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SMMP Web site: www.smmp.net

SMMP Group Email Address: smmp@nhm.org

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MINUTES OF THE LAST MEETING

Minutes of the SMMP meeting on February 9, 2001, in Tucson were circulated in the August, 2001 Newsletter. Our meeting normally scheduled for September in Denver was cancelled because of the tragic events of September 11.

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TUCSON PROGRAM
Making an Impact: How Curators Shape Their Collections
Dedicated to the memory of Joseph Nagel and Suzanne Cowan

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A TRIBUTE TO JOE NAGEL
Sharleen Harvey, Curator
Rice Northwest Museum of Rocks and Minerals

In 1997 we were essentially a brand new museum, in a residential facility, with an extraordinary mineral collection gathered over a period of 49 years by Richard and Helen Rice who as collectors, had curated the collection for their personal pleasure and to share with others on a personal level.  It was now my responsibility, with only a collector's experience, to curate this collection and make it available to students, professionals, hobbyists and the general public in a meaningful way.  We did have a hand written log of the specimens but it needed updating and not a specimen had a label.  Joe spent time, energy, and expertise directing me in the most efficient way to computerize the collection catalog and prepare the collection for labeling and appraisal.  In the process he filled in much locality information that was not included on our specimen records and made valuable recommendations for aesthetic changes in our display.  In one week, Joe and I had 3500 specimens cataloged and labeled, ready for the appraiser.  With the help of the computerized catalog, the appraisal was completed within 3 days with a valuation printout ready for estate lawyers, IRS and our insurance company.  On top of all this, he was always just a phone call away to answer my many questions.  I will always be grateful.  He gave us the jump start to go from "a private collection" to "a professional museum".

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AGI AFFILIATION

SMMP is now a member society of the American Geological Institute (AGI). On the AGI Web site the following description is provided: "The American Geological Institute is a nonprofit federation of 39 geoscientific and professional associations that represent more than 100,000 geologists, geophysicists, and other earth scientists. Founded in 1948, AGI provides information services to geoscientists, serves as a voice of shared interests in our profession, plays a major role in strengthening geoscience education, and strives to increase public awareness of the vital role the geosciences play in mankind's use of resources and interaction with the environment."

We are confident that AGI will provide us with an effective forum for educating the larger geological community about the importance and usefulness of institutional mineralogical and geological collections and about the critical issues which they face. For AGI news regarding SMMP, check out the following links:

AGI News Release: AGI Welcomes Two New Member Societies

Geotimes January 2002 Society Page

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SMMP EUROPE

On October 26, 2001, a group of mineral museum curators meeting at the Munich Show established the European Branch of SMMP. The European Branch (SMMP Europe or eSMMP) will exist as a fully integrated part of SMMP with a coordinator to facilitate SMMP activities in Europe and a subscriptions officer to facilitate the collection of member dues.

REPORT OF THE FIRST MEETING OF THE EUROPEAN BRANCH OF SMMP

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IMA COMMISSION ON MUSEUMS

While the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals maintains no official ties with the Commission on Museums (CM) of the 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. As a service to members who want to keep abreast of the activities of the Commission, we will post the minutes of meetings of the Commission on Museums on the SMMP Web site.

Minutes of October 2001 Meeting - Munich, Germany

Minutes of December 2000 Meeting - Melbourne, Australia

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COLLECTION STUDY GRANTS

Two institutions recently announced the availability of grants to scientists for conducting collections-based research at their institutions. These grants provide at least partial support for travel and subsistence. For more information click on the links below.

Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County
Research Study Grants

SWEDISH MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
(NATURHISTORISKA RIKSMUSEET, NRM)
Access to Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet - High Latitude

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APPRAISAL ARTICLE

For those needing more information on the subject of appraisals of objects for donation, Carl Francis recommends an article appearing in the September/October issue of Museum News (pp. 47-59), a publication of the American Association of Museums). The article entitled "Object of appraisal: legal & ethical issues" by Ildiko P. DeAngelis & Lela Hersh is quite comprehensive and insightful. It deals with such topics as when does a museum need an appraiser, finding and contracting with an appraiser, what to expect from an appraiser, IRS regulations regarding appraisals for donors, the responsibilities of the museum pertaining to donations, recommending appraisers to donors, and appraisals provided by museum staff members.

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MEETINGS OF INTEREST

MINERALOGICAL MUSEUMS
4th International Symposium on the History of Natural History Museums,
Mineralogy, Gemology, Crystal Chemistry and Crystallogenesis
St. Petersburg, Russia - June 24-29, 2002

IMA 2002 - Mineralogy for the New Millennium
18th General Meeting of the International Mineralogical Association
Edinburgh, Scotland - September 1-6, 2002

Second International Symposium on
MINERAL DIVERSITY - RESEARCH AND PRESERVATION
Sofia, Bulgaria - October 11-14, 2002

5th International Conference on
MINERALOGY & MUSEUMS
Paris, France - June 2004 

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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 Jana Hork, National Museums & Galleries of Wales, Cathays Park, Cardiff CF10 3NP, WALES.

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.