REUNITING WITH RISK: A DAY AT THE MMST50 UNCONFERENCE

Letter from the Editor | Jordan Fee 

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In 1969, a small group of students gathered in the Royal Ontario Museum as part of a new program offered by the University of Toronto. The program itself was named Museum Studies, and it sought to prepare a new generation of museologists through direct, hands-on training in a cultural institution. Little did they know that 50 years later, this small, specialized program would grow into a thriving community of alumni that stretches across the globe.

The Official Logo of the MMSt50 Conference

Last week, the Museum Studies program celebrated its 50th anniversary in the Claude T. Bissel building, which has housed the program since the year 2006. Students and professionals of all ages were invited to engage with one another in a series of workshops and discussions in the Inforum. 

Although everyone was happy to be in such an enthusiastic group, the conference was not fluffy or wistful. Rather than simply using this occasion as a platform for blind optimism, the MMSt50 committee – led by alumni Melissa Smith – chose to center this special day around the topic of risk. More specifically, the event attempted to shed light on how museums can become more open to risk, and how we as museum professionals can create environments where risk is encouraged.

Faculty Dean Wendy Duff addresses the crowd at the beginning of the Unconference.
Photograph courtesy of Jordan Fee.

To begin the day, participants engaged in a series of discussions about the definition of risk, which was followed by a rapid-fire series of discussions, each of which were led by a specific museum professional. These facilitators came from a wide variety of backgrounds, from historic houses, to municipal government, to the world of business and marketing. Cheryl Blackman, Director of Museum and Heritage Services for the City of Toronto, brought some incredible energy to these discussions, encouraging all of the participants to surround themselves with people who they can trust. It seems like taking risks becomes much easier when you can rely on your team for advice, support and hard work.

There were also commentators who chose to speak about risks not only facing museums, but also the human population at large. The MMSt50 celebration took place on the same day as the Global Climate strike, which saw an unbelievable turnout in Toronto. Doug Worts, who bills himself as a Culture and Sustainability Expert, took to the floor to ask pressing questions, such as “What cultural impacts are museums trying to achieve?” and “How might we change our actions to make a greater impact outside of our institutions?” 

A group of students, alumni and faculty members discuss risk at the roundtable.
Photograph courtesy of Jordan Fee.

As the day went on, more and more people got in touch with one another, and became more comfortable with bringing new ideas to the table. A group exercise led by Cara Krmpotich,  Director of the Museum Studies program, asked the group to make commitments about the kinds of risks that they would take after returning to their respective places of work. More importantly, this exercise asked other people in the room to commit their own time and resources to helping others in the room to take risks. This led to an extensive conversation about precarious work in museums, support groups and professional development events. There was an exciting energy pulsating in this room, and it was quite apparent that new bonds were being formed as we spoke. 

To cap off this exciting day, Katherine Ott, curator at the National Museum of American History, gave an incredible talk about risk, inclusion, power and memory in museums. Some of the most impactful statements made by Ott were related to museums as places of healing, therapy and wellbeing for those who have experienced past traumas. 

Katherine Ott at the Royal Ontario.
Photograph courtesy of Jordan Fee.

In keeping with the theme of risk, Ott was careful not to spare words about the brutal nature of the world today. The lecture was inspiring in a way that few others can be. In the end, this talk reminded us that we are all much more powerful when we support one another, and that we can make a difference if we pool our resources. In the words of Katherine Ott: “Just be your beautiful selves! We’re all in this together.”

MOVING FORWARD WITH BOLDNESS: RISK, REDEFINITION AND RESERVATION IN THE MUSEUM

Jordan Fee | Weekend Edition

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Risk in a professional setting is often perceived as something unwanted – something to avoid at all costs. We want to be calculated in our decisions, and to be sure of their successes. Rather than seeking risk out, many of us choose to cast doubt upon it.

Such is the mythology of risk.

However, on February 7th, the Museum Studies Students Association (MUSSA) took yet another step towards dispelling such myths. As part of the 50th Anniversary of the Museum Studies Program (MMSt50), MUSSA invited four incredible panelists – Jim Shedden (Manager of Publishing at the Art Gallery of Ontario), Shaniqua Liston (Operations Manager at Kingston Penitentiary Tours), Kathleen Brown (Chief Operating Officer of Lord Cultural Resources), and Karen Carter (Founding Executive Director of Myseum of Toronto) - to speak on their respective approaches to risk in professional settings.

