40 Years of Service to the Museum Community

Ensuring A Ontario Museum relevant Association and sustainable Association des musées de MUSEUM l'Ontario sector Annual Report 2011-2012

About the OMA

The Ontario Museum Association builds capacity among institutions and individuals active in Ontario’s museum sector. mission

The Ontario Museum Association is the leading cultural organization ensuring a relevant and sustainable museum sector in the province for the benefit of Ontario residents and our global

vision community.

 Sector Relevance

 Service Focus

 Partnership Orientation values

Strategic Plan 2010-2015 “Reinforcing Relevance” Strategic Action Areas and Specific Initiatives:

 Enhancing Sector Position through Advocacy and Stakeholder Relations

 Enabling Organizational Capacity-Building

 Encouraging Career and Professional Development

 Promoting Membership Networking and Communications Opportunities

 Ensuring the Sustainability of the Ontario Museum Association

2 Year in Review

The OMA celebrated its 40th anniversary in 2012 and did so with a marked increase in membership, welcoming its 1,000th member! These new institutional and individual members, including a significant number of students, help to revitalize the Association by contributing their energy and new ideas. The OMA Strategic Plan, Reinforcing Relevance: 2010-2015, is in its 3rd year of implementation. As a key governance document, it directs the Association’s efforts by identifying strategies to create opportunities for our museums while also assisting them in overcoming challenges. The OMA received recommendations from the Awards Review Task Force, and convened a Mid-Career Professional Development Task Force to determine the validity of developing a second-tier Certificate in Museum Studies (CMS) program and additional courses for mid-career professionals in the sector. This year, the Ontario Museum Association reasserted its commitment to museum innovation by providing members with the tools and training to assist them in building new digital skills to benefit their respective organiza- tions. Thanks to support from funders and donors, The Learning Lab is now available for professional development opportunities delivered virtually and in the physical space at the OMA office. This space enables us to better serve our membership by increasing our capacity to deliver webinars, hands-on workshops, and one-on-one training sessions, both in-lab, and online. Other timely resources and professional development opportunities included the First Steps to Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2, a step-by-step guide to editing short video for online publica- tion; rapid-fire Ignite sessions at the highly praised 2011 OMA Annual Conference; and a CMOG Standards Resources section at the OMA website produced in collaboration with the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport. Also, in response to the new standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA), the OMA offered an Accessibility Symposium delivered with multiple partners including the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO), the ROM, AGO, , OCAD, Station Gallery, Bata Shoe Museum, also including Access community partners such as Easter Seals, March of Dimes, CNIB, and Canadian Hearing Society, to help share learning across organizations and communities. Through ongoing research and dialogue with partners and other allied organizations, the Ontario Museum Association continues to develop programs to foster a relevant and sustainable museum sector. By working with external partners including government, the OMA helps museums to communicate their relevance as catalysts to cultural tourism and innovation in our province. Museums are uniquely positioned to provide access to the authen- tic, quality visitor experiences desired by tourists and residents alike, and the Association is actively involved in communicating that value by highlighting the role of our museums in creating vibrant communities across Ontario. The Ontario Museum Association gratefully acknowledges all our members and partners who are involved by donating resources and time to committees, task forces and Council to support their colleagues and help strengthen Ontario’s museum community. We look forward to the next 40 years!

Gilles Séguin Marie G. Lalonde President Executive Director

Table of Contents About the OMA 1 Year in Review 2 2011-2012 Highlight Gallery 4 Building Organizational Sustainability 5 Members Serving Members 6 Communicating the Value of Museums 7 2011 OMA Annual Conference 8 Celebrating Excellence 9 Creating Opportunities for Professional Development 10-11 Reinforcing Relevance in the New Digital Economy 12 Auditor’s Report Summary 13 Our Partners 14 Council Members and Officers: As at March 31st, 2012: Gilles Séguin, President Emanuele Lepri, Councillor Manager of Cultural Resources Services at Ontario Director, Bata Shoe Museum Service Centre, Parks Agency Yasmine Mingay, Councillor Yves Théoret , Vice-President Manager, Communications for the Canadian War Managing Director, Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art Museum, within the Canadian Museum of Civilization (MOCCA) Corporation John Dalrymple, Treasurer Maria Piacente, Councillor Associate Director of Annual Giving, National Ballet School Vice President, Lord Cultural Resources

