2017 TAM Conference Call For Sessions 
Deadline November 30!

   The Tennessee Association of Museums invites you to the foothills
   of the Great Smoky Mountains, March 15-17, for its 2017 Annual
   Conference! Museums, historic sites, national park sites, craft
   galleries, and entertainment venues that blend mountain heritage
   with modern tourist amenities surround the conference hotel,
   the Holiday Inn Hotel and Convention Center in Pigeon Forge. 

   Also nearby is Dollywood, the “homespun” attraction of local-girl-
   turned-international-icon Dolly Parton. Parton’s 1971 hit, “Coat of
   Many Colors,” serves as inspiration for this year’s conference
   theme, Museums of Many Colors.

   Whether you are restoring a historic site, building an exhibition,
   developing education programming, or planning a fundraiser,TAM
   knows the passion and dedication you expend in behalf of your
   organization.  And, regardless if your organization is well staffed or
   purely volunteer, we all know what it feels like to take a “box of
     scraps” and turn them into a finished product. As Parton’s song explains:

And oh I did not understand it, for I felt I was rich
And I told them of the love my momma sewed in every stitch
And I told ‘em all the story momma told me while she sewed
And how my coat of many colors was worth more than all their clothes…

So, how are you piecing your organization together? How are you creating unforgettable experiences that make your community “rich?” How are you showing “love” for diverse audiences? How are you maintaining the “worth” of best practices while exploring current trends?

TAM invites you to submit session proposals for the 2017 Annual Conference that reflect the prismatic experiences of today’s Tennessee museums! Deadline for submission is November 30, 2016.

Please contact Theresa Hammons, chair of the TAM Conference Committee,
at theresah@jonesboroughtn.org or Debbie Shaw, TAM State Coordinator, at 615-495-3354 or tnmuseums@gmail.com with any questions. To submit your proposal online, follow THIS LINK.  

We look forward to seeing all your colorful session proposals!

The Tennessee Preservation Trust (TPT) recently announced the Ten in Tennessee list of most threatened historic sites across the state. The announcement was made at the Historic Franklin Masonic Hall in downtown Franklin, a site that was on the 2015 endangered list and is making progress toward reaching “saved” status with structural repairs underway.

“Since TPT starting designating the Top Ten list in 2001, approximately half of the at-risk properties have been saved,” said TPT Board Chairman Dr. Michael Birdwell. “Our intent is to identify these properties that have statewide and national significance. We hope the attention to their local, state and national significance will help save these historic properties for future generations.”

The 2016 "Ten in Tenn" are:

• The Aretha Franklin House, Memphis
• The Cleveland Masonic Female Institute, Cleveland
• Mid-South Coliseum, Memphis
• The Polk Building, Bolivar
• Clayborn Temple, Memphis
• Miller Farmstead, Roan Mountain
• Fleming / Houston House, Collierville
• Oak Hill Cemetery, Johnson City
• Historic Natchez Trace Rural Landscape, Williamson County
• Stonecipher-Kelly House, Wartburg

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Upcoming AASLH Webinars and Courses

Historic House Call: Interpreting Servants
Nov 17, 3pm EST
Webinar
Cost: FREE AASLH Members/ $40 Nonmembers
 
Accessibility and Inclusivity at Museums and Historic Sites
Nov 29, 3pm EST
Webinar
 Cost: $40 AASLH Members/ $65 Nonmembers
 
Leadership and Administration in History Organizations
Jan 9-Mar 6, 2017
Online Course
Cost: $199 AASLH Members/ $300 Nonmembers

Museum Advocacy Day
February 27-28, 2017

The election is over. A new Presidential term and a new session of Congress, with dozens of new legislators taking office in the House or Senate for the first time, begins in January.  What will our new president propose on tax reform or charitable giving? Will Congress reshape federal education programs? What will be the future of museum and grant funding?  We need to ensure that lawmakers know how museums will be affected.

"As Museums Advocacy Day enters its 9th year, there has never been a more critical time for every museum professional, supporter and trustee to get involved in making the case for museums to their legislators," said AAM President and CEO Laura Lott. "Policymakers simply can't know the pivotal role museums play in education and their communities unless we speak up and speak together about the unique value of museums."  

There are many ways to become involved: 

• Create an economic impact statement for your museum
• Contact your representatives and invite them to your museum
• Become part of Museum Advocacy Day in Washington on February 27-28

Application guidelines for the second cycle of the 2017 National Leadership Grants for Libraries  and the Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program are now available. 

National Leadership Grants for Libraries support projects that address significant challenges and opportunities facing the library and archive fields and that have the potential to advance theory and practice. Successful proposals will generate results such as new tools, research findings, models, services, practices, or alliances that will be widely used, adapted, scaled, or replicated to extend the benefits of federal investment.  

The Laura Bush 21st Century Librarian Program supports professional development, graduate education, and continuing education to help libraries and archives develop a diverse workforce of librarians to better meet the changing learning and information needs of the American public.

Deadline for both applications is February 1, 2017