2025 LLHSM Annual Conference
Doing History
71st Annual LLHSM Conference
Friday, May 9
Middlebury Inn, Middlebury, VT
Join us in Middlebury for the largest yearly gathering of local history and museum professionals in the state. It is a chance to network and learn with colleagues in a supportive environment.
This Year's Theme is "Doing History"
As we move towards America’s 250th, it is essential to energize public engagement with history, inviting everyone to participate in the process of preserving and sharing their history, especially at the local level. At this conference we’ll explore some practical ways and some big ideas for how we can “do” history. From projects that involve students, to story collecting and storytelling, to practical information on working with your collections that can increase access and use.
Support provided by the Walter Cerf Community Fund
REGISTRATION
Registration Fees: $35 VHS Members/$50 Non-Members.
Registration fees include lunch, light breakfast, all sessions & snacks. Space may be limited, register early to reserve your spot! Contact Director of Service & Outreach Eileen Corcoran at director.outreach@vermonthistory.org for invoicing options or other registration questions.
CONFERENCE SCHEDULE
8:45 to 9:30 am
Registration & Coffee
Middlebury Inn, 16 Court Square, Middlebury, VT
9:45 to 10:30 am
Welcome & LLHSM Awards
We’ll kick off the conference with our annual LLHSM Achievement Awards, which recognize the exceptional work being done by individuals and community history organizations throughout the state to collect, preserve, and share Vermont’s rich history.
10:45 to 11:45 am
Concurrent Sessions 1
Public Outreach: Communications With Your Audience
Joe Rivers, Bob Cornellier, Bill Holiday, Lee Ha, & Carol Farrington, Brattleboro Historical Society
Members of the Brattleboro Historical Society will share information on the various methods of communications they use to engage and inform the public. This includes social media, walking tours, newsletters, podcasting, and more. Alongside a presentation, session attendees will have the opportunity to talk about different communications methods in small group breakouts.
What’s Your Local Identity?
Hannah Kirkpatrick, Program Coordinator, VHS
Active Collections is founded on the principle that collections must either advance the mission or they must go. For most local historical societies, the mission is straightforward: collect objects that illustrate the history of your town or region. This session will help attendees clearly define the identity of their community, both now and in the past. We’ll think about the objects you already have (and objects you wish you had) that can tell stories reflective of the people and events that shape your local identity.
Coffee Conversation- Collections
Amanda Gustin, Director of Collections & Access, VHS
Join us for an informal conversation around collections stewardship and access. Bring questions, concerns, or ideas to share.
11:45 am to 1:00 pm
Keynote Discussion & Lunch: Collecting COVID-19
In 2022, VHS embarked on a project to collect oral histories from the COVID-19 pandemic. The project has culminated in a book, podcast, and database featuring over 100 Vermonter’s stories. In this keynote, Project Director Amanda Kay Gustin will be joined by project field interviewers to talk about the process, challenges, and highlights of collecting these very personal, very immediate recollections. They will be joined by Amy Morsman, Professor of History at Middlebury College who worked with students in 2022 on a “Chronicling COVID-19” course focused on Addison County residents.
1:15 to 2:15 pm
Concurrent Sessions 2
Transforming Narratives: The Henry Sheldon Museum’s Commitment to “Doing History” Differently
Coco Moseley, Executive Director and Eva Garcelon-Hart, Archivist, Henry Sheldon Museum
In December of 2024, the Henry Sheldon Museum was awarded a 3-year Humanities in Place grant from the Mellon Foundation to reimagine our permanent exhibits. The proposed exhibits, set to open in 2027, are aimed at transforming how our history is understood and represented. By expanding the scope of our exhibits and incorporating untold and obscured perspectives, we seek to create a museum that serves as a catalyst for change, pushing back against outdated, idealized versions of Vermont’s past. This session will delve into the Museum’s commitment to addressing historical gaps, challenging long-standing narratives, and creating exhibits that not only reflect a broader and more inclusive past but also inspire a future of more equitable representation.
Some Sampler Stories
Michele Pagan, Textile Conservator in Private Practice
Michele will be speaking about the VT Sampler Initiative, and how this national effort has been documenting Vt 19th century schoolgirl samplers since November 2022. She will share the techniques which the Initiative uses to uncover clues about the socioeconomics which can be read from each sampler. Additionally in cooperation with the VT 250th Commemoration, she will share some of the stories of the ancestors of the girls who made the samplers, and what their service was during the Revolution.
Coffee Conversation- Marketing & Publishing
Andrew Liptak, PR & Guest Services Coordinator, VHS
2:15 to 2:30 pm
Break- Snacks & conversation.
2:30 to 3:30 pm
Concurrent Sessions 3
Measure Twice, Move Once
Darlene Bialowski, Contract Museum Registrar and Fine & Decorative Arts Appraiser
Erica Donnis, Congressional Papers Archivist, University of Vermont
Margaret Tamulonis, Manager Collections & Exhibitions, Fleming Museum of Art, UVM
Join members of the Collections Care & Conservation Alliance as we demonstrate and have fun showing the proper techniques for handling and moving a variety of media that are in most all collections – and share a few “war stories” from our experiences along the way. Want to know how to correctly move a piece of ceramic or glass especially those with handles? Is it ok to swing a framed work by the wire on the reverse? How about a good strategy for removing something off a wall? What about large-scale moves to make way for construction or to transport collections to a different facility? Come learn about how it is best to map out and verbalize a strategy and make all your moves a success!
All In Vermont: Put Your History on the Map
Meg Mallory, Outreach Educator and Eileen Corcoran, Director of Service & Outreach, VHS
For the 250th anniversary of the American Revolution, VHS will build a statewide, place-based learning opportunity for Vermont students tied to the C3 Framework of Social Studies Standards. An essential part of this program is helping educators and students study local history in partnership with local historical societies and museums. In this session we’ll explore project components alongside providing tools and ideas for how you can connect with students in your community.