From left to right: Melissa Smith (Moderator), Shaniqua Liston, Jim Shedden, Kathleen Brown and Karen Carter.
Photograph courtesy of Kesang Nanglu. 

Guided by moderator Melissa Smith, the panelists riffed and responded to questions such as: How do you define risk in your own setting? What is the biggest risk that you have taken in your career? and do types of museums tend to take more risks than others?

"At Kingston Penitentiary, we try to do something new everyday." -Shaniqua Liston
Photograph courtesy of Kesang Nanglu.

While we tend to think of risk as something that is intensely consequential, each of the speakers took time to underline - and celebrate - the smaller risks that are taken by a number of institutions on a daily basis. Speaking of the tours provided at the Kingston Penitentary, Shaniqua Liston noted that risk in her institution generally requires a constant negotiation with her visitors, each of whom bring their own unique perspectives to the institution’s history. Kathleen Brown also shed some light on this endeavour, noting how she, as an entrepreneur, takes risks everyday when consulting with her clients. Adding some humour to this discussion, Jim Shedden noted how in the museum business, many risks are in fact taken for us, rather than by us.

A member of the audience asks the panelists a question. Photograph courtesy of Kesang Nanglu.

So, it is clear that there is such as thing as risk-in-practice. However, as we know, taking risks isn’t only about acting, it’s also a question of approach. Many of the panelists spoke about a psychological approach to risk-taking, noting how important it is to prepare both ourselves and others for risk. Karen Carter offered some particularly insightful comments on her mental approach to risk-taking, where convincing others to take risks usually requires “translating a road-map” that she has already planned out in her head.

Ultimately, much of the discussion revolved around negotiating with risk. Some institutions can take bigger risks than others, and some are much more risk averse when it comes to exhibitions and collections. Also, some professionals in the field might have a much different understanding of risk, associating it with failure and loss, rather than excitement and learning.

Following the panel, attendees enjoyed food, drink and conversation. Photograph courtesy of Kesang Nanglu.

While museums may seem like calculated reservoirs of information and knowledge, we should all try to break the mold of purely logical thinking. Yes, we all want to be successful professionals, and rightly so. But being a successful museum professional isn’t just about following past practices; it's also about establishing new practices that help to extend the power of the museum and reach new audiences. Risk is about thinking outside of the box, being bold, and overall, getting outside of your comfort zone. Speaking of her own practice, Karen Carter noted how she is most comfortable when she is uncomfortable. (“I abhor comfort.”) I believe that we should all take a page out of her book, and approach situations that unnerve us and challenge our beliefs.

MMSt 2018: THESIS PROJECTS

RESEARCH COLUMN

BY: SERENA YPELAAR

Hello Musings readers! This special post is the first in a series of installments featuring the work of the MMSt Class of 2018. This weekend, we're catching up with our brilliant thesis students to see what research they've been working on for their degree. Read on below to hear about their projects!

The​ ​Future​ ​of​ ​the​ ​Past:​ ​Third-Party​ ​Heritage​ ​Preservation​ ​Interventions​ ​and 3D​ ​Printing Technologies
Sydney Stewart Rose

Supervisor: Dr. Cara Krmpotich
Second reader: Dr. Seamus Ross, former Dean of the iSchool

Dry-dusting at work, where I specialize in intellectual property rights and copyright laws (a key aspect of my thesis research). Photo courtesy of Sydney Stewart Rose.

My project examines the use of 3D printing technologies in projects which seek to recreate cultural property destroyed in Syria by ISIS. I was really interested in thinking about the ways these types of projects may create new heritage narratives or potentially contribute to colonizing narratives. I’ve been looking at three high profile cases which use 3D printing technologies to restore cultural property destroyed by ISIS. I’m using them to create a framework to consider how these types of projects may actually contribute to colonizing narratives and offer insight into a decolonizing approach to third-party heritage intervention projects.

