Please pardon multiple listings of the following announcement. SOCIETY FOR THE PRESERVATION OF NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS 1997 ANNUAL MEETING NATURAL HISTORY COLLECTIONS ON CAMPUS The 12th annual meeting of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) will be hosted by The Natural History Museums Council at the University of Wisconsin-Madison from 8-11 July 1997. The meetings will be held in the Wisconsin Memorial Union Theater and Main Lounge. Everyone is encouraged to submit papers and posters dealing with all aspects of museum science and management. Information on registration (including a registration form), field trips, social events, a tentative program schedule, accommodations, travel, abstract instruction and other miscellaneous information follows. REGISTRATION INFORMATION Registration received before April 30, 1997 will cost $60.00(U.S.) for SPNHC members and $65.00 (U.S.) for non-members. Fees are listed on the registration form for early and late registration, for members and non-members. Registration fee includes conference materials, break refreshments and the Icebreaker Reception. Workshop: Museum Management Training. The workshop titled "Quality Management - Quality Collections Care" will be held in Madison, Wisconsin, on the 12th and 13th of July 1997. The workshop is supported in part by the Institute of Museum Services. Registration information follows. Cancellation A full program refund will be given if notification of cancellation is received by May 15, 1997. Sorry, no refunds for side trip cancellations by participants. A full trip refund will be given if the trips are cancelled. All costs are listed in U.S. dollars in the announcement and the registration form. Credit card payment is encouraged. Your bank will make the appropriate currency conversion. Please make checks (must be in $U.S.) payable to: U.W.-Madison. If an email address is provided (this is encouraged), confirmation will be sent by email, and the registration receipt will be in your registration package. Otherwise, registration receipts will be mailed for registration received by June 1. TENTATIVE PROGRAM SCHEDULE: Oral Presentations and Posters Abstracts are required for both oral presentations and posters. The normal time allowed for oral presentations is 15 minutes including time for questions and discussion. Posters must fit a space 3ft wide by 4 ft high. Please follow the instructions for submitting an abstract. The deadline for abstracts is April 30, 1997. Tuesday, 8 July 1997 8:00am - 5:00pm Registration 8:00am - 5:00pm Selected Committee Meetings Wednesday, 9 July 1997 9:00am - 4:00pm Registration All day field trips 9:00am - 12:00pm Collections Open House 12:00 - 2:00pm Lunch 2:00 - 6:00pm First Council Meeting (Memorial Union Theater) 2:00 - 5:00pm Collections Open House 7:00 - 10:00pm Icebreaker (Tripp Hall/ Memorial Union) Thursday, 10 July 1997 8:30 - 4:00pm Registration 8:45 - 5:00pm President's opening remarks (Memorial Union Theater). 9:00 - 10:00am Welcome and oral presentations 10:00 - 10:30am Coffee Break, posters, vendors 10:30 - 12:00am Papers, Keynote Addresses: Dr Hugh Iltis, Dir. Wisconsin State Herbarium. Hugh Genoways, Professor, Univ. Nebraska State Museum 12:00 - 2:00pm Lunch 2:00 - 3:30pm Papers 3:30 - 4:00pm Coffee Break, posters, vendors 4:00 - 5:00pm Papers 7:00 - 11:00pm Banquet & Dance (Great Hall/ Memorial Union) Friday, 11 July 1997 8:30 - 12:00pm Registration 9:00 - 5:00 pm Program 9:00 - 10:00am Papers 10:00 - 10:20am Coffee Break, posters, vendors 10:20 - 12:00am Papers 12:00 - 2:00pm Lunch 2:00 - 3:30pm Papers, Annual General Business Meeting 3:30 - 4:00pm Coffee Break, posters, vendors 4:00 - 5:00pm Papers, President's closing remarks 5:00 - 6:30pm Final Meeting of the Council Saturday, 12 July and Sunday, 13 July 1997 Museum Management Workshop FIELD TRIPS (dependent on and limited to 47 registrants by March 15, 1997). Taliesin - Shining Brow: The Frank Lloyd Wright Home and Studio, Spring Green, WI. Frank Lloyd Wright's Taliesin is a National Historic Landmark property and contains structures designed over seven decades. Together they reflect the totality of Wright's work and help explain why he cast such a long shadow in 20th century art and architecture. The trip includes charter coach service, a 90 minute tour of the Hillside Studio and Theater and lunch at the visitor center river-view cafe. A walk through Hillside is a walk through Wright's developing thought, from his first experiment in "breaking the box" to the embodiment of his dictum, "form and function are one," in the 5,000 square foot drafting studio. Cost: $30.00 Leaving the Memorial Union 8:30AM returning to Madison 3:00PM Milwaukee Public