NEWSLETTER

Volume 8, #2                       August 26, 2005
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DENVER MEETINGS

TENTATIVE DENVER AGENDA 

1. Call to Order
2. Introductions
3. Approval of the Tucson Meeting Minutes
4. Treasurers Report
5. Membership Report
6. SMMP Grant Program
7. Collections/Curators Committee Report
8. Education Comm. Denver exhibit, Tucson exhibit & program
9. New Business

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PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

I hope everyone had an enjoyable and productive summer. Fall has arrived in some places and the Denver Show beckons us in a couple of weeks. Ive always thought of the Denver Show as marking the transition from summer to fall. Speaking of transitions, I think that should be our topic of conversation at the next meeting.

We have seen and heard rumors about a number of museum collections and curators in transition this year including one curator in particular, Anna Domitrovic. Anna sent a note to the board informing us of her impending retirement from the Arizona-Sonora Museum in mid-September. As treasurer of the SMMP, since I can remember, Anna has served our society admirably. She will be attending the Denver Show so be sure to congratulate her when you see her and wish her well into the next transition.

The Denver Museum of Natural History and Science has been advertising for a new mineral curator although none have been identified yet to my knowledge. Perhaps we will hear something at the meeting. The Weinman Museum (Georgia) recently hired a new curator, Julian Gray. Julian is well known in southeastern US mineral circles and looks to be a fine addition to their facility. Finally, the Philadelphia Academy remains without a curator and the status collection is still in limbo. New rumors, real and imagined, continue to emanate from that situation. I will share what I know about this and other collections issues at the meeting.

Finally, with transition as the topic, I would like the membership to know that I will be completing my tenure as president at Tucson this year. Ive served in this capacity for 3 years and think it is time for some new ideas and leadership. My own professional obligations have increased to the point it is becoming difficult to do other things on the side. It has been a pleasure to serve the membership and I dont want to shirk responsibility by being too busy.

I look forward to seeing you in Denver.

Virgil Lueth, President

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COLLECTIONS POLICY PROJECT

At the 2004 Tucson SMMP meeting, there was a call for compiling Museum Collections Policies. Patty Frisch kindly volunteered to head up this project. The policies of responding institutions are posted on the SMMP website at: http://www.smmp.net/rept-policies.htm.

If you want your museum policy online, please send the URL to Patty Frisch and she will add it to the collection. Otherwise you are welcome to email it to her at plfrisch@nmt.edu or send a paper copy.

Patty Frisch
New Mexico Bureau of Geology Mineral Museum
New Mexico Tech
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, NM  87801, USA

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SMMP LIST SERVER

You are encouraged to interact with your fellow SMMP members via our list server:

smmp@listserv.nhm.org

Please remember that when you reply to an email sent via our list server, you will be replying to the sender, although you have the option of copying the membership.

Tony Kampf will continue to process additions to and deletions from the list server. That way we can limit the list to our membership and if a member decides that they want to be dropped from the list, Tony will know whether to send them the SMMP Newsletter by snail mail. Note that henceforth you will only be able to send via the list server by using your email address that is on the list server. This should be the same one that is used in our on-line roster.

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Click on the links below to go to the minutes:

MINUTES OF THE TUCSON MEETING
February 2005

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SMMP AFFILIATIONS

American Geological Institute (AGI)
Committee openings:
Government Affairs Program
International Geoscience Advisory Committee

Natural Science Collections Alliance NSCA)

Although the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals maintains no official ties with the Commission on Museums (CM) of the International Mineralogical Association (IMA), the Commission resolved at its December, 2000, meeting in Melbourne, Australia, to support SMMP's efforts in uniting mineral museum professionals worldwide.

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Colorado School of Mines
Dedication Reception

A ribbon-cutting and dedication reception for the Betty H. Llewellyn Special Exhibit Room at the Geology Museum of the Colorado School of Mines will be held on Wednesday night, September 14, 2005, from 7 10 p.m. The facility is located at 1310 Maple Street in Golden, Colorado.  Hors doeuvres, cash bar and silent auction will be available.

