The AASLH Small Museums Committee invites you to comment on the one-page Small Museum Needs Assessment Executive Summary posted on the Small Museums page of the AASLH website: www.aaslh.org/SmallMuseums.htm.  (Click on the link to the Small Museum Needs Assessment Executive Summary in the box at the right of the page.)

AASLH formed the Small Museums Committee in 2005 to meet the specific needs of the small museum, give the small museum a voice on the national stage, and advocate for the professional development of the small museum.

To that effect, the committee first focused on creating a meaningful definition of small museums and soliciting annual conference sessions of particular interest to small museums.  The Committee is now working to describe what those small museum top priority needs are and how museum service organizations can meet them.  Through roundtable discussions at state, regional and national meetings, small museum staff shared their needs with committee members over the past few years.  The Needs Summary reflects those issues and needs that came up over and over again in these round tables.

We invite you to read and comment on the Needs Summary through July 1, 2008.  Please send your comments to Stacy Klingler, SMC Member, at [log in to unmask].  

Once finalized the Committee will use the Needs Summary to provide advice and direction for the development of programs and services that benefit small museums within AASLH and beyond. 

Please help us steer resources for museums to meet small museum needs!

Stacy Klingler

AASLH Small Museums Committee Member

Assistant Director, Local History Services

Indiana Historical Society