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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAM Agenda: 11/06/2024CITY OF ARCADIA Arcadia Museum Commission Regular Meeting Agenda Wednesday November 6, 2024 5:00 p.m. Location: Museum Education Center, 382 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia Pursuant to the Americans with Disabilities Act, persons with a disability who require a disability related modification or accommodation in order to participate in a meeting, including auxiliary aids or services, may request such modification or accommodation from the Museum at (626) 574-5468. Notification 48 hours prior to the meeting will enable the City to make reasonable arrangements to assure accessibility to the meeting. 根据《美国残障人法案》，需要调整或提供便利设施才能参加会议的残障人士（包括辅助器材或服务）可与市书记官办 公室联系（电话：626-574-5468）。请在会前 48 小时通知市书记官办公室，以便作出合理安排，确保顺利参加会议。 Pursuant to the City of Arcadia’s Language Access Services Policy, limited -English proficient speakers who require translation services in order to participate in a meeting may request the use of a volunteer or professional translator by contacting the City Clerk’s Office at (626) 574-5455 at least 72 hours prior to the meeting. 根据阿凯迪亚市的语言便利服务政策，英语能力有限并需要翻译服务才能参加会议的人可与市书记官办公室联系（电话： 626-574-5455），请求提供志愿或专业翻译服务，请至少在会前 72 小时提出请求。 CALL TO ORDER PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE ROLL CALL OF MUSEUM COMMISSION MEMBERS: Angela Ayala, Chairperson Janalee Shimmin, Chairperson Pro Tempore Marilyn Daleo, Commissioner Ginny Blitz, Commissioner Dale Carter, Commissioner PUBLIC COMMENTS Any individual wishing to speak before the Museum Commission is limited to five (5) minutes per person, unless waived by the Museum Commission. Under the Brown Act, the Museum Commission is prohibited from discussing or taking action on any item not listed on the posted agenda. The matter may automatically be referred to staff for appropriate response or action or may be placed on the agenda of a future meeting. REPORTS FROM MUSEUM COMMISSION MEMBERS / LIAISONS Announcements / Statements / Future Agenda Items DIRECTOR REPORTS Announcements / Statements / Reports Any writings or documents provided to a majority of the Museum Commission regarding any item on this agenda will be made available for public inspection at the Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage located at 380 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia, California, during normal business hours. a.Director’s Update b.Curator’s Report c.Military Banner Update d.Museum Education Coordinator’s Update e.Interns and Volunteers f.Programs g.Exhibits h.Collections i.Flyers •Make Your Own Snow Globe •Arcadia Lunar New Year Exhibit 2025 •Preservation Workshop Series 2025 •Educational Kits CONSENT CALENDAR All matters listed under the Consent Calendar are considered to be routine and can be acted on by one roll call vote. There will be no separate discussion of these items unless a member of the Museum Commission, staff, or the public requests that a specific item be removed from the Consent Calendar for separate discussion and action. a.Approve the Regular Meeting Minutes of September 4, 2024 Recommended Action: Approve b.Approve to move the Regular Meeting of January 1, 2025 to be held on January 8, 2025 due to national holiday on January 1, 2025 Recommended Action: Approve ADJOURNMENT The Museum Commission will adjourn this meeting to Wednesday, January 8, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in the Museum Education Center at 382 W. Huntington Drive, Arcadia. 1 The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage Museum Curator’s Report September – October 2024 September 2024 October 2024 In-person Visitors: 272 In-person Visitors October 1-25: 325 Virtual Visitors: Virtual Visitors: Facebook: 878 Facebook: 77 Instagram: 2,945 Instagram: 1,177 Twitter: 125 Twitter: 142 YouTube: 127 YouTube: 119 Website: 415 Website: 277 HIGHLIGHTS The Gilb Museum has begun its seasonal Preschool Program on Friday, September 6 and will continue weekly until Friday, November 8. The Military Banner Project applications have concluded for 2024. The final number of military banners to be displayed along Huntington Drive is 64. AmGraph has printed the banners as of October 18 and they will begin installation on November 1 or 2. An unveiling ceremony with Mayor Dr. Michael Cao and retired City Clerk Mr. Gene Glasco is planned for November 8. COLLECTIONS AND INTERNS Volunteer Ms. Deborah Cordano has been invaluable to the Museum’s Military Banner Program, contacting local veterans via phone and email, doing research and helping applicants complete paperwork. Ms. Cordano is also calling all applicants to invite them to the November 8 unveiling event. Intern Mr. Zackary Ostrowski has been