Museum (MPM): "Butterflies Alive!" in the Steigleder Special Exhibits Gallery of the MPM. Its centerpiece will be a 1,000 sq. ft. walk-through Butterfly Garden, featuring hundreds of live North American butterflies. Surrounding the Garden will be displays on a variety of topics, from "butterfly basics" like how to tell a butterfly from a moth, to conservation issues including current research by MPM staff on endangered species. The exhibit will also showcase rarely displayed butterflies and moths from the Museum's outstanding worldwide Lepidoptera collection. The MPM has waived the admission fee for SPNHC members. Cost: $16.00 (Includes: transportation only). The MPM does have a cafe where light lunches are served. If you choose this trip, there will be a Milwaukee visitor planner with useful dining information in your conference packet. Leaving the Memorial Union 9:00AM returning to Madison 6:00PM There will be a Madison Visitors Guide in your conference packet for other ideas such as conference sailing from the Memorial Union and free tickets to "Whadya know" National Public Radio program with Michael Feldman. SOCIAL EVENTS Icebreaker Tripp Hall - Wednesday, July 9, included in registration Banquet & Dance - Friday, July 10, Music and Motion, ample informal socializing space available for socializing and networking. ACCOMMODATIONS (Madison campus area) Blocks of rooms are reserved at the following locations. Be sure to mention you are with the SPNHC Conference to receive the conference rate. The room blocks will be held until June 6, 1997. University Housing Office, Slicter Hall, 625 Babcock Dr., 53706 (608)262-2545 single air-conditioned room no more than $34.00 double air-conditioned room no more than $21.50/person Dorm complexes are three blocks from Memorial Union University Inn, 441 N. Frances Street, 53703 (608)257-4881 Spacious rooms, free continental breakfast, free cable tv, free parking, single $58.00, double $68.00 Three blocks from Memorial Union Inn on the Park, 22 S. Carroll, 53703 (608)257-8811 single $84.00, double $98.00 Located across the street from the state capitol building. About six blocks from Memorial Union. On the Madison Metro Bus lines. Inntowner The - Best Western, 2424 University Ave., 53705 (608)233-8778 for information (608)258-8321 for reservations Complementary shuttle from airport to hotel arranged at time of reservation. Shuttle service is also available to campus. single $75.00, double $72.00 Howard Johnson, 525 W. Johnson, 53703 (608)251-5511 On campus location. Complementary shuttle from airport arranged at time of reservation. Six blocks from Memorial Union. single $82.00, double $92.00 *Mention confirmation number P52001 Ivy Inn, 2355 University Ave., 53706 (608)233-9717 Complementary shuttle service from Ivy Inn to any building on the UW campus. Non-smoking rooms available. single/one person per room $58.00 double/ 2 people per room $65.00 Directions: Serving Madison Metropolitan Airport: Northwest, Midwest Express, American Airlines (turboprop shuttle service from Chicago) and United Airlines. Taxi from Airport to Memorial Union (central campus location) should run no more than $10.00. Several hotels run complementary shuttles to the airport (listd above). Madison Metro Bus does not have service to the airport. -----------------------------CUT HERE----------------------- SPNHC'97 Registration Form Name:_______________________________________________________ Department:_________________________________________________ Institution:________________________________________________ Address:____________________________________________________ Name to appear on your badge:_______________________________ Business phone:_____________________________________________ Home phone:_________________________________________________ FAX number:_________________________________________________ email:______________________________________________________ Do you prefer email or postal service (circle one) email postal service Registration Fees: (sorry, U.S. funds only) SPNHC Annual Meeting $USA $TOTAL Members Early registration $60.00 ______ (before April 30,1997) Members Late registration $65.00 ______ Non-member Early Registration $65.00 ______ (before April 30, 1997) Non-member Late Registration $70.00 ______ Banquet $35.00 ______ Souvenirs (featuring the cover logo) Mug (black logo on wheat mug) __@ $6.75ea ______ T-shirt (M, L, XL) __@ $10.00ea ______ (forest green logo on light green shirt) Taliesin Trip [log in to unmask] person ______ Milwaukee Public Museum Trip [log in to unmask] person ______ Total Enclosed (check or money order) ______ Please charge the following account: _________VISA___________Master Card Mail or FAX registrations to: Credit