/publications.html. Letters should be sent to Attn: Publication Grants, The Getty foundation, 1200 Getty Center Dr., Ste. 800, Los Angeles, CA 90049-1685. For questions, contact 310.440.7320

KRESS FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES FUNDING FOR ART HISTORY AND CONSERVATION
The foundation aims to improve art history and conservation efforts by offering grants that develop and utilize the skills and experience of trained professionals. Grants for Essential Resources supports endeavors to create and disseminate specialized knowledge through mediums such as publications, archives, photography, documentation, databases, catalogues, technical and scientific studies, and other materials that relate to art history research and art conservation. Funding for Sharing Expertise supports activities that permit art historians and conservators to share their expertise through international exchanges, professional meetings, conferences, symposia, consultations, the presentation of research, and other structured events. If you have questions, contact (212) 861-4993 or info.request@kressfoundation.org For further information, see http://www.kressfoundation.org/conserve.html

NHPRC OFFERS PUBLISHING GRANTS FOR HISTORICAL DOCUMENTARY EDITIONS
Funding supports proposals for subventions to publish volumes of National Historical Publications and Records Commission (NHPRC) sponsored or endorsed historical documentary editions. Grantees must also employ vigorous and innovative marketing efforts to reach scholars, teachers and all other audiences. The NHPRC funds only the estimated losses a press expects to incur by publishing a particular volume. Eligible applicants include nonprofit presses publishing works by Publishing Historical Records that have been supported or endorsed by the NHPRC. Deadline for applications is September 2, 2008 with grants ranging from $3,000-$10,000. For more information, see http://www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/subvention.html

FUNDING FOR SCIENCE MUSEUMS AND PLANETARIUMS
This funding opportunity supports NASA-inspired space, science, technology, engineering or mathematics (SSTEM) education projects and exhibits at science museums and planetariums. The 22 available awards range from $250,000 to $2million. A letter of intent is due August 18, 2008 and proposals are due October 17, 2008. For grant guidelines, see http://nspires.nasaprs.com/external/solicitations/summary.do?method=init&solId={F6425211-4E48-A735-A46E-75FB5774AAC6}&path=open

STATE AND FEDERAL GRANT DEADLINES

CALIFORNIA ARTS COUNCIL
For information, click CAC.

CALIFORNIA COUNCIL FOR THE HUMANITIES
October 1, 2008: The California Documentary Project: Research & Development Grant
October 1, 2008: The California Documentary Project: Production Grant
October 1, 2008: The California Documentary Project: New Media Grant
For information, click CCH.

CALIFORNIA CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL ENDOWMENT
For information, click CCHE.

HERITAGE PRESERVATION
For information, click CAP.

INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES
September 15, 2008: The Bank of America / IMLS American Heritage Preservation Program
October 1, 2008: Conservation Program Support
October 15, 2008: Connecting to Collections: Statewide Planning Grants
November 1, 2008: Museums for America
December 1, 2008: Conservation Assessment Program
December 15, 2008: Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program
January 30, 2009: Coming Up Taller
February 1, 2009: National Leadership Grants
February 15, 2009: Museum Assessment Program
March 1, 2009: Native American Library Services: Basic Grants
March 15, 2009: 21st Century Museum Professionals
May 1, 2009: Native American Library Services: Enhancement Grants
For information, click IMLS.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE ARTS
August 11, 2008: Access to Artistic Excellence
September 5, 2008: The Arts on Radio and Television
September 19, 2008: American Masterpieces: Visual Arts Touring
October 1, 2008: Arts and Artifacts Indemnity Program
For information, click NEA.

NATIONAL ENDOWMENT FOR THE HUMANITIES
August 27, 2008: Interpreting America's Historic Places: Implementation Grants / Planning Grants
August 27, 2008: America's Historical and Cultural Organizations: Implementation Grants / Planning Grants
October 1, 2008: Picturing America
October 7, 2008: Summer Stipends
November 4, 2008: National Digital Newspaper Program
November 4, 2008: Collaborative Research Grants
All program deadlines: We the People Initiative
For additional deadlines and information, click NEH.

NATIONAL HISTORICAL PUBLICATIONS AND RECORDS COMMISSION
September 2, 2008: Publication Subvention
October 6, 2008: Archives - Basic Projects
October 6, 2008: Archives - Detailed Processing Projects
October 6, 2008: Publishing Historical Records
October 6, 2008: Professional Development Grants for Archives and Historical Publishing
October 6, 2008: Strategies and Tools for Archives and Historical Publishing Projects
March 2, 2009: State and National Archival Partnership Grants
For information, click NHPRC.

NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE: NAGPRA
For information, click NPS.

NATIONAL SCIENCE FOUNDATION
For information, click NSF.

If there are other grant opportunities you would like to share with the California museum community, please email the CAM Office at admin@calmuseums.org.

CAM SPONSORS AND BUSINESS ASSOCIATES

Do you need to find a consultant or museum service provider? Consider using a vendor or consultant that supports the California museum field. For a directory of CAM's Business Associates, visit http://www.calmuseums.org/membership/businessassociates.html. The directory is organized by the type of services provided, such as architecture or archival supplies. For additional information, please contact the CAM office at 831-471-9970.

CAM e-News is supported in part by Associated Foundations, Inc.

CAM is supported in part by a grant from the California Arts Council, a state agency, and the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency. To learn more about the arts in California, the Arts License Plate, and other initiatives for the arts in California, please visit the CAC Website.

BACK ISSUES OF CAM E-NEWS

CAM e-News 7/23/2008
PRESERVING AUDIOVISUAL MEDIA PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION PROGRAM
CALIFORNIA ADOPTS GREEN BUILDING CODE FOR ALL NEW CONSTRUCTION
MARK YOUR CALENDARS FOR THE 2009 CAM CONFERENCE
MONTHLY MUSEUM POLL: DO YOU OWN YOUR BUILDING AND LAND?
OTHER ANNOUNCEMENTS

CAM e-News 7/09/2008
CAM e-News 6/25/2008

CONTACT CAM

We welcome your comments and inquiries. Please contact the CAM office at:

California Association of Museums
P.O. Box 1455
Santa Cruz, CA 95061-1455
Phone: (831) 471-9970
Email: cam@calmuseums.org
http://www.calmuseums.org/

HOME

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California Association of Museums
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Santa Cruz, California 95061-1455
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