Close to Home: Alberta’s Local Museums on Canada’s Cultural Landscape

Kristen McLaughlin 

Supervisor: Dr. Cara Krmpotich
Second reader: Siobhan Stevenson 

I don't really have any photos of myself at work, but for my research I visited each museum, camping along the way to get a better feel for the local landscape. However, as you can see, that meant I didn't really look very glamorous for a few months. Here I am in my first campsite in the Crowsnest Pass in the Rockies of Southern Alberta, with a bit of a smoky background from all the surrounding forest fires of 2017. Photo courtesy of Kristen McLaughlin.

For the past year and a half, I’ve studied the community engagement practices of local museums, using three case studies in Alberta to better understand these distinct contexts. I’m interested in this aspect of museum studies because, as someone who did not grow up with the large urban institutions we are familiar with in this program, I noticed that local museums stories are not common in museum studies literature and work. I felt that it was important to acknowledge and try to understand the relationships between local museums and their communities—both the obstacles and the successes—and what this might mean on a larger scale.

Research possible thanks to the support of the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council and the Alberta Historical Resources Foundation.

Affective Metadata for Object Experiences in the Art Museum
Erin Canning

Supervisor: Dr. Costis Dallas
Second reader: Dr. Cara Krmpotich

Affective metadata workshop at the 2018 iSchool Student Conference. Photo courtesy of Hannah Monkman.

For my thesis, I am exploring how to structure information about visitor experiences so that we can document it similar to how we catalogue objects – how that information can be made amenable to integration into a database, what that database would look like, and what that information would look like once it was in there. I am interested in the affective experiences that museum visitors have with artworks, and using data modeling as a way to really understand those experiences. My thesis draws together my experience as a CRO: I am applying the information systems design principles from my MI degree in the museum domain. 

_____

I'm in awe of these three talented MMSt/CRO students and their dedication to such extensive and important research. Excellent job Sydney, Kristen, and Erin - thank you for sharing!

Stay tuned for next weekend's article, where we'll feature the first batch of exhibition projects in the MMSt Class of 2018! 

LUMBERING GIANTS: MUSEUM REACTIVITY TO ENVIRONMENTAL ISSUES

MUSEUMS ON EARTH

BY: LANA TRAN

Welcome to the inaugural posting of Musings’ newest column: Museums on Earth. Between the key words “museum” and “nature”, one might imagine a natural history museum, a science centre or natural conservation site. Here, we go beyond the archetypal – we probe into contemporary issues of nature and the environment found in all cultural realms. So… everything?

How does one approach the topic of “everything”? Museums! 

The museum field packs an intensely diversified workforce and a wide range of infrastructure operating in, out, and between various topics, localities and powers that be. However, before us museum folk blush at our own potential, we must acknowledge that much of our soft power is tied up in cautious and layered organizational systems – in other words, museums, from their conventional roots, can be slow to react. In particular, museums have been slow to realize the inescapable and increasing relevance of the environment – not even the Museum of Ice Cream is spared.

The environmental crisis is everything.

What makes climate change and its rippling effects so difficult to tackle is how nebulous the problem is. Solutions will involve increased awareness and decision-making at the individual and system scale, sourcing traditional and cutting-edge information from all walks of life – not just human! So, as museum professionals, how might we begin to loosen our knots and reach out?

Revving the cultural engine

Over different periods, many have suggested the leveraging of cultural capital – just as one might invest in natural capital – to raise environmental awareness and engaging local people in the decision making of their own sustainable futures. Yet, as R.R. Janes points out, responsiveness requires an individual museum professional to reach beyond the hierarchy within a given museum via interdisciplinary synergies with other individuals and organizations. Speaking locally, this idea is embodied in the Coalition of Museums for Climate Justice (CMCJ). 

Photos courtesy of Lana Tran.

CMCJ recently put together its first peer-learning circle, which brought together students and workers from around North America to engage in a theory for “everything” problems – systems thinking. Led by Douglas Worts, the group practiced mapping climate change cause and effect relations across disciplines, discovering potential tipping points for intervention. Focusing on these points, the group was tasked with dreaming up concepts and activities, many of which could be integrated into museum mandates and programming. A detailed write-up can be found here.

Photo courtesy of Lana Tran

There is still much to be explored in Museums on Earth, and the CMCJ is very much a collaborative and growing body. If you’re itching to know more, be sure to stop by the upcoming Museum Talks: Museums and the Environment at the iSchool!

