New Forum in the Connecting to Collections National Tour Series Announced

It’s Alive! Petals to Primates: Preservation Challenges of Living Collections is the third in the series of forums in the Connecting to Collections National Tour. It will be held February 19 and 20, 2009, in San Diego and is sponsored by the Institute of Museum and Library Services in partnership with Heritage Preservation and the San Diego Zoo.

This program is designed especially for smaller zoos, aquariums, botanical gardens, living history farms, and nature centers. As these institutions work to sustain their collections, they often do not have access to extensive financial or scientific resources. By bringing together the stewards of both plant and animal collections, the forum will emphasize the common ground between them.

While the forum’s sponsors are eager to have directors of smaller institutions attend, they also welcome senior staff, such as collections managers and directors of horticulture, who are charged with collections care. There is no charge for participation in the forum.

Douglas G. Myers, Chief Executive Officer of the Zoological Society of San Diego, will be the forum’s keynote speaker. Four panels will explore themes of particular significance to preserving living collections:

New Directions in Collections Planning and Management
Protecting Collections from Natural Disasters
Beyond Plants and Animals: Caring for Records and Photographs
Fund Raising to Sustain Collections

In addition to the plenary panel sessions, the forum will feature a “Connections Lab” where participants can meet with speakers, staff of IMLS and other funding agencies, and resource representatives.

The forum will be held at the Joan Kroc Institute for Peace and Justice at the University of San Diego, with a reception at the San Diego Zoo.

To be placed on a list to receive an invitation, please contact Lauren Hunley at lhunley@heritagepreservation.org.