Connecting to Collections

Hurricanes, floods and fires. Funding in an economic downturn. New perspectives on collections planning and management. The Connecting to Collections program of the Institute of Museum and Library Services in San Diego brought professionals together from around the country to explore common ground and learn from the unique experiences of sister institutions. I was honored to be selected to attend!

Being in a hurricane prone region, it was especially helpful to hear the perspectives of institutions that dealt with disasters like Hurricane Katrina. Practical advice included inviting first-responders to the Museum prior to hurricane season to gain an understanding of the institution, as well as creating an "office on the go" in case of an extended closure with important account numbers, passwords and contact information. In Virginia we are fortunate to have an Emergency Response Team developed through VAM (Virginia Association of Museums). These volunteers are willing to mobilize within hours of a call to provide triage and salvage assistance anywhere in the state. The VLM's representative participated in valuable two-day Homeland Security Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training that will benefit the VLM as well as the institutions we help serve through the VAM program.

It was also beneficial to hear from national funding agencies, especially private foundations and the effect of the market downturn on available funds for grant-making. The average decline for private foundations in the last year was reported as 30% loss of assets! With more applications and fewer dollars, it will be more difficult than ever to receive these competitive grants. However, many funders have in their missions to identify projects and programs that slip through the cracks, so challenging times may also provide opportunities to highlight pressing needs.

I look forward to staying in touch with the other directors to hear how the program helps them going forward and to extend the VLM's network across the country!

Page Hayhurst
Executive Director