Virtual

Invisible Histories is a community based archive focusing on LGBTQ history in the US South. During this workshop, co-founders Josh Burford and Maigen Sullivan will share how they have been saving highly at-risk archival data through community outsourcing, volunteer engagement, and word-of-mouth connections. The session will feature detailed examples of programs and projects Invisible Histories…

Mountmaking is more than building artifact stands; it is a holistic process of protecting object safety during exhibition. During this webinar, designed for staff at small and mid-sized cultural institutions who are responsible for preparing objects for exhibition, participants will learn the basics for displaying objects — from in-house customization of standard mount blanks to…

Risk assessment is the foundation of successful emergency planning, but getting started can be daunting. As part of the annual May Day Programming, join us for an introduction aimed at small and mid-sized institutions with little experience in emergency preparedness to learn about useful tools that will help you assess your risks so that you…

Keeping water away from collections at small and mid-sized institutions is paramount to any collection caretaker’s job, but doing that isn’t always straightforward. A little knowledge of water management in buildings can go a long way,whether your collection is held in a state-of-the-art facility or a historic house. In this webinar, we will cover how…

This webinar will offer a guided overview of key preventive conservation tools and resources developed by the Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI), with a focus on helping small and mid-sized cultural institutions identify priorities, make informed decisions, and take practical action – especially with a focus on realistic, scalable approaches when time, space, or resources are…

Historic flags, both large and small, are commonly found in small and mid-sized institutions and are made of a wide variety of materials utilizing a myriad of techniques. These materials and their deterioration, along with any previous treatments that might be found in collections, will greatly influence the storage method needed for each flag. During…

Would you like to care for Grandma's grave? Does your historic site have a cemetery whose care has been assigned to you? Just love old cemeteries and want to do more? Then you have come to the right place. In this webinar we  will  discuss a wide range of cemetery care topics such as:   How…

With the funding landscape rapidly shifting and federal funding for sustainable collections management and art conservation under threat, what are some ways that collections caretakers can leverage existing resources and opportunities that are already out there to support their short and long term collections care plans?  This lecture will highlight ways in which collection caretakers…

Whether you’re working in a museum, historical society, archive, or other type of cultural institution,silver objects—including art, jewelry, coins, or decorative items—require specialized care to preserve their integrity and appearance over time. During this program attendees will: Gain a basic understanding of the properties and vulnerabilities of silver as a material. Learn safe cleaning techniques…

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is an important part of protecting collections in cultural institutions. This webinar will provide a brief overview of IPM and focus on how to build support for it within your institution. Attendees will learn which tasks can be handled by staff and when it’s necessary to bring in a pest management…

It is not uncommon for cultural institutions to have a quantity of sculpture located out of doors. However, because such works are installed outside, often on a permanent basis, they are especially at the mercy of such things as the elements, age, vandalism, and more. If long-term maintenance of outdoor sculpture is to be carried…

Many small and mid-sized cultural institutions face challenging issues with collections containers that still have contents inside of them, whether they are solids or liquids.  Often these are assumed to be the original contents, but sometimes they may not be.  Solids and liquids present different challenges when it comes to preserving, identifying, and disposing of…

Recent disasters across the country have presented small and mid-sized institutions with the unique challenges of not only dealing with health and safety for people but how to deal with the collection materials. During this special May Day 2025 webinar, participants will:  Learn ways to protect volunteers, staff, and themselves  Find out ways to properly…

Are you using dataloggers that are nearing the end of their lifespan and you wonder what you should replace them with? Or are you not yet using loggers and wonder how to get started? Are you looking to supplement your current program with additional capacity like monitoring light or vibration? Are you not sure what…

Newspapers show up in almost every collection in some form or another: folded, bound, clipped, scrapbooked, or even used in artworks! At the same time, they are incredibly fragile, prone to disintegrating over time. How do we even begin approaching their preservation? This webinar will give you a place to start, explaining the reasons why…

Geological materials can not only be found in many collections managed by small and mid-sized institutions, but are also complex objects that can span a huge range of sizes, characteristics, values, environmental sensitivities, and other preventive conservation concerns. Too often they do not receive the care they merit because of an assumption that they are…