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Communique Online
June 26, 2009
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Table of Contents:

Training Opportunities and Conferences
Long-Range Preservation and Conservation Planning Workshop
AMM Workshops in Beloit, Wis.
Scholarship Available for Collections Policies for Small Museums Class at the 
      Campbell Center
AAM Seeking Session Proposals for 2010 Annual Meeting and Expo

Programs
Civil War Events at the La Porte County Historical Society Museum
6th Annual Story-Telling Day and Band Concert in Gosport
Celebration of the 175th Birthday of the Putnamville United Methodist Church
Garage Sale at the Greentown Historical Society
Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social at the Starke County Historical Society Museum
Indiana State Library July Programs
HLFI Historical and Architectural Survey Kickoff Meeting in Carroll County
Follow the Pipes Tour in Fort Wayne
Walking Tour in Downtown Scottsburg
ArchiCamp For Kids in Wabash
First Annual Indiana Poets: Words on Wings
Taste of Montgomery County in Crawfordsville

Funding Opportunities
NHPRC Archival and Records Projects Grants
NEH Division of Public Programs Grants

IHS News
Concerts on the Canal: Independence Day Bash
Indiana Author Series: Ernie Pyle: The Soldier's Friend

Help
Information Sought on Indiana Institutions Using Social Media
Inspiring Places – Spirited Chase Seeking Submissions

Awards and Nominations
Indiana Historic Preservation Education Grants Awarded
AMM Awards Nominations

Exhibits
Three Rivers TRAIN Display

Traveling Exhibits
A Perfect Likeness, Tell Me A Story and Hoosier Family Album Now at the SullivanMunce 
      Cultural Center in Zionsville
Freedom: A History of US Now at the Monroe County History Center in Bloomington

Job Opportunities
Regional:
Director of Development at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wis.

National:
Part-Time Curator at the New York City Police Museum

On the Internet
Chronicling America Posts Millionth Page
IMLS Libraries to the Rescue Podcast Series
IRS Updates

Training Opportunities and Conferences

Long-Range Preservation and Conservation Planning Workshop
This two-day workshop from the Midwest Art Conservation Center will be held on July 9 and 10 at the MacNider Art Museum in Mason City, Iowa.

This workshop provides instruction on a tool which is useful toward the future preservation of collections. Participants of this workshop will receive a presentation on what makes up a plan and participate in group exercises to help them develop their own institution’s plan. Participants should expect to walk away from the workshop with a completed outline and can receive follow up help as their plan is completed. A completed plan defines an institution’s preservation goals and how they will be funded.  The plan can be used directly in grant applications and shows reviewers that your institution has tangible goals toward preserving its collections.

The cost is $295 with, a 20 percent discount to members of MACC. Institutions with budgets of $100,000 or less receive a 50 percent discount and currently enrolled students pay $100 for the two-day workshop. 

For more information or to register, contact Melinda Markell, MACC Preservation Services coordinator, at (612) 870-3128, fax (612) 870-3118, or e-mail info@preserveart.org.


AMM Workshops in Beloit, Wis.
The Association of Midwest Museums is planning two special workshops in Beloit, Wis. Both workshops are scheduled for Friday, July 10, at Beloit College. 

The workshops should be relevant to all sizes and types of museums with the added advantage of both being in the same location so that staff members with different responsibilities can travel together to lower travel costs.

  • Step by Step: Building Your Museum’s Membership Program
    This workshop will be held at the Wright Museum of Art at Beloit College and will present key, step-by-step tips to beef up your museum’s membership program. 

    The cost for this day-long workshop is $40 for AMM members or $60 for nonmembers.

  • Simple Methods for Identifying Materials Used in Museum Objects
    This workshop will be held at the Logan Museum of Anthropology at Beloit College and will introduce participants to clues that can be used to distinguished materials using features visible to the unaided eye, low magnification techniques, and ultraviolet light. 

    The cost for this day-long workshop is $50 for AMM or MRC members or $75 for nonmembers. The Midwest Registrars Committee, with the support from the Registrars Committee of AAM, is offering one travel stipend of $300 for attendance at this workshop. An application for the travel stipend is available at http://www.midwestmuseums.org/pdfs/MRC_TravelStipend.pdf.

For more information or to register for a class, please visit http://www.midwestmuseums.org/workshops.html. For additional information, contact AMM Executive Director Brian Bray at (314) 746-4557 or bbray@midwestmuseums.org.


Scholarship Available for Collections Policies for Small Museums Class at the Campbell Center
This class will be held July 22 through 24 at the Campbell Center in Mount Carroll, Ill.

The Campbell Center will award a one-time $300 scholarship for Linda Eppich's course, Collections Policies for Small Museums. This is a great opportunity for someone new to writing collections policies, or anyone new to the museum administrative environment.

In this three day course designed for beginners, participants will learn how to write collections management, care and handling, and conservation/preservation policies appropriate to their museums. Issues concerning museum collections will be discussed, including deaccessioning and loans. A bibliography of sources and reading lists will be provided.

Participants who already have such policies are encouraged to bring them, and the organization's mission statement.

The tuition is $750, and includes lodging, breakfast and lunch.