RESEARCH REMEDY: BUILDING A POSITIVE THESIS EXPERIENCE

RESEARCH COLUMN

BY: LANA TRAN

You don’t have to write a thesis, and in the Museum Studies program, not many of us choose to. It’s easy to assume that the exhibition project stream is for building a portfolio of hands-on skills; you can realize what may be your first exhibition, and graduate feeling “workplace ready”. Yet, the thesis stream is somehow a deep dive into an academic marsh: serious thinkers only. Polarizing these two options seems to overlook the potential of either in self-reflection and development as museum professionals.

If the thesis option seems too dry or daunting for you, let’s imagine something different: how can we build a sustainable, positive lifestyle around the thesis experience, rather than simply “surviving” it?

Research as Remedy

Source

Research is a creative process. Breaking down your experiences and worldview to identify what interests you most may ultimately help you understand what societal concerns you want to address throughout your career. In reviewing the literature, you are challenged to find a niche – in other words, go beyond the theory and contribute a part of yourself to the discussion. While research may be inherently objective, humanizing your approach can create a more fulfilling chapter in your life.

Creating Space

Source

Instead of slaving away at a desk, create a space where you can actually enjoy reading and writing for hours. This does not have to mean spending money on convertible standing desks and rose gold-finished marble everything. Do you have enough natural light? How can you make your workspace just a bit more ergonomic? Do you have a list of go-to study spots on our beautiful campus? Hashtags like #studyspo or #deskspo connect to tons of workspace inspiration, but for more realistic examples, you might want to check out this crowdsourced website: https://studyspac.es/

Productivity Hacking

Source

If you haven’t heard of a Pomodoro Technique yet, this one is for you. In the wondrous new millennium, students have access to a plethora of software and social network resources to make the research process easier. Start with familiarizing yourself with resource and citation management tools like Zotero (keep an eye out for on-campus workshops to get started). Turn your computer into your personal secretary with workflow applications like digital calendars and Todoist. There are numerous YouTube channels with advice for avoiding procrastination, getting enough sleep or (my personal favorite) “Study With Me” videos of people, well, just studying.

Just be careful not to get overwhelmed – the goal is to build a menu of tools and tricks that work for you, and experimenting is half the fun. These strategies are useful beyond your thesis.

Campus Resources

Source

These resources are often worth their weight in gold, and you are already paying as a student! Try a personal librarian consultation to get your research kick-started. With the right questions, your professor’s office hours can be a source of information beyond the in-class syllabus. Outside of the classroom, consider checking in with a trainer, a nutritionist, an upper-year mentor, the embedded counsellor, or whoever else you need to make sure you have the support system your body and mind deserve.

And of course, use your peers! With the organizational support of MUSSA, I’m holding an informal meet-and-greet for first and second year students considering or undertaking the Museum Studies thesis option. All are welcome!

Date & Time: November 13, 12:00-1:00 pm
Location: Inforum 520

VIEWS FROM THE CLIQUE

AFRICAN CANADIAN HISTORY

BY: ANNISSA MALVOISIN

Time really flies.

As my time as Contributing Editor to this lovely column, I have tried to bring contemporary histories to light - emphasizing the efforts of African Canadians today as relevant and important. I hope that my personal efforts have succeeded, and that you readers enjoyed what I believe was a needed cultural update. Finally, I hope that the events and movements that I've written about have been engaged with. 

As my final post for musings I would like to shamelessly promote my upcoming group exhibition titled Common Ground: ART x BISSELL 2016. Further, I would like to highlight the lit local talent that we will be featuring, many of which are of African descent and address issues in Black communities through their work.

I am not going to give away too much information (because I want you to come to the opening of course...) but I am going to give you a brief preview of what to expect.

Protest

One of the photographic works document a specific protest against the killing of an African-American teenager. Through the artists' lens and by way of your own interpretation, you may experiences scenes of resistance during a climate of racial inequality.

Artists
http://vsco.co/willmars/grid/1

Migration and Immigration

A dominant subject of works across the entirety of the exhibition, artists attempt to deal with their diverse cultural identities. From the Ivory Coast to Tanzania, artists take you on an expressive journey through their struggle, acceptance, and understanding of movement.

Artists

@hawaanoor 

@black.lenses

Culture

To understand one's Blackness independent of any type of stereotype or classification is a feat that one artist has explored in her snapshots. A diverse array of people of African descent are featured, in all of their individual glory. 

