AVAILABLE ON-LINE AT www.emms.org.uk

No 144                                                                           September 2001

2019. A New Role for EmmS

Following consultation with larger museum members, a Resolution is to be put to the annual general meeting in October that will increase the subscriptions paid by those museums to enable EmmS to continue after 1 April next year as a regional museum network. Plans are already in hand to organise a range of activities and programmes which, although more limited than that provided at the moment, will add value to those museums’ operations over and above the cost of the subscription. Although all EmmS current employees will have left by the end of March 2002, it is proposed, subject to the increase in subscriptions being approved, to recruit a part-time person who will co-ordinate these activities.

There will be an opportunity to discuss the scope and extent of EmmS' future programmes at an open forum following the annual general meeting, which will be held on 26 October at Snibston Discovery Park, starting at 11 am. Although only Museum and Supporting Members are entitled to vote at the meeting, all members are invited. Details will be posted on 3 October to those eligible to attend.

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2020. Best Value

The first reports of Best Value inspections of museum services are now being published. These sometimes feature museums individually (as in the case of Cheltenham Museum & Art Gallery); in other cases they are included as part of a leisure and culture department (as in the Craven District of Yorkshire, which runs Skipton Museum); elsewhere a review may include an independent museum funded by the local council (the report on leisure in Fenland District includes Wisbech Museum).

The following issues appear to be emerging as common themes:

• lack of challenge as to alternative means of service delivery. Consideration of the trust option must take into account capital potential as well as the implications for running costs; and other means of service delivery (eg private contractors) should be considered for middle-sized and larger services;
• the importance of museums occupying buildings that can be operated efficiently and effectively;
• under-investment in documentation (as a pre-requisite for access) and storage;
• inadequate benchmarking, not only within the local authority sector, but with independent museums and private sector providers; and
• museums appear to score highly in terms of user satisfaction and customer care.

Copies of all the reports can be downloaded from www.bestvalueinspections.gov.uk

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2021. Emergency Manual on Interactive CD Rom

The EmmS Emergency Manual, which was first published in 1991 and revised in 1997, has now been produced as an interactive CD Rom - Emergency Manual for Historic Buildings and Collections. Originally targeted at museums and record offices, the updates have been designed to meet the needs of a wider audience, especially historic buildings and libraries. The new format offers greater flexibility, as it can be completed on a computer screen and printed to produce the hard copy for emergency use. In response to the wide interest shown from colleagues elsewhere in Europe and beyond, a French language edition is also being produced. Further details, together with information on how to order, can be found on the enclosed leaflet.

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2022. INTERACT Trade Fair

The INTERACT Trade Fair will take place on Monday 1 October, at Snibston Discovery Park, Coalville, from 10.30 a.m. to 4 p.m. This will be an opportunity to meet members of INTERACT, the East Midlands network of freelance educators, and gain a taster of some of the education sessions they offer. Also present will be selected organisations who supply educational materials. An invitation to the Trade Fair was mailed out with last month’s HOT NEWS. If you require any further information, please telephone Rosemary Bower on (0115) 985 4534.

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2023. National Science Week 2002

National Science Week 2002 is being held from Friday 8 March to Sunday 17 March. Organisations are invited to participate by holding special science-based events during that week, which falls during Science Year, as a way of raising their profile in their local community. For further details, including a starter pack, please contact Lisa Jones, National Science Week Officer, British Association, 23 Saville Row, London W1S 2EZ. Tel: (020) 7973 3074. Email: nationalscienceweek@the-ba.net Lisa can also provide details of two Awareness Evenings in the region, at Leicester on 26 September, and at Lincoln on 27 September.

