BEHIND the CURTAIN: Conspiracy (Theories) and Espionage
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BOSTON ATHENÆUM NON-PROFIT U.S. POSTAGE 10½ Beacon Street PAID Boston, MA 02108 04330 PERMIT NO. 121 MEMBER HOURS Mon-Thu 9 am–8 pm Fri-Sat 9 am–5 pm VISITOR HOURS Tue 12–8 pm Wed-Sat 10 am–4 pm www.bostonathenaeum.org 617.227.0270 shape our views. views. our shape a glimpse at the forces that wittingly—or unwittingly— unwittingly— wittingly—or that forces the at glimpse a climate seems rife with conspiracy. This event series offers offers series event This conspiracy. with rife seems climate interference in the upcoming midterms: our current political political current our midterms: upcoming the in interference into the 2016 elections; bi-partisan concern about Russian Russian about concern bi-partisan elections; 2016 the into Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s ongoing investigation investigation ongoing Mueller’s Robert Counsel Special Conspiracy (theories) and espionage and (theories) Conspiracy BEHIND THE CURTAIN: THE BEHIND SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2018 BOSTON ATHENÆUM BOSTON Director’s Note “ Autumn is a second This autumn, the Athenæum is alive with activity. Join us to learn about Boston: the role of women in the arts, the multiracial highway protest coalition that shaped our city, and the spring when every cocktails that 18th-century Bostonians could have enjoyed. Delve into politics with our series on conspiracy and espionage, and hear Stephen Greenblatt explore Shakespeare’s tyrants. Listen leaf is a flower.” to string players of the New England Philharmonic and attend our first music showcase of local bands. Make an imaginative journey to Italy through programs featuring Venetian books and an Albert Camus author’s talk about Vittoria Colonna. Join us on local excursions to the ICA and National Center of Afro-American Artist. We’re eager to share it all with you. Elizabeth E. Barker, Ph.D. Stanford Calderwood Director ASSESSING YOUR ENGAGEMENT In June, we completed a year-long study of our members’ engagement with the Boston Athenæum. Harvard’s Community Action Partnership (CAP) program provided eight pro bono business consultants drawn from the alumni of the Kennedy School and Harvard Business School. Together, we built a sophisticated computer tool for tracking patterns of our members’ use of library resources, participation in programs, and attendance at events— information that will help us refine services for and communication to you, our valued members. We owe a debt of gratitude to the following individuals: CAP Team Staff Project Liaisons Trustee Project Loren Crowe, MBA ’14 Dawna Burrus Advisors Creelea Pangaro Shaan Gandhi, MBA/MD ’15 Andrew Hahn Austin Shapard Ned Hazen, MBA ’79 Catherine McGrath Report on Phil Jenks, PMD ’81 Anthea Reilly STRATEGIC PLANNING Nancy Loderick, MBA ’84 Elsa Vernon Patty McCormick, MBA ’16 Mary Warnement As our three-year Operational Plan draws to a close, we are Francis Wyman finalizing the Strategic Plan that will shape the years to come.This effort has involved our entire staff, our Board of Trustees, and more than 600 members. We thank all who participated in a member listening session in April, took the online survey distributed in May, or submitted PROGRAM EXPANSION observations to the designated email account. In our summer letter, we • Enhance programming, including signature events shared the revised phrasing of our Mission and Vision statements and worthy of national notice introduced our organizational Values. Now, we’re pleased to present • Drive relevant and current content our Strategic Imperatives. From these high-level goals will flow the departmental and individual employee goals (to be reviewed annually TALENT DEVELOPMENT and revised accordingly, in conjunction with the budgeting cycle) that • Become an employer of choice will move the Athenæum forward. • Strengthen leadership development STRATEGIC IMPERATIVES DIVERSITY REFLECTION • Increase diversity represented in collections, membership, staff MEMBER FOCUS and Board • Improve members’ experience and deepen members’ engagement • Burnish the Athenæum’s reputation • Grow a committed, diverse member base GOVERNANCE ENHANCEMENT COLLECTIONS VISIBILITY • Better define Proprietor, Board and Director roles • Increase Special Collections’ visibility and accessibility • Diversify, increase, and ensure the sustainability of revenue sources • Maintain discerning, relevant circulating and reference collections FINANCIALLY SOUND. FUTURE FOCUSED. Our members’ love of learning is equaled only by their generosity. Your giving is a tremendous help in funding our day-to-day operations. Our sizable endowment further strengthens the balance sheet—with nearly $90 million on the books at the close of the fiscal year 2017, and no outstanding debt. In Memoriam We’ve recognized, however, that we remain overly dependent on appropriations from the endowment, and are prioritizing efforts to double our current fundraising target over the next JILL KER CONWAY several years. Over time, we also hope to increase the amount of