Clark Bernat, Secretary OMA Secretariat: Managing Director, City of Niagara Falls Museums As at March 31st, 2012: Kathleen Powell, Past President Marie Lalonde, Executive Director Supervisor, Museum Operations / Curator, St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals Centre Mary Collier, Professional Development Program Manager Karen Bachmann, Councillor Pierre Bois, Special Projects Manager Director/Curator, Museum N.E.C. Sonia Briglio, Membership and Administration Mark Farmer, Councillor Coordinator (February 2012 to present, Melissa Bergeron to Web Redesign Manager, January 2012) Petal Furness, Councillor Katie Shoemaker, Young Canada Works Intern Heritage Interpretation, Grey Roots Museum and Archives Kathy Downs, Young Canada Works Intern Ian Kerr-Wilson, Councillor Avery Brooks-Joiner, Summer Experience Program Manager of Museums and Heritage Presentation, City of Hamilton Heather Feeney, Summer Experience Program Jenna Rose, UofT Masters in Museum Studies Intern (Summer 2011) Pictured right clockwise: Volunteers - Members of the Mid-Career PD Task Force L to R: Bill Nesbitt , Mary Collier (OMA PD Program Manager), Katherine Pattillo, Patricia Fiori, Sarah Beam-Borg, Maria Piacente, Margaret May (Facilitator), Kelley Swift Jones , Marie Lalonde (OMA Executive Director), Lynne Teather, Tom Reitz (front); CMS Grads L to R: Nancy Marr, Susan Warner, Jeanette Elliot; Kathryn Plunkett; Awards of Excellence Recipients L to R: Jill Shea, Anne Unyi (WWI Educational Resources); Bev Dietrich (Lifetime Achievement); Susan Neale, Ken Doherty, Gayle McIntyre (City of Peterborough and Fleming College Partnership); Yves Théoret, Christine Sadler (NGC@MOCCA); PD Participants L to R: Jenna Jaworski, Meghan Houston, Melissa Wakeling (CMS course Education Programs Director); Conference Delegates in session Ancestors in the Archives: How Corn Husk, a Book, and Photographs Opened the Museum Doors to the Community

Highlight Gallery 4 1,035 Total Members 750 Volunteer Hours

277 NEW Members

14 Institutional 253 Individual incl. 138 Students 10 Commercial

7 CMS Graduates 230 Conference Delegates

518 PD Participants 4 Awards of Excellence

144 Learning Lab Participants

Building Organizational 5 Sustainability

Membership: Governance: The OMA is pleased to announce that we exceeded 1000 Strategic Plan Implementation: total members in the 2011-2012 fiscal year! This marks a Implementing the Strategic Plan introduced during the 2010- significant milestone for the Association and demonstrates 2011 fiscal year, the OMA identified tangible goals to ensure the value of our current offerings. a relevant and sustainable museum sector. This included the Total number of members, as at March 31, 2012: creation of task forces for Mid-Career Professional Institutional Members: 305 Development and Awards Review. Individual Members: 684 OMA Task Force for Mid-Career Professional Development: Commercial Members: 46 The OMA convened a Task Force to determine the validity of Total Members: 1035 offering additional courses to mid-career professionals by splitting the Certificate in Museum Studies (CMS) program

into two streams. The Task Force completed a background Members are at the heart of what we do. In the 2011-2012 review of existing data held by the OMA, and researched fiscal year, the Ontario Museum Association welcomed a comparable programs. Interviews and surveys of top employ- number of new individual, institutional and commercial ers in Ontario, as well as individual OMA members, were con- members, including significantly higher student membership ducted to determine the value of 2nd tier certification for em- with 138 new student members. ployment and positioning, and additional professional devel-

opment needs. New members as at March 31, 2012: Task Force recommendations were submitted for approval at Individual Members: 253 the June 2012 OMA Council meeting, and will be presented to Institutional Members: 14 the membership at the 2012 Annual General Meeting. Commercial Members: 10 OMA Awards Review Task Force: This marked increase in membership is credited in part to the Members of the Awards Review Task Force gathered to efforts made by the Association to better assess and respond assess the OMA’s current awards program, research other to the needs of museums and cultural professionals, by successful programs and to make recommendations regard- increasing access to shared resources and professional ing the structure, purpose and goals of the program, the development and networking opportunities for professionals award categories, the nomination and selection process, as at all levels. well as a new presentation format. As we move forward, the OMA will continue to actively identify The recommendations were launched at the 2011 Awards and create membership networking opportunities, and Banquet, with many to be delivered at the 2012 Awards encourage career and professional development. Banquet in Niagara Falls.