Artists

http://www.sierranallo.com

(Image Source: Camille-Mary Sharp)

If you haven't caught onto my clever little hints, the theme of the exhibition deals with experiences and views of displacement by the clique of artists featured in the show (and I've only named a few!). They've poured themselves onto a tabla rasa opening on April 7, 2016.

Facebook Event
https://www.facebook.com/events/1749914988558238

It's been a pleasure.

END OF TERM CELEBRATIONS!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAY

BY: NATANIA SHERMAN

Welcome to Wednesday! I know everyone is gearing up for their holidays, but that’s no reason not to take in the excellent museum related events happening this week and celebrate the end of a successful semester with your peers. Without further ado:

1.) For those of you who took MSL 2240, The Photographic Record this semester, check out Taryn Simon’s artist talk which is part of the Canadian Art Encounter Series, hosted by Canadian Art Magazine. Simon’s work tackles the circulation and production of information. Tickets to this event are a little pricey at $20 but so worth it. The talk itself takes place at 7:30 on December 11th at Innis Town Hall.

Come see Taryn Simon discuss her work at Innis Town Hall (source)

2.) Also happening December 11th, is MUSSA's MMSt Christmas Party and visit to Spadina Museum for a Roaring Twenties Christmas with MUSSA. The visit to Spadina Museum starts at 2 pm and includes a tour, cider and cookies! The Spadina Museum tour costs $8.85 - have a look at the Facebook event here. After the tour, sidle up to the bar at Victory Cafe for the MMSt Christmas party. Victory Cafe is located at 581 Markham Street, Toronto. The party starts at 8pm, and you can check out the Facebook event here.

Come for a tour and treats at the Spadina Museum! (source)

3.) From 630pm to 930pm on Wednesday December 9 (TODAY!), the MMSt Curating Science course, taught by Professor Hooley McLaughlin, will be holding their end of term poster session in BL 728 at the iSchool. Students will be sharing their final research projects with each other, other MMSt students, and the broader iSchool community. Friends and family are more than welcome. The room will be set up in a series of unique displays created by each student, and the wide array of chosen topics range from the science of nostalgia to the destruction of archaeological sites. Wander around and ask questions or participate in some of the interactive components of the projects. We promise you will learn something new and come away with a greater understanding of what it means to curate science!

One of last year's Curating Science Posters (photo source: Faculty of Information)

4.) Visit the 12 Trees exhibition going on at the Gardiner Museum! Each year, 12 Trees of Christmas asks 12 contemporary artists to re-imagine Christmas trees using a variety of media. This festive installation will be on display during the holiday season until January 3rd, 2016.

Check out 12 exciting trees at the Gardiner this holiday season! (source)

5.)  I know a lot of Musings readers are knitters, and The Canadian War Museum has a project called Awesome Yarn that combines museum practice with knitting! For their exhibition titled World War Women, The Canadian War Museum is requesting the public send in knitted items to be donated to organizations that need them. During the 2 world wars, Canadians supported the troops by knitting clothing items that were desperately needed on the war front. Everyone can participate and send in knit things from across Canada.  The museum's goal is to to fill a WWI supply wagon, and the deadline has been extended to January 31, 2016!

Any knitters not located in Ottawa can send their knit items to:

Sandra O’Quinn / Awesome Yarn
c/o Canadian War Museum
1 Vimy Place
Ottawa, ON
K1A 0M8

Please see the program description here on the museum's website.

Knitting for museums: the perfect pastime (source)

6.)  Lastly, come to the End of Term Celebration iTea (also TODAY!). The final iTea of this semester takes place today at 4:30-6:30 pm in room 728, 140 St. George Street. This iTea is hosted by Mike McCaffrey and will be a celebration of the end of this term! Let’s all recognize a successful term of papers, fun with friends, and studying hard for results. Tea and hors d’oeuvres. Everyone welcome.

Hope to see you there!

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAY

WHAT’S HAPPENING WEDNESDAY

BY: KATE SEALLY

Welcome to Wednesday! I hope you can make some time for these events in between attending Christmas Markets and writing final papers, they will be worthwhile!

