[NHCOLL-L:3854] July online museum courses in history, cataloging, preservation, security and mission

[Helen Alten]

Start your summer by solidifying your knowledge 
of museum history, missions, security and 
collection care.  In July Northern States 
Conservation Center offers five on-line courses over the Internet:

1.      Introduction to Museums (July 7 to August 1, 2008)
2.      Cataloging Your Collection (June 30 to July 26, 2008)
3.      An Introduction to Collections Preservation (July 7 to August 1, 2008)
4.      The Mission Statement:  Is it really that 
important? (July 14 to 18, 2008)
5.      Introduction to Museum Security (July 7 to August 1, 2008)

Sign up for two or more courses and get 5% off on 
both.  Sign up for three or more courses and get 10% off on all three.

To sign up for the courses, go to 
www.museumclasses.org and scroll down to see the July courses
or pay at 
<http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html>http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html 
If you have trouble with either, please contact 
Helen Alten at helen at collectioncare.org

Descriptions of each course follow:

MS 007: The Mission Statement: Is it really that important?
Dates: Jul 14 - Jul 18, 2008
Price: $75
Instructor:  Peggy Schaller
Location: On-line at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
The heart of every museum is its collection and a 
mission statement is critical to preserving that 
collection. Particpants in The Mission Statement 
will discuss their mission statements and whether 
they really make a difference. Peggy has seen and 
heard it all as a consultant to small and large 
museums. She will help you figure out ways to 
make your mission statement work for you.

Logistics:
Participants in The Mission Statement will read 
literature and participate in two one-hour chats 
to discuss how a museum's mission statement may 
or may not impact the daily operations. Each 
student should read course materials and prepare 
questions or comments to share with the other 
students in the chat. This is a mini-course and 
takes no more than 10 hours of a student's time.

The Instructor:
Peggy Schaller, founded Collections Research for 
Museums in 1991 to provide consulting on 
cataloging, collection-management training and 
services. She has worked with a large variety of 
museums and collections for more than 13 years. 
Peggy, who lives in Denver, Colorado, has a 
bachelor's degree in anthropology with minors in 
art history and geology from the University of 
Arizona in Tucson. She has a master's degree in 
anthropology with a minor in museum studies from 
the University of Colorado in Boulder and is a 
certified institutional protection specialist.

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MS 101: Introduction to Museums ** NEW **
Dates: Jul 7 to Aug 1, 2008
Price: $425
Instructor:  Kiersten Latham
Location: On-line at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
Museums are complex, covering a wide range of 
experiential learning from the curiosity cabinet 
of the early 19th century to the modern 
interactive science museum. Introduction to 
Museums is designed for participants new to the 
museum field, or those who would like a broader 
understanding of the field, such as board 
members, interns and volunteers. This course 
introduces basic concepts and terminology, 
discusses different types of museums and the role 
of each staff person, be they curators, 
registrars, directors, security chief or conservator.

Course Outline
Week 1. What is a Museum?
Week 2. History of Museums
Week 3. Museum Models
Week 4. Roles in the Museum

Participants in Introduction to Museums work 
through sections at their own pace over four 
weeks. Instructor Kiersten F. Latham is available 
for scheduled email support. Materials and 
resources include online literature, slide 
lectures and dialog between students and online 
chats led by the instructor. The course is limited to 20 participants.

The Instructor:
Kiersten F. Latham is the acting coordinator of 
the museum studies program at the University of 
Kansas. She has nearly 20 years of experience 
working in museums. Most recently she was the 
curator of collections at the Kansas Cosmosphere 
& Space Center. Her interests include the meaning 
of objects, philosophy and history of the museum, 
and psychology of visitor experiences. She has 
worked in history, art, anthropology, science and 
children’s museums as an academic and professional.

---------------------

MS 207: Cataloging Your Collection
Dates: Jun 30 to Jul 26, 2008
Price: $425
Instructor:  Peggy Schaller
Location: On-line at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
Cataloging Your Collection covers all details 
needed to catalog a collection. Procedures for 
handling, measuring and describing all types of 
objects and materials are discussed in detail. 
Participants receive sample forms and learn the 
best practices for numbering artifacts, 
performing inventory and assessing the condition 
of objects. Participants practice describing 
everyday objects and cataloging items from their 
own collections or households.

Course Outline:
1. Introduction: Policy and Mission
2. Cataloging: Why Do We Catalog Our Artifacts?
3. Forms
4. Numbering
5. Handling
6. Conservation and Storage
7. Inventories
8. Cataloging
9. Considerations for Specific Objects
10. Summary

Logistics:
Participants in Cataloging Your Collection set 
their own pace while working through 10 sections 
in four weeks. Instructor Peggy Schaller will be 
available at scheduled times for email support. 
Participants interact through forums and 
scheduled online chats. Materials include online 
readings and lecture notes, as well as handouts, 
slide lectures, projects and links to relevant 
web sites. The course is limited to 20 participants.