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2024. Forthcoming Events & Seminars

October EUROPEAN FUNDING SEMINAR PROGRAMME – EUCLID is holding 7 full-day seminars and 5 half-day seminars at locations throughout the UK. The full-day seminars (£75 + VAT) will offer practical help in accessing funds from the EU; the half-day events provide training in how to prepare an application to the EU’s Culture 2000 programme. Further details of these seminars can be obtained from: EUCLID, 46-48 Mount Pleasant, Liverpool LS 5SD. Tel: (0151) 709 2564. Fax: (0151) 709 8647. Email: seminars@euclid.co.uk Website: www.euclid.co.uk

15 October GETTING ACTIVE – National Training Day, Group for Education in Museums. The day will investigate creating activity carts and backpacks for art galleries and museums, with case-studies and group discussion. Venue: the V&A Museum, London. Cost: £45-£55. For details contact: GEM. Tel/Fax: (01634) 312409. Email: gemso@blueyonder.co.uk

20-24 October BIG FABRICATORS WEEK: TRADE SECRETS: What makes a good hands-on exhibit? – The British Interactive Group. This is a hands-on exhibit building event for science centres, children’s museums and other hands-on venues. Suitable for newcomers, all that is required is enthusiasm and curiosity. On the final day an Exhibit Development Seminar, will provide an opportunity for non-participants to view the fruits of the week’s work. Venue: Cardiff. Cost: £150. For details contact: Ian Simmons, INSPIRE, St Michael’s Church, Coslany Street, Norwich NR3 3DT. Tel: (01603) 616721. Email: inspire@science-project.org

23 October INSECTS IN MUSEUMS AND HISTORIC HOUSES. A one-day course led by David Pinniger, Consultant Entomologist, on identifying the different types of pests found in museums and historic houses and the damage they cause. Venue: London. Cost £75. For details contact: Phil Ackery, Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.

30 October SPECIAL EDUCATIONAL NEEDS – Group for Education in Museums, Midlands Group. A day exploring how museums and art galleries can improve access to exhibitions, services and education programmes for people with Special Educational Needs (SEN). Speakers include Gill Tanner, with case-studies from Wolverhampton Art Gallery, Leicestershire Museums and Northampton Museum & Art Gallery. Venue: Northampton Museum & Art Gallery. Cost: £5. For details contact: Kirsty Sherwood, GEM, Tamworth Castle Museum, The Holloway, Tamworth, Staffordshire, B79 7LR. Tel: (01827) 709632.

14-16 November PLAYING TO LEARN? THE EDUCATIONAL ROLE OF CHILDREN’S MUSEUMS – Hands On! Europe, Kids’ Clubs Network and Discover. This is a major international conference investigating, for the first time, the quantitative and qualitative data collected over the past 20 years on how children learn through play. Cost: between £160 and £200. Venue: London. For details see the enclosed leaflet.

15 November UK MUSEUMS AND THE WEB – Museums Computer Group, The Science Museum and The Natural History Museum. A chance for the UK museum web community to meet and discuss, in depth, the developments in technologies, standards and concepts used to communicate content to the world. Cost: Free. Venue: London. For details contact: MCG webday registration, DLIS, The Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD. Email: mikel@nhm.ac.uk

13-14 March 2002 INSECT PESTS IN MUSEUMS. A two-day course on an integrated approach to pest management in museums, led by be David Pinniger, Consultant Entomolgist. Venue: London. For details contact: Phil Ackery, Department of Entomology, Natural History Museum, Cromwell Road, London SW7 5BD.

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2025. Congratulations to …

… Captain Mick Holtby and Terry Brighton of the Queen’s Royal Lancers Regimental Museum, and Phil Raynor of Rutland County Museum, who have all successfully completed the NVQ Level 4 in Collection Management and Interpretation.

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2026. Farewell and Best Wishes to …

… Lesley Colsell, who has been our Head of Member Services since 1996, which has included responsibility for the content of HOT NEWS, will be leaving us on October 23 to emigrate to New Zealand. While looking forward to making a new life on the other side of the world, she will be sad to leave the friends she has made during her time in the East Midlands. All of us at EmmS are sure that members would wish to thank Lesley for her expertise, enthusiasm and commitment during the last 5½ years, and pass on their best wishes for the future.

A farewell party is being held at Snibston Discovery Park on the evening of 23 October, to which all are invited. A flier with further details accompanies this mailing.

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CUMULATIVE INDEX No 1 (January 1990) - No 142 (July 2001)

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