Card Number_________________ CALS Outreach Services Expiration Date____________________ SPNHC97 Conference Name on Card_______________________ 620 Babcock Drive Signature__________________________ Madison, WI. 53706 FAX:(608)262-5088 Please help us plan this event by giving us the following information. I plan to attend: Icebreaker Reception:(circle one) yes no Committee Meetings: SPNHC is a member driven society. Membership participation in committees is sought. You are encoouraged to get involved. (please circle the committee you are interested in): Archives Awards/Recognition Bylaws Conference Conservation Documentation Education/Training Election Finance Membership Publications Resources WCCR Long Range Planning Collection Visits: (select preference #1, #2 etc.). Collections open house will be on a drop in basis throughout the 9th of July. Your response will enable us to anticipate our audience. Zoology ______ Herbarium ______ Entomology ______ Geology ______ Historical Society ______ Arboretum* ______ Olbrich Gardens* ______ ($1.00 conservatory admission charge, garden admission free) *There will be circular shuttle service from the Memorial Union to the Arboretum, to Olbrich Gardens and back to the Union. Shuttle departure times will be 9am, 11am, 1pm, 3pm. ----------------------------CUT HERE-------------------------- INQUIRIES SPNHC'97 Local Arrangements - Steven J. Krauth (phone:608-262- 0056; FAX:608-262-3322; email:[log in to unmask]) Workshop - Beth Merritt (phone:513-345-8508; FAX:513-345- 8501; email:[log in to unmask]) Registration - CALS Outreach Services (phone:608-263-1672; FAX: (608)262-5088, email:[log in to unmask]) DATES TO REMEMBER Dorm/ Residence bookings by April 1, 1997 Conference Registration by April 30, 1997 (or late fee will apply) Abstract submission by April 30, 1997 Hotel bookings by June 6, 1997 Committee meetings July 8-9, 1997 Workshop July 12-13, 1997 ABSTRACT INSTRUCTIONS The abstract should include only essential details and should state the main results or conclusions of the paper. Phrases such as "will be discussed" and "are presented" are inappropriate and should be avoided. Please be sure your abstract is clear, concise and error-free. We will not second guess the author(s) by attempting to correct errors in grammar, spelling or content. Follow the format of the sample abstract provided below. Limit the length of your abstract to 250 words. Authors should be listed before addresses, and addresses should be separated by semicolons. Link authors with addresses (using initials) to avoid ambiguity only if necessary. At the end of the file or message indicate the following: 1. Name of the author presenting paper or attending poster 2. Daytime phone, FAX, and email numbers of presenting author 3. Oral presentation or poster 4. Audio visual equipment required The deadline for the receipt of abstracts is April 30, 1996. Abstracts should be submitted preferably by e-mail in ACSII format to: [log in to unmask] Please resubmit if acknowledgement is not received within one week. Preferred formats for disks are: Word Perfect 5.1 or lower(DOS) Word Perfect 6.0 for Windows (will be converted) Word for Windows or straight ASCII Send hard copy printout or computer disk (3.5 or 5.25 inch) to: SPNHC'97 Conference c/o Steven Krauth The Department of Entomology 346 Russell Laboratories 1630 Linden Drive Madison, WI 53706-1598 SAMPLE ABSTRACT Computers: Collections Management and Beyond Neuman, Andrew G. and Ann Konecny Tyrell Museum of Paleontology, Box 7500 Drumheller, Alberta, Canada T0J 0Y0; Department of Biological Sciences, The University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The major responsibility of any museum is to interpret and communicate knowledge effectively. In order to do this, a museum must first have detailed and accurate information about the objects in its collections. In recent years a major move toward computerization of documentation has increased the ability to make information readily available, easily revised and updated as well as cutting down on effort spent doing time consuming tasks such as report writing and inventory. Many computer systems are available, with varying degrees of complexity and cost, that are capable of managing information storage. It is important for every museum to carefully evaluate its needs and find the appropriate software and hardware to do the job at the most reasonable cost. This presentation will summarize some of the steps that should be taken in choosing a computer system for collection management, present several systems currently in use in natural history collections and present some innovative ways to enhance the effectiveness of your collections management system. 