Conferences and Continuing Education

Sharpen your skills by attending training.

The following list is gathered by the Local History Services team. Please send updates as needed.

Sections
Workshops/Courses
On-Demand Workshops
Continuing Education Resources
Conferences/Meetings

Workshops/Courses

How to Cultivate Local Government Support 
May 20 @ 1 pm - Online: GrantStation - Learn the benefits of partnering with local and state governments; the steps you need to take to partner with local and state governments; how to use your organization’s deep knowledge of community needs, reach, and existing relationships; and, common obstacles and possible solutions. Cost: $39. Learn more »

Grantseeking Solo: Secure Awards with Limited Staff
May 22 @ 1 pm (CT) - Online: GrantStation - For most nonprofit employees, versatility is not just an asset, it's a necessity. This is especially true if you work for a small to medium-sized nonprofit. Very likely, your role extends far beyond your job title. During this webinar, GrantStation President Alice Ruhnke will share practical strategies to generate additional funding requests for nonprofit organizations with limited staff. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Powwow Prep
May 22 @ 6 pm (CT) - Online: Wisconsin Historical Society - Learn more about powwows and what to do when you attend one. Becky Taylor and Thomas Cain, Lac Courte Oreilles tribal members, are providing this introduction to powwows webinar. Combined, they have about 80 years of experience on the powwow trail. During this webinar, they will teach powwow etiquette--what to do and what not to do. Learn how powwows are organized and some fun things to do while attending. Becky and friends will demonstrate dances while Thomas provides live singing and drumming. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Digitization: Planning for Success
May 23 @ 1 to 3 pm – Online: Northeast Document Conservation Center - This session covers digitization project stages; selection criteria for conversions; and handling considerations for vulnerable media. Cost: $95. Learn more »

Practical Strategies for the Care of Film and Glass Negatives
June 4 @ 12 pm (CT) - Online: Connecting to Collections Care - Aiming to provide collections care professionals from small and mid-sized institutions with practical strategies for effectively managing and preserving film and glass negatives, this webinar will emphasize pragmatic advice, resourceful solutions, and cost-effective measures to ensure the longevity and integrity of these valuable collections. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Agricultural History Society Annual Meeting
June 5 through 8 - Las Cruces, NM: Agricultural History Society - The conference theme this year is Borderlands, Marginal Spaces, and Agriculture In-Between. Examine how humans have interacted with boundaries and in-between spaces in agricultural history and engage with scholarship that might inform contemporary debates around borders. Learn more »

Universal/Inclusive Design 
June 5 @ 11 am (CT) - Online: Independent Museum Professionals - As independent museum professionals, it’s essential for us to know how we can help our clients meet—and exceed—accessibility requirements, creating better, richer experiences for all. Part presentation and part discussion, this webinar will help you learn how to make your projects accessible to the widest range of people. The speakers bring deep expertise and experience. Cost: Free. Learn more »

2024 Queer History Conference 
June 10 through 13 - Fullerton, CA: Committee on Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender History (Affiliate of the American Historical Association) - The Conference will showcase dozens of panels with scholars working on the study of the queer past. Location: California State University Fullerton. Learn more »

Online Demand Courses

American Association for State and Local History - Arcus Leadership Program Courses
Specifically designed for emerging and mid-level professionals and volunteers, these self-paced courses help participants understand the most critical topics in the history field and incorporate that understanding into their work. Start these courses any time.

Museum Collections Documentation and Data Cleaning
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) - Provides essential museum documentation information for museum staff with all levels of knowledge. It begins with an introductory overview and ends with specific documentation issues. Learners can take the modules in order or choose a module or two that fits their needs. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Preservation Housekeeping for Heritage Sites and Small Museums
Canadian Conservation Institute (CCI) and the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN) - Covers guidelines, best practices and resources for the regular upkeep of historic interiors and exteriors as well as the contents of historic buildings. This one- to two-hour self-paced course has been designed for those who work or volunteer in small museums or heritage sites and who have little to no training in conservation. Learn more »

Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference Breakout Session Recordings
View conference recordings from the February 26-27 Explore Minnesota Tourism Conference Rochester.

Digital Stewardship Training Courses for Tribal Libraries, Archives, Museums, and Small Public Libraries
OCLC's WebJunction, in partnership with Washington State University's Center for Digital Scholarship and Curation, is creating a series of 10 free online courses for staff at tribal archives, libraries, museums (TALMs), and small public libraries on digital stewardship and community-centered curation of cultural collections. Learn more »

Finding New Sources of Funding in Challenging Times:
National Preservation Institute - This 45-minute on-demand course will help you think beyond traditional sources of financial support to fund cultural resource projects. Learn how to evaluate a cultural resource project for its value in serving broader community needs. Review traditional funding types versus alternative sources that can be redirected to meet project goals. Cost: Free. Learn more »

Document Conservation - Northeast Document Conservation Center has many webinar training programs on paper, books, and similar items and topics. Learn more »

Nonprofit Education - Propel Nonprofits and the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits feature local training.

