Online courses in preservation

Eight online museum classes this fall

Northern States Conservation Center announces the return of six of
its popular courses and the introduction of two new courses this
fall. In September, Gretchen Anderson will teach Integrated Pest
Management for Museums, Historic Houses and Archives. In October,
Lin Nelson-Mayson will teach Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to
Installation. All of our courses are taken at your own pace,
online, with a regular online chat with the instructor. You can
take our courses from any computer with Internet access. There are
no travel costs. If you are interested in any course, please sign up
at <URL:http://www.museumclasses.org> and pay for the course at
<UL:http://www.collectioncare.org/tas/tas.html> .

If you have trouble completing an online order, or have any other
questions, please contact Helen Alten <helen<-a t->collectioncare< . >org> or
Eric Swanson <eric<-a t->collectioncare< . >org>. We offer a 10% discount for
individuals signing up for more than one course or for institutions
signing more than one individual up for a course. California
Association of Museums members and Bio-Integral Resource Center
(BIRC) members are also eligible for discounts on certain courses.
Please note, if you receive a discount due to a membership
organization, the group discount does not apply. A complete list of
our 2005 courses is available at
<URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/training/training.html> . Here is
a list of the classes offered for the last part of 2005:

August

MS104: An Introduction to Collections Preservation
Aug 15-Sep 9, 2005
$275.00

    The tools of a museum professional include a basic understanding
    of preservation principles and techniques. This course provides
    an overview of current preservation issues, from environmental
    monitoring to collection cleaning, exhibit mounts and storage
    furniture. Covering every aspect of the modern museum, and how
    the building, staff and fixtures affect preservation of the
    collection, this workshop provides an overview that participants
    can use in future decision-making about their collection. 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 will
    be discussed. This introductory course provides basic knowledge
    that is expanded in all of our other courses.

    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

September

MS210: Integrated Pest Management for Museums, Historic Houses and
    Archives
New
Sep 5-Sep 30, 2005
$350.00

    Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is a low-toxicity method of
    controlling pest infestations. In museums, IPM has become the
    standard method of treating incoming collections and monitoring
    collection holdings. This course, new to the Northern States
    Conservation Center's online course catalog, defines IPM,
    discusses how infestations occur, helps you identify your risks,
    provides feasible mitigation strategies, discusses the different
    techniques of treating infested materials, and helps you
    complete an IPM plan and monitoring schedule tailored for your
    institution. The course covers insect, rodent/mammal, bird, bat
    and mold infestations. Other infestations will be covered
    according to student needs. Pest identification and eradication
    are covered. Students will complete the course with a written
    IPM plan and monitoring schedule that fits the needs of their
    institution.

    Support for the course is provided by Bio-Integral Resource
    Center (BIRC) in Berkeley, California. BIRC members will receive
    a 10% discount for this course. Please note your membership
    status on your order in our comments field.

    Course Outline:

        1.  IPM Introduction
        2.  Pest Risks/Environmental Causes
        3.  Monitoring
        4.  Mitigation Strategies
        5.  Treatment Strategies
        6.  Regular review
        7.  Staff Support
        8.  Conclusion

MS201: Storage for Infinity: An Overview of Museum Storage
    Principles
Sep 19-Oct 21, 2005 start
$350.00

    Do your collections overflow their storage? This course
    concentrates on storage philosophy and planning, collections
    handling, materials and techniques for storing collections. The
    course's goal is to teach students the fundamentals of storage
    conditions, housing materials, security and handling.

    Course Outline:

        1    Introduction
        2.  Storage Philosophy
        3.  Agents of Deterioration and Preservation Planning
        4.  Storage Facilities
        5.  Storage Furniture
        6.  Preparing Collections for Storage
        7.  Storage Materials
        8.  Storage Mounts
        9.  Storage of Specific Collections
        10. Funding Improvements
        11. Conclusion

MS207: Collections Management: Cataloging Your Collections
Sep 18-Oct 15, 2005
$350.00

    This workshop will cover the basics of collections cataloging.
    Cataloging procedures will be discussed in detail. Sample forms
    to support these procedures will be available. Best practices
    for numbering artifacts will be presented, as well as how to
    perform inventories and condition reports. Procedures for
    handling, measuring, and describing of all types of objects and
    materials will be discussed. Students will be asked to describe
    an everyday object and practice cataloging several items from
    their own collections or households.

    Course Outline:

        Cataloging Procedures: Why do we catalog our artifacts?
        Forms
        Numbering
        Appropriate Materials
        Specific Types of materials
        Placement
        Handling
        Conservation and Storage
        Condition Reports
        General Care and Storage of Specific Objects
        Inventories
        Cataloging
        General information
        Describing Objects
        Considerations for Specific Objects

October

MS106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
New
Oct 3-Oct 28, 2005
$350.00

    Nearly every museum develops exhibits, but how can we improve
    communication with our visitors while presenting our objects to
    their best advantage? This course explores museum exhibits from
    initial idea to final installation in a variety of museum
    settings. Topics covered include exhibit theory, the role of the
    museum's mission, creating a time line, intellectual and
    physical accessibility, writing the exhibit script and other
    interpretive texts, the role of design elements (sequencing,
    color, graphics, lighting, audio-visual), basic installation
    techniques (including placement guides and hanging framed
    artwork), object safety and security (including mount-making),
    visitor safety, and types of exhibit evaluations. Each student
    will develop an exhibit plan based on their museum's own exhibit
    goals.

