[NHCOLL-L:2936] 2006 IPM Working Group Meeting

[Rachael Arenstein]

Places are currently available at the 3rd meeting of the IPM Working Group – 
a group of museum professionals dedicated to the development of pest 
management resources for the general museum community. All museums are 
concerned about insect pests and many use IPM as a method for addressing 
these concerns. Our goal is not to teach IPM, but rather to focus on 
deliverables to make IPM easier for museum staff. We recognize that every 
museum has similar challenges with regards to pest management. We hope that 
the working group can help solve problems while alleviating the need for 
every museum to come up with their own solutions.

Practical deliverables from the previous two meetings include the 
museumpests.net website; the museum pest mailing list; an on-line 
questionnaire about pest management practice and needs in museums; and the 
inclusion of IPM Special Interest Groups at the 2003, 2004, and 2005 SPNHC 
meetings.

This year’s meeting will include a discussion of the results of the on-line 
questionnaire a review of progress with the website. We will consider how 
the results of the questionnaire can be used to fine-tune the goals set by 
the Group at the 2005 meeting under the following thematic areas:

·	Pest Imaging/Identification Aids
·	Software for Mapping and Monitoring
·	Standards/Best Practices for IPM

In reviewing the website, we will be discussing how to develop the site to 
best deliver these goals.

As with the previous meetings, we want to stress that this is not a review 
of IPM and the purpose of the group is not to teach IPM, but to develop 
resources for the museum community. You should expect to take an active role 
in discussing and setting goals, and to leave with an assignment.

If you would like to attend the meeting, please contact Rachael Perkins 
Arenstein (rachaelarenstein at hotmail.com – please put “IPM Working Group 
RSVP” in the subject line of the email). In addition, we have space during 
the session breaks for a small number of short presentations on pest 
management issues; if you are interested in giving a presentation, let us 
know when you respond to the invitation.