revenue that we receive from our members, through a careful assessment of fees and pricing combined with judicious growth With this issue we mourn the passing in the size of membership overall. With your support, together we can ensure that the Athenæum of Jill Ker Conway, friend, colleague, maintains its place as one of Boston’s premier learning and cultural institutions. Athenæum Proprietor and member of the Board of Trustees for eight years. From her childhood in the Australian Outback, Jill went on to become the first woman to DID YOU KNOW? serve as president of Smith College. After a decade leading Smith, Dr. Conway wrote a trio of best-selling memoirs, and championed feminist causes. In 2013 she The Athenæum’s The cost Over the past 5 years, was awarded the National Humanities operating costs grow of a Family membership in the Medal by President Barack Obama. In faster each year than Membership Athenæum has honor of her many contributions to this the cost of inflation. at the Athenæum increased by 73.6%. organization, Board of Trustees President is less than John S. Reed invited Proprietors to $1 per day. participate in a moment of silence at their summer meeting. More than ANNUAL FUND 561 donors increased The endowment provides for their level of approximately 60% As our fiscal year draws to a close on support to the of our annual operating income. September 30, 2018, we need your help to Athenæum in 2017. sustain this special place. Annual gifts from donors make possible everything we do: maintaining our exquisite building; providing attentive service to our members; offering stimulating programs, titles, and resources; bringing our world-class collections to light. All of us at the Athenæum are grateful to have Last your support. The cost of year, providing members 123 TO DONATE TO THE ANNUAL FUND The amount donated with electronic people please contact Director of Annual Giving to the Annual Fund and printed donated Dawna Burrus at 617-720-7629 or has increased by newspapers is to the [email protected], or visit 28% over the climbing by as Athenæum bostonathenaeum.org/support/annual-fund. past 4 years. much as for 14% each year. the first CELEBRATING OUR SPONSORS time. RECEPTION Wednesday, October 17, 5:30 pm This event is by invitation only Donors of $1,000 or more (in annual contributions to the Annual Fund, Conservation Fund or Book Fund) may expect to receive a formal invitation to this special Membership dues reception in recognition of their support. The costs to the Athenæum of cover only 18% of providing employee health benefits the Athenæum’s THE ANNUAL REPORT are increasing by 8% each year operating expenses. is available electronically on our website, or in print at our Membership Office, or call 617-720-7604 to pick up a copy. www.bostonathenaeum.org Charlotte Emans Moore As her two-year fellowship draws to a close, we wish to recognize Polly Thayer Starr Fellow in American Art Charlotte Emans Moore, Ph.D., for her valued contributions. An expert in 18th- and 19th-century portraiture, American folk art, patronage, and the history of art collecting, Charlotte applied her knowledge to updating and correcting a plethora of information about many of the Athenæum’s most treasured works. Her fellowship culmi- nated in the exhibition Subscription Campaigns: Contributions in Support of Community, an exploration of the many ways in which the Athenæum’s Proprietors, members and staff have pooled their resources to further our mission. Charlotte departs with our gratitude and best wishes for her future endeavors. Thank you to the POLLY THAYER STARR CHARITABLE TRUST The art of Polly Thayer Starr (1904-2006) captured the culture and atmosphere of her native New England with a unique combination of detail and emotion. Her estate endowed the Polly Thayer Starr Charitable Trust to further her legacy. In June, the Trust awarded the Athenæum a grant to support a new graduate fellowship in American art and culture. The fellowship, to be filled through a competitive application process, seeks to further research pertinent to the careers and accomplishments of individuals and/or communities historically underrepresented within the field of art history and allied fields. EMMA NEWCOMBE Emma Newcombe, our academic programs intern, has spent the summer planning a two-day workshop for educators on teaching with primary sources. Using both documentary and visual materials from the Athenæum’s Civil War collection— representing both the United States of America and the Confederate States of America—teachers will learn new approaches and hone existing skills in creating engaging lessons across the curriculum. The Athenæum will host the workshop in 2019. COLLECTIONS HIGHLIGHT HOKUSAI Admirers of Eastern art will be intrigued by this set of 19th-century traditional Japanese bindings containing illustrations of flora, fauna, people and landscapes by Katsushika Hokusai. The sewing of these volumes was falling apart until Driscoll Family Fellow Natalie Naor consulted the literature on Japanese binding conservation and painstakingly restored the books to their original condition.