Easter Seals | Access2Entertainment Roundtable at Accessibility Symposium - April 5, 2012

Members Serving Members 6

OMA Committee and Task Force Participation: Mid-Career Professional Development Task Force: CHAIR: Maria Piacente (Lord Cultural Resources) An active and informed membership is key to achieving our MEMBERS: Sarah Beam-Borg (Bata Shoe Museum), goals. The Association is grateful to our members for the Bev Dietrich (Guelph Museums), Nicole Drake (Tourism support they return to our museum sector. Brantford), Patricia Fiori (Linke Fiori Services), Ruth Freeman (Blue Sky Designs), Gayle McIntyre (Fleming College Museum Management and Curatorship, and Collections Conservation and Management programs), Bill Nesbitt (Oakville Museums), Katherine Pattillo (Algonquin College Applied Museum Studies Program), Tom Reitz (Waterloo Region Museum), Deborah Scott (Fleming College), Kelley Swift Jones (Simcoe County Museum), Lynne Teather (UofT Masters of Museum Studies Program), Melissa Wakeling (Glanmore N.H.S.) Provincial Museum Strategy Task Force: CO-CHAIRS: Marty Brent (Peel Art Gallery Museum + Archives), Ian Kerr-Wilson (City of Hamilton); Strategic Plan Task Force: MEMBERS: Bonnie Burke (Brockville Museum), Jim Fortin (City CHAIR: Yves Théoret (Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art of Heritage Museums), Cathy Masterson (City of Windsor), Bill Nesbitt (Oakville Museums), John Summers (MOCCA)) (Canadian Canoe Museum) MEMBERS: Clark Bernat (City of Niagara Falls Museums), Ian Kerr-Wilson (Museums and Heritage Presentation, City of Conference 2011 Program Committee: Hamilton), Yasmine Mingay (Canadian War Museum), CHAIR: Clark Bernat (City of Niagara Falls Museums) Kathleen Powell (St. Catharines Museum and Welland Canals MEMBERS: Marilynn Havelka (Ruthven Park N.H.S.), Wayne Centre), Gilles Séguin (Parks Canada Agency) Kelly (), Libby Walker, (Wellington County Nominations Committee: Museum and Archives), David Webb (Parks Canada) CHAIR: Kathleen Powell (St. Catharines Museum and Welland Ignite: Karen VandenBrink (City of Waterloo Museum), Brian Canals Centre) Wood (Bell Homestead N.H.S.) MEMBERS: Brian Manser (Grey Roots Museum and Archives) and Paul Robertson (City of Kingston)

Awards Review Task Force: CHAIR: Tammy Adkin (Museum London) Conference 2011 Local Arrangements Committee: MEMBERS: Michèle Alderton (Red Lake Regional Heritage CHAIR: Libby Walker (Wellington County Museum and Centre), Annemarie Hagan (Museums of Mississauga), Archives) Patricia Hamilton (Huron County Museum & Historic Gaol), MEMBERS: Jinni Hartmann (City of Waterloo Museum), Katherine McCracken (Guelph Museums), Stephanie Powell- Katherine McCracken (Guelph Museums), Tom Reitz (Waterloo Baswick (Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum), Region Museum), Keri Solomon (Waterloo Region Museum), Melissa Wakeling (Glanmore N.H.S.) Karen VandenBrink, (City of Waterloo Museum) Awards of Excellence Committee: Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2 - Working Group: CHAIR: Cydna Mercer (Museum London) MEMBERS: Samantha George (Parkwood N.H.S.), Amanda MEMBERS: Dave Benson (Chatham-Kent Museum), Langis (Gallery Stratford), Meredith Leonard (St. Catharines Katie Urban (Museum of Ontario Archaeology), Meg Hamilton Museum and Welland Canals Centre), Devon Muhic (The Council of Heritage Organizations in ) (Scarborough Museum) Pictured left, Tom Reitz; Top right, Yves Théoret, and Gilles Séguin; Pictured clockwise, members of the Conference Program Committee: Clark Bernat, Bottom right, Kathleen Powell Marie Lalonde, Wayne Kelly, Libby Walker, David Webb and Mary Collier