For more information, please visit http://www.campbellcenter.org/pages/scholarships.html.


AAM Seeking Session Proposals for 2010 Annual Meeting and Expo
The 2010 AAM Annual Meeting and Expo will be held May 23 through 26, 2010, in Los Angeles. The theme will be Museums Without Borders.

Each year the annual meeting is comprised of approximately 160 sessions that offer the most comprehensive educational program to the field.

Session proposals for the AAM Annual Meeting are evaluated by the National Program Committee (a panel of your peers) using the following criteria:

  • The focus and learning outcomes are well presented and thoughtfully articulated.
  • The qualifications and rationale for presenters clearly support the purpose and learning outcomes of the session proposal.
  • The session proposal ideas and session organization are well conceived and developed; They outline the how and why. Proposals will not be accepted if they appear to be show-and-tell or product/service endorsements.
  • The proposal offers diverse and broad perspectives as appropriate to the topic from presenters who represent a range of disciplines (i.e., history, art, science), cultural perspectives, geographic locations, and/or museum size .
  • The topic is important or timely.
  • A single case study must articulate why it is a model or exemplary, and include discussion on research findings or an end user perspective that demonstrates success.     
  • Extra consideration will be given to proposals that:
    • Offer unique presentation formats (please note that a panel discussion is not a unique format).
    • Reflect the annual meeting theme.
    • Demonstrate unique programs, practices or collaborations between two or more museums in the Los Angeles museum community.

There are two options for submitting your proposal:  

  • AAM SPC Endorsement
    The deadline for AAM Standing Professional Committee endorsement is July 10, 2009.
  • At-Large
    The deadline to submit proposals to the AAM Meetings and Professional Education Department is Aug. 31, 2009. 

For full instructions and additional information, please visit http://www.aam-us.org/am10/sessionpropos.cfm.

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Programs

Please confim event specifics with sponsoring organization, especially if traveling any distance.

Civil War Events at the La Porte County Historical Society Museum
Two big events scheduled for Saturday, June 27, at the La Porte County Historical Society Museum located at 2405 Indiana Ave. in La Porte.

  • Civil War Encampment
    This outdoor event will be held from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the grounds of the museum and is free to the public. The event features Civil War re-enactors and their families encamped with all the trappings of the 1860’s, as the soldiers of the “War Between The States” would have had.
    • Demonstrations of camp life will include crafts, cooking over an open fire, washing, needlework and more.
    • Women in the camp will explain their clothing and etiquette of the time.
    • The care and use of their weapons will be demonstrated for the public.
    • Civil War uniforms being worn by them will be explained, along with the purpose and use of equipment carried by the soldiers.
    • One re-enactor, “Hawk” Van Lew, will be demonstrating tomahawk and knife throwing.
    • A large artillery piece called a “mortar” will be on display and demonstrated. Though black powder will be used in the weapons, no projectiles will be fired.
    • An artillery drill is scheduled for 11 a.m. and a military skirmish at 2 p.m.

This is a great event for kids and history buffs of any age!  In addition, a reduced admission charge to the museum building will be in place for the day. 

  • Civil War Ball
    This event will be held at the museum from 6 to 9 p.m. The public is welcome to attend and sample food and drink inspired by recipes of the 1860’s. A few of the desserts included are Charlotte Russe, Orange Cake, Sweet Potato Pudding, and “Flummery!”  Even the soldier’s staple, “hardtack,” will be available for sampling. Various “Tea” or “Ball” sandwiches will also be prepared.

    Modern attire is acceptable for the ball, but if you have a dress or suit reminiscent of the mid-1800’s, please wear it! The reenactors encamped at the museum will be in period uniforms and gowns, dancing to the music of Susan Brown and Company.  Susan is a musician from Valparaiso who specializes in early musical instruments and musical performance. Contradances, long dances and quadrilles are just a few of the types of music being performed for dancing. 

    While attending the Ball, you may view a special display of Civil War memorabilia and photographs being shown in Exhibit Hall.  In the same area is the museum’s permanent Civil War display. On the main level of the museum are the period rooms. Highlighted in the Victorian rooms is the museum’s collection of vintage Civil War gowns, complete with hoop skirts and antique fans. The museum building is designed in the manner of an antebellum Greek Revival mansion, surrounded by several acres of lawn, providing the perfect setting for this event.

The Ball is free to reenactors taking part in the Living History event, but the cost to the public is $8 for La Porte County Historical Society members and $10 for nonmembers. 

For more information or to RSVP for the ball, please call (219) 324-6767.


6th Annual Story-Telling Day and Band Concert in Gosport
This event from the Gosport Museum Society will be held on June 27 beginning at noon in the Gosport Town Park.

A performance will be given by the Jackson Community Band of Clay County. Matt Huber, Music Director of the Brazil Concert Band, is also the leader of this band.

Because of Gosport’s unique position on the Ten O’Clock Line, this year’s storytelling program will commemorate the 200th year of the treaty of Fort Wayne of 1809. Dark Rain Thom, Shawnee Clan Mother of the Water Panther Clan, spiritual teacher and main historian for the East of the River Shawnee Tribe, will tell stories of the native women’s lives in the early 1800s.

