All presentations held the third Monday of the month except January, due to Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
All presentations held from noon - 1 p.m. Central Time, via Zoom.
Remaining 2023 Schedule
November 20: Nature Center Programming - planning in an unpredictable environment. Kari Sandage, Naturalist at Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center.
2024 Schedule
Tuesday, January 16 (due to Martin Luther King Day). “Rethinking the ever-changing world of Social Media.” How can museums leverage this moment in time with the ever-changing world of social media? Which channels should we maintain and where should we let go? Where can we grow? Reexamine your ideas of how to build value with your content and get inspired by creative experimentation, trends, and playfulness on social media in this presentation from the University of Iowa. Jessica Smith, Communications Coordinator, Pentacrest Museums, Iowa City.
Monday, February 19 (Presidents' Day) “What to Clean When and With What: Historic House Museums.” If you or your organization are the caretakers of a historic house museum you know how daunting and time-consuming cleaning and maintenance are. With such mix-use spaces and mix-material collections it can be hard to know what is best when it comes to cleaning the house and your objects. Montauk Historic Site Coordinator, Hannah Frederick, will discuss the dos and don’ts of cleaning in a historic house museum, professional best practices, and creating a cleaning plan and schedule.
Monday, March 18 Activism and Museums. David Bright, Larned Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center.
Monday, April 15 Security Planning and Systems for Today’s Threats. Sandi Yoder, Iowa Jewish Historical Society; Mason Koelm, Larned Waterman Nonprofit Resource Center; Bryce Moyer, Director of Operations and Maintenance, Hoyt Sherman Place.
Monday, May 20 Amazing Space, A Leader in Regenerative Interpretive Centers. Amazing Space, Indian Creek Nature Center's 12,000 square foot interpretive center, was the first building certified as part of the Living Building Challenge program of the International Living Future Institute, making it one of the most sustainable buildings in the Midwest. As a teaching tool and gateway to nature, Amazing Space is NetZero energy, NetZero water, and models biophilia connecting nature and the outdoors with the built environment. Over 80,000 people visit Indian Creek Nature Center annually to learn about sustainability, land restoration, and environmental education.
John Myers has been executive director of Indian Creek Nature Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa since May 2013. Working with the organization’s board of directors, John leads the strategic planning and growth of the organization ensuring that its vision to create champions of nature is achieved. He has led the organization’s growth with the design and construction of Amazing Space, reinvention of programming, and more than doubling the staff size, the annual budget, and the land the organization owns. John has a bachelor’s of science degree in business administration and is an Eagle Scout. John and his wife, Meridith, reside in Marion, Iowa with their three children.
Monday, June 17 Post Exhibit / Summative Evaluation. Dr. Heidi Lung, WIU-QC Museum Studies Program.
Monday, July 15. “Iowa Tourism and iTIPS.” Chelsea Lerud, Executive Director, Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP).: Iowa Travel Industry Partners (iTIP) is Iowa’s statewide tourism association designed to be a champion and resource for the industry. Tune in to hear how iTIP can support the work of your organization and some of the latest trends of the tourism industry.
Monday, August 19. Power of Place. Onnica Marquez recently traveled to Egypt and upon her return prepared a presentation on the power of place. Onnica will talk about that theme as it pertains to each of our communities.
Monday, September 16. Medical Emergency Preparedness. Brian Helland, retired Clive EMS and medical consultant. What medical training should museum staff have and what medical resources should be available on site?
Monday, November 18 Internship Programs. Case studies provided by Emma Sundberg (Durham Museum, Omaha), with academic feedback provided by Dr. Heidi Lung, WIU-QC Museum Studies Program.