News From Museum Association of New York

e-connections  Newsletter of the new Museum Association of New York November 2013 265 River Street, Troy, NY 12180  www.manyonline.org 1-518-273-3400  info@manyonline.org

The MaNY Adventures of the Director... Museum Institute at Sagamore As we prepare for Thanksgiving I'm inclined to reflect upon the clever people, serendipitous moments and fruitful opportunities that we've enjoyed this first year of consolidation. I'm delighted to recall several occasions upon which I declared "this is our mission in action!" as we gathered together with old friends and new acquaintances weaving together the rich resources that lie within the inspiring individuals in our community. Our recent "road show" included three IMLS funded More Fun, More Learning: Libraries and Museums Working Together for Young Learners workshops and seven regional MANY Meet-ups! Many thanks to our hosts for welcoming our guests and supporting our mission. If you are interested in hosting a 2014 Meet-up, let me know.      Leading off this issue is a highlight of advocacy opportunities in Albany and Washington, DC. I attended the Regents Advisory Council on Museums meeting this month where the conversation centered upon statewide collaborations and Museums and the Common Core. Much more to come on this topic and the potential for a Museum Education Act.     Our focus now turns to end of the year logistics and planning our 2014 advocacy agenda and program slate. Many thanks for sharing your ideas, challenges and support towards visioning our 2014 offerings.  In this season for giving thanks, I am grateful to the MANY community for generously sharing your passion for extraordinary museums. With best wishes for a lovely Thanksgiving,    Catherine Gilbert, Director  ____________________________________________ Stay Connected - Please be sure to update our  contact information  Catherine Gilbert, Director director@manyonline.org Dana Krueger, Associate Director-Programsdana@manyonline.org    https://www.facebook.com/nysmuseums https://twitter.com/nysmuseums http://manyonline.org/membership/join-the-conversation Board News  The Museum Association of New York Board of Directors will meet on Monday, December 9th. On the agenda will be setting 2014 strategic priorities based on the conversations that have taken place at the regional Meet-Ups, as well as 2014 budget planning. Advocacy Update Albany Want to be updated on the actions/meetings of the Regent's Advisory Committee? Click here to read theNovember 2013 meeting's agenda and materials. Washington update:  Register for Museum Advocacy Day Museums Advocacy Day 2014 is Feb. 24-25! And Museum Association of New York is a sponsor!! "The event has become an invaluable, annual opportunity to advance the cause of our museums and the work of those who lead and support them. The training, information packets, logistics and results get better every year, and will no doubt lead to many successes in the future. Museums Advocacy Day 2014 is already on my calendar-for me, it is now an annual commitment!" -Pete Watson, Howell Living History Farm, Mercer County Park Commission, Titusville, NJ, and President of the Association for Living History, Farm and Agricultural Museums Will you be there? Since 2009, Museums Advocacy Day has resulted in: Nearly 1,000 advocates making 1,391 visits to Capitol Hill offices Increased Congressional support for museums New awareness of the vital role of museums Valuable networking opportunities Check out more here. IMLS and AAM are pairing up to strengthen state museum associations like Museum Association of New York. To learn more about this great endeavor, click here! Museum Association of New York Has Hit the Road! MANY is traveling this fall to various locations across the state to host Regional Meet-Ups. Hopefully we have already either met with you in your local area or will soon be doing so! Our events thus far have been wonderful! We love hearing about all of your great work in the various museums and affiliations across the state. Topics of discussion have included Common Core; Formula Funding; tourism initiatives; collaborations within communities and the local CVB or REDCs; MANY as a "clearing house" for information,professional groups and more; the need to advocate for NYSCA to gain more funding; and more!  Thank you to all of our hosts: Corning Museum of Glass, Everson Museum of Art, Fenimore Art Museum, FDR Presidential Library and Museum, National Museum of the American Indian - New York, and Hofstra University Museum. If you didn't catch us at one of the above venues, don't fret! We still have 2 more stops on our roadshow!  Please join us as we discuss advocacy issues that face all of NYS's museum community. (And bring a colleague or two!) RSVP info@manyonline.org. December 3 at 4pm -Buffalo Museum of Science, Buffalo December 4 at 10am - The Strong, Rochester  See you in your region soon! Membership Renewals    Giving You Great Benefits! Don't let your membership slide! Renew or join today! If you have received a renewal letter, please send in with payment so you can continue to receive all the great benefits MANY has to offer!   Visit our website for easy renewal! 2013 Museum Institute at Sagamore   Another Successful Year at Sagamore! We had an amazing 4 days with the Museum Institute at Sagamore participants and presenters! The group learned about collaborations, communication, leadership, time management and value proposition. They started creating their own professional development strategies and brainstormed to help each other successfully maneuver their obstacles. The weather made for a beautiful time in the Adirondacks and the group took full advantage of it with walking around the lake, canoeing and kayaking in their free moments. There was even a bit of healthy competition in Great Camp Sagamore's newly opened bowling alley! Thanks to all who participated. It truly was a fantastic Institute and couldn't have been so fulfilling without full commitment on everyone's part. Thanks also to Great Camp Sagamore and the staff for being wonderful hosts. We have made great connections and hope you took home a wealth of new and exciting resources as well as a refreshed outlook for your work!  About the Museum Institute at Sagamore... The Institute is a reflective, intensive, four day retreat at Great Camp Sagamore in the Adirondacks that gives New York State museum professionals the opportunity to learn, reflect, and work with their colleagues from across the state. The 2014 Museum Institute at Sagamore will take placeSeptember 23-26th. Acceptance to the Institute is by application only. For more information please visit:www.manyonline.org   Want to learn more about Sagamore? Be sure to attend the Sagamore Session at this year's Museums in Action conference!