Chris Headdy, also known as Dreaming Eagle, is a descendant of the Miami. For many years, he has had a strong interest in the religion and root culture of his heritage. Dreaming Eagle will tell how the warriors were armed and their ways of protecting their interests.

Dennis Latta is the executive director of Grouseland, William Henry Harrison’s historic home in Vincennes. He is a William Henry Harrison presenter and will tell the Territorial Governor’s story as it led to the Fort Wayne Treaty of 1809.

Following the band concert, fourth grade students of GES will read the three top prize-winning essays titled What Gosport Means to Me.

David Black will act as Master of Ceremonies. Food and drinks (including buffalo burgers) will be made available by the Kappa Kappa Sigma Sororoity starting at 11:30 a.m.

Attendees are asked to bring folding chairs for seating. In case of rain, the event will be held inside the Gosport Community Shelter behind the park.

For more information, contact the Ten O’Clock Treaty Line Museum at Gosport at (812) 879-4873.


Celebration of the 175th Birthday of the Putnamville United Methodist Church
This event will be held on Saturday, June 27, from 1 to 4 p.m. at the Church located at the intersection of State Rd. 243 and U.S. Highway 40 in Putnamville.

This gathering will be held to honor both the church and the history of the Putnamville Community.  Built in 1834 as the Putnamville Presbyterian Church, the brick structure is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Sold to the Methodists in 1861 for $151 (at a loss of $649), the Greek revival building has been continuously used for services.  Colored glass windows were added in the 1890s, and they are still encased in the wooden frames carved by pioneer carpenter, John Hendrix, as he sat in the window of his log cabin. Bricks were made locally and the foundation stones are Putnamville limestone. The wood pews are over a century old, including one on loan to the Putnam County Museum. Pioneer pastors, DePauw student ministers and part-time pastors have graced the pulpit. The small but active church has been noted for its fine music, dedicated UMW, and mission work on both local and international levels.

Activities for the event will include Church tours, musical entertainment, refreshments, folklore and a tour of the 1884 office of Dr. Amos Horn located on adjacent grounds. Parking is available at the Abundant Life Baptist Church across the street.


Garage Sale at the Greentown Historical Society
The garage sale will be held Thursdays through Saturdays in July from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the corner of Indiana and Main streets in Greentown.

Proceeds are used to further the education about and preservation of the history of eastern Howard County.

For more information or to donate items, call (765) 628-4674 or bring them on the days of the sale.


Old Fashioned Ice Cream Social at the Starke County Historical Society Museum
This event will be held on Sunday, July 5, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Starke County Historical Society and Museum located at 401 S. Main St. in Knox.

Many Exhibits will be available, both inside and outside.

For additional information, contact the Starke County Historical Society at (574) 772-5393.


Indiana State Library July Programs
These programs will be held at the Indiana State Library located at 140 N. Senate Ave. in Indianapolis.

  • American Community Survey
    This program will be held on Monday July 6, from 2 to 3 p.m. in Room 428. Many organizations – non-profits; government entities, and businesses – use data from the Census Bureau’s ACS for a timely picture of the populations they serve. Learn where to start when using ACS as well as the content, methodology and data products.

  • Words on a Wire: The National School of Telegraphy
    This program will be held on Wednesday, July 8, from 10 to 11 a.m. in the Indiana Author’s Room. Before the widespread use of the telephone, the telegraph was the principal means of communicating messages in a timely and efficient manner. The National School of Telegraphy located in Greencastle trained students to become proficient operators.

  • Crown Hill Cemetery           
    This program will be held on Wednesday, July 15, from noon to 1 p.m. in the History Reference Room. Crown Hill Cemetery is the country's third largest cemetery and the final resting place for a diverse group of Hoosiers.  Visit the Indiana State Library to learn about the founding of the cemetery, history, architecture and notable persons buried there.

  • PERSI for Genealogists
    This program will be held on Thursday, July 16, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the History Reference Room. Use PERSI (The Periodical Source Index) to boost your genealogy research. This vast index includes citations for articles dating from the 1700’s to the present. Learn how to use the index, as well as how to access the periodical articles found. 

  • Mobilizing the Home Front: Hoosiers and World War I
    This program will be held on Monday, July 20, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Indiana Author’s Room. Early in 1917, as relations between the United States and Germany became stained, Hoosiers volunteered their time and money to assist in the war effort. Learn about some of these efforts at the Indiana State Library.

  • Using Google Books in Genealogy Research
    This program will be held on Thursday, July 23, from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. in the History Reference Room. Learn about Google's digitization project and how it can help you with your at-home research.

  • Indiana Microbrews
    This program will be held on Tuesday, July 28, from 11 a.m. to noon in the Indiana Author’s Room. Historical significance can be found in unusual places. Learn how the names of some of Indiana’s microbrews and breweries are tied to Indiana’s past.

  • Indiana State Library: A Brief History
    This program will be held on Friday, July 31, from 2 to 3 p.m. in the Indiana Author’s Room. Come learn the history of the Indiana State Library, its services and mission, including a brief discussion on the architecture of the building.

