Arkansas Museums Association
2014 Annual Meeting
“Look for the Silver Lining in Your Community”
This year’s annual meeting will take place in North Little Rock (Argenta) Arkansas, with the opening reception
on Tuesday, March 18th, concluding with the awards banquet on Thursday, March 20th. We will be meeting in
three locations for our concurrent workshop sessions, all within a 3-minute walk from one another:
The Joint Coffee Shop, 301 Main Street
Argenta Library Branch of Laman Library, 506 Main Street
Argenta Art Connection, 204 East 4th Street (one block east of Main)
This year is a departure from our traditional meeting setup, but parking is plentiful and close, and the sessions
are housed in great venues—all repurposed original construction. We want you to experience the amazing
revitalization that has taken place in Argenta, and hope you can take some community partnership ideas back
home with you.
The annual business luncheon will take place at the First Presbyterian Church, at the corner of 4th and Maple.
The awards banquet will be held at the North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce, 100 Main Street.
The host hotel for the meeting is The Wyndham, located at 2 Riverfront Place. They have a block of rooms, so
call 501-371-9000 or 1-866-657-4458 to book, telling them you are with the AR Museums Association. The
room rate is $87 for a single, and they have a free hot breakfast, free parking, free wi-fi, and free shuttle
service in downtown North Little Rock/Little Rock.
Tuesday, March 18th
3:00-5:00
Registration at Wyndham Hotel, North Little Rock
5:30-7:30
Opening reception, Argenta Art Connection
Wednesday, March 19th
8:30-10:00
Registration, Argenta Branch of Laman Library
Coffee and snacks
9:30-10:45
Innovative Ideas in Museums
Kathy Kelley, owner of K Design Signs & Exhibits
Images and discussion of creative solutions in museum design from around the country. Very
good ideas, and also some very bad exhibits to show what might have been done differently.
What Technology is in Your Museum’s Horizon?
Heather Marie Wells, Education Technology Coordinator
Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
A discussion of the 2013 Horizon Report, introducing the 6 technologies addressed. Attendees
will participate in an activity to help them consider the impact the 6 technologies could have in
their institution.
The Argenta Story
Presenters to be announced
Learn the history of Argenta and how partnerships helped revitalize this river town, once
annexed by Little Rock, then “stolen away” by the newly-created City of North Little Rock.
11-11:30
District meetings, First Presbyterian Church
11:30-12:45
Business lunch, First Presbyterian Church
1-2:15
The Silver Linings Playbook: Great Movie, But a Grant Might Be the Best Ticket in Town!
Jama Best, Senior Program Officer, Arkansas Humanities Council
An in-depth look at grant applications. Participants will review sample grant applications and
learn from a program officer’s perspective how to prepare a competitive proposal. Participants
will also learn about grant funding opportunities through the Arkansas Humanities Council.
Web Site Design—It’s Not Just for Professionals
Danny Groshong, Education Outreach Development; Julie McVey, Collections Manager
Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
An introduction to free or low-cost online exhibit tools and instructions for those with limited
or no web design. Learn how to create a free online exhibit.
Putting Archival Methods to Use in a Museum Setting
Jane Wilkerson, Archival Manager; Lauren Jarvis, Archivist
Arkansas History Commission
Has your museum added archival collections, complicating the artifact accessioning process?
Learn the basics of archival processing, storage, and photo identification and preservation.
2:15-2:45
Break (Argenta Library Branch of Laman Library)
2:45-4:00
Exhibit Techniques and Mounts
Andy Zawacki, Conservator, Historic Arkansas Museum
Presentation on exhibit techniques for different types of artifacts, including the tools and
materials needed for mount building.
Life is Better with a Southern Accent
VP of Marketing or Sales, Little Rock Convention and Visitors Bureau
Tourism is the 2nd largest revenue source in Arkansas. Learn how to promote, market, and
attract visitors through networking and cooperative marketing, learning about new trends in
tourism and how to be effective at marketing, no matter what the size of your organization.
Tinkering in Unconventional Places
Kathleen Lawson, Director, Arkansas Discovery Network
Thomas Lipham, Program Director, Museum of Discovery
Jill Kary, Curator of Education, Arkansas State University Museum
Mindy Porter, Education Director, Amazeum
What is tinkering, and how has it impacted the way museums do programming? Participants
will do a simple tinkering activity they can recreate at home, complete with a written lesson
plan and tips on where to obtain materials.