The Museum is located across from the Steinhauer Field House. A detailed CSM map is available at www.mines.edu/csm_maps/. For further information, contact: Paul Bartos (303) 273-3823 or pbartos@mines.edu.

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smmp grant program

Awards are to support curatorial research and methodologies that address one or more of the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals (SMMP) mission statement goals: 1) foster recognition of mineral science collections as essential scientific, educational and cultural resources, 2) promote support for growth, maintenance and use of collections and exhibits and, 3) advance museum practice through cooperation in the development, review and dissemination of information. Amounts vary up to a maximum of $1000 per grant. Grant awards determined by SMMP Board of Directors. Grant applications are available on request.

GENERAL RULES

1. Society of Mineral Museum Professionals grants are awarded to museum curators or staff who are members of the SMMP or under the guidance of an SMMP member. Proposals from sponsored students are considered along with those from professional curators.

2. A final report providing results of the project and including an accounting of grant funding expenditures is required. Portions of the report deemed to be of general interest to SMMP members may be published in the SMMP Newsletter.

3. Funds are intended for equipment, staffing, travel and/or supplies to accomplish the tasks defined by the proposal. Money will not be provided for specimen acquisition.

4. At the beginning of each fiscal year, the amount to be allocated to grants during that year will be decided by the Board of Directors. The number of grants awarded during that year will be limited by the funds allocated.

5. The funds available for grants will be decided annually, based on the recommendation of the Treasurer. Individual grant amounts are limited to a maximum of $1,000 per grant.

6. The Board of Directors will evaluate the proposals and determine the amount to be awarded to each successful proposal.

7.  The grant funding cycle begins in February after the Tucson meeting. Applications can be made anytime within the fiscal year. Grant proposals are due by August 1^st with a October 1 funding decision.

8. Projects should be completed within a year of grant award. Projects can be extended an additional year, without additional funding, by notifying the Board of Directors and providing a budget report.

REQUIREMENTS FOR TEXT FORMAT OF PROPOSALS & LETTERS OF REFERENCE

Text Format of Proposals

1. Summary of the proposed work (1 paragraph 200 words maximum)

2. Problem/purpose of study

3. Scope of study

4. Previous studies

5. Plan of study

6. Methods of study

7. Potential publications or presentations at professional meetings

8. Itemized budget; items should be clearly identified and described in the text;

9. List of references cited in the proposal

Reference Letters (at least 2 required)

1. If a student or intern, at least one letter of reference must be from the students advisor, stating the intent to supervise the project.

2. At least one letter of reference must be from a current member of the SMMP.

3. Letters should describe the significance of the proposed research.

4. Letters should comment on the adequacy of the purpose and scope of the study, of the plan of study, and of the methods of study with respect to the mission of the SMMP.

EVALUATION PROCESS

Proposals are to be evaluated and independently ranked by each member of the SMMP Board of Directors. Each member of the board is free to use their own judgment in evaluating proposals beyond the general guidelines given above. Any board member that provides a letter of reference is ineligible to evaluate that proposal. The board will strongly consider well thought-out proposals and innovative proposals not apt to receive conventional support. Proposal writers should consider the following:

1. Is the scope of proposed work compatible with the time frame proposed?

2. Does the proposal tie-in to ongoing work of curatorial significance?

3. Does the proposal have the potential for making a contribution in one or more of the SMMP mission statements?

4. A bibliography of the applicants publications.

5. A list of potential publications or papers presented at professional meetings.

6. Applicants participation and contributions to the SMMP and curation community.

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TRACKING DUES

SMMP dues are $10.00 U.S., payable to Anna Domitrovic, treasurer, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ, 85743. Any directory changes or additions should be sent to Tony Kampf. In Europe, dues can be remitted to Peter Davidson, National Museums of Scotland, Chambers Street, Edinburgh EH1 1JF, SCOTLAND.

Note that you can check your dues payment status on the SMMP on-line roster. The year shown in the last column indicates the last year for which you have paid. If you are delinquent, please remit your dues payment as soon as possible.