Communicating the 7 Value of Museums

Provincial and Federal Scene: The Drummond Report and Ontario’s Finances:

The Ontario Museum Association played an active role in The Drummond Report released in February 2012 called for a keeping members up-to-date on developments in the sector, new fiscal approach to address the growing deficit. Of the 362 including the Provincial election in October 2011, as well as recommendations, a good number called for “improved the 2011 Federal election and the cultural policy platforms of service delivery and more efficient government services” seen the major political parties. by the non-profit sector as an opportunity to review current practices. The OMA also encouraged members to take advantage of these elections to raise awareness of the museum and herit- The section on "balancing the requirements of accountability age sector by inviting current MPPs, MPs and local candi- and efficiency for government operations" was of particular dates to museum events, and by offering to host all- interest to members across culture and heritage, especially as candidates meetings and other related opportunities. presented in the Report section titled Create Efficiencies in the Administration of Transfer Payment and Grant Programs. The Association circulated media reports and analyses, in- cluding a chart from The Arts Advocate, to provide members It was following the Partnership Project and the Drummond with a comparative overview of the varied cultural policy posi- reports and their recommendations to the Ontario government tions and pledges for each of Ontario and Canada’s major that the Joint Funding Reform Working Group (JFRWG) was political parties. This enabled museums and museum profes- established to explore the potential immediate and longer sionals to better understand planned policy directions. term changes that could be made to address improving effectiveness of government service delivery to clients in the Meeting throughout the year with funders and government non-profit sector. The Ontario Nonprofit Network (ONN) on stakeholders, the OMA maintained regular communications behalf of its members is lead on this group, and the OMA sits informing the membership of any legislative and policy devel- on the JFRWG, along with government ministries which include opments of impact on museums, while also providing feed- Finance, and Citizenship and Immigration. back to concerned ministries. Sector Update: The Association also maintained frequent e-news alerts and email communications to keep museums informed on the In the context of the 2011 provincial and federal elections, spring 2012 provincial and federal budgets and their and the resulting budget changes, the OMA offered an implications for the heritage and cultural sector, with Advocacy Update Session at the Annual Conference to assist information on funding cuts current and upcoming. members in staying informed on developments in the nation- al and provincial political scenes. Micheline McKay, Principal, Micheline McKay + Associates, and Lynn Eakin, Senior Policy Lead, Ontario Nonprofit Network, led a discussion about advocacy and policy in Ontario's cultural sector identifying strategies for cultural and non-profit sector policy changes, creating museum awareness in Ontario’s communities. As we move forward, the Association will maintain timely and consistent communications between members, the Associa- tion and external stakeholders, and provide access to the information and resources needed to maintain a knowledge- able museum sector.

Micheline McKay, Micheline McKay + Associates and Lynn Eakin, Senior Policy Lead, Ontario Nonprofit Network newsarticle.museumsontario.com/members/currently/ecurrentlyFebruary_2012.htm

2011 OMA Annual Conference November 2 – 4, 2011 8 Kitchener-Waterloo Delegates: 231 Trade Show Exhibitors: 28 The New Directions, New Visions Across Ontario panel offered Supporters / Partners: 21 insights on leadership from Janet Carding, Director and CEO of the Royal Ontario Museum, Guy Labine, CEO of , The 2011 OMA Annual Conference, Innovation Rooted in Victoria Dickenson, Director of the McMichael Canadian Art Community, was held in Kitchener-Waterloo November 2 - 4. Collection, and Denise Amyot, President and CEO of the Cana- Boasting one of the strongest programs to date and attended da Science and Technology Museums Corporation. Moderated by 250 museum professionals, students, volunteers and by Yves Théoret, OMA Vice President, the museum leaders stakeholders from across the province, the success of the spoke to their visions and priorities as they position their Annual Conference is credited to the outstanding work done institutions for the future. by the Program and Local Arrangements committees. Plenary speaker Rose Murray, a popular cookbook author, The Conference opened Wednesday evening with a reception broadcaster and teacher, engaged delegates in a lively presen- hosted at the City of Waterloo Museum where friends and tation on agricultural traditions of our food. Given the rich colleagues reconnected over refreshments. Awards of agricultural collections present in many Ontario community Excellence recipients and Certificate in Museum Studies museums, this presentation was a fitting tribute to innovation graduates were celebrated at the Awards Banquet hosted at in Ontario’s food traditions. the brand new Waterloo Region Museum. Our fast-paced Ignite session was a tremendous success! Delegates were invited to select from 12 concurrent Ignite gave nine speakers 5 minutes and 20 slides to sessions featuring topics on leadership, social networking, demonstrate their ideas and professional passions. Each slide visitor and volunteer engagement, publishing for small muse- was displayed for only 15 seconds and automatically moved ums, virtual visits, travelling exhibits, community partnerships forward, resulting in a fast-paced and dynamic presentation. and digital narratives. To assist delegates in selecting Ignite was the top-rated session as voted by delegates, and set appropriate Conference sessions, the OMA assigned an appropriate tone for a Conference devoted to innovation sessions to one of three streams: and dynamic thinking.

