March 2012

It's been an exciting two months as ICOM-US sets out on its new journey as an independent association.

In this first ICOM-US eNewsletter we want to share our progress with you in three areas:

1. ICOM events at AAM Annual Meeting
2. Membership Renewal Progress and Challenges
3. December Board Meeting

1. ICOM-US at AAM Annual Meeting

As always, ICOM-US will continue to host its annual member meeting within the AAM Annual Meeting--and the 2012 meeting is now just around the corner!  We are already collaborating with AAM on introducing new events and formats with an international focus, and creating new opportunities for ICOM-US members to network with one another and with colleagues from abroad.

New this year: ICOM has a booth of it's own in MuseumExpo!  Come to the booth to meet staff from ICOM's international headquarters, the ICOM Secretariat, in Paris, France.  ICOM-US Board members and staff will also be available to talk, get your feedback, and answer questions.  Best of all, we will be processing new memberships on the spot!  Bring your friends to our booth, and they can join ICOM and get their new member card immediately.

Advance Registration for the Annual Meeting ends March 30, 2012, so if you have not yet registered, now is the time to act! Online registration information is available via AAM at

http://www.aam-us.org/am12/

The lineup of ICOM-hosted or -sponsored events includes:

SUNDAY, APRIL 29, 2012

4:30 - 6:30 p.m. - Meet and greet in the International Lounge. Meet
fellow ICOM-US members and get to know delegates attending from around the world. Free, non-ticketed, all are welcome.

7:00 - 8:30 p.m. - AAM International Reception at the Russian Art Museum. All are welcome at this ticketed event, but space is limited. To request an invitation, please contact registration@aam-us.org. Buses depart from the Convention Center at 6:30 P.M. and return to host hotels at 8:30 P.M.


MONDAY, APRIL 30, 2012

12:15 - 1:45 p.m. - ICOM-US Luncheon. Members share with one another and with the ICOM-US Leadership their ambitions for the future of ICOM-US and share how they want their National Committee to grow and evolve. Everyone's voice is needed! ICOM-US Board members and staff will be at each table to listen and learn. Tell us what's working and what' s not, and share with us what you would like an independent ICOM-US to become.

3:30 to 5:00 p.m. - Marketplace of Ideas: "Join the Global Museum Community" -- ICOM International Committees. International Committees are the single best way to access ICOM's International Network, and get the most our of your ICOM membership. ICOM has 31 International Committees which organize its members by discipline and common interest. Come meet ICOM International Committee members and leaders and learn how you can become involved.



TUESDAY, MAY 1, 2012

10:15 to 11:00 a.m. - ICOM Hour in the International Lounge. Meet ICOM US Board members, ask questions about the new ICOM-US, and learn more about advantages of membership in ICOM.

2. Membership Renewal Progress

With our staff in place and office open, we began processing of member
renewals on December 7, 2011. Over 700 members have already renewed--thanks to all!  We have also welcomed over 50 new members, including several new institutions.  Welcome to all!

Unfortunately, the staffing and procedures we put in place were not robust enough.  As a result, some members have experienced long gaps between sending an inquiry about renewal issues to us and receiving a reply.  To fix the problem, I am glad to announce that we have hired Tiffany Raulerson, a graduate student in museum studies at George Washington University, as our Membership Associate.  She will be devoting all her time with us to fixing our renewal service and resolving members' questions and issues.

3. December Board Meeting

The ICOM-US Board met for the first time since separating from AAM on
December 2, 2011. We had a good meeting, divided evenly between managing immediate issues of the transition, and laying the groundwork for growth of ICOM-US in the future. In the near term, we will be preparing articles of incorporation and draft bylaws so we can establish our legal existence as a US corporation, and secure our not-for-profit determination letter from the IRS. We look forward to presenting our progress at the Members Meeting and Luncheon at AAM Annual Meeting.

We also laid the groundwork for what we expect will be a robust partnership with AAM in developing joint content and programming.

Finally, we appointed committees to investigate member benefits and
marketing, with an eye toward establishing a positive cycle in which
growing membership creates the resources to add member benefits, which in turn improves the value of membership.