Please distribute to staff and volunteers as appropriate - Thank you! You are invited to join the Small Museum Association for their 20th Annual Winter Conference, February 22-24, 2004 in Ocean City, MD. Founded in 1983, the Small Museum Association (SMA) is one of the few organizations specifically dedicated to meeting the needs of small and mid-size museums. Through conferences, newsletters, and advocacy, SMA strives to assist small museums and organizations with limited budgets, in rising to meet the challenges posed by today's competitive environment. SMA is proud to announce that it has recently been named as one of the lead organizations in the newly formed National Coalition for Small Museums by the American Association of Museums (AAM). From this position, SMA will be well placed to speak to the needs of and assist with the problems facing small museums on a broader scale, as well as will be able to being able to carry its message to a larger, national audience. Striving for Standards 2004 Annual Winter Conference Celebrating its 20th year helping museums in the Mid-Atlantic region, SMA is pleased to announce that this year's annual Winter Conference, Striving for Standards, will take place at the Clarion Fontainebleau in Ocean City, MD, February 22-24, 2004. This conference brings together more than 200 museum professionals from a wide range of institutions each year, primarily from the Mid-Atlantic region. The conference aims towards improving professionalism within the small museum community by providing a unique and comfortable environment for individuals and institutions with diverse experiences to meet and learn from each other. Conference sessions typically provide practical, relevant discussions and examples for small museums and institutions with limited budgets. These sessions are also geared to varying levels of skill and education, providing a meaningful experience to both newcomers and museum veterans. This year, the Winter Conference seeks to recognize the changing face of the Small Museum through the theme of "Standards." This topic addresses the difficulties of small museums to meet the increasing demand for accountability, professionalism, and best practices in all aspects of the non-profit world. Small museums have been rising to the challenge in innovative ways that demonstrate the creativity and dedication of the small museum employee and volunteer. We hope to highlight the achievements of the broad range of experience among small museum professionals. The conference theme has been chosen to provide a platform to engage the small museum community in a discussion as the Small Museum Association moves to create a set of museum standards specifically for this audience. Some of this year's speakers include: a.. Anne Ackerson, Museum Association of New York b.. Peggy Burke, Maryland Humanities Council c.. Kinsasha Holman Colwill, AAM Consultant, Museums & Community d.. Geri Thomas, Thomas & Associates e.. Jim Vaughn & Candice Matellic, American Association of State & Local History f.. Courtney Wilson, Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum Conference Details This year's conference will take place at the Clarion Fontainebleau in Ocean City, MD, February 22-24, 2004. The Clarion is located at 10100 Coastal Highway and provides ample accommodations and amenities for conference attendees, including an indoor pool and fitness center. Conference Fees This year conference fees and room rates will be as follows: a.. Conference Fee--$130 (includes annual membership dues) b.. Room Rate, Hotel Single/Double Occupancy--$50 per night c.. Room Rate, Condominium--1 Bedroom $60 per night, 2 Bedroom $110 per night, 3 Bedroom $160 per night SMA is also pleased to offer several workshops on Sunday, February 22, 2004. These are available for an additional charge of $25 per workshop, and space is limited. a.. Effective Grant Writing: Tips from the Funders and Experts featuring Rose Colby, Maryland-National Capital Park and Planning Commission, Karen Whitehair, Institute of Museum and Library Science, & Glenn Williams, American Battlefield Protection Program. The panel will discuss strategies and tips for writing effective, successful grants, as well as several new grant programs that will be available in the coming year. b.. Writing Effective Exhibit Labels, Carol Garfinkel, exhibit writer/developer. Want visitors to read your labels? Here's how to make that happen. Through discussion, presentations, and actual writing activities, this workshop will get participants started creating labels that truly engage visitors. c.. Strategic Planning: Making It Work for You featuring Leni Preston, independent consultant and Kim Shapiro, former chair of the Friends of Jerusalem Mill, Long-Range Planning Committee. This workshop will use three case studies from historic sites in Maryland to examine why each organization undertook strategic planning, what impediments they faced along the way, who was involved in the process, what issues they addressed, and what the plan looked like. The moderator will ask the panelists to discuss their successes and failures. Planning tools will be provided and the audience will be encouraged to share their own issues and concerns. Registration & More Information To register for SMA Ocean City 2004 or for more information please visit our website, www.smallmuseum.org. For printed registration forms or any questions please contact the 2004 Winter Conference Chair, Kristen Harbeson, at [log in to unmask] or call (410) 539-1797, ext. 442 Membership in the Small Museum Association Even if you are unable to join us in Ocean City, you can still play an active role in SMA by becoming a member. For the cost of $20 annually, individuals may join SMA and will receive our newsletter, SMAll Talk, discounted rates to our conferences, and free listing on our website, www.smallmuseum.org. For more information on joining please visit our website or email the membership chair at [log in to unmask] ========================================================= Important Subscriber Information: The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes). If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).