AASLH"s Small Museums Committee is offering scholarships to any AASLH members who are full-time, part-time, paid, or volunteer employees of small museums. The $850 scholarship will cover the cost of registration. Any remaining funds can be used to offset travel and/or lodging expenses. To qualify, the applicant must work for a museum with a budget of $250,000 or less and either be an individual member of AASLH or work for an institutional members. Deadline for applications is June 15, 2023.

Cinnamon  Catlin-Legutko will be best remembered because she used her  power to change lives, inspire movements, and challenge the status quo  for the better. In memory of Cinnamon and her generational impact on  museums, historic  sites, and public history, AASLH has created a special scholarship in  her name  to advance her legacy of transformational change across the museum  community. In summer 2023, the fund will support up to five $1,000  scholarships for the Annual Conference. Eligible applicants include:  those working in small museums, as either  full-time or part-time paid or volunteer employees and who are  institutional or individual members of AASLH; and Indigenous persons and  those employed as staff members with a tribal organization, program, or  collection. For guidance on what constitutes a small museum, see https://aaslh.org/communities/smallmuseums/. Applications are due June 30, 2023. The application form is available at aaslh.org/annualconference/2023-annual-conference. 

AASLH is accepting submissions of short articles to be posted on our official blog. Specifically, we are seeking articles on issues and challenges facing history organizations and their staffs. Articles should be clear, concise, and offer obvious takeaways or suggestions. There is no deadline, and submissions are welcomed at any time. You can expect a response within two or three weeks. 

Here are ideas on what to write:

• Takeaways from history organizations doing great work
• Lessons learned from recent or ongoing projects at your organization
• Tips on administration and leadership
• Career advice and guidance for professionals in the field 
• Unique takes on current trends (i.e. what’s the next Hamilton?)
• Constructive reflections on the state of the field

Guidelines:

• Length: 350-800 words
• Posts should be in Chicago Style
•  All submissions must include at least one landscape orientation photo with photo credit/caption
•  Do not footnote; instead, provide URLs for references
• Single space after sentences

Photos:

• All submissions must include at least one landscape orientation photo
• Two-three photos are ideal
• Photos should at least 750 pixels wide
• Photos should be free of any copyright restrictions; include attributions/ credit in the captions

Terms:

• Articles should be original content that has not been published elsewhere
• AASLH reserves the right to turn down any post that isn’t a good fit for the blog
• AASLH is not required to use the photos submitted with the post if they are not a good fit; in that case, the blog editor will supply appropriate photos to go with the post
• AASLH will adjust or replace titles as needed  for consistency and clarity and can make minor edits without author approval

Questions? Email Aja Bain at abain@aaslh.org

The following courses are part of AASLH’s Small Museum Pro! certificate program. If you have completed and passed five of the courses below, please submit this form to request your Small Museum Pro! certificate. 

• CARING FOR MUSEUM COLLECTIONS
• COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT
• DEVELOPING EXHIBITIONS: PLANNING
• DEVELOPING EXHIBITIONS: DESIGN
• INTRODUCTION TO FINANCIAL MANAGEMENT
• LEADERSHIP AND ADMINISTRATION FOR HISTORY ORGANIZATIONS
• MUSEUM EDUCATION AND OUTREACH

The AASLH book series connects the people engaged in history work to new questions, ideas, perspectives, and each other. By featuring news, current issues, trends, and best practices from throughout the history community, our books inform, inspire, challenge, and link together those who preserve and interpret the past.

We welcome book proposals dealing with all aspects of public history, including current trends, timely issues, and best practices for professional development and the overall improvement of the history field. We are especially interested in books that give a fresh perspective to traditional theories, in-depth case studies that reveal applicable and relevant concepts, and subject matter that has the ability to resonate throughout all levels of the field. Proposals are reviewed by the AASLH Editorial Advisory Committee, who may make suggestions for improvement and needed changes before approval. Once a proposal is approved, authors sign a contract with Rowman & Littlefield and are responsible for producing the work within 15-18 months.

AASLH reserves the right to reject material that is not consonant with the mission, values, or goals of the organization. Contact the book series editor Aja Bain with questions at abain@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.

History News connects the people engaged in history work to new questions, ideas, perspectives, and each other. By featuring news, current issues, trends, and best practices from throughout the history community, it informs, inspires, challenges, and links together those who preserve and interpret the past.

We welcome article proposals dealing with all aspects of public history, including current trends, timely issues, and best practices for professional development and the overall improvement of the history field. We are especially interested in articles that give a fresh perspective to traditional theories, in-depth case studies that reveal applicable and relevant concepts, and subject matter that has the ability to resonate throughout all levels of the field. AASLH reserves the right to reject material that is not consonant with the mission, values, or goals of the organization.

Before committing to a full article, we ask that you submit an abstract here. In 300 words or less, outline the main points of your article and explain how it supports the AASLH mission. Please include your email address so we can follow up with you.

Four times a year, History News magazine brings you the latest discussions, developments, and innovations in the field of state and local history. That mission includes reviewing books on theoretical and practical topics that our members and readers are talking about and using in their daily work. AASLH is building our pool of book reviewers for History News, and we want you to get involved.

Apply to be a book reviewer and share your expertise with the field. We will match you with a book according to your interests, and send you a complimentary copy.

Our reviewers:

• Have expertise and experience in the book’s topic or sub-field
  
• Can discuss how the book will contribute to public history and relate it to similar works
• Commit to writing a 500-word review that summarizes and analyses the book’s thesis or topic
• Work with our editors to meet deadlines and craft a great review

Here are some of the titles we've reviewed recently:

• A Practical Guide to Museum Ethics by Sally Yerkovich (Rowman & Littlefield, 2017)
• The Past and Future City: How Historic Preservation is Reviving America's Communities by Stephanie Meeks (Island Press, 2016)
• Keeping Their Marbles: How the Treasures of the Past Ended Up in Museums... And Why They Should Stay There by Tiffany Jenkins (Oxford University Press, 2016)
• Collection Care: An Illustrated Handbook for the Care and Handling of Cultural Objects by Brent A. Powell (Rowman & Littlefield, 2016)
• The Art of Relevance by Nina Simon (Museum 2.0, 2016)

And visit our website for examples of great reviews in the style that we look for from the Summer 2015 History News.

Questions? Contact Aja Bain, Program and Publications Manager, at abain@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.

AASLH serves members working with and for all kinds of historical organizations. As we approach the nation’s 250th anniversary in 2026, we will be focusing on reaching small museums and historical societies and on promoting inclusive history and inclusive practices. We invite our members to consider serving on Council (the organization’s board of trustees) or the Leadership Nominating Committee (LNC).  In these roles, you or a colleague can play a vital part in shaping the organization’s future. 

Nominate an AASLH member who is:

• Passionate about history and its place in contemporary culture.
• Connected to a network of peers in the field.
• Willing to both speak their mind and work as a team.
• Committed to innovation, inclusion, and experimentation.
• Holds specific skills and expertise in areas of museum or history work.
• Someone who believes they can make a difference.

You may nominate yourself or nominate a colleague for a position on either Council or for a position on the Leadership Nominating Committee.

Nominations are accepted year-round. For assistance, please contact AASLH at 615-320-3203 or abain@aaslh.org.

The Evelyn Scholarship is named in honor of Douglas Evelyn, AASLH president from 1992-1994, and recognizes Evelyn’s strong support of AASLH’s professional development mission. A primary objective of the Douglas Evelyn Diversity Fellowship is to increase culturally diverse participation at the AASLH Annual Meeting and in all the association’s programs. AASLH will offer up to 5 full conference scholarships for culturally diverse attendees.