The recent NHN professional development program was featured in a posting at History@Workfrom the National Council on Public History. A short transcript on “practical business advice” is included in the post.

The NHN workshop, “A Future in Historical Consulting: Is It for You?” brought out some twenty historians on June 20 at the Architectural Heritage Center. Four panelists, orchestrated by NHN board member Val Ballestrem, responded to queries about practical business advice, networking and marketing, pricing and project fees, and the downsides and the benefits of self-employment. Workshop participants then joined the panelists in a discussion that expanded on those topics and brought up some specific dilemmas and situations.

The panelists were Richard H. Engeman, principal of Oregon Rediviva, LLC, a regional historian and a consultant on historical photographs and collections care; Donna Sinclair, an independent historian with a special expertise in oral history projects; William Willingham, a consulting historian who has emphasized power resources and architecture in his work; and Morgen Young, owner of Alder, LLC, who does museum exhibit preparation and architectural history.

The workshop was recorded and is available here as an audio file.

Handouts included a summary of pay rates in the cultural resources field, as compiled by the American Cultural Resources Association, and this compilation of online resources prepared by panelist Morgen Young.

A Future in Historical Consulting: Is It for You?

·      National Council on Public History, Consultants List

·      Northwest History Network, Associate Directory 

·      Oregon State Historic Preservation Office, Consultants List

·      American Cultural Resources Association Business Toolkit

·      Business Oregon: Starting a Business in Oregon

·      Oregon Secretary of State, Corporation Division

·      Portland State University Business Outreach Program

·      Small Business Development Center

·      Small Business Legal Clinic, Lewis & Clark College

·      U.S. Small Business Administration, Portland District Office

·      Business Oregon: Contracting Opportunities

·      Federal Business Opportunities

·      Multnomah County Bids & Proposal Opportunities

·      Onvia Proposals and Bids

·      American Historical Association: Historians as Consultants and Contractorshttp://www.historians.org/pubs/careers/chapter7.htm

·      National Council on Public History, History@Work Blog, Consultants’ Corner

Come celebrate Northwest History Network’s Fifth Anniversarythis month at Fort Vancouver. We’ll have a picnic, a cake, and vintage baseball!

On Saturday, July 21, NHN associates and their families and friends will gather near the baseball game area on the Parade Ground at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site, beginning at 5:00 PM. NHN will provide drinks and a commemorative cake, so bring a potluck item or two for a picnic supper, eating utensils, and blankets or chairs. Free! Do come!

At 6:00 PM, a group of Fort Vancouver employees and other volunteers, clad in period uniforms, will  face off for a baseball game played by 1860s rules. Wooden bats for sure, and no fancy-pants gloves for these stalwarts. Free! Do come!

Pictured are scenes from the NHN gathering in 2011 at Fort Vancouver.

You may contact NHN executive director Morgen Young if you have questions: 503-333-4914; morgen.young@gmail.com.