Stakeholder input was organized into a few key initiatives that are now compiled into the Phase II Survey.  The purpose of the Phase II Survey is to seek your help in prioritizing the proposed actions and further refine how the action items might be implemented. Who should be involved? Who has resources to contribute? Is someone already addressing the proposed action? Are there proposed solutions you wish to add to the list?  Can you help implement some of the initiatives?

To complete the Phase II survey online, go to: http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=m0aHDCpKRDmCB3ArpOsIR8i8KRzad1FiSAbNIWc%2fDm0%3d&

To download a paper copy, go to: http://www.odl.state.ok.us/oar/docs/Cultural-Heritage-Survey-2.pdf

Responses received before March 1 will be included in a report that will be presented at the 2010 Cultural Summit II statewide meetings scheduled for:                                                                     

• March 22, Harwelden, Tulsa - District 1
• March 24, Waynoka Historical Society Museum, Waynoka - District 3
• March 26, Santa Fe Railroad Museum, Shawnee - District 5
• March 29, Will Rogers Memorial Museum, Claremore - District 2
• March 31, Sarkeys Foundation, Norman - District 4

There is a small registration fee of $10 per person, which includes lunch and materials. There will be a program on “Writing a Collections Plan” as part of the meeting.  To register online, visit https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=W035893

If you completed the online survey above, you may register for $5.00.  This discounted registration can only be processed through completing this registration form and sending it to the OMA office.

At the conclusion of the Cultural Summit II meetings, a formal Cultural Heritage Preservation Plan will be developed and implementation activities commenced. Survey respondents who indicate they can help will be invited to serve on a statewide implementation committee.  We look forward to receiving your comments.

View preliminary meeting agenda here.

The two-day MARC Course will be offered at the Tulsa Historical Society.  The course will be from 9:00am-4:00pm each day.  Scholarships available for OMA members.  Lunch is on your own. 

Register online

OKMADA Meeting February 10 – Tips for Finding Available Grant Funds for Small Museums
Standing Professional Committee Oklahoma Membership and Development Association Mid-Winter Meeting and Program will be at the Harn Homestead, Oklahoma City.  The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch.  The registration deadline is January 30. 

The Fifth Annual Mid-Winter Meeting of the Oklahoma Membership and Development Association (OKMADA) will be held on Wednesday, February 10 from 11am-2pm at the Harn Homestead Museum, Oklahoma City. The presenter will be Melyn Johnson of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department, Cultural & Heritage Programs.  She will discuss finding available grant funds for small museums.  Ms. Johnson has extensive grant writing experience, and will be answer OKMADA member questions following her presentation.

Attendees will enjoy food, networking, business meeting and information. Who should attend: staff and volunteers; membership managers; development directors; executive directors; grant writers; anyone interested in fundraising. OKMADA annual dues are $10, in addition to regular OMA membership dues. OKMADA provides an avenue for members of the museum community to share ideas and discuss issues associated with membership and development. OKMADA promotes communication among museum membership coordinators and development officers. OKMADA members enjoy an increased awareness of national and regional philanthropic trends and important legislation, and help promote the high professional standards of the fundraising profession. Membership is open to the museum community with the goal of furthering the museum development profession. OKMADA also has an online discussion list.

OKME Meeting February 19 – Creative Connections in the Cultural Community: Museums and Perceived Public Value
Standing Professional Committee Oklahoma Museum Educators Mid-Winter Meeting and Seminar will be at the Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City. The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch.  The registration deadline is February 9. 

The Fifteenth Annual Mid-Winter Meeting and Seminar of the Oklahoma Museums Educators (OKME) will be held on Friday, February 19 from 11am-3pm at the Oklahoma History Center, Oklahoma City. The presenter will be Ruth Ann Rugg, Executive Director of the Texas Association of Museums. Ms. Rugg will discuss how museum educators play an important role in community engagement. By seeking creative connections with others in the cultural community, museum educators build on positive perceptions of the museum’s public value. Collaboration is smart business—especially in an economic downturn. Beyond the immediate results, creative partnerships can also strengthen a museum’s position for future development. Hear how effective museum educators identify their assets, share resources, and contribute to a museum’s growth. 

Attendees will enjoy food, networking, business meeting and information. Who should attend: staff and volunteers; museum educators; anyone responsible for or interested in developing adult, children and school programs; volunteer coordinators; museum docents and volunteers. OKME annual dues are $10, in addition to regular OMA membership dues. OKME represents the concerns and needs of museum educators within OMA by participating in policy and decision-making discussions at the statewide level and by selecting and planning programs for annual state and regional meetings. OKME promotes communication among museum educators statewide through an annual luncheon and mailings. OKME encourages high professional standards for museum educators, advocates the support of museums and their educational purpose, and promotes excellence in museum learning. Membership is open to anyone concerned with museum learning, research, evaluation of programs, and/or exhibition development. OKME also has an online discussion list.

OKNAMPA Meeting February 26 – Indian Tourism Association
Standing Professional Committee Oklahoma Native American Museum Professionals Mid-Winter Meeting and Program. Citizen-Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center, Shawnee.  The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch. The registration deadline is February 16. 

The Second Annual Mid-Winter Meeting and Program of the Oklahoma Native American Museum Professionals (OKNAMPA) will be held on Friday, February 26 from 11am-2pm at the Citizen-Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center, Shawnee.  The program will be on the newly formed Indian Tourism Association and how they are working with tribes, communities and museums to build tourism initiatives and generate travel through strategic partnerships and education.

