2012 NCMC Annual Conference
March 18-19, 2012 - Asheville, NC
"Elevating Expectations"
Preliminary Schedule Highlights

A. The Power of Partnerships for Small Museums
Two successful mountain-area museum partnerships present the benefits and rewards of banding together for support and problem-solving. Participants will form regional break-out groups to share their issues and challenges and to find common ground for cooperation. This is an excellent opportunity to network across museum types and sizes and to forge collaboration in geographical areas.
Moderator: Kaye Myers, Cultural & Heritage Specialist, NC Department of Cultural Resources
Presenters/Facilitators:
Jeff Futch, Regional Supervisor-Western Office of Archives & History, NC DCR
Jill Jones, Director of Marketing & Communications, Blue Ridge National Heritage Area
Diana Sanderson, Archivist, Warren Wilson College
Rebecca Suddeth, Executive Director, Transylvania Heritage Museum
Ashley Tate, Curator, Carl Sandburg Home National Historic Site
Ron Vinson, Executive Director, Presbyterian Heritage Center
Tammy Walsh, Historic Interpreter, Vance Birthplace State Historic Site

B Travelling Trunks Part 1: Inside the Box
Learn about developing a travelling trunk program. Which of your themes will work, what items should you put in the trunk and where do you get them, and how much can it cost? What are the practical considerations? And, how are teachers and students utilizing your trunks in the classroom?
Moderator: John Turk, WNCHA Board Member/Smith-McDowell House Museum Volunteer
Presenters: Tammy Walsh, Historic Interpreter, Vance Birthplace State Historic Site
Lisa Whitfield, Education Coordinator, Smith-McDowell House
Pauline Johnson, Adjunct, Departments of History and Education, Mars Hill College

C National Identity and Public Perception
A museum serves as a powerful force in reinforcing widely-held beliefs or challenging the status quo whether related to 9/11, the Civil Rights Era or the Civil War Sesquicentennial. Identity and nationalism demonstrated in exhibits can be either positive or negative for public perception and visitation. Learn to look at your museum, its programs and it public presentation with fresh eyes and new knowledge.
Dr. Andrea Burns, Department of History, Appalachian State University
Dr. Alima Bucciantini, Department of History, Appalachian State University

D. Museum Exhibits in the Digital Age
Virtual exhibits are challenging and revolutionizing the concept of a museum by making collections accessible to a global audience at anytime. What are the advantages and disadvantages of on-line exhibits? And, importantly, do visitors find them engaging? Is this approach right for your museum? Members of the team behind A Change Is Gonna Come discuss what they learned from the process of developing an on-line exhibit and from evaluations of outside reviewers.
Michelle Carr, Curator of Internal Programs, NC Museum of History
Earl L. Ijames, Curator, NC Museum of History

A A New Point of View
New information prompted a year-long transition in the interpretive focus at Historic Oak View County Park, from a story which focused on the big house to one which includes the entire farm community. Staff discusses and evaluates the research project, the process of making major site changes and their initial results with visitors.
Emily Catherman, Park Manager, Historic Oak View County Park
Sara Drumheller, Assistant Park Manager, Historic Oak View County Park
Katie Spencer, Education Aide, Historic Oak View County Park

B Travelling Trunks Part 2: Outside the Box
There’s an App for that! An education department takes advantage of technology to reach the public, specifically by developing their own “App” for the iPad to complement a traditional travelling trunk. Learn about the reasoning process for developing the App and the results.
Christine Brin, School & Group Coordinator, NC Maritime Museum

C Volunteers Part 1: Ideas For Your Volunteer Program
Learn how to develop a successful volunteer program. Presenters will discuss strategies of recruitment, retention, and training, utilizing volunteers’ unique skills, and expanding a volunteer program. Also learn how a Volunteer Leadership Committee can help you succeed with these important tasks and expand your volunteer program.
Chloe Goho, Chair, NC Transportation Museum Volunteer Leadership Committee
LeAnne Johnson, Volunteer Coordinator, NC Transportation Museum
Patrick Willis, Historic Interpreter, Thomas Wolfe Memorial State Historic Site

D Biltmore’s Legendary Library: An Undergraduate Odyssey
Arts Honors students at North Carolina A & T State University embarked on a unique learning experience documenting in a panoramic photo environment the Biltmore Library ceiling painting as it exists and re-creating how the painting may have looked in its original state in an 18th Century, Venetian ballroom. Students will showcase some of the photographic technologies and modeling environments that they used for the project.
Moderator:Dr. Janet K. Siez, Department of Art, North Carolina A&T State University
Presenters:Undergraduate Students, North Carolina A&T State University

E Proposal Writing & Research: Making Your Message Relevant to the Right Funders
This session, led by a 30-year museum and development professional, will focus on how museums can effectively communicate their missions to the right funders. Differences in proposals to corporate, foundation and government sources will be discussed. In addition, key strategies for researching funding sources will be shared.
Alan J. Lipsky, R&L Consulting (Arden, NC)

A New Approaches: A Museum Educator Roundtable presented by the NC Museum Educators Roundtable (NC MER)
This lively, interactive, and dynamic session will include three short presentations focusing on unique approaches to community-based, collaborative programming which have yielded new friends and new partnerships. Following the formal presentations, participants will form breakout groups to discuss and share ideas more thoroughly on each topic. Come prepared to take away new ideas and leave some of your own!
Moderator: B. J. Davis, Education Section Chief, NC Museum of History/NC MER
Presenters: Elizabeth Huseman, Educational Content Coordinator, Charlotte Museum of History, Programming partnerships with new demographic groups
Beth Bockhoven, Operations Manager, Hands On!, Taking a chance on children as volunteers
Laura Everett, Adult Programs Coordinator, Mint Museum, Year-long and city-wide cooperative programming

B Creative Conservation Funding
A Registrar/Collections Manager and a Public Relations/Marketing/Membership Coordinator collaborated to create, publicize and market a special fund drive for conserving collection objects. Learn about their idea, process, successes and failures and get some advice on fundraising to support your own collections.
Kyle Elizabeth Bryner, Registrar & Collections Manager, Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University
Sara Cromwell, PR-Marketing-Membership Coordinator, Museum of Anthropology at Wake Forest University

C Volunteers Part 2: Museum and University Partnerships
How can university students participate effectively with small museums? Finding the right fit that is attractive to students and also benefits a small museum can be challenging. Hear from program administrators how to form partnerships with academic departments, and learn how these future professionals can help your museum succeed in everything from exhibit development, visitor services, to technology and “friend-raising.”
Dr. Andrea Burns, Department of History, Appalachian State University
Dr. Alima Bucciantini, Department of History, Appalachian State University
Dr. Jessie Swigger, Public History Internship Coordinator, Western Carolina University
Jessica Michak & Jaimie Timm, Graduate Students, Department of History, Appalachian State University
Mary Elyse Yow, Kaylynn Washnock, Sarah Beth Lee & Megan Griffin, Graduate Students, Department of History, Western Carolina University

D Tired of Sessions About Facebook? So Are We.
Want to learn about Facebook & Twitter? Then don’t come to this session; we’re not talking about that. Budgets are stretched and time is tight: there has to be more efficient ways to tackle common museum tasks like scheduling, project timelines and visitor surveys. Learn about free, practical, non-Windows software and how you can implement the solutions this software can offer at your museum. Participants are encouraged to bring a laptop.
Moderator: Sharon Robinson, Executive Director, Wells Fargo Museum
Presenter: Michael Scott, Historic Interpreter, Reed Gold Mine State Historic Site