By Malia Van Heukelem
 |
| One of the break out sessions generating great ideas. |
In March 2010, the Hawai‘i Museums Association was awarded a Connecting to Collections planning grant from the Institute of Museums and Library Services. The primary goals were to: convene an island-wide meeting; develop a professional leadership network; and conduct a survey of collections. Lynn Ann Davis of University of Hawaii’s Hamilton Library Preservation Lab served as project manager and has guided the process over the past year. She said of the project: “It has been very fulfilling to experience the statewide commitment to the preservation of cultural heritage collections. There has been excellent response to create a statewide preservation plan.”
In May 2010, approximately 80 people attended the workshop “Building a Culture – Collections Care in Hawai‘i” held at Bishop Museum. Four primary concerns were prioritized by the varied collections staff: assign responsibility for collections care; provide safe conditions for collections, marshal public and private support; and develop a disaster plan.
Over 90 participants met at Queen Emma Summer Palace on April 7, 2011. The group revisited the four points identified nearly a year earlier, reviewed the results of a statewide collections survey, and participated in break-out groups. Each of the groups focused on one of the following four topics to illicit the best ideas for moving forward: Advocacy, Networking, Information & Training, or Sustainability.
In May 2010, approximately 80 people attended the workshop “Building a Culture – Collections Care in Hawai‘i” held at Bishop Museum. Four primary concerns were prioritized by the varied collections staff: assign responsibility for collections care; provide safe conditions for collections, marshal public and private support; and develop a disaster plan.
Over 90 participants met at Queen Emma Summer Palace on April 7, 2011. The group revisited the four points identified nearly a year earlier, reviewed the results of a statewide collections survey, and participated in break-out groups. Each of the groups focused on one of the following four topics to illicit the best ideas for moving forward: Advocacy, Networking, Information & Training, or Sustainability.
Project consultant Barclay Ogden, head of UC Berkeley Library Preservation Department, and one of the top preservation experts in the nation, facilitated both the first statewide collections meeting in May 2010, and the second meeting held in April 2011. Lynn Davis designed the survey instrument, incorporating feedback from the project consultant, the Leadership Group and the Partnership Group.
At the April 2011 meeting, a compilation of survey results was reviewed, and several areas stood out as needing additional attention from cultural institutions. The year-long project included three WESTPAS disaster preparedness workshops. The first pair last summer included developing a plan and a hands-on exercise in salvaging wet materials. “Are You Ready?” was presented the day after the second statewide meeting, on April 8, 2011.
Where do we go from here? Hawai‘i Museums Association will be using the results from this project to pursue some of the great ideas identified during the statewide meetings. The report can be viewed in its entirety at www.hawaiimuseums.org.
