September 2012 – August 2013
NHN has had a busy year. The following outlines our activities over the past twelve months.
Professional Development Programs
In November, we hosted a panel discussion, “Who Hires Consulting Historians?” It was a follow up to the June program “A Future in Historical Consulting: Is It for You?” It was a panel discussion with four individuals who frequently hire consultants and contractors, including Maija Anderson, Head of Oregon Health & Science University Historical Collections & Archives; Denyse McGriff, Senior Project Manager at Portland Development Commission; Christina Robertson-Gardiner, a planner at City of Oregon City; and Greg Shine, Historian at Fort Vancouver National Historic Site. An audio recording of the program is available on our website.
Our next professional development program – a grant writing workshop – is being re-scheduled for early 2014. More information pertaining to this program will be circulated as the date draws closer.
Download the entire report here (PDF) or read on
Committees
Last September, the NHN board established several new committees to better tackle the many goals of the organization. The Advocacy Committee focuses on issues relating to preserving and enhancing access to historical materials. The Outreach Committee promotes NHN to targeted groups and individuals, including undergraduate and graduate history students, archivists, new professionals, and professionals from fields related public history. The Programs Committee develops and markets programming, such as our professional development programs and socials. The Projects Committee administers our microfunding grants program. The Technology Committee manages our website and social media.
We encourage all Associates to consider joining one or more committees. They are great ways to get better involved with the organization. Each committee will hold a meeting in October to outline goals for the coming year. The respective meeting dates will be announced on the Listserv. If you want to be involved in any of the committees, including planning the dates for the October meetings, please contact me directly.
Microfunding Grants Program
This year we launched our Microfunding Grants Program, which was first announced in January. We received numerous proposals from across Oregon, Washington, and California. Two projects were supported by the microgrants: Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association’s “Digitizing Vashon-Maury Island Heritage Association’s irreplaceable oral history recordings to preserve them for the future” and Hoover-Minthorn House’s “Hoover-Minthorn House Museum Material Culture Analysis.”
We will continue the microgrants program this coming year. A call for proposals will be announced in January.
Website
Over the summer, we launched a revamped website. Thanks to our wonderful intern Larissa Ushriya, our website is now better organized and easier for the Technology Committee to update. We will continue to build upon her work. A large focus for the coming year will be the Associate Directory. We hope if you have not already, you will consider adding your areas of expertise to the directory. The directory is meant to help Associates network with each other as well as advertise skills and expertise to potential collaborators, clients, and employers. In addition to the website, we continue to maintain our social media presence on Twitter and Facebook.
Summer Gathering
This year’s summer gathering took place in Silverton. NHN Associates and Silverton residents Gus Frederick and Fred Parkinson planned several activities for the group, including a walking tour of the historic downtown, a visit to the Silverton Country Historical Society, and a picnic lunch at the GeerCrest Farm.
In addition to our annual events in the summer and holiday season, we continued the bimonthly tradition of social hours. The next social will be on October 21st, 5:30-6:30 at Township and Range, 2422 SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Associates Survey
One of the first tasks for this coming year is a survey to Associates. We encourage all Associates to fill out this short survey, as we work to better serve everyone:
http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/5F5G8HD
Many thanks to our wonderful Associates and volunteer board members who have made this a memorable year for NHN!
Morgen Young
Executive Director