1. Museum Studies Reunion and Networking Event

WHERE: Museum of Inuit Art Gallery, 207 Queens Quay West Toronto

WHEN: Thursday, 3 December 2015 from 6:00 to 9:00

COST: $11.20 for students and $16.50 for non-students (tickets)

Hosted by the Faculty of Information Alumni Association, this Museum Studies reunion slash mixer is open to all current MMSt students, alumni of the program, as well as colleagues in the museum field. Tickets include a tour of the Museum of Inuit Art’s brand new exhibit “Abraham Anghik Ruben: Beyond Aurora Borealis,” as well as a drink ticket and complimentary hors d’oeuvres.

The Museum of Inuit Art's newest exhibit. Source. 

2. Roving iTea and Tech Fund Vision and Ideas Party

WHERE: BL 728, Bissell Building

WHEN: Wednesday, 25 November from 4:30 to 5:30

COST: Free!

The Tech Fund is exploring options for the future of the student levy and they are looking to iSchool students for ideas. There are a range of ways we could go forward and we want to make sure the Tech Fund continues to closely support the learning needs of MI and MMst students. brainstorm Winter Workshops and ideas for the future of the Tech Fund. 

Who doesn't love tea?! Source. 

3. Yad Vashem’s Breakthroughs in Accessing Holocaust Documentation

WHERE: Innis Townhall, 2 Sussex Avenue, Toronto

WHEN: Wednesday, 2 December from 6:30 to 8:00 pm

COST: Free! (RSVP required)

IP Sharp Lecture Presents: Dr. Haim Gertner is Director, Archives Division and Fred Hillman Chair of Holocaust Documentation, Yad Vashem, Israel which is the world center for documentation, research, education and commemoration of the Holocaust. Join us for a dynamic and insightful conversation about one of the most significant intergenerational and international initiatives of our time.

Event poster. Source. 

Next up on What's Happening Wednesday: MUSSA's end-of-session party will be held on December 11th at 8pm, so add it to your calendar - more details to come! 

ROCKS, MUSIC, AND TEA: WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAY

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAY 

BY: KATE SEALLY

Happy Halloween! (a little early I know...) There are tons of fun museum related Halloween events happening this weekend, including a FNL ROM that promises to be a blast, so be sure to get out and dust off your dancing shoes!

1. ‘Minding our Minds’ Conference

Happening tomorrow! Hosted by Vic U, this annual conference on mental health in universities brings together students, staff, and faculty to discuss current issues on campus. The conference is free for students. Be sure to register in advance by clicking here.

One of the buildings on the historic Victoria University at the University of Toronto campus. Source.

2. Halloween iTea at the iSchool

Happening tonight - Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - from 4:30 to 6:00 in BL 728! With candy and a best-costume contest this is one iTea you cannot skip. Be sure to dress up if you want to enter the contest, but not to worry, you will be admitted whether you have a costume or not!

3. Music in the Arab World: A Book of Songs

This is a special talk and musical demonstration by historian and musician George Sawa hosted by the Aga Khan Museum. Tickets are only 8$ for students and if, like me, you’ve never been to the Aga Khan, what better way to experience it for the first time! The event takes place on November 4 from 6:30 to 7:30 pm and tickets and more information are available here.

The exterior of the architecturally stunning Aga Khan Museum. Source.

4. ROM Daytime

This is an ongoing event at the Royal Ontario Museum that will take place about twice a month on Thursday mornings at 11:00, and is included with museum admission! Lectures are followed by a short reception with coffee and treats, and exclusive guided access to some of the ROM’s newest exhibits.

The Thursday October 29 session is entitled “Around the World with Rocks” and features a behind the scenes look at the newly acquired rock and mineral collection from Bangkok, Thailand. Check out the website for more information, and for details on future sessions.

SPECIAL EDITION: THE 2015 ISCHOOL STUDENT CONFERENCE

MUSEUM MONDAYS

BY CADY MOYER

Welcome to another Museum Monday Musings readers! Today is a special edition featuring the iSchool’s student conference, which was Friday and Saturday, March 6th and 7th. A lot went down in two days, and talking about all the great things would mean you would be reading a while, so here is the list of 10 things to know!

1. John Dalrymple from the National Ballet School started things off with a workshop focusing on ways to fundraise for arts organizations.

John Dalrymple and Sloth following John's event. Source: iSchool Student Conference Twitter account.

