Insights from a year of reenergizing local history collections

By Hannah Kirkpatrick, Program Coordinator

We had a wonderful first year of the Activating 21st Century Local History Training Program here at the Vermont Historical Society. Our friends at Bixby Memorial Free Library, Brookfield Historical Society, Sharon Historical Society, Thetford Historical Society, and Waterbury Historical Society made the pilot year of this program a rousing success with many lessons learned. As we begin our next year of the program, we wanted to look back at how we activated local history collections in 2025.  

We’ve consistently heard from our cohort members that they feel reenergized by this program. Working with other collecting institutions and seeing others face the same challenges is encouraging and offers many opportunities to problem solve together. We met monthly on virtual platforms to have conversations about the work each organization has been doing in previous weeks. These meetings have been indispensable for the peer learning aspect of the program.  

The Active Collections framework tells us that the museum industry has spent far too long hiding the challenges of caring for historic objects and that we can make great strides by telling other professionals what difficulties we’re facing. As one organization reported, “Through interactions with others in the cohort, we’ve realized that everyone struggles but this is all doable. We can do this kind of sophisticated collections project even in our small, understaffed, under-resourced organization. We’re optimistic about keeping this momentum going.”

Adapting the principles of Active Collections for varied organizations, from local historical societies to museums and libraries, is at the center of our work this past year. We know that not all organizations have paid staff, easily maintained facilities, or robust funds. What they do have is passion for history and a desire to do the best they can for the objects that best tell the stories of their communities. Applying the ideas behind Active Collections, like prioritization and weeding, are essential to maximizing the impact of these local organizations.  

Every organization that participated in the first cohort of this program has changed how they approach new donations. Some have paused donations to “Stop the Bleeding,” while they work through backlogs in their collections and develop exciting new exhibits with objects that have been living in storage for years. Others accept and formally accession new objects only after they have had a chance to carefully assess the meaning and story that the object brings to their collection.  

Many factors can impact whether a local historical society can take in new donations. Working through Active Collections principles like tiering and deaccessioning will help your organization make room on your shelves so when an incredible donation is offered, you have the perfect space to put it.  
Taking the time to make the right decision for your collection is essential, even when facing outside pressures like eager donors or ambitiously planned opening dates. “There were some decisions that needed more time, thought, or research, and we had to embrace that, even with grand goals set,” said one participant.  

In April, cohort members gathered in Barre for an in-person workshop on deaccessioning. Over the next several months while working on their summer projects, many of them put those skills to the test. Evaluating the collection, proposing objects for deaccession in front of a board, and deciding what to do with deaccessioned objects were all important tasks this summer.  

Our cohort found that communicating freely with their volunteers and community about the reason for deaccessioning objects helped ease worries about the process. One organization found that, “Our worries about backlash for giving away culled items turned out to be unfounded. Many folks have appreciated that we are taking bold steps to shore up our buildings, collections, and organization to better serve the public!” Another noted that “at every instance of something that seemed beyond what we had the capacity to do, the advisors and coordinators were available to help and often provided practical, workable solutions to issues.” 

One of the ongoing goals of this project is to position Vermont as a leader in Active Collections work. We are well on our way to accomplishing this after contributing an article to Museum magazine, speaking about the project at an Active Collections forum in Maine, leading a webinar for a regional professional organization, and connecting with colleagues all around the country.  

“As this year-long experience comes to a close," one participant noted, "I find it exceedingly difficult to imagine the broader landscape of our improvements and achievements without the training program happening when it did.” 

Our work this year was made possible by the generosity and quick action of VHS donors. When the Institute of Museum and Library Services terminated grants in March 2025, many organizations in similar positions to VHS were forced to lay off a staff member and cancel programs. Since a permanent injunction in November 2025, all IMLS grants have been officially reinstated, but we would not have made it this far without the generosity of Marilyn Blackwell, and Lola Van Wagenen and George Burrill. We are so excited to be able to continue this work into 2026 with a fresh cohort of local historical societies and museums.