- Practicum/Hands-On Building on the success of past conferences, the 2011 OMA

- Community Partnerships Annual Conference exceeded delegate expectations due mostly to the high-quality of Conference sessions. Though all - Innovation concurrent sessions rated very high this year, there were several notable favourites among delegates, including: Alan Latourelle, Chief Executive Officer of Parks Canada, delivered the opening Keynote Address, communicating to • Innovation in Developing New Citizen Audiences delegates how Parks Canada successfully became a recog- • Use Social Networking to Your Advantage nized leader in Canadian tourism, governmental aboriginal • Virtual Visits: A How-To Guide relationships and conservation. Parks Canada marked its • Creating Digital Narratives for Galleries and Exhibitions 100th anniversary in 2011, and Mr. Latourelle’s presentation • Advocacy Update provided an appropriate launching point from which to The Conference closed with social and domestic historian discuss the past, present and future of museums in a Ruth Goodman (pictured), host of the TVOntario broadcast BBC changing world. series The Victorian Farm, The Edwardian Farm and The Victorian Pharmacy. Ruth delivered an engaging presentation that was made accessible to online audiences via the OMA YouTube channel, resulting in 1,586 unique views within the first three months of being New Directions, New Visions Panel Alan Latourelle, CEO, posted. Parks Canada Pictured mid-page L to R: Marie Lalonde, Executive Director, OMA; Janet Carding, Director and CEO, Royal Ontario Museum; Victoria Dickenson, Director , McMichael Canadian Art Collection

9 Celebrating Excellence

Awards of Excellence:

The Ontario Museum Association is pleased to acknowledge the people and organizations that have made significant contribu- tions to the museum community with the annual Awards of Excellence. Awards were presented at the 2011 OMA Annual Confer- ence Awards Banquet, hosted at the Waterloo Region Museum, by members of the Awards of Excellence Committee, Dave Benson (Chatham-Kent Museum), Katie Urban (Museum of Ontario Archaeology), and Meg Hamilton (The Council of Heritage Organizations in Ottawa), assisted by Kathleen Powell, OMA Past-President, Steven Davidson, Deputy Minister for the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport, and Marie Lalonde, OMA Executive Director. The recipients were: Bev Dietrich Award of Excellence for Lifetime Achievement Bev began her career at the Wellington County museum and Archives in 1983 and became the Curator at Guelph Museums in 1991, a position she continues to hold today. Bev has always worked with the local community to create relevant and engaging exhibits, and is one of the leading authorities on poet John McCrae. Bev has been a leader in the Ontario museum sector as the Course Director for the OMA’s Collections Management Certificate in Museum Studies course, and with her award winning Policy Manual for Guelph Museums.

