With Adriene Katz, Visitor Guide and School Program Guide, the Shelburne Museum; Deborah Douglas, Director of Collections, MIT Museum; Jennifer Brundage, National Outreach Manager for New England, the Smithsonian Institution; and, Lee Wright, Founder, The History List and trustee, the Marlborough Historical Society. Presented November 14, 2013

1. Collaborations:
Who, What, When, Where, Why—and Why Not
2013 New England Museum Association annual conference in Newport, Rhode Island
Adriene Katz, Visitor Guide and School Program Guide, the Shelburne Museum
Deborah Douglas, Director of Collections, MIT Museum
Jennifer Brundage, National Outreach Manager for New England, the Smithsonian Institution
Lee Wright, Founder, The History List and trustee, the Marlborough Historical Society
November 14, 2013
#nema2013

2. Panel
• Adriene Katz
– Visitor Guide and School Program Guide, the Shelburne Museum
• Deborah Douglas
– Director of Collections, MIT Museum
• Jennifer Brundage
– National Outreach Manager for New England, the Smithsonian
Institution
• Lee Wright
– Founder, The History List and trustee, the Marlborough Historical
Society

3. Lee Wright
Founder, The History List (www.TheHistoryList.com)
Trustee, The Marlborough Historical Society (Marlborough, MA)
2013 New England Museum Association annual conference in Newport, Rhode Island
Includes additional slides that show some of the things mentioned and the round table
discussions at the end of the session
#nema2013

4. The Marlborough Historical Society
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www.HistoricMarlborough.org
Marlborough, Massachusetts
Town: 1660
Society: 1964
All-volunteer

5. The History List
Largest list of historyrelated events in the nation
• There is no cost to add your
organization and events
• Raise awareness of your
organization and events
• Manage the list of events on
your site
 ―Make this holiday historic!‖
 Guide to Summer Camps
and Programs at Historic
Sites and Institutions
•
www.TheHistoryList.com

6. Overview
• Observations
• Examples
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Learning
Programs
Awareness
Events
Website
• Contact information

7. Observations on collaboration
• Why?  To make a bigger impact
• Why not?  An endless number of reasons
– Staff time? Funding? Legal?  Just do it
• How?  Focus on shared goals and generating results
– When it stops making sense, stop

8. Observations on collaboration
• This is not a zero-sum game
• Our ―competition‖ is not the other historic site or
cultural institution in town

9. Who is the competition?
From ―Attracting visitors to holiday events at historic sites and buildings‖ (October 25, 2013). The 35 page report is available as
part of a free download of holiday materials: http://www.thehistorylist.com/the-holiday-campaign-for-history

10. 24%
28%
28%
Went to a movie
Went to the mall
Didn’t do anything

11. Observations on collaboration
Collaborate to

12. Learning
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The Marlborough Historical
Society hosted an ―Idea
Exchange‖ in 2008
All historical societies in
New England were invited to
a Saturday event (10 am – 3
pm)
Everyone was invited to
submit a topic they wanted
to present
44 attendees
13 different presentations
from attendees, from
financial management and
fundraising to collections
management, programming,
and finding volunteers

13. Learning
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Historical Sharing Group
Blackstone Valley
2006
24 societies in the
Blackstone Valley
Quarterly meetings to
share ideas, including
programming

14. Awareness
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Pioneer Valley History
Network
43 sites in Western
Massachusetts
Organized originally by
Historic Deerfield in
2006
Now a 501(c)3
Exhibits and events
around an annual theme
Mailing list of 250
individuals
 Case study
http://pvhn.wordpress.com/

15. Awareness
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Materials that any organization
can download and use to
promote their holiday events
Print out table top signs and
download and include graphics
in newsletters and on websites,
posters, and fliers, or create
merchandising signs and
stickers
11 messages in two different
designs
Promotes your events and,
together, raises awareness of
history and history organizations
at the holidays
http://www.thehistorylist.com/the-holiday-campaign-for-history

16. Event
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Museum Stores of Richmond
Holiday Shoppers Fair
Formed in 1995
Meet six times per year
Each pays a fee
Money goes to the host museum,
who handles PR
Each does their own advertising
Friday night: Members only
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10% off at all shops
500 – 1,000 shoppers over the
weekend