1. A.G. Neumann 2. Phone: FAX: email: 3. oral presentation 4. 35mm slide projector, overhead projector WORKSHOP Quality Management - Quality Collections Care A Management Training Workshop 12th Annual Meeting of SPNHC July 12th and 13th, 1997 Madison, Wisconsin Note: the workshop this year is limited to 30 participants, accepted in the order in which registration checks are received. Workshop registration should be sent to Julia Golden at the address below, separate from the rest of your meeting registration Why a management workshop? SPNHC has presented over three dozen workshops in the past decade, ranging from the specific (preservation of herpetological specimens) to the general (preventative conservation). When we ask the membership to evaluate these programs, we frequently hear a comment that goes something like this: "it's all very well for me to know what I ought to do, but I can't do it because...." This is then typically followed by a phrase such as "my boss won't listen to me"; "the people who run this place just don't understand"; or "I don't have the authority to do that". What we are hearing, in other words, is that it is of limited use to present people with the correct technical answers to their problems, if we cannot also help them find the tools to implement these solutions. With this in mind, we have been investigating the possibility of offering a management training course focused on improving the ability of collections care staff to successfully implement projects at their institutions. The result is "Quality Management - Quality Collections Care", which will be offered on July 12th and 13th at the 1997 SPNHC annual meeting in Madison, Wisconsin. Our goal is to improve the ability of workshop participants to successfully implement collections care improvements at their institutions. Is this only relevant to you if you are a "manager" in the sense that you supervise other staff? No. We all have the experience of trying to manage sideways in the organizational structure, or even manage people up the chain of command. This may seem harder than managing subordinates because you can't "tell them what to do." In fact, the most effective project management techniques work in the same manner whether they are used with people up, down or sideways on the organizational chart. They are precisely the tools you need when dealing with staff who may be resistant to change, have goals that they feel conflict with your goals, or have no incentive to cooperate. Because of the highly interactive nature of this workshop, enrollment for the two day session will be limited to 30 participants. We will cover the basics of project management, as well as exploring how to persuade key players to buy into a course of action, and how to effectively communicate goals and needs to other staff. Participants will meet in a combination of group lectures and discussions and smaller break-out sessions. The format will include group exercises as well as a take-home assignment that will challenge participants to identify a project in their institutions that they can plan and implement using the methods they have learned in the workshop. Workshop curriculum planning and presentation will be developed by Mary Case and Will Phillips of the management consulting firm Qm2 (Quality Management - Quality Museums) in consultation with the Education and Training Committee of SPNHC. Qm2 has extensive experience working with non-profits in general and museums in particular. Ms. Case was formerly Director of the Office of the Registrar at the Smithsonian. Her recent projects have included "The Good, The Bad, the Director" for the Mid-Atlantic Association of Museums, and "When Managers Collide" for the Texas Museums Association. Mr. Phillips has over twenty-five years of practical experience in organizational problem solving and development. He provided AAM with management support for the New Visions Process, and has worked with the Smithsonian, Canadian Museum of Civilization, and the Cleveland Museum of Natural History, to name but a few of his museum clients. Registration fee is $175 for the two day session, which includes refreshments but not lunch. The Education and Training Committee is soliciting corporate sponsorship in order to be able to provide a limited number of scholarships. Contact Beth Merritt at (513)345-8508 (e-mail [log in to unmask]) for further information. This project was supported in part by an award from the Institute of Museum and Library Services, a Federal agency that strengthens museums to benefit the public. To register and reserve your place in the workshop, send a check for $175 to: Julia Golden, SPNHC Treasurer, University of Iowa, Department of Geology, Iowa City, Iowa 52242-1379.