6-7:30
“Subs at the Sub”
Join us for dinner and fun at the USS Razorback, anchored on the North Little Rock side of the
Arkansas River
Thursday, March 20th
8:30-9:30
Registration, Argenta Branch of Laman Library
8:30-9:45
Arkansas Historic Preservation in Your Community
Cary Tyson, Deputy Director, Arkansas Historic Preservation Program
Learn about the outreach offerings of the AHPP and how they can help your organization and
town, including Main Street programs, cemetery preservation, tours, preservation tax credits,
and technical assistance.
Emergency Plans from the Ground Up
Kim Coryat and Kara Ellis, Archivists
Clinton Presidential Library
Members of the Safety Committee of the Clinton Presidential Library will discuss the steps of
creating an emergency plan from scratch, essential for all institutions, no matter their size.
Look for the Silver Lining in the History Community
Kay Bland, K-12 Education Coordinator
Butler Center for Arkansas Studies/Central Arkansas Library System
Learn to use Arkansas History curriculum content resources, including Butler Center exhibits
and publications, for professional development activities.
9:45-10:15
Break, Argenta Branch of Laman Library
10:15-11:30
Programming and Retail go Hand in Hand: Two Parts of a Whole Experience
Patricia Campbell, Rogers Historical Museum
Paige James, Historic Arkansas Museum
Learn the importance of gift shops as part of the museum experience. Ever wonder what other
gift shops are doing, and what has worked for them? Learn what has, and what hasn’t, and also
where to buy merchandise. Bring your questions and answers, business cards to exchange, and
a favored (and maybe not-so-favored) vendor list.
Everyday Security
Geoff Goodrich, Director of Security, Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art
All institutions, large or small, need to be aware of everyday security, from visitor safety to
artifact security. Geoff Goodrich thinks of security as a by-product of superior customer service,
and this session will cover how to accomplish your security goals.
Going for the Green: Working with Girl Scouts in Arkansas
Dawn Prasifka, CEO, Girl Scouts—Diamond of Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Texas
Kathleen Pate, Education Specialist, Clinton Presidential Library
Girl Scout troops are looking for ways to serve and learn, and your museum might be a great
partner for their programs. Learn about changes in Girl Scouting and new opportunities for
partnering with them.
11:30-1:00
Lunch on your own
Mentors/mentees to meet at Starving Artist Café
1:00-2:15
A Volunteer is a Museum’s Silver Lining
Allison Hiblong, Director of Operations, Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum
Sinovia Mayfield, Volunteer Coordinator, Arkansas Arts Center
Institutions rely on their volunteers for a wide range of duties, and they bring a wealth of skills
and abilities. How do you find and recruit volunteers, and how do you make them feel
appreciated and useful? Learn about college programs offering internships and other available
resources.
Beyond the Disaster Response Plan: Developing a Continuity of Operations Plan for Survival
Bryan McDade, Curator of Collections, Mosaic Templars Cultural Center
You’ve got an emergency plan in place, but what happens after that? Learn what a Continuity of
Operations Plan (COOP) is, why you need one, and get tips on how to develop one for your
organization.
Early Childhood Education and Community Partnerships
Lennie Dusek, Educator, Museum of Discovery
Learn the importance and “how-to” for reaching into the community for connections and
expertise to enrich your educational programming. Explore how the Museum of Discovery
works with partners to engage their audience and draw attention to their efforts.
2:15-2:45
Break, Argenta Branch of Laman Library
2:45-4:00
The Creative Movement: Fusing Arts, Activism, and Interpretation
Crystal Mercer, Performance and Visual Artist
Combine the mediums of theatre, dance, art, and poetry to reveal the complex layers of the
Civil Rights Movement. Learn how to use stage readings, poetic expression, and other art forms
to connect with your audience.
Singed Tail Feathers: Keeping Your Collections and Patrons Safe
North Little Rock Fire Department
Emergency Preparedness is the name of the game. Learn how to remove fire hazards in your
museum to decrease risk. Participants will learn about the different types of fire extinguishers,
and each attendee will be able to use one to put out a fire—under the watchful eye of the
North Little Rock Fire Department trainers, of course!
Little Rock Central High School Memory Project Griots: Service Learning Partnerships
Jodi Morris, Park Ranger, Little Rock Central High School National Historic Site
George West and Keith Richardson, Faculty, Little Rock Central High School
Central High School students
Students will model a service learning project that began as a classroom, oral history interview
assignment and became 2 books, a website, classroom curriculum, a museum interpretive
program, and digital storytelling at the Smithsonian.
6:00-6:30
6:30-8:30
Mix and mingle, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce
Awards Banquet, North Little Rock Chamber of Commerce