The programs are free to the public and do not require registration. For more information, call (317) 232-3675 or visit http://www.in.gov/library/events.htm.


HLFI Historical and Architectural Survey Kickoff Meeting in Carroll County
The public is invited to this kickoff meeting to learn more about the Carroll County field survey project on Thursday, July 9, at 7 p.m. at the Wabash and Erie Canal Conference and Interpretive Center located at 1030 N. Washington St. in Delphi.

Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana, the Indiana Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology, and the Ball State University Center for Historic Preservation are collaborating to identify all of Carroll County’s historic sites and structures. The federally and locally funded project began May 1 and fieldwork will continue through the next 11 months.

Amanda Taylor, Project Coordinator for the Ball State Center for Historic Preservation, will present a brief slide show about the project, introduce the surveyors, and answer questions from the public. Tommy Kleckner, Director of Historic Landmarks Foundation’s Western Regional Office, will also be available to discuss the project. 

Field Surveyors Sarah Church, Kimberly Finzel, James Hall, Megan Hopkin, and Courtney Theis will drive every road in Carroll County to locate, document and photograph all historic sites, structures, and districts built before 1969 that meet survey criteria. Brief histories of the county’s towns and their historic districts, as well as photos highlighting the county’s outstanding homes, commercial buildings, cemeteries and bridges, will be included in a publication that will be issued when the survey is completed.

County citizens can greatly assist the surveyors by providing accurate historical information and allowing photographs to be taken of their properties. Upon publication of the illustrated survey report, the original forms and photographs will be filed at the state’s Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology in Indianapolis.

The Carroll County survey and publication projects are funded in part by matching grants from the U.S. Department of the Interior, National Park Service's Historic Preservation Fund administered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, Division of Historic Preservation and Archaeology. Local sponsors include Carroll County Wabash and Erie Canal, Inc., Carroll County Historical Society, Camden Preservation Society, and Delphi Preservation Society.

For questions about the survey and the July 9 presentation, call Amanda Taylor at (765) 213-3540 x 234.


Follow the Pipes Tour in Fort Wayne
This free tour will be held July 14 through 16 and is presented by the History Center and the Fort Wayne Chapter of the American Guild of Organists

The tour will celebrate the beauty and diversity of the Fort Wayne area, its historic churches and its proud musical tradition. Visit three churches each day to hear the unique sounds of each location's historic instruments, learn about each church's history, and conclude at the Embassy Theatre to hear the Grand Page pipe organ. All tours begin at the first church site and end at the Embassy Theatre. Participants must have their own transportation.

The Follow the Pipes daily schedule is as follows:

  • Tuesday, July 14, 6 to 9 p.m.
    St. Paul’s Lutheran Church, St. Jude's Catholic Church, St. Charles Catholic Church, and the Embassy Theatre.

  • Wednesday, July 15, 9 a.m. to noon
    Zion Lutheran Church, Redeemer Lutheran Church, St. Patrick's Catholic Church, and the Embassy Theatre.

  • Thursday, July 16, 1 to 4 p.m.
    Parkview Hospital Chapel, Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Forest Park United Methodist Church, and the Embassy Theatre.

For more information call the History Center at (260) 426-2882 x 309.


Walking Tour in Downtown Scottsburg
This walking tour will be held on July 18 from 6 to 8 p.m. in downtown Scottsburg.

In December of 1898, Scott County resident Marion Tyler was hanged from a tree on the courthouse lawn. Find out why as local historian Ed Cozart explains the story as he leads this walking tour through downtown Scottsburg.

Cozart is a former mayor of the City of Scottsburg, and enjoys uncovering new information about local history events.  He has been involved with the Scott County Historical Society, the Scottsburg Historic Review Board and the Sons of the American Revolution.  Currently, he sponsors the Scottsburg Elementary School History Club and is expanding his historical storytelling abilities.

Ed Cozart’s Walk and Talk is sponsored by the Scott County Heritage Center and Museum and the cost is $8 per person.  Tickets for the tour are available at the museum.

The tour will begin at Heritage Station, the former railroad depot in Scottsburg. 

For additional information, please call (812) 752-1050.


ArchiCamp For Kids in Wabash
This program will be held on July 28 and 29 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. in Wabash, and is sponsored by Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana the Dr. James Ford Historic Home.

ArchiCamp, an award-winning program, encourages children to use their imaginations and powers of observation while teaching them about history, architecture and renovation.

Participants in the two-day ArchiCamp spend both days discovering the fascinating history of Wabash and its landmark architecture. The camp for children ages eight to 12 will be based on Tuesday at Charley Creek Gardens and on Wednesday at the Dr. James Ford Historic Home.

Campers will travel back in time to learn how people lived, worked and played in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The children will tour downtown buildings, make crafts and play turn-of-the-century games.

This is the second year for the Wabash ArchiCamp. Historic Landmarks Foundation, developer of ArchiCamp, won a prestigious award from the American Association of State and Local History for the program. ArchiCamps have been offered in cities throughout the state.

The cost of the camp is $35 and includes refreshments, educational materials and souvenirs. Scholarships are available. Participants should bring a sack lunch both days. To ensure personal attention, enrollment for the camp is limited.