17. Program
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http://www.brickstoremuseum.org/oursharedhistory.shtml
―Our Shared History‖
The Brick Store Museum and
the Kennebunk Free Library,
across the street from each
other
―Maritime Heritage‖
Book discussions, films, field
trips to Portsmouth Naval
Shipyard and Bath Iron
Works, a chowder festival, a
sea shanty concert

18. Event
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Vermont History Expo
Held every other year
150 historical societies
4,000- 6,000 guests over a twoday weekend
 Case study—Includes more than
400 photos

19. Website
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http://www.brickstoremuseum.org/oursharedhistory.shtml
Website with information about the project:
http://newportal.weebly.com/
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―Newportal‖—In development
Presenting the collections of
The Preservation Society of
Newport County, Newport Art
Museum, Redwood Library and
Athenaeum, The Newport
Restoration Foundation, and
The Newport Historical Society
Being driven by mid-level staff,
not executive directors
Formed two years ago
Currently formalizing
agreement between
organizations

20. Collaboration guidelines for non-profits
Compiled from round table discussions during the second half of the session:
Develop a strategy for a successful collaboration, starting with the way you’re
going to get target partners on board.
Within your organization, in some cases you’ll need the support of senior
management at the outset. In other cases, it may not make sense to approach
them until later in the process, such as after a detailed plan or a prototype has
been created.
Sometimes it's easier to ask for forgiveness than permission.
Trust is the foundation on which any successful collaboration is built. Develop
trust with individuals, and from there, with each organization. Get to know the
people you’re going to work with. This might mean, for example, getting together
over coffee.

21. Collaboration guidelines for non-profits
Spend the necessary time to develop relationships with your key contacts and
with the teams they depend on.
Although you may believe that a particular organization would be an ideal
partner for a collaborative effort, they may not feel the same way. It's
important to have an enthusiastic partner. If it's too hard or “not clicking"—
emails are going unreturned—don't force it. Just let it go. (“They’re just not that
in to you.”)
Recognize the difference between consultation and collaboration. In the
former, you’re asking for input; in the later, the other party has or perceives that
their opinion is equal in weight to yours.

22. Collaboration guidelines for non-profits
Identify all the stakeholders and understand the goals and objectives of each.
Sustaining a collaborative effort requires that all parties see benefits to
continuing the efforts.
Agreements that spell out goals, roles, and responsibilities, including who is
responsible for payment, may be critical, depending on the parties involved and
the size and nature of the effort.
Meet at your facility and at theirs, or on “neutral” turf. This will reinforce the
belief that each party is a valued partner in the effort.
Follow meetings with an e-mail message that puts key points in
writing. Having a written record reduces the potential for misunderstanding
and increases accountability.

23. Collaboration guidelines for non-profits
By starting small, it may be easier to reach a milestone, thereby demonstrating
the success of the collaborative effort. Members of the group can take this back
to their organizations as proof of the value of participating and continuing to
devote resources to it.
This early success may attract others interested in joining or at least supporting
the effort.
A project manager or consultant may be able to pull together the details of a
large project and keep the many different parties on-track better than what a
member from any one organization could do.
Regularly evaluate how things are going. Be open and aware. Be willing to learn
from one's partners and to make changes.
Make adjustments as you go. Build on successes and failures to tweak the
program even as it is going on.

24. Collaboration guidelines for non-profits
Candidly assess the results, identify what worked and what didn’t, and share
that insight with others so that you and your organization can learn from the
effort.
Different parties may have different sensitivities to the way their organization
is presented (e.g., in press-related materials, presentations, or documents).
Remember the "big picture.” Unexpected things occur, and the best laid
plans can go awry. Should that happen and you’re faced with having to
explain why things have gone sideways to your manager, just remember,
“Collaborations can be fun. You meet and work with new people and explore
new perspectives and ways of working!”

25. Lee Wright
Lee@TheHistoryList.com
www.TheHistoryList.com
@TheHistoryList
@SeeingHistory
#nema2013