Student Comments for MS207 Cataloging Your Collection:
"I'd give it a 10 out of 10." - MS 207 participant

"I liked the convenience, I liked the chats, I 
liked the reading material, I liked that there 
were people from all over the country enrolled." - MS 207 participant

"The technology made sense 
 It was scary at 
first, but really was very simple." - MS 207 participant

The Instructor:
Peggy Schaller, founded Collections Research for 
Museums in 1991 to provide consulting on 
cataloging, collection-management training and 
services. She has worked with a large variety of 
museums and collections for more than 13 years. 
Peggy, who lives in Denver, Colorado, has a 
bachelor's degree in anthropology with minors in 
art history and geology from the University of 
Arizona in Tucson. She has a master's degree in 
anthropology with a minor in museum studies from 
the University of Colorado in Boulder and is a 
certified institutional protection specialist.

-------------------

MS104: An Introduction to Collections Preservation
Dates: Jul 7 to Aug 1, 2008
Price: $425
Instructor:  Helen Alten
Location: On-line at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
Every museum professional needs a solid 
foundation in preservation principles and 
techniques. An Introduction to Collections 
Preservation provides an overview of current 
preservation issues from environmental monitoring 
to collection cleaning, exhibit mounts and 
storage furniture. Participants learn about every 
aspect of the modern museum and how the building, 
staff and fixtures affect preservation. Subjects 
include the agents of deterioration, risk 
management, object handling and transport, object 
labeling, exhibit lighting, security, emergency 
preparedness, materials for storage and display, 
storage and exhibit philosophies, and condition assessments.

Course Outline:
1. Preservation Principles
2. Agents of Deterioration
3. Monitoring
4. Collection Handling
5. Collection Labeling
6. Collection Cleaning
7. Storage Principles
8. Exhibit Principles
9. Emergency Preparation
10. Conclusion

Logistics:
Participants in An Introduction to Collections 
Preservation work at their own pace through 10 
sections over four weeks and interact through 
online forums and chats. Instructor Helen Alten 
will be available at scheduled times for email 
support. Materials include online readings and 
lecture notes, slide shows, quizzes and links to 
relevant web sites. The course is limited to 20 participants.

Student Comments for MS104: An Introduction to Collections Preservation:

"I didn't really know what to expect because I 
had never taken an online class before, nor had a 
taken any sort of collections/preservation class. 
I definitely learned a lot; I now understand the 
overall goals and practices of collections preservation."


"I've been working as a collection manager for 10 
years. I have no formal training in museum 
techniques 
I thought this class would solidify 
everything I've learned. I didn't think I would 
learn anything new, but I did. Great course. I 
would recommend it to anyone starting out in the museum field."

"My experience with the MS104 online course has 
been exceptional, a 10! 
 Thank you! Thank you 
for such a high quality and demanding workshop!"

"I AM THE ONE WHO SHOULD THANK YOU! EUREKA! I 
REALLY GAINED ALOT AND REALLY ENJOYED STUDYING WITH YOU." -

"It may have been an on-line course, but I feel 
like I've got a textbook. And one written by many 
different sources, two heads being better than one."

The Instructor:
Helen Alten, Conservator and owner of Northern 
States Conservation Center, St. Paul, MN has been 
a Field Education Director, Conservator, and 
trainer since 1986. Ms. Alten received her 
conservation diploma from Archaeological 
Conservation and Materials Science, Institute of 
Archaeology, University of London in 1986. She 
began working with people from small, rural, and 
tribal museums while as the state conservator for 
Montana and Alaska. Helen currently conducts 
conservation treatments and operates a conservation center in St. Paul, MN.

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MS107: Introduction to Museum Security
Dates: Jul 7 to Aug 1, 2008
Price: $425
Instructor:  Steve Layne
Location: On-line at www.museumclasses.org

Description:
Security must be a priority for every museum, 
regardless of size. Introduction to Museum 
Security teaches basic, practical approaches to 
protecting against threats such as theft, 
vandalism, violent acts, natural disasters, fire 
and environmental hazards. Topics include 
selecting security systems, determining security 
needs and how to build affordable security 
systems. Screening, hiring, firing, workplace 
violence, policies and procedures and emergency 
management planning are covered as well.

Logistics:
Participants in Introduction to Museum Security 
work at their own pace through sections and 
interact through online chats over four weeks. 
Instructor Steve Layne is available at scheduled 
times during the course for email support. 
Introduction to Security includes online 
literature, slide lectures and 
student-teacher/group-teacher dialog. The course 
is limited to 20 participants.

The Instructor:
Steve Layne is the principal consultant and chief 
executive of Layne Consultants International, a 
leading provider of cultural property protection 
advice. Steve is a former police chief, public 
safety director and museum security director. He 
is the author of the Cultural Property Protection 
Manual, and the Business Survival Guide. Steve 
regularly presents to professional associations 
and has consulted with more than 400 museums and 
other institutions. Steve is the founding 
director of the International Foundation for 
Cultural Property Protection and responsible for 
the professional training and certification of 
more than 1,000 museum professionals.
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