Reservations are required by July 15. Contact Cathy Wright at Historic Landmarks Foundation at (260) 563-4534 or northcentral@historiclandmarks.org.


First Annual Indiana Poets: Words on Wings
This event will be held on Aug. 29 from noon to 3:30 p.m. in the exhibit hall on the first floor of the Indiana State Library located at 140 N. Senate Ave. in Indianapolis.

Featured poets will include:

  • Joyce Brinkman
  • Ruthelen Burns
  • Mitchell Douglas
  • Joseph Heithaus
  • Tasha Jones
  • Karen Kovacik
  • Norbert Krapf
  • David Shumate
  • Elizabeth Webber

The nine poets will read from their works and will be available to sign copies. The poets’ featured works will be on sale in the Indiana Historical Bureau Book Shop located in the Library.

For more information, call (317) 232-2535 or visit www.IN.gov/history.


Taste of Montgomery County in Crawfordsville
This event will be held on Saturday, Aug. 29, from noon to 10 p.m. on the grounds of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum located at 200 Wallace Ave. in Crawfordsville.

In this groundbreaking event, restaurants, caterers and food vendors from throughout Montgomery County will gather on the gorgeous grounds of the General Lew Wallace Study and Museum to showcase a huge variety of their tastiest treats and most mouthwatering morsels.

The music lineup for this year’s event will include:

  • 1 to 3 p.m.: Woodstove Flapjacks Stringband
  • 4:30 to 6:30 p.m.: The Big Swing Band
  • 8 to 10 p.m.: The Gordon Bonham Blues Band

Tickets are $5 for adults, $3 for students and free for children ages six and under. There is a $1 discount per ticket if purchased in advance. Food and drink tickets cost $1 each.

For more information, please visit http://www.tasteofmontgomerycounty.com/.

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Funding Opportunities

NHPRC Archival and Records Projects Grants
The National Historical Publications and Records Commission is seeking proposals for fundamental archival activities that promote the preservation and use of America's documentary heritage in the following categories:

  • Archives - Basic Projects
    Projects may include basic processing, preservation planning, collections development and establishing archives. Proposals under the Basic Projects category must demonstrate how the applicant employs the best and most cost-effective archival methods. Activities included may be any one or a combination of the following: basic processing, preservation planning (including collection-level assessments), collections development and establishing archives.

    This grant normally is for one or two years and for up to $200,000. The NHPRC provides no more than 50 percent of project costs.

  • Archives - Detailed Processing Projects
    This grant is for projects undertaking major detailed processing and preservation efforts. Proposals under the Detailed Processing Projects category should describe how the repository will process and create detailed descriptions at the series or file level. In the course of such processing, some selective re-foldering and basic cleaning may be needed, and applicants must explain whether any item- level treatment will be necessary, including removing fasteners, opening envelopes, and flattening, copying, encapsulating, de-acidifying and mending documents. The collections should have high research demand or substantial preservation challenges. For collections of fragile textual materials, applicants may apply for grants in support of preservation microfilming or other media. Applicants may propose limited digitization of series or items that have the most potential to benefit a broad public.

    This grant normally is for one to three years and ranges between $40,000 and $200,000. The NHPRC provides no more than 50 percent of project costs.

The deadline for proposals is Oct. 6, 2009. Drafts will be reviewed if submitted by Aug. 3.

Those eligible for NHPRC grants include:

  • Nonprofit organizations or institutions
  • Colleges, universities and other academic institutions
  • State or local government agencies
  • Federally-acknowledged or state-recognized Native American tribes or groups

For complete NHPRC guidelines, visit www.archives.gov/nhprc/announcement/archival.html or contact Daniel Stokes, NHPRC director for State Programs at (202) 357-5487 or daniel.stokes@nara.gov.


NEH Division of Public Programs Grants
The Division of Public Programs at the U.S. National Endowment for the Humanities funds humanities projects that are intended for broad public audiences at museums, libraries, historic sites and other historical and cultural organizations. The Division of Public Programs supports the development of humanities content and interactivity that excite, inform and stir thoughtful reflection upon culture, identity and history in creative and new ways.

New application guidelines are now posted on the NEH Web site for the following grant competitions:

  • America's Historical and Cultural Organizations
  • Interpreting America’s Historic Places

The next two deadlines are Aug. 26, 2009, and Jan. 13, 2010.  

Grants support interpretive exhibitions, reading or film discussion series, historic site interpretation, lecture series and symposia, and digital projects. NEH especially encourages projects that offer multiple formats and make creative use of new technology to deliver humanities content.

For more information, please visit http://www.neh.gov/.

Program officers in the Division of Public Programs are available to assist you, whether it is to discuss project ideas or to read a draft of a proposal. Please call the NEH Division of Public Programs at (202) 606-8269.

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IHS News

Concerts on the Canal: Independence Day Bash
This concert is held in partnership with the American College of Sports Medicine and will be held on Saturday, July 4, from 4:30 to 9:45 p.m. at Fitness Park, American College of Sports Medicine, located at 401 W. Michigan St.

