Are you overwhelmed by your collections? Are your storage areas overflowing? Does your organization have a “hoarding” situation? Do you want to be more intentional about what is included in your collections, and don’t know where to start? Are your collections relevant to your community? Are you looking for new ways for folks to interact with your collections? Are you interested in building community with other libraries, museums, and historical societies?
Then you might be interested in learning more about Active Collections.
Active Collections is a movement in the field of museums and archives that critically examines approaches to practical, yet radical, ways that museums can better manage their collections to actively advance their missions.
Join your Maine colleagues on Friday, June 6, 2025, for a day of learning and conversation with museum, archive, and library staff and volunteers throughout Maine about using an active collections framework that encourages more focused and “right-sized” collections with an eye towards sustainability for the future.
What's included:
“Activating 21st Century History in Vermont”
The morning session will feature a panel of Vermont Historical Society, Library, and Archives professionals who received an IMLS grant to build capacity and knowledge around Active Collections at the local level. Learn more about their project here.
Facilitated break-outs & discussions in the afternoon.
Closing Session with Rainey Tisdale, co-author of Active Collections.
Lunch & parking included
This is a FREE event, but limited to 60 participants.
The one-day forum at the University of Maine (Orono) is limited to 60 participants. The day will feature facilitated group discussion sessions as we examine Active Collections and how our work and institutions can learn from and benefit from these ideas.
Since in-person space is limited, please register by May 23 only if you are fully committed to attending. We are offering virtual attendance to the morning welcome and panel sessions for those who cannot attend in person. Register for the virtual session here.
Join us for a day of learning and discussion as we build a community around Active Collections!
Meet the “ACTIVATING 21ST CENTURY LOCAL HISTORY in Vermont” panel!
Eileen P. Corcoran, Director of Service and Outreach, Vermont Historical Society
Hannah Kirkpatrick, Program Coordinator, Vermont Historical Society
Cheryl Casey, Waterbury Historical Society
Martha Howard, Thetford Historical Society
Meet Rainey Tisdale!
Co-author and co-founder of Active Collections, Rainey is a museum consultant specializing in interpretive & strategic planning, content & collections curation, institutional capacity building, and igniting the creative process.
Funding for this event is made possible by the Fogler Library Joyce Rumery Library Fund and the Osher Map Library and Smith Center for Cartographic Education, University of Southern Maine. Additional partners are: University of Maine libraries and Maine Archives & Museums.
