February 2018 Updates

Can you believe it? Spring is just around the corner. We have had a busy month preparing for upcoming projects and events!

CollectiveAccess

There is now 289,214 artifacts documented with 160,703 associated images, which means that 3,375 new images have been added to CollectiveAccess this month - great work!

Here's what the numbers look like at the regional level:
Southwest - 127,092 artifacts, 61,924 images
Central - 99,506 artifacts, 44,210 images
Northeast - 33,127 artifacts, 39,754 images
Cape Breton - 29,489 artifacts, 14,815 images

NovaMuse

Did you know there is a 'What's New' section on the NovaMuse homepage? See what other Advisory Service sites are up to behind the scenes and be inspired by their photos!


A great example is the pair of boots (02.3018) recently added by Colchester Historeum. They took the opportunity to photograph the boots from multiple angles, remembering to look at the linings and soles for marks and labels. This work pays off when writing an accurate description for the item in question. These photos were taken using the ANSM photo kit! Click here to view. Having trouble finding time to add content to NovaMuse? Be sure to check out our resource for managing your NovaMuse presence & the seasonal work calendar by clicking here.

Did you know that there is a button for online visitors to click on in a record to ask the curator questions? These responses are sent to me to distribute to the appropriate person - please ensure to schedule time to respond to public inquiries. These questions tend to be site specific so I typically do not have the knowledge needed to answer them. They are also expecting a response directly from the museum, not from ANSM. I will include the name and contact information for you in the email so that you can make that connection. This is a great way for you to build a relationship with your online community!

myNovaMuse - Contributor Galleries

Attention Advisory Service members: please check your inbox for important updates. I see some new additions appearing, very exciting! Click here to view. 

Unfamiliar with this new feature? We invite you to watch our YouTube tutorial - click here.

Explore connections across all our collections. See what objects appear in Galleries created by museums and other users. Make your own connections between objects by creating your own. myNovaMuse allows you to save items, add comments, and share your Galleries if you wish.

Photo Kit - did you know that ANSM's member institutions can borrow the photography kit? This includes two backdrops (white and grey), lighting, tripod, and manual (camera not included). It is available for a three week period. Spots are filling up! Please contact me as soon as possible to reserve a spot. Pick-up and drop off at the ANSM office (Halifax). For those of you who have expressed interest in March, please touch base with me as soon as possible.

Fleming College Partnership - students have been assigned artifacts for their data cleaning and enrichment projects. I had a great Skype call with the class on February 13th to walk them through NovaMuse and CollectiveAccess features. We have an enthusiast group! I am looking forward to collaborating with them during this partnership. As you can see here, students will work on records from various Advisory Service sites from across the province this year.

Museum Studies Program

Collections Management & Curatorship scheduled to take place Thursday, April 5-April 6 at the Joggins Fossil Institute is now full! Please contact Jennifer at admin@ansm.ns.ca if you'd like to be added to the waitlist.

Mark your calendars! Other upcoming courses in the Museum Studies Program include:

Interpretation I: Public Programming - May 24-25, 2018 at Cape Breton Miners Museum (Registration to open TBD) Facilitated by Virginia Stephen.

Museums 101 - October 2018, Central, Exact location TBD Facilitated by Karin Kierstead

Click here to learn more!

Resources

Please check out our free resources available on the ANSM website in preparation for your busy season. I recommend reviewing the management section this month. Why not get a head start? Click here

NEW from CCI: Products Used in Preventive Conservation – Technical Bulletin 32

This Technical Bulletin provides a critical review of products typically used for the display, storage and transportation of objects by explaining how certain products can affect objects and their preservation, and it proposes guidelines for minimizing damaging effects. It is intended to assist conservation and collection management professionals. Click here to view the online version!