The feature for this concert is the Independence Day Bash with the Indianapolis Municipal Band at 5 p.m. and the Impalas at 7:30 p.m.

An outdoor grill and cash bar will be on-site, and free seating is available on the Canal walk area behind the reserved tables. As always, attendees may bring their own food and nonalcoholic beverages to the concert – but all alcohol must be purchased on site. No pets and no smoking are allowed at Fitness Park.

Tables are on the grass and in the shade. The cost is $40 for a table of eight for nonmembers and $35 for members. Half-tables are available for $30 or $25 for members.

For reservations, call the IHS Welcome Center at (317) 232-1882. The 2009 Concerts on the Canal Series is sponsored by Lewis Wagner, LLP. The 2009 Concerts on the Canal media partner is WFYI.


Indiana Author Series: Ernie Pyle: The Soldier's Friend
This program will be held on Friday, July 10, from 1 to 2:30 p.m. at OASIS in Glendale Mall.

Don't miss this opportunity to learn more about WWI correspondent Ernie Pyle from Ray Boomhower.

OASIS and the Indiana Historical Society have partnered to offer an Indiana Author Series featuring three noted Hoosier writers. This is an extraordinary opportunity to meet the authors, purchase their books at an OASIS-only price and have the books signed.


For additional information on these events, please visit http://www.indianahistory.org/.

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Help

Information Sought on Indiana Institutions Using Social Media
Is your institution using social media and Web 2.0 tools like Facebook, Flickr, Blogger, YouTube and Wikipedia?

If so, I would like to know more. I'm preparing for the 2009 AASLH conference. I’m hosting a roundtable session on objects and Web 2.0. I'd love to feature Indiana museums that are using objects in digital formats to create new experiences for visitors.

If you’re not using these tools but are looking for ways to incorporate them, what questions come to mind?

Intrigued to explore these ideas more? Please contact me (Janna Bennett) at jannab@childrensmuseum.org or (317) 334-3720 or join me for the 2009 AASLH conference. The Object and Not-Object: Exploring Differences in Viewing meets Friday, Aug. 28 at 8:15 a.m.


Inspiring Places – Spirited Chase Seeking Submissions
Many of us have a place – or maybe more than one – that brings us peace, joy, solace and calm. Many of us have a place that excites, inspires, challenges or restores us. Many of us have places we find spectacular, beautiful, energetic, fun. As part of the 2009 Spirit and Place Festival, WFYI invites you to share them all with us!

To celebrate the theme of the 2009 Spirit and Place Festival, Inspiring Places, WFYI invites you to send us your photos of the inspiring places you enjoy.

Between now and July 31, 2009, you'll be able to upload your photos and tell us why these places inspire you.

From all of the submissions, six will be selected and turned into a "Spirited Chase" on Saturday, Nov. 7 as part of the opening weekend of the Spirit and Place Festival. The Spirited Chase will be a delightful excursion that lets you visit each inspirational place and experience and enjoy its magic. Please feel free to submit photos from anywhere in the world, but the WFYI Spirited Chase destinations will be chosen from those closest to Indianapolis!

For more information, please visit http://www.wfyi.org/spiritedChase/spiritedChase.asp.

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Awards and Nominations

Indiana Historic Preservation Education Grants Awarded
The Indiana Humanities Council and the Historic Landmarks Foundation of Indiana have awarded grants of up to $2,000 to 13 nonprofit organizations throughout Indiana. From Valparaiso to Madison, the grants will be used for a variety of projects, including K through 12 learning experiences, tour brochures and a traveling barn model. One grant winner is using GPS technology to create a geocaching adventure, a high-tech landmark treasure hunt.

The IHC and HLFI have been partnering in this granting opportunity for 15 years, each providing $10,000 annually to the fund. This year, an additional individual donation of $5,000 to HLFI, matched by an equal amount from the IHC, provided the largest pool of grant funds in the program's history.

2009 Historic Preservation Education Grantees are:

  • The Historic Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens in Fishers for A Virtual Tour of the Historic Ambassador House and Heritage Gardens
  • The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County in South Bend for the Cemetery and Cemetery Landscape Conservation Conference
  • The Indiana Lincoln Highway Association in South Bend for Geocaching Adventure on the Lincoln Highway
  • The Historical Society of Porter County in Valparaiso for If Walls Could Talk – Mystery at the Museum
  • The Madison Main Street Program in Madison for Madison Main Street Resource and Hotline Center
  • The Muncie Historic Preservation and Rehabilitation Commission in Muncie for Reducing Heating Costs in Residential Buildings Both Old and New
  • The Prairie Arts Council, Rensselaer for the Rensselaer Post Office Mural
  • The Indiana State Fair Commission in Indianapolis for Re-raising the Barn
  • Shelbyville Middle School in Shelbyville for Shapes of the Past
  • The President Benjamin Harrison Foundation, Inc. in Indianapolis for The President's Home: A Tour in Many Languages
  • The Knox County Public Library in Vincennes for Tour de Vincennes
  • The Carroll County Wabash and Erie Canal, Inc. in Delphi for Wabash and Erie Canal Showcase of Historic Preservation
  • The Whiting-Robertsdale Community Improvement Corp. for Whiting Walkable, Rideable Whiting-Robertsdale

The IHC provides two annual grant programs: Historic Preservation Education Grants, in partnership with HLFI, which supports educational projects related to historic structures; and Humanities Initiative Grants, given to nonprofit organizations to conduct public programs emphasizing the humanities.

