✦ ANNOUNCEMENT : Rachael Cristine Consulting is now Relicura! ✦

Closing Out 2020 and Preparing for 2021

Apr 30, 2021

We are finally nearing the end of the year. It’s been tough for so many reasons and I hope that what I’ve provided this year has helped you in some small way. I am going to take a break for Thanksgiving week and then shutdown for 2-weeks from December 21-January 4, 2021. With that in mind, this will be my last newsletter for the year and I have some new webinars to share with you as well as links to the recorded ones from the past month.

As a member of my community you can register for the webinar and attend the day of the premiere, or wait to receive a link to watch it on-demand (sent 24-hours later). Please note that each webinar invites you to send questions ahead of time via the registration page, so make sure to send in your questions if you’d like me to address them during the presentation. These webinars are free to attend and will begin at 11am Pacific on their stated premiere date–unless noted otherwise.

Upcoming Webinars

December 3: Strategies for How to Attract and Train the Best Volunteers, presented by Rachael Cristine Woody. Learn more and register here.


December 17 @7:30pm Pacific: Ask Me Anything: Astoria Public Library’s Historical Collections, presented by Rachael Cristine Woody and historian John Goodenberger. Learn more and register here.


January 7: How Much am I Worth?, presented by Rachael Cristine Woody. Learn more and register here.


January 21: CMS 101: Searching, Procuring, and Implementing, presented by Rachael Cristine Woody. Learn more and register here.
 

Whether you’re from a big institution or a small organization, we all have relied upon volunteers to help get our work done. While hosting volunteers can be a mutually beneficial relationship, it’s important to ensure the practice is operating ethically and not in a way that harms or devalues collection work. This webinar will outline how to construct an ethical and attractive volunteer program, review where and how to recruit awesome volunteers, suggest the best types of projects to consider for volunteers, and review the most effective ways to train volunteers on subjects ranging from archival theory to digital collections management. By the end of this webinar you’ll have the strategy and tools you need to get back to your job, and have your volunteers operating confidently and with minimal hand-holding. To reserve your spot please register here.

This is an Ask Me Anything (AMA) session where City of Astoria historian John Goodenberger and consulting archivist Rachael Woody team up to answer questions related to the history of Astoria and the treasure trove of historical artifacts found in the basement of the Astoria Public Library.  This webinar was made possible thanks to the Astor Library Friends Association and the Oregon Cultural Trust. Please note this webinar starts at 7:30pm Pacific in order to accommodate the Astoria community. To reserve your spot please register here.

Archivists and Museum Professionals have noticed a steady decline in the value they’re being paid to do collection work. Even pre-COVID the availability of mid-career, well paying jobs (equivalent to professional work that requires a masters), and paying entry work were scarce. And now that COVID has happened the cultural heritage field is experiencing an economic collapse the likes of which we have never seen. So where does that leave us? How do we continue to protect the value of our work and advocate for our worth in the profession? And how can we translate that message into one that convincingly advocates for compensation that not only pays a living wage, but adequately matches the level of knowledge, skills, and experience required? Rachael Woody has studied the value of collection workers for several years, conducted a literature review and study in 2019, and is well versed in salary information and resources. This webinar will review what our collective value is, teach you how to calculate your own worth, and offer guidance on how to effectively advocate for yourself and your colleagues. To reserve your spot please register here.

A Collections Management System (CMS) is a long-term investment in staff time, collections care, and money. This means the CMS in place needs to be purposefully selected based off a vetted list of specifications that meet every user need. Once a CMS is selected, staff need to be prepared for the realities of what implementation and collections migration will entail. The process is long and often complicated due to the heavy technical and process knowledge required. To help collection workers through this process, this webinar will guide you through how to search for, select, buy, implement, migrate to, and maximize the value of the CMS. Each section will review the important elements of the process, will highlight areas you should be particularly aware of, and will offer tips to help you navigate the process successfully. To reserve your spot please register here.

Speaking of Webinars…

Did you catch the Archives are Always EssentialAsk Me Anything: Grants Edition, and the Breaking with Tradition: Creating Connection in the Archives with New Types of Access webinar events? If you missed them, or want to watch them again, it’s available via my YouTube channel. 

Signing Off

May the end of this year hold no more surprises for us. And may the new year hold health, happiness, and peace for you and your loved ones.

Rachael

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