Haldimand Museums Award of Excellence for WWI Educational Resources Using the digitized material on the Our Ontario website as a foundation, Haldimand Museums created a “one-stop-shop” educational resource for educators, students and other researchers that showcases the contributions of Haldimand County individuals and organizations involved in the Canadian war effort on a national and international level. In addition to the online resources, a printed manual was provided to all six branches of the Haldimand County Libraries and made available to the County’s twenty-one primary and secondary schools. The National Gallery of Canada and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art Award of Excellence for NGC @ MOCCA The exciting three year partnership between the National Gallery of Canada (NGC) and the Museum of Contemporary Canadian Art (MOCCA), NGC@MOCCA, began in 2010. Working in close collaboration, the two institutions co-organized and presented a series of exclusive exhibitions at MOCCA drawn from the NGC’s extensive Contemporary Art collection. The project has fostered an extensive amount of resource sharing and creativity through its emphasis on collaboration, bringing together leading contemporary art curators from both partner organizations and the area. Corporation of the City of Peterborough Award of Excellence for Corporate Service - City of Peterborough and Fleming College The City of Peterborough’s municipal museum, The Peterborough Museum & Archives (PMA), is the only museum in Canada that serves openly as a college campus. The opportunity for Fleming College students to learn museological and conservation theory and practice in situ is an unmatched and extraordinary asset. The PMA has served as the primary host site for Fleming College’s Museum Management and Curatorship and Collections Conservation and Management programs since 1994, with ad hoc partnerships going back to the 1970’s. The value of learning in a museum setting; interacting and engaging with museums audiences, collections, and staff, is invaluable to the students.

Creating Opportunities for Professional Development 10

The OMA works closely to support our membership in acquiring the skills and resources needed to adapt to change. The following are some of the professional development program highlights of the last fiscal year:

Certificate in Museum Studies (CMS): Supporting the Ministry of Culture Standards for Community Museums in Ontario, the following CMS courses were offered: Organization & Management of Exhibit Planning & Design Museums CMS course (Toronto) CMS course (Kitchener) Museums & Community, Joseph Schneider Haus Museum, Kitchener, April 4-6, 2011 CMOG Standards Resources Section: Course Director: Cathy Blackbourn During summer 2011, the OMA worked closely with Museum Collections Management, Online, May 2-June 25, 2011 and Heritage Programs Advisors from the Ministry of Tourism, Course Director: Bev Dietrich Culture and Sport to identify and provide resources to support museums in completing their Community Museums Operating Museums in Historic Buildings (Facilities Management), Grant (CMOG) Questionnaires and in the creation or revision of Museum London, London, June 1-3, 2011 policies dealing with Standards for Community Museums in Course Director: Bill Nesbitt Ontario. Launched in September 2011, the CMOG Standards Artifacts, Bruce County Museum, Southampton, June 20-22, Resources section at the OMA website includes selected 2011 sample policies from OMA Members, and links to online Course Director: Cindy Colford tipsheets, tools, guidelines and templates. Organization & Management of Museums, Polish Combatants Pre-Conference Study Tours: Hall, Toronto, September 20-22, 2011 Course Director: Shanna Dunlop Preceding the 2011 OMA Annual Conference, the OMA and Local Arrangements Committee in Kitchener-Waterloo Education Programs, Brockville Museum, October 3-5, 2011 offered the following study tours: Course Director: Melissa Wakeling Behind the Scenes at the Waterloo Region Museum Care of Collections, Online, Sept-Nov 2011 In November 2011, the new Waterloo Region Museum opened Course Director: Fiona Graham its doors to the public. Regional staff and consultants shared Museums in Context, Correspondence, Jan-Mar 2012 their behind-the-scenes experience on the innumerable Course Director: Shanna Dunlop changes that began several years prior and continue to take place as the museum reinvents itself. Exhibit Planning & Design, Waterloo Region Museum, Kitchener, March 5-7, 2012 Education Programs Meet the Curriculum Course Director: Phil Dietrich This study tour for educators and audience developers high- lighted programs from several sites, including Waterloo Region The Association is proud to acknowledge and congratulate the Museum, Homer Watson House and Gallery, Cambridge following 2011 Certificate in Museum Studies Graduates: Butterfly Conservatory, Cambridge Galleries, The Clay and Jeanette Elliot Glass, and Woodside National Historic Site. Dorothy Gebert Bricks, Mortar & Wifi: Waterloo-Wellington Network Nancy Marr This tour highlighted renovations and new builds within the Kathryn Plunkett Waterloo-Wellington Museums and Art Galleries Network, Gordon Robinson including Region of Waterloo Archives, Joseph Scheider Haus Doug Smith Museum & Gallery, Wellington County Museum and Susan Warner Archives, Guelph Museums, Cambridge Centre for the Arts, and McDougall Cottage.