Initiative Grants are awarded three times each year. Winners from the second round will be announced in July. The third round application deadline is Aug. 1.


AMM Awards Nominations
The Association of Midwest Museums is currently accepting nominations for the 2009 AMM Awards for the following categories:

  • Distinguished Service Award
  • Promising Leadership Award
  • Distinguished Career Award
  • Best Practices Award.

The deadline for submitting nominations is June 30, 2009.

To nominate a person or an institution, please complete and submit the nomination form and a letter detailing the nominee's history and qualifications (and resume or CV, if available) to:
AMM Awards Committee
P.O. Box 11940
St. Louis, MO 63112

To download a nomination form, visit http://www.midwestmuseums.org/.

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Exhibits

Three Rivers TRAIN Display
This model railroad exhibit will be held July 11 through 19 at the History Center located at 302 E. Berry St. in Fort Wayne.

Enjoy an afternoon exploring the Three Rivers and Indiana Northern Train model railroading exhibit. This Three Rivers Festival event includes an exhibit of an HO scale, fully operational freight yard run by the TRAIN model railroad club. Visitors that have a model train needing work can bring it in during the exhibit and the TRAIN group will take a look at it for no additional charge. For more information about the Three Rivers and Indiana Northern Model Railroad Club, visit http://www.trainfortwayne.org/.

Admission to the History Center is $5 for adults, $3 for seniors and students, and free for History Center members and children ages five and under.

For more information, call the History Center at (260) 426-2882 or visit http://www.fwhistorycenter.com/.

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Traveling Exhibits

A Perfect Likeness, Tell Me A Story and Hoosier Family Album Now at the SullivanMunce Cultural Center in Zionsville

  • A Perfect Likeness: Care and Identification of Family Photographs
    The identification and care of the most common 19th-century photographic processes are showcased in this traveling exhibition. Sponsored by the Indiana Historical Society and the George Eastman House International Museum of Photography and Film in Rochester, N.Y., the exhibition focuses on identifying and caring for such common 19th-century processes and formats as the daguerreotype, ambrotype, tintype and carte de visite.
  • Tell Me A Story
    This exhibit, first showcased at the Indiana Historical Society's grand-opening celebration, is comprised of images from the society's 1999 annual photography contest. Framed photographs combine with descriptive text by the photographers to portray Hoosier life and history in Tell Me A Story. Stories of the Feast of the Hunters' Moon, the Old Sycamore, and the Tornado of '98 are just a few of the many you will find in this traveling exhibition. The contest included entries from all parts of the state and involved photographers of all ages.
  • Hoosier Family Album
    When first developed, photography was practiced largely by professional photographers. As evolving technology made it possible for the average Hoosier to own a camera, the subject matter of photographs became much broader. This exhibit examines how photography has been used to document everyday occurrences in Hoosiers' lives, such as vacations, holidays, education, religion, work and romance. Some of the scenes represented in the exhibit are children in a Hartford City parade, a group of Brookville cyclists readying for a country ride, the Greenfield baseball team preparing for a game around 1918 and Christmas stockings hung by the chimney with care in an Indianapolis Woodruff Place home.


Freedom: A History of US Now at the Monroe County History Center in Bloomington
This exhibit documents and illustrates the importance of people and events that trace the evolving principle of freedom before and during the Civil War.  The exhibition features personal letters, documents and broadsides from the Gilder Lehrman Collection, previously unavailable to the public, and invites visitors to read the words and see the images of men and women who, arrived in this land by choice or in chains, and forged the nation. Among the highlights of the panel exhibit are Lincoln’s handwritten notes of speeches and letters by leading figures such as Frederick Douglas.

This traveling exhibit is on loan from the Indiana Historical Society. For more information about the IHS traveling exhibit program, go to www.indianahistory.org/LHS and click on "Traveling Exhibits."

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Job Opportunities

Regional:

Director of Development at the Madison Museum of Contemporary Art in Madison, Wis.              
The Director of Development reports to the Director and supervises the Director of Public Information, AFOTS Coordinator, Special Events Coordinator and Development Assistant.

Responsibilities:

  • Works with staff and board to establish long-range financial goals and implements annual and multi-year fundraising plans to realize these; works closely with related Board committees.
  • Works with Board and Director to facilitate raising endowed funds for museum operations.
  • Responsible for grant applications to corporations, foundations and governmental funding sources as well as requests for individual support.
  • Oversees the Museum’s corporate and individual membership programs, including the recruitment and retention of members, conducting annual fund campaign and communications to the museum’s membership.
  • Supervises the Museum’s community relations program, particularly relations with media, its advertising strategy and development-related publications and communications.
  • Supports the activities and continued growth of several Museum volunteer groups;
    Coordinates benefit events of the Museum.

Qualifications include a college degree with minimum of five years development experience, preferably in an arts or education organization. Experience working with the media is desirable; strong writing background; creative; well-organized; excellent communication skills.

