Presentation Title: Relaunching a Historical Society Post COVID-19 Pandemic
Presenter(s): Lauren Kozyra, School of Information
Abstract: In March 2022, I was elected as the board president of my local historical society. The historical society had been run by the same president for 20 years (1999 – 2019), and subsequently closed for the COVID pandemic. I stepped into the voluntary role to gain experience in the cultural heritage space and to serve my community. In this talk, I will discuss the process of relaunching the historical society post-COVID pandemic, as well as the various roles I have taken on as president – creating exhibits, managing archives, organizing events, coordinating museum volunteers, and overseeing budgets and operations. I will reflect on how this volunteer opportunity has helped me to better understand the diverse skill sets needed by those working in the cultural heritage space. Not only have I used my MLIS training in archives and preservation in this position, but also my professional experience in project management, events planning, and communication.
Link to Recorded Presentation: https://youtu.be/bBH78iOEbmI
Lauren, this is so impressive. Having just finished up working on a strategic plan in INFO 204 last semester, I found it interesting to get a glimpse at what the development of a vision statement and priorities would look like in practice. The Society was very lucky to have you step in!
Thank you, Terri Beth! It has been a lot of fun to put all the piece together and get our doors re-opened. It is nice to be starting my second year as president, since I now know what to expect and can better focus my energy on the priorities!
Lauren, great presentation!
I am so impressed by all the work you and your colleagues have done to get the local historical society up and running again after the COVID-19 pandemic. You make a strong argument for the importance of mission, vision and strategic plan!
Hi Dr. Bushey,
Thank you for your comments! Re-establishing our vision and strategic priorities was such a great way to relaunch the society and museum, as it has directed our funding and programmatic resources (which are both limited!) Thank you!