2. Keynote Speaker Davida Androvitch ignited minds at the conference on Friday evening with an excellent address about public history and her work at Historica Canada with the projects Heritage Minutes and the Canadian Encyclopedia. 

Davida Aronovitch presenting.

Davida and Sloth!

3. Friday night the conference attendees, participants, volunteers, and committee members ate and enjoyed the ambience of the Faculty Club while chatting about the day’s presentations – there were even good natured lively debates about new ideas heard from the day’s presenters!

Part of the spread at the Faculty Club!

4. After breakfast on Saturday morning, conference attendees received some food for thought with keynote address by Andrea Fields from the Bata Shoe Museum who talked about the museum’s volunteer program. 

Andrea Fields addressing audience members about museum volunteers. Source: Madeline Smolarz.

5. The conference mascot, Sloth, continued to work hard on promoting the conference, tweeting all the action from presentations to food.

Sloth in his bow tie, ready for the conference. 

6. Conference attendees were very engaged with presentations, not only during them, but afterwards with conversations happening at breaks, even throughout this past week!

Part of the attentive audience.

7. Museums were a hot topic with almost half the panelists directly discussing cultural heritage institutions and issues. Make sure to check out their interesting work on theft, immigrant representation, value, oral histories, and more in the coming 2015 iSchool Student Conference publication.

The Museums and Value panel pose for  pic with Sloth. 

8. Museum Studies was also well represented on the conference organizing committee, with 3 of 4 co-chairs being MMSt students, and the Faculty Advisor a museum studies professor, Dr. Cara Krmpotich. We may be a small program but we are involved!

2015 Conference Committee: Cara Krmpotich, Catherine Lamoreux,
Alex Somerville, Cady Moyer, and Robin Nelson.

9. Thanks go out to all who got involved by volunteering, attending, helping prepare, presenting, moderating, and opening and closing remarks by Dean Seamus Ross and Dr. Cara Krmpotich. 

10. It all gets to happen next year! The iSchool Student Conference is a free event showcasing ideas and academics from the Faculty of Information. If you are a current, future, or former student with the Faculty you can get involved with the conference, presenting your work or volunteering at the next conference. Current students who will be at the iSchool next year also have the opportunity to organize the 2016 conference! 

To get involved, e-mail ischoolstudentconference@gmail.com or track down any of the people in the above photo and let us know!

Happy Museum Moday all.  :)

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: JENNIFER MAXWELL

Céad Míle Fáilte!  A hundred thousand welcomes to everyone this Wednesday!  I have listed some very informative and delicious happenings in the museum and cultural sectors this week in Toronto.  Two of the events are St. Patty's Day related, for all those Irish and/or interested.  Have yourselves a very wonderful rest of the week!

I. "RADICAL LIBRARIANS" LECTURE
Date: Wednesday, March 11th
When: 6 - 9 pm
Where: 2 Sussex Ave., Innis Town Hall, University of Toronto
What: The University of Toronto, Faculty of Information, and Faculty of Information Alumni Association (FIAA) invite you to the 50th Anniversary of the Bertha Bassam Lecture.  This year R. David Lankes, a passionate advocate for libraries, will discuss "Radical Librarianship".  Prof. Lankes is author of an upcoming book, The Radical's Guide to New Librarianship.  To register, follow this link.

This lecture examines the value of librarians dedicated to improving communities, not simply informing them.  Source.

II. ST. PATRICK'S DAY @ THE TOLLKEEPER'S COTTAGE
Date: Saturday, March 14th
When: 11 am - 4 pm
Where: 750 Davenport Rd.
What: Be Irish for a day at the Tollkeeper's Cottage.  Many of the tollkeepers who served at No. 3 Tollgate in the 19th century were Irishmen, so the Cottage will remember them with traditional soda bread and tea.  There will also be Celtic music and a tour of the cottage!  The cost is $5 a person.

The cottage is believed to be the only surviving tollgate from the 1800s in Canada.  Source.

III. ST. PATRICK'S CÈILIDH @ MONTGOMERY'S INN
Date: Saturday, March 14th
When: 7 - 11 pm
Where: 55 John St., Montgomery's Inn
What: Start your St. Patrick's Day celebration early at Montgomery's Inn.  Enjoy delicious Irish stew, fresh baked bread, and live traditional music featuring Gin Lane.  Cash bar, $5 for a bowl of stew (while supplies last).  Note: On St. Patrick's Day, Montgomery's Inn will also be hosting a Tea with delectable treats from the Emerald Isle.  $10 for this event.