The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art is a museum of modern and contemporary art located in a new facility in downtown Madison, Wisconsin. An independent, not-for-profit organization, the Museum presents a broad range of exhibitions and related education programs. A permanent collection of some 5,000 works is maintained and enlarged through gifts and purchases. The Madison Museum of Contemporary Art has a $2.4 million operating budget.

Salary is commensurate with experience.

To apply, send a letter of interest, resume and names of professional references to:
Director’s Office
Madison Museum of Contemporary Art
227 State St.
Madison, WI 53703

Or e-mail the documents to personnel@mmoca.org


National:

Part-Time Curator at the New York City Police Museum
The New York City Police Museum seeks a Curator to research and develop content for exhibitions, as well as improving upon existing displays and helping to create new, innovative shows.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

  • Act as a liaison between the museum and outside consultants (i.e., exhibit designers, graphic designers, etc.) who aid in producing new displays; making certain that the best interest of the museum is maintained.
  • Assist with research requests for individuals, students, researchers, educators, and other professionals seeking information from The New York City Police Museum.
  • Other administrative duties may include working with the Registrar to secure loan agreements, donations, copyrights, and research permission requests and the fees associated. The Curator will also work directly with the Director of Education to create educational stimulating exhibits.
  • TMS experience preferred. Curator will work with Registrar to create contextual content for eMuseum, which will provide online access to highlighted items in the museum’s collection.

Minimum Requirements:

  • B.A. or B.S. degree required; graduate preferred.
  • Minimum three to five years experience managing related museum functions in accordance with museum standards.

To apply for this position, please send a cover letter and resume to the Executive Director, Julie Bose at Jbose@nycpolicemuseum.org. No phone calls.

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On the Internet

Chronicling America Posts Millionth Page
This week, the Library of Congress and the National Endowment for the Humanities marked a major milestone in their partnership to digitize historic U.S. newspapers and make them widely available on the Internet.

The Chronicling America Web site is a free, national, searchable database of historic American newspaper pages published between 1880 and 1922.

Launched by the NEH and the Library of Congress in March 2007, Chronicling America is a part of the National Digital Newspaper Program, a partnership between the two agencies to provide enhanced access to historically significant United States newspapers.

To view the site, please visit http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/.


IMLS Libraries to the Rescue Podcast Series
The Institute of Museum and Library Services announced the launch of the Libraries to the Rescue series of podcast episodes to share with libraries steps that other libraries have taken to help their communities.

Libraries to the Rescue provides valuable insights from:

  • Mary Boone, State Librarian of North Carolina
  • Bernard Margolis, State Librarian of New York
  • Sheryl Mase, Michigan Library's Director of Statewide Services
  • Jan Walsh, State Librarian of Washington, and Randall Simmons, Program Manager for Library Development in Washington
  • Kendall Wiggin, State Librarian of Connecticut

The five episodes cover a range of topics, including how libraries are increasing access to key information through virtual libraries, the importance of broadband access, and new partnerships between libraries and state and federal agencies to help citizens access all types of assistance. The Libraries to the Rescue episodes are short (12 to 15 minute), digestible audio episodes designed to educate IMLS's library audience.

Libraries to the Rescue can be accessed on the IMLS Web site at http://www.imls.gov/resources/podcasts_Jun09.shtm.


IRS Updates

  • Nonprofit Governance – The View from the IRS
    Read the remarks of TE/GE Commissioner Sarah Hall Ingram before a seminar on Issues in Nonprofit Governance at Georgetown Law Center on June 23, 2009 at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/ingram__gtown__governance_062309.pdf.

  • Advisory Committee Report Released
    The Advisory Committee on Tax Exempt and Government Entities released its eighth report at its public meeting on June 10, 2009.  The report includes recommendations of the EO project team on how to improve the tax rules governing international grant-making by exempt organizations. The report is available at http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/tege_act_rpt8.pdf.

  • Employee or Independent Contractor?
    Listen to an interesting new audio presentation, developed for practitioners by the IRS Small Business/Self-Employed division but of interest to all employers, on Proper Worker Classification at http://www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=201106,00.html. A written transcript is also available.

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Note from the Editor:

Do you know someone who might want to receive Communique Online? Anyone may join the mailing list by e-mailing col@indianahistory.org.

If your historical organization, genealogical society or museum has changed its address or phone number in the past six months, please send the updated information to Coordinator, Local History Services, at the above e-mail, or Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Communique Online is provided for the benefit of local historical societies and museums throughout Indiana. It is e-mailed to a subscriber list maintained by the Local History Services department of the Indiana Historical Society.

Anyone may subscribe. This is a free publication.

To be added or removed from the mailing list, simply e-mail col@indianahistory.org or call toll free (800) IHS-1830.

News releases from local societies are welcomed and may be faxed to (317) 234-0427, e-mailed to the above address or mailed to Local History Services, Indiana Historical Society, Eugene and Marilyn Glick Indiana History Center, 450 W. Ohio St., Indianapolis, IN 46202.

Please visit the IHS Local History Services Web site at www.indianahistory.org/LHS.