    Course Outline

        1.  Introduction: Exhibition Theory and the Museums Mission
        2.  Intellectual and Physical Accessibility and Exhibition
            Evaluations
        3.  Creating a Timeline and Writing Texts
        4.  The Role of Design Elements and Basic Installation
            Techniques
        5.  Object and Visitor Safety
        6.  Conclusion

MS205: Disaster Planning I: Introduction to Disaster Preparedness
    Planning
Oct 3-Oct 28, 2005
$350.00

    The purpose of Disaster Preparedness and Response Planning, DPRP
    is to outline for Museum staff and volunteers procedures to be
    followed in various emergency situations. Emergencies,
    disasters, accidents, and injuries can occur in any setting and
    at any time, usually without warning. Museum collections are by
    their nature both vulnerable and irreplaceable; even small
    accidents can harm a collection. Being prepared physically and
    psychologically to handle emergencies is an individual as well
    as an organizational responsibility.

    You will learn how to form a team, dynamics of team
    participation, on-going nature of planning, personnel safety,
    board governance, insurance, that plans must be reviewed and
    updated twice a year. You will identify community partners, fire
    prevention personnel, emergency medical providers, government
    officials, insurance providers, and invite them to participate
    in planning. A staff member, and/or a team, will be chosen to
    serve as an emergency coordinator(s). You will learn what the
    team/person's duties and responsibilities are before, during and
    after the emergency. The emergency coordinator will formulate a
    simple, easily accessible flip-chart of information pertaining
    to contacts, personnel locations, immediate action steps,
    emergency numbers, signals, sirens, and visual aids if
    necessary. With this information you will be ready to actually
    write the Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan.

    Course Outline:

        1.  Introduction to Disaster Planning
        2.  Disaster Team
        3.  Risk Assessment and Management
        4.  Health and Safety
        5.  Insurance
        6.  Documentation
        7.  Prioritizing Collections
        8.  Conclusion

MS206: Disaster Planning II: Writing a Disaster Preparedness Plan
Oct 31-Dec 16, 2005
$350.00

    The purpose of a Written Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan
    is to educate all participants in their role and
    responsibilities in an emergency situation. Each participant
    from the planning team will be required to research and fully
    understand the emergency response and recovery steps.
    Participants will learn how to document the collection so you
    know what collection information is useful before an emergency.
    You will identify important institutional records, collection
    inventories, research materials, location of certain items on
    exhibit and in storage. A copy of records to be stored off-site
    will include blue prints, inventory lists, hazardous materials
    list, computer back-ups, financial records, community partners
    lists, and Emergency Response Salvage Wheel. You will become
    familiar with other emergency information and documentation
    systems, such as Homeland Security, Red Cross, FEMA, and local
    government entities.

    Participants will receive an emergency preparedness and response
    supply list and participants will customize it for specific
    threats. As you write the DPRPlan you will also begin assembling
    supplies. The instructor will guide you through each step,
    assist you with checklists forms, organization, review
    narratives, edit the final written plan, and guide you to grant
    funding for on-site or regional training to conduct practice
    drills.

    Course Outline:

        1.  Introduction: Why do you need a written Disaster
            Preparedness and Response Plan?
        2.  Writing the Disaster Preparedness Plan
        3.  Emergency Procedures
        4.  Disaster Response
        5.  Emergency Procedures Recovery
        6.  Emergency Procedures Salvage
        7.  Emergency Procedures Salvage Techniques and Guidelines
        8.  Emergency Supplies and Location of Regional Resources
        9.  Appendices
        10. Next Steps: Planning Drills and Further Resources
        11. Conclusion

November

MS208: Applying Numbers to Collection Objects: Materials and Methods
    of Object Numbering
    Nov 7-Dec 2, 2005
$350.00

    A popular AAM workshop, now available online by its pioneering
    instructor. Applying Numbers to Collection Objects covers the
    materials and methods of Object Numbering. Topics covered by the
    lecture include registration steps, handling objects, labeling
    and marking overview, number placement and documentation, health
    and safety concerns, tags and labels, transponders and barcodes,
    surface marks, inks and paints and barrier coats. Each student
    will receive a collections labeling kit.

    Course Outline:

        1.  Basic Concepts
        2.  Associating Numbers and Objects
        3.  Applying Numbers to Objects: Barrier Coats and Direct
            Surface Marking
        4.  Tools of Numbering
        5.  Recommended Numbering Procedures for Specific Objects
        6.  Conclusion


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 19:10
                Distributed: Wednesday, August 17, 2005
                       Message Id: cdl-19-10-025
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