A Cèilidh  is a traditional Gaelic social gathering, which usually involves playing folk music and dancing.  Source.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: CAMERON CRAWLEY

Hello to all of you keyboard warriors in the blogosphere, thanks for stopping by Musings! More importantly, thank you for your continued support of What's Happening Wednesdays. There are plenty of events happening in the city this week to keep you entertained and off of our slush covered streets. Without further ado, let's jump right in!

First up, happening tomorrow (March 5th) at the AGO is this month's edition of First Thursdays. This particular First Thursday focuses on the work of noted graphic novelist Art Spiegelman in the show CO-MIX: A Retrospective. The evening's festivities and performances have been curated by Criticism and Curatorial Practice Students at neighbouring OCAD U. If you want to see museum theory and practice related verbal fisticuffs between U of T and OCAD students, this is the place to be.

If your first name is Art, you basically have no choice but to become an artist.
http://www.ago.net/assets/images/555/01-Print-Magazine-660.jpg

As always, there will be live music, performance art, and plenty of food and drink. The event runs from 7-11:30pm and is 19+. Ticket prices and booking information can be found here.

Secondly, this weekend is the last chance to see Fashioning Life: Wear Your Story at the Design Exchange. The exhibit showcases the potential for fashion to create life experiences and features 14 dresses that have each been individually decorated by different women to illustrate a crucial experience from their lives.

http://www.dx.org/site/design_exchange/assets/images/FashioningLife_595.png

The show is concluding its run this Sunday, March 8th. Further information on the exhibition, as well as opening times at the Design Exchange can be found here.

Finally, I would be remiss if I didn't mention the fact that this weekend is the iSchool Student Conference: Share Connect Discover. The conference runs from Friday, March 6th at 9am, until Saturday, March 7th at 5pm. It includes a gala event (swanky!), keynote addresses, presentations, and workshops run by your peers in the museum world. All of the events are free, however registration is required and space is limited. Further information and online registration can be found here.

With that, we come to the end of another What's Happening Wednesday. I hope you all have some free time to go and enjoy these events! Until next time.

WHAT'S HAPPENING WEDNESDAYS

BY: JENNIFER MAXWELL

Hello and welcome to Wednesday!  I'm keeping it short and sweet today.  I have two iSchool events listed here, both of which feature the digital artist Eric Sze-Lang Chan (a.k.a. eepmon) discussing/showcasing his wicked-awesome artistic and coding talent!  Both talks are free and open to the public - so be sure to join!

I. INTERSECTIONS: ART IN THE DIGITAL AGE
Date: Thursday, February 26th
When: 4 - 6 pm
Where: Bissell Room 728, 140 St. George Street
What: The iSchool is honoured to have well known digital artist eepmon join us to give a fascinating lecture this Thursday.  As an artist working at the intersections of art and code, eepmon will present two of his art projects where use of computers play a key role into his creative process.  Specifically: INTERSECTIONS and GoogleMaps.  This event is part of the iSchool Colloquia Series.

INTERSECTIONS 12 at Algonquin College AC Hub

Colours, sounds, and shapes are determined by the current weather conditions: eepmon at Carlton University

II. ART AND FASHION: CREATIVE INTERSECTIONS
Date: Friday, February 27th
When: 4:30 - 6:30 pm
Where: Jackman Humanities Institute, Room 100a, 170 St. George Street
What: The Jackman Humanities Institute Working Group on Fashion and Material Culture is pleased to present eepmon speaking on his creative collaboration with Canada Goose.  This discussion will be moderated by Marie O'Mahony, Prof. of Material Culture and Design at the Faculty of Design.  Light refreshments will be provided.  For more information, please contact Prof. Irina Mihalache.  Also, check out the video of the artistic innovation behind the Synthesis Parka.

The limited-edition Synthesis Parka (only 150 were made): Canada Goose x eepmon

Working collaboratively with Canada Goose, eepmon was involved with illustrating, designing, art directing, and marketing the Synthesis Parka: Canada Goose x eepmon