Online classes at Northern States Conservation Center

April 2015 Online Courses from Northern States Conservation Center

MS 104: An Introduction to Collections Preservation
April 6 - May 1, 2015
Instructor: Helen Alten
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: Every museum professional needs a solid foundation
    in preservation principles and techniques.  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.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/introduction-collections-preservation-line-course>

MS 106: Exhibit Fundamentals: Ideas to Installation
April 6 - May 15, 2015
Instructor: Lin Nelson-Mayson
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: Nearly every museum develops exhibits, but how can
    we improve communication with visitors while taking care of our
    objects?  Exhibit Fundamentals explores exhibits from idea to
    final installation in a variety of settings.  Topics include
    exhibit theory, the role of the museum's mission, creating a
    timeline, accessibility and script writing. Also covered are
    design elements, installation techniques, object safety and
    security, visitor safety and evaluations.  Each student develops
    an exhibit plan for his or her museum.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/exhibit-fundamentals-ideas-installation-line-course>

MS 214: Collections Management Databases
April 6 - May 1, 2015
Instructor: Sarah Kapellusch
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: A collection database is a necessary tool for
    accurate and efficient collections management.  In Collection
    Management Databases you will learn what characteristics
    distinguish one database system from another; how a database can
    be used to manage inventory, conservation, pest management, and
    other aspects of collections management; as well as how to
    prepare your collection and documentation for entry into a
    database.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/collection-management-databases-line-course>

MS 224: Care of Leather and Skin Materials
April 6 - May 15, 2015
Instructor: Helen Alten
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: Prior to the invention of plastics, skin materials
    were the flexible covering used for most objects--from bellows
    to books, carriages to desktops.  Furs and skins are in almost
    every museum's collection, be it Natural History, History or
    Art.  Caring for leather and skin materials demands an
    understanding of how and why they deteriorate.  Care of Leather
    and Skin Materials offers a simplified explanation of the
    origin, chemistry and structure of leathers and skins.  Students
    learn to identify leathers and surface finishes, determine their
    extent of deterioration, write condition reports, and understand
    the agents of deterioration that are harmful to leather and
    skins both in storage and on exhibit.  Topics include preparing
    hide and skin materials for storage and exhibit, the use of
    archival materials and which ones might harm skin proteins,
    housekeeping techniques for large objects or books on open
    display, and three-dimensional supports for leather and skin to
    keep them from distorting.  Integrated pest management and
    historical treatments will be covered, with a unit on hazardous
    materials applied to older skins and leather that might prove a
    danger to staff.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/care-leather-and-skin-materials-line-course>

MS237: Formative Evaluations for Exhibits and Public Programs
April 6 to May 1, 2015
Instructor: Karin Hostetter
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: Have you done some evaluation but did not get
    helpful information?  Do you wish you could do evaluations, but
    think it is too hard or too expensive?  Do you wonder how to get
    people to use an offered program more?  Evaluations are feasible
    and easy.  This course will help you determine what you really
    want to know, choose the right process to gather the
    information, develop meaningful questions, and figure out what
    the results tell you.  Please have a program or text in mind
    (real or imagined) to work with during the course.  Note: this
    course will not be looking at statistical analysis.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/formative-evaluations-exhibits-and-public-programs-online-course>

MS 001: The Problem with Plastics
April 13 - 17, 2015
Instructor: Diana Komejan
Location: <URL:http://museumclasses.org>

    Description: As we march boldly toward the 22nd century,
    artifact collecting includes that most fragile of
    materials--plastic.  Not only is it in our collections, but it
    is used to house our collections, too.  What problems have you
    seen?  What problems have others seen?  What materials are best?
    What can we, as caretakers, do to minimize long-term damage?
    Join Diana in this mini-course for discussing care and
    deterioration of plastics. Bring any questions you have about
    plastics in your museum.

    For more information and to sign up:
    <URL:http://www.collectioncare.org/problem-plastics-line-short-course>

Feel free to contact me with questions

Helen Alten
Northern States Conservation Center


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                  Conservation DistList Instance 28:38
                   Distributed: Monday, March 9, 2015
                       Message Id: cdl-28-38-017
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