working on the Arcadia Woman’s Club collection, adding additional photographs and information to the Museum’s database, CatalogIt. He also started graduate school at UCLA in September. Volunteer Mr. Alick Diaz continues to assist with the digitization and cataloging of recent donations given to the Museum, including the Tim Portwood Little League Collection and the Barton Campfire Girls Collection. Intern Mr. Andrew Bermudez continues his internship at the Gilb Museum and compensation through the Southern California Resource Services for Independent Living (SCRS-IL). Mr. Bermudez has been working on the donation from Ms. Sandra Irwin, a box of family photos and documents from the Lauber family, including Floretta, Harry and Larry Lauber. Mr. Bermudez’s contract will end this winter. Intern Ms. Hannah Chang is also doing an internship at the Gilb Museum with compensation through SCRS-IL. She is scanning and cataloging items donated by Ms. Marilyn Daleo, including Arcadia Weekly newspapers and documents from Arcadia Unified School District events. 2 Intern Ms. Jaina Tarman has been assisting with the production and lesson planning of the weekly Preschool Program. She has also been assisting with Girl Scout Programs, School Program visits, and volunteers. Intern Ms. Mariana Brana has been working on the Santa Anita Racetrack and City of Arcadia banners in the Museum’s collection. She’s been photographing and creating museum database descriptions of each item. She also assists with School Programs. Volunteer Ms. Azariah Towns has been assisting in Friday’s Preschool Program as an extra aid and has begun developing criteria for the Spring Preschool Program. Volunteer Mr. Bob Levia has created a kid-sized firefighter mannequin for the museum lobby, which is helping to promote Arcadia’s emergency notification service. He also helps staff at the front desk every Tuesday afternoon. An inventory of all items donated during this time period: ➢ Mr. Stewart Gelfand donated on behalf of Mr. Jerry Bernstein a painting of the Santa Anita Depot and a Lucky Baldwin Brick from 1890. ➢ Photographs and family documents from the Joyce Best Saunders collection. Including photos of Walter Best who served in the Army at Ross Field Balloon School, owned an auto repair shop on Huntington and 2nd. Ave. and was a Captain in the Arcadia Fire Department in the 1920’s ➢ Mr. Bob Harbicht, on behalf of the Arcadia Historical Society, donated three deeds that highlight Ms. Anita Baldwin. EXHIBITS Curator Andersen and Education Coordinator Ms. Lauren Porras are currently working on a temporary exhibit at the Arcadia Public Library about local history and cultures that will promote Educational Kits. This will be on display from November to December. The exhibits at City Hall (Vintage Hollywood at Santa Anita), Council Chambers (Cultivating Arcadia Agricultural Wonders), and the Museum temporary space (90th Anniversary of Santa Anita Racetrack) continue to be on display. ADMINISTRATION On September 3, Museum Education Coordinator Porras attended the Arcadia PTA meeting. At the meeting, Ms. Porras was introduced to everyone as the new Museum Education Coordinator for the Museum. Ms. Porras shared what current events and programs are available to the Arcadia community, including the Preschool Program and school visits. Curator Ms. Stevy Acevedo began her maternity leave on July 9 and will returned on October 22. Ms. Rebecca Andersen will conclude her position as Acting Curator in November. The Friends of the Arcadia Museum (FAM) did not meet in October, but conducted their next Board meeting on September 5 at the Museum. They have raised over $14,000 to help fund a new enclosed exhibit case for the Veterans History Room at the Museum. Their next steps include meeting with the Arcadia City Council to present the funds to the Museum. Museum staff will then purchase the display case and coordinate with the Public Works Department to assemble and install the case. The next FAM meeting will take place on November 7. Education Coordinator Porras has begun training for the “Basics to Genealogy Research”, which will be necessary to conduct the last Preservation Workshop of 2024 on Genealogy. Staff also 3 completed a Skills Camp Training about professionalism and intergenerational communication and understanding in the workplace. The Peacock Fountain basin in the Arcadia County Park has been repaired by Public Works and is now ready for Silverlake Conservation to continue their work on restoring the multicolored tiles on the outside surface. That phase of the project will continue this winter. EDUCATION and PROGRAMMING The staff at the Museum appointed Ms. Jaina Tarman as the Fall Education and Public Engagement Intern. In this role, she will continue to