Attendees will enjoy food, networking, business meeting and information. Who should attend: anyone interested in Native American collections, museums, cultural centers and issues. OKNAMPA annual dues are $10, in addition to regular OMA membership dues. OKNAMPA provides information and educational opportunities for museum professionals, decision-makers and the general public based on Native American approaches, viewpoints, values, histories, cultures, religions and life-ways. OKNAMPA also has an online discussion list.

OKRA Meeting March 1 - Endangered or Threatened Species in the Museum Collection
Standing Professional Committee Oklahoma Registrars Association Mid-Winter Meeting and Program will be at the Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden, Oklahoma City. The registration fee is $25 and includes lunch.  The registration deadline is February 19. 

The Eighth Annual Mid-Winter Meeting and Program of the Oklahoma Registrars Association (OKRA) will be held on Monday, March 1 from 11am-2pm at the Oklahoma City Zoological Park and Botanical Garden, Oklahoma City.  The presenter will be Robert Fleenor and Matt Bryant.  Mr. Fleenor is Assistant Chief of Law Enforcement for the Oklahoma Department of Wildlife Conservation and  Mr. Bryant is Special Agent of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.  They will speak on how museums should handle endangered or threatened species or their products in the museum collections. They also will discuss the laws and permits required and answer any questions OKRA  members may have in regards to specific situations at their institutions.

Attendees will enjoy food, networking, business meeting and information. Who should attend: registrars; collections staff and volunteers; curators; anyone interested in museum collections management and care. OKRA annual dues are $10, in addition to regular OMA membership dues. OKRA is dedicated to enhancing the professional development of the members of the museum community through support of workshops and the distribution of information. OKRA members maintain a statewide network for registrars, collection managers, and other museum staff and volunteers interested in the management and documentation of collections. OKRA also has an online discussion list.

DONATE NOW BY CLICKING HERE

The Oklahoma Museums Association (OMA), a non-profit 501(c)3 organization, has been fulfilling the mission of supporting museums with their efforts to educate, inform and entertain since 1972. OMA is a valuable resource to museums as they serve their communities. With the tax year coming to a close, OMA is asking individuals, institutions and businesses to assist in OMA’s efforts to serve the museum community by making a tax-deductible contribution of $100, $250, $500 or more to the annual campaign for support.

OMA is the primary provider of information and professional development to the staff, student interns, volunteers and governing boards for Oklahoma’s 500+ museums, historical societies, historic sites, zoos and botanical gardens, historic houses, living history museums, tribal cultural centers and other museum-related institutions. Oklahoma is truly blessed to have so many cultural treasures, which you and your family will continue to enjoy for years to come!

OMA currently has over 500 members, is governed by a 23-member board of directors and is headquartered in Oklahoma City. OMA is regarded by its peers as one of the most active state museum associations in the country. The Oklahoma Museums Association serves a diverse audience.

Among other programming, here are a few highlights that your donation will help support for the upcoming year:
Regional Workshops
District Meetings 
Museum Accessioning and Registration of Collections (MARC) Course
Museum Education Workshops
Oklahoma Museums Week
Standing Professional Committee Programs:
Oklahoma Museum Educators
Oklahoma Registrars Association
Oklahoma Membership and Development Association
Oklahoma Native American Professionals Association
Membership and Development Seminars
Statewide Conference with keynote sessions, educational sessions and an awards ceremony
M!X Networking Events
OMA offers programs and services to meet the following needs of Oklahoma museums: 1) provide professional services to museums; 2) build networks among members and potential partnering organizations; 3) promote professional growth; 4) encourage public awareness of the value of museums, and 5) serve as an advocate throughout the state on behalf of museums.

Please assist OMA in serving the museum community and improving the quality of life of all Oklahomans! All there is to do is to donate online at https://payments.auctionpay.com/ver3/?id=W035894. OMA appreciates your continued support of museums, arts, humanities and culture in our great state of Oklahoma.

P.S. Your donation supports the much needed OMA educational programs. Remember, your donation is tax deductible to the extent allowed by law. If you would like to know more about the Oklahoma Museums Association, please view the Web site or call the office at 405.424.7757. OMA welcomes an opportunity to visit with you.

Oklahoma Department of Tourism and Recreation to Offer Free Sustainable Travel Workshops
ECO 411: The Buzz on Oklahoma's Sustainable Travel Program 
 
Oklahoma's sustainable travel program, ECO - Encouraging Conservation in Oklahoma - will be hosting a series of free workshops across the state. ECO's mission is to promote, educate and encourage sustainable travel in Oklahoma. The workshops will focus on certification, education and marketing options available to the tourism industry through ECO.
           
"Now more than ever, travelers are looking for green options and the ECO program meets that need," said Hardy Watkins, executive director of the Oklahoma Tourism and Recreation Department. "These workshops will allow our tourism industry to learn how to engage in the ECO program through certification, marketing opportunities and educational components."
 
The workshop, ECO 411: The Buzz on Oklahoma's Sustainable Travel Program, will provide information on the certification ECO offers for the tourism industry. Participants will also gain insight into the marketing components offered through the ECO program, plus additional education about sustainable travel and the efforts going on in the participants' community. The timing of this program is relevant as recent studies showed that 51 percent of travelers will continue to make green travel choices even during an economic downturn.  Read more or register.