Online continuing education

Interpreting African American History and Culture Resource Kit
The American Association for State and Local History's free "Interpreting African American History and Culture Resource Kit" is made up of AASLH conference sessions, webinars, History News, technical leaflets, and books that address topics such as working with descendant communities, celebrating Juneteenth, interpreting slavery for a variety of audiences, and the impact of the Black Lives Matter movement on museum practice. Check it out »

Free Collections Care webinars
Connecting to Collections Online Community offers a series of free, online courses about the preservation of archival and historical collections. Check their website for dates and upcoming programming.

Planning for Changes in the Archives: 12 steps for undertaking collection relocation
Recorded Webinar: Midwest Archives Conference - The presenter walks through the 12 steps so you’ll have a framework to follow for your project. This framework helps focus your plans and ensures you consider possible options. These steps have been honed through experience moving archives and special collections materials. Watch video »

Webinar Recording: Oral History at a Distance: Conducting Remote Interviews
Oral History Association - This timely webinar addresses the dynamics of conducting remote oral history interviews. It begins with an analysis of the pros and cons of conducting distance oral history interviews, then addresses aspects of interviewing in a distance environment, breaking down the interviewer and narrator experience in these exchanges, and offer direction on best approaches for interviewing at a distance. This session will cover best practices for recording archival-quality oral history interviews, then discuss in depth the tools and techniques available to enable the user to follow best practices in a remote setting. Listen »

Webinar Recording: Insurance 101: Practical Considerations for Protecting Institutional Collections and Loans
Connecting to Collections - This webinar recording is appropriate for all levels of experience from beginner to expert as an introduction and review of collections insurance basics and how they are an integral part of collections care. We will examine loss prevention, loss control and how to protect the collection through good housekeeping, landscaping, managing patrons, and during transport of objects. In addition, examples of recent claims and outcomes to illustrate how insurance responds to loss and damage will be presented. Watch the recording »

A Guide to Approaching Audiovisual Digitization
This paper was written through support from the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. The information discussed in the paper is meant to help collection holders prepare their materials and their technology systems for a digitization initiative, as well as give a brief overview of digitization workflows. There is also a discussion of some of the updates made to the BAVC workflow over the last two years. This section may be of interest to those interested in the technical and procedural aspects of digitization workflows. Download paper »

Community Reflection on Black Lives and Archives
Recorded Webinar: Society of American Archivists - Society of American Archivists’ statement on Black Lives and Archives. The vitality of American archives depends on the safety of archives workers and an explicit commitment to social responsibility, justice, and anti-racism in the work that we do and the organizations we work within. As part of this the SAA Council convened a forum of reflection to move toward healing and understanding, of which a recording of this event is now available. Listen »

'Talking About Race' Is a New Online Resource by the National Museum of African American History
Last week, The Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture (NMAAHC) released a new, online portal discussing race, racism, and racial identity. The new web portal, “Talking About Race,” was launched as a way to help everyone, including families and communities, talk about racism and racial identity and the way these forces shape every aspect of society, from the economy and politics to the broader American culture. Learn more »

Online information for exempt organizations
IRS Exempt Organizations has developed an educational website with an online version of their popular workshop for Small and Mid-Sized 501(c)(3) organizations, plus mini-courses on other topics of interest, including information on the redesigned Form 990.

Reflecting on Museum Labor
A course in the Museum Studies program at University of Illinois at Chicago, centered on public engagement, produced a magazine/newspaper-style publication containing useful information about labor rights, history, and museums/places associated with celebrating labor movements and history. It also has interviews with folks in the field and activities like a custom labor-themed cocktail list. Download PDF »

Cultural Institutions at Times of Social Unrest
Recording of Carla Hayden and Lonnie Bunch discussing the future of their institutions and how they remain accessible and relevant during a period of global pandemic coupled with nationwide protests against injustice. Watch webcast »

History Responds to Crisis Workshops Recordings Now Available
Recordings are now available of online workshops with sessions focused on planning and responding to the unexpected. From planning for massive disruptions in operations to preparing your museum and collection for an extended period of closure to staying in touch with your members. View Recordings »

Free ADA training
Ten free training lessons regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act are available online from the U.S. Department of Justice.

Preservation 101
Northeast Document Conservation Center offers a set of free online courses in the basics of caring for objects.

Conferences

Small Museum Association Annual Conference
February 19 - 21, 2024
Omni Richmond Hotel, Richmond, VA

National Council on Public History
April 10 - 13, 2024
Hilton Salt Lake City Center, Salt Lake City, UT

Minnesota Alliance of Local History Museums Annual Conference and Meeting
April 23 - 25, 2024
Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, Duluth, MN

American Alliance of Museums Annual Meeting and MuseumExpo
May 16 - 19, 2024
Baltimore Convention Center, Baltimore, MD

American Institute for Conservation Annual Meeting 
May 20 - 24, 2024
Salt Palace Convention Center, Salt Lake City, UT

International Foundation for Cultural Property Protection 2024 Annual Conference
June 15 - 19, 2024
InterContinental Hotel Chicago Magnificent Mile, Chicago, IL

Association of Midwest Museums Conference
July 31 - August 3, 2024
Hilton Columbus at Easton, Columbus, OH

American Association for State and Local History Annual Conference
September 11 - 14, 2024
Mobile Convention Center, Mobile, AL

International Conference of Indigenous Archives, Libraries, and Museums
November 12 - 14, 2024
Renaissance Palm Springs Hotel, Palm Springs, CA