receive guidance and practical techniques from Education Coordinator Porras, which are essential for effectively conducting the Preschool Program. During the months of September and October, Ms. Tarman has taken the initiative to lead three separate sessions of the program, demonstrating her commitment and growing expertise in engaging young learners. She also assisted Ms. Porras with the Girl Scout Program on September 28, as well as a class visit to Hugo Reid Elementary on October 8 to teach the Tongva Dictionary school program. Museum Education Coordinator Porras and Intern Ms. Jaina Tarman started the Fall 2024 Preschool Program on Friday, September 6. The program is structured in three 20-minute sections; free play, story time, and a special craft. The Museum’s Preschool Program boasts an average of 15 attendees a week, including the preschoolers’ accompanying guardians. Every week is structured with a different lesson and activity ranging from moments in Arcadia’s historical timeline to emotional regulation to seasonal holidays and festivities. The community has responded well to this program. The Fall Preschool Program will conclude on Friday, November 8 and resume in February of 2025. Acting Curator Rebecca Andersen participated in the Moon Festival on Saturday, September 14 at Arcadia City Hall. A visitor line remained consistent at the Museum booth which was also shared along with the Library. The Museum was able to hand out 50 free Educational Kits and additional marketing material to promote upcoming programs. The Hispanic Heritage Educational Kits was very popular and all 200 were distributed before the end of September. Indigenous Heritage kits were assembled with the help of volunteers and are available for pick up for the community beginning October 1, until November 23. Production of the last kit of 2024, International Holidays, has begun with the help of volunteers. Acting Curator Andersen, along with Substitute Coordinator Ms. Lilly Wu conducted several different Preservation Workshops between September and October. Ms. Maria Levia and Ms. Robin Graney from the Friends of the Museum Board also assisted with checking people in and distributing information packets. On September 7, the Paper Workshop took place with 15 attendees, 4 on September 28 the Photograph Workshop took place with 3 attendees, on October 5 the Art Workshop took place with 7 attendees, and lastly on October 26 the Digitization Workshop will take place with enrollment still ongoing. Many were happy to learn techniques used in museums that they too can use to preserve personal and family memorabilia. Participants also appreciated the Preservation Kits, which were generously funded by the Friends of the Arcadia Museum and prepared by museum volunteers. The next Preservation Workshop will be on genealogy, taking place on December 16. The Preservation Workshop Series will be offered once again to the community next year. The Gilb Museum has 19 school programs scheduled at various elementary schools in Arcadia Unified School District for the 2024-2025 school year. The programs offered include Tongva Story Telling, Tongva Dictionary, and Then vs. Now. So far 3 of the 19 scheduled programs have been conducted and these first three took place at Hugo Reid Elementary School. At the end of each visit, Ms. Porras handed out a small goodie bag for the students which consisted of a Gilb Museum sticker, pencil, flyer, and museum tour ticket voucher. Feedback from teachers and students has been all positive. The staff is preparing for their next school visit which will take place November 5 and 12 at Camino Grove Elementary. This will take place in the auditorium and will be conducted for 104 students in each session. This will be the largest group of the school year thus fa The Museum continues to provide Scout programs to local troops. There are 5 scheduled programs. Coordinator Porras has conducted three thus far, reaching a total of 32 scouts. The programs conducted include Celebrating Communities and Inside Government. After each program, the girls were then given a tour of the Museum led by Acting Curator Andersen. Ms. Porras is now preparing for the next program, Celebrating Communities which will take place November 16 for 15 scouts. The Museum hosted Pie Day for all City employees on October 24. Staff purchased 15 different flavors of pies and had the Museum available for employees to see the new exhibits. 