Welcome to the Connecting to Collections Online Community!
Our goal is to help smaller museums, libraries, archives, and historical societies get answers to collections care questions and quickly locate reliable preservation resources and to help staff members network with their colleagues. We know how many responsibilities you have and how helpful it can be to network with conservation professionals and museums and library colleagues. This online community will be a source of solid information and, occasionally, inspiration to help you make the right connections to care for your collections.
When a concern arises about your collection, you need answers quickly. You don’t have time to wade through a lot of research. And you need reliable information—a Google search on “paintings conservation” returns a quarter million hits—some reputable, others less so. On the Topics page of the Connecting to Collections Online Community, you will find links to preservation information from leading conservators, as well as to archived C2C presentations and archived Online Community discussions. The home page will regularly feature a resource and an opportunity to interact with its authors and other experts through Webinars in the Meeting Room.
Keep in mind that this site is a source for conservation information rather than advice. Although we will have conservators participating in the conversation, it is not ethical for them to provide treatment advice without first having examined the object or situation in person. We hope that participants will share their experiences with caring for objects, but note that it is recommended that you contact a professional conservator before undertaking a conservation project. The American Institute for Conservation can help locate a conservator near you.
Lack of funding and public understanding can be an obstacle to appropriate collections care. This Community will encourage sharing of ideas for securing gifts, grants, and media attention. We believe collections care can be a great asset to your fund raising and public outreach!
How to Register
Registering is quick and easy and will allow you to make connections with other professionals, participate in the discussion, and choose how you want be notified about updates on the page. We have designed the page to take full advantage of social networking but you are welcome to share as little or as much information as you wish.
About Us
Heritage Preservation moderates the Connecting to Collections Online Community in cooperation with the American Association for State and Local History and with funding from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The site is designed and produced by LearningTimes.
This Online Community is part of Connecting to Collections, a multi-faceted national initiative of the Institute of Museum and Library Services. In developing the Community, we have drawn on many resources that were developed for the initiative, including the Connecting to Collections Bookshelf and the Raising the Bar Workshops and Webinars.
Please contact us if you have ideas for the site or topics you would like us to feature. If you are having technical difficulties, please contact Jenny Wiley at Heritage Preservation by e-mail or at 202-233-0800.