New OMA Professional Development wordmark introduced in February, 2012

Creating Opportunities for 11 Professional Development

Accessibility Symposium: Learning Lab Winter Learning Series:

The Ontario Museum Association presented the Accessibility The OMA offered its first learning series in the new Learning Symposium in partnership with the Royal Ontario Museum Lab, an innovative training environment that provides and the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario (ADO — Ministry of Ontario’s museum and heritage workers, students, life-long Community and Social Services). learners and volunteers, with specialized training using technology. On-site workshops, webinars and blended This symposium brought together museum practitioners, learning opportunities were offered to 144 individuals. students, and organizations working to improve accessibility December 19, 2011: Accessibility Webinar in the community, to share best practices and innovative Presenter: Constance Exley programming in museums to meet and exceed the accessibility standards of the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Participants heard from speakers, artists, experts and practi- tioners, participated in roundtable discussions, and were able to ask questions directly to representatives of the Accessibility Directorate of Ontario.

Video presentations will be available online in late 2012. January 11, 2012: Collections Digitization (In-Lab) Instructor: OMA staff

January 25, 2012: Intro to Collections Database Management (In-Lab) Instructor: OMA staff

January 25, 2012: Collections Database Customization and Media Management (In-Lab) Judith Snow, Artist Ben Sommers and Darren Cooney, Instructor: OMA staff ADO February 8, 2012: Intro to Podcasting Part 1 (Webinar and In-Lab) Instructor: Sarah Beam-Borg, Bata Shoe Museum

February 8, 2012: Intro to Podcasting Part 2 (In-Lab) Instructor: Sarah Beam-Borg, Bata Shoe Museum

February 8, 2012: Effectively Using Social Media in Your Museum (Webinar) Instructor: Katie Urban, Museum of Ontario Archaeology Christine Karcza (Christine Karcza Roundtable Sessions Consulting) February 23, 2012: Collections Digitization (In-Lab) Instructor: OMA staff

March 8, 2012: Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 1 (Webinar) Instructor: OMA staff

March 14, 2012 (Webinar) & March 21 (In-Lab): Digital Storytelling in Museums Parts 2 & 3 Instructor: OMA staff Constance Exley, Moderator Morgan Ineson (CNIB), Doris Van (Consultant., Accessibility Ontario) Den Brekel (AGO) and Hailey Yates (Station Gallery, Whitby)

Jill Bremner and Kathy Downs, OMA Special Projects Assistant, edit a video in Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2 in The Learning Lab

Reinforcing Relevance in the New Digital Economy 12

Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2:

Working with the Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN), the OMA was pleased to extend a new resource to members, Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2, which provides step-by-step instructions on how to edit and publish short video for the web. This resource will equip members with skills needed to increase accessibility to the stories and collections that make up Ontario’s rich history and heritage. A working group composed of museum professionals reviewed and provided feedback on the resource. OMA staff and participants of The Learning Lab’s inaugural workshop, Outreach to New and Emerging Museum Professionals: Collections Digitization, on January 11, 2012 Continuing the tradition of reaching out to new and emerging e-Learning Demonstration: professionals, the Association delivered a Collections Digitiza- tion Workshop at Centennial College for the Cultural Heritage On October 24, OMA staff demonstrated its online courses and Site Management program on October 13, 2011. and delivery platform at the ICOM International Committee for A group discount was also extended to the program’s 15 the Training of Personnel’s (ICTOP) Annual Conference in students to help them attend the OMA Annual Conference. Toronto. Delegates were presented with an overview of the OMA’s e-learning processes and offerings, as well as a walk-

through of the various online platforms and modules used by the OMA to deliver synchronous and asynchronous learning. Social Media:

As a result of OMA Facebook and YouTube usage, the On October 18, OMA staff were invited to the University of Association’s website visits reached a monthly average of Toronto’s Masters in Museum Studies (MMSt) internship over 7,000 users, 1,000 more than the 2010-11 monthly presentations and poster sessions, and participated in an average. The OMA created and posted 13 videos to its official Associations Networking event planned by the University’s YouTube channel, resulting in a total of 2269 unique views. iSchool on November 23. 50 first and second year MMST The OMA Facebook page, created at the end February 2012, students were also offered free admission to the Accessibility received over 100 likes by March 2012. Symposium.