Gear Up for the 2014 Museums in Action Annual Conference! Are you a vendor who would like to be a part of the largest gathering of museum professionals in New York State? Do you think the work we do is SUPER and you would like to be a sponsor? Then this is thelink for you! Museums in Conversation is now Museums in Action! Come be a part of the Action! Check out the levels of participation for exhibitors and sponsors for the 2014 conference. Bring your goods and set up a display or if you can't make it there in person, we have options for you! New this year:  Become a sponsor and get an advertisement our new program booklet!  Feeling like we need to be more technologically savvy? Sponsor our conference app! For more information on this year's conference exhibitor and sponsorship opportunities, check out the website. Thank you in advance for your support! The "Skinny" on this year's Annual Conference... This year's Museums in Action annual conference theme is STEM to STEAM! How will you participate and help your peers through this important conversation taking place at the 2014 Conference?   What is STEAM? STEAM = Science and Technology integrated through Engineering and the "Arts", all based in Mathematical elements. Museums + STEAM While teachers are limited in the classroom and traditional schools are only just considering merging disciplines, this is something that museums already do! And we do it well! Museums' non-traditional educational environments are perfect for this cross-curricular approach to teaching. Many museum programs have already been adding the A for Arts into the STEM programming. This includes visual and performing arts, humanities, social sciences, language arts and history. Whether it be through exhibitions, scope of collections or educational programming, museums have the natural capability to excel at STEAM initiatives! To learn more click here for the conference website. See you in Albany! Awards of Merit Nominations are Now Being Accepted! MANY Director Catherine Gilbert with 2012 Award of Merit Winner in the Innovation in Interpretation category: Museum of the Earth at the Paleontological Research Institution  New York's museums and heritage organizations are many and diverse. These institutions collect and interpret art, history, natural history, science, technology and culture. These valuable organizations provide opportunities for inquiry, engagement, inspiration and education about the state's cultural and natural heritage. The Awards of Merit program acknowledges outstanding programs and individuals who have made the state's museum community richer and more relevant. They reward the innovative efforts of staff and volunteers and they provide encouragement for the development of new and remarkable projects. Nominations are sought for contributions made in 2013. The awards will be presented on Monday, March 31, 2014 at the Luncheon of theMuseums in Action Conference at the Albany Marriott on Wolf Rd. in Albany. Submitting a Proposal Nominations may be submitted in the following categories (for yourself or others):  The Rising Star Award: Awarded to a museum professional, currently employed in an institution, aged 25-35, for his/her creativity and ability to tackle institutional/programmatic challenges in innovative and inspiring ways. Anne Ackerson Innovation in Leadership Award: This award recognizes board and staff leaders through creatively and effectively bringing their organization and its people through a significant challenge or opportunity.  Innovation in Collection Access: Collections are the vital backbone of museums and heritage organizations forming the basis for new research, programs, exhibitions, publications and web content. Nominations for this category are exemplary projects that concern broadening intellectual or physical access to collections; outstanding or cutting-edge preservation, cataloging or care. Innovation in Interpretation: This award category recognizes outstanding interpretive methods that forge emotional and intellectual connections between audiences and the meanings inherent in objects, artifacts, landscapes and place. Engaging Communities Award: A critical element of any museum or heritage organization is the way that it interacts with its community. Nominations for this category should highlight efforts that engage your community or create new audiences for your organization. These projects could include interpretative exhibitions, lecture series, educational or public programs, focus groups, strategic planning, evaluation or other community engagement effort. Excellent "Failure" Award: Recognizing that innovation stems from taking risks and that risks often lead to unpredicted results this award pays tribute to those that have made the most of such 'failures'. Nominations should indicate the initial goal of the endeavor, what went awry and highlight what was learned/how the organization has benefited as a result. Individual Achievement Award: Any successful organization has the support of a devoted team of staff and volunteers. Nominations in this category should be for those people who have played pertinent roles in moving their organizations forward over a sustained period. Nominations can by for an individual or a team of museum staff and/or volunteers.   Click here to submit a Nomination The deadline for submissions is December 13, 2013. Contact MANY with any questions at info@manyonline.org. Let's celebrate you!!