iMuseum Proceedings: New Public Website - Coming Fall 2012: The iMuseum: New Tools for New & Traditional Audiences symposium was delivered in March 2011 in collaboration Thanks to funding from the provincial Museums and Technol- with the Ontario Association of Art Galleries (OAAG). The ogy Fund and the Canada Interactive Fund, the OMA plans to online iMuseum Proceedings were made available to upgrade its website's technical infrastructure and develop a members at the OMA website in the Publications section in new public-focused website to promote Ontario's museums. February 2012. The iMuseum Proceedings included The Discover Ontario Museums public website, available in roundtable summaries in both English and French, Fall 2012, will replace the existing online Guide to Ontario presentations, slide decks, and handouts. Those who could Museums, and feature rich member listings complete with not participate in the iMuseum symposium can still benefit interactive maps, photographs, video and audio files, and will from the wealth of knowledge exchanged during the event. improve search functionality to increase traffic to listings and ultimately to OMA Member institutions, adding value to their web investments. Discover today at www.museumsontario.ca

Our Partners 14

The Ontario Museum Association would like to acknowledge the generous support of our members, donors, partners, The Learning Lab campaign supporters and funders. Thank You! Donors to the OMA and to The Learning Lab: 2011 Conference Partners: Amyn Adatia Sally Kirszbaum Museum of Contemporary Canadian 1812 Alive! Art (MOCCA) Tammy Adkin Cara Krmpotich Armstrong Fine Art Services Moriyama & Teshima Michèle Alderton Jansten Labagnao Canada Science and Technology Museum PACART Burns Anderson Marie Lalonde Canadian Museum of Civilization Corp. Posmosis Technologies Chris Bagley Emanuele Lepri Carr McLean Total Transportation Services Victoria Beaulieu Dennis Lloyd City of Waterloo Museum Vilnis Cultural Design Works Clark Bernat Aiyanna Maracle Dundurn Group Waterloo Region Museum Claude Blouin Nancy Marr Heather Young and Associates Waterloo-Wellington Museum Network Gilles-Philippe Blouin Micheline McKay McMichael Canadian Art Collection XYZ CULTURAL TECHNOLOGY Maggie Blouin Pearl Cydna B. Mercer Minisis Inc. Zone Display Cases Rebecca Blundon Susan Murdock Pierre Bois Bill Nesbitt 2011 Professional Development Program Hosts: Marty Brent Daniel O'Brien Brockville Museum, Brockville (CMS) Bruce County Museum, Southampton (CMS) Carrie Brooks-Joiner Maria Piacente Jennifer Bullock Kathleen Powell Joseph Schneider Haus Museum, Kitchener (CMS) Madeleine Callaghan Kevin Puddister Museum London, London (CMS) Diane Chaperon-Lor Catherine Reilly Polish Combatants Hall, Toronto (CMS) Rita Cheechoo Catherine Richards Royal Ontario Museum, Toronto (Accessibility Symposium) Maureen Couse William Seabrooke Waterloo Region Museum, Kitchener (CMS) John Dalrymple Gilles Séguin FUNDING RECEIVED: Bev Dietrich Jay Shoemaker Mark Farmer Anne Sinclair Provincial: Lawrence Fleece Rolande Smith Ministry of Tourism, Culture and Sport: • Provincial Heritage Organization Grant (PHO): Operating Mary Gladwin Susan Spagnuolo Olga Goussev-Sushinsky Tina Spagnuolo • Museums & Technology Fund: Building Ontario’s Digital Heritage: From Rebecca Gunness Robert Stanczyk Content Creation to Publication (The Learning Lab and Discover Ontario Patricia Hamilton Victor Styrno Museums public website) Shiloh Harrison Yves Théoret • Summer Experience: contract Brian Hendrick Jennifer Tymowski Federal: Sue Hobson Karen VandenBrink Department of Canadian Heritage: Margaret Villneff Sandra Hyduk • Museums Assistance Program (MAP): Certificate in Museum Studies Vern Johansson Elora Vink Program, Accessibility Symposium, Ruth Goodman Workshop, Study Tours Ian Kerr-Wilson Glenn Williams Chatham-Kent Black Historical Society • Canada Interactive Fund (CIF): Discover Ontario Museums public website Combermere Heritage Committee • Canadian Heritage Information Network (CHIN): Mystus Exhibits Digital Storytelling in Museums Part 2 Conference Photos by Katie Shoemaker • Young Canada Works: internships