65 employees attended. The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage staff and volunteers will be attending Downtown Arcadia’s Halloween Haunting event on Friday October 25. The Museum volunteers have prepared a handful of fun giveaways, educational kits, and promotional material for the event. MARKETING The Museum continues to promote upcoming events, exhibits, and educational kits across all social media platforms, including Facebook, Instagram, and X (previously known as Twitter). Museum Education Coordinator Porras has been focusing on continuing a social media plan and schedule for the Museum. She is actively promoting events and scheduling them using later.com. Reels on Instagram continue to be very popular and encourage patrons to visit the Museum and raise awareness of the free programs and offerings. The Museum’s monthly newsletter via MailChimp has also been very popular in the community with weekly sign ups from guests. MailChimp has been a way for the museum to promote upcoming programs, events, and collection items on a monthly basis. VOLUNTEERS There have been 5 more teens added to the team of volunteers at the Museum. Ms. Porras reopened volunteer applications on September 27 and will be accepting applications until November 15. 5 Volunteers have been very busy with the production of kits that will be shared with the community in the following months. This includes all the Preservation Workshop kits and school visit goodie bags that are given to participants who attend the programs. Volunteers are currently prepping supplies for the International Holidays Educational kit which will be available to the public starting November 26. The Museum has provided the Presidential Volunteer Service Award to those dedicated individuals that qualify. This year, 5 of the Museum’s teen volunteers dedicated over 100 hours and qualified for the award. These students will receive a certificate and a crewneck sweater courtesy of the Gilb Museum. Volunteers are working hard preparing for December’s Make Your Own Snow Globe event. Over 450 snow globes are being prepared for the community. In addition, volunteers have completed 400 decorated snowman giveaways. Each snowman is unique to its designer and has its own personality. These giveaways were requested by the Friends of the Arcadia Museum who generously donated the funds for the supplies. Volunteer hours: September 1 – October 25: 510.04 hours Submitted by Acting Curator Rebecca Andersen and Director of Library & Museum Services, Darlene Bradley. Jo i n us & cra f t y our v e ry o wn s n o w g l ob e ! S no w g l ob es ar e av a i l a ble on a fi rs t -co me , fi rst -s erved bas i s. S upp l ies ar e l i mi t e d . T his craf t i s avail a b le u nti l s upp lies las t . No regi s tr a t ion r eq u ir e d . The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage 380 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91007 (626)574-5440 Arcadiaca.gov/Museum S n o w G l o b eMake Y o u r O w n G i l b M u s e u m o f a r c a d i a h e r i t a g e S a t u r d a y , D e c e m b e r 7 9 A M - 1 1 A M f r e e 加 ⼊ 我 们 ，制 作 您 ⾃ ⼰ 的 雪 球 ！雪 球 按 照 先 到 先 得 的 原 则 提 供 。供 应 有 限 ，此 ⼯ 艺 品 售 完 即 ⽌ 。 ⽆ 需 注 册 。 ⾃ 制 雪 球亚 凯 迪 亚 吉 尔 布 历 史 博 物 馆 展 ⽰ 1 2 ⽉ 7 ⽇ 星 期 六 上 午 9 点 ⾄ 上 午 1 1 点 The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage 380 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91007 (626)574-5440 Arcadiaca.gov/Museum 免 费 参 加 Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage Presents: Opening January 18, 2025 The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage 380 W. Huntington Drive Arcadia, CA 91007 (626) 574-5440 Museum@ArcadiaCA.gov www.arcadiaca.gov/Museum ARcadia Lunar New Year Exhibit Join the Gilb Museum at this years Lunar New Year Exhibit. See artwork decorated by members of the community. DIGITIZATION WORKSHOP April 12 ART WORKSHOP February 8 PreservationWorkshop Series Join Museum staff in a series of workshops and demonstrations on how you canpreserve your personal and family history in 2025. Learn preservation methodsused by museum professionals and see examples from the Museum collections. The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage 380 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, California 91007 (626)574-5440 Museum@arcadiaca.gov www.ArcadiaCA.gov/Museum LIMITED SPACE. RSVP REQUIRED. GENEALOGY WORKSHOP PHOTOGRAPH WORKSHOP March 8 PAPER WORKSHOP September 13 December 13 TEXTILE WORKSHOP October 11 A r t i n A r c a d i aArt i n A r c a d i a E D U C A T I O N A L K I T SEDUCATIONAL K I T S October 4 - November 22 M o v i e s i n A r c a d i aMovies i n A r c a d i a S T E M i n A r c a d i aSTEM i n A r c a d i a January 11 - March 1 M u s i c i n A r c a d i aMusic i n A r c a d i a March 8 - May 3 May 10 - June 28 O u t e r S p a c e i n A r c a d i aOuter S p a c e i n A r c a d i a August 9 - September 27 A t h l e t e s i n A r c a d i aAthletes i n A r c a d i a December 6 - December 30 The Gilb Museum of Arcadia Heritage 380 West Huntington Drive Arcadia, California 91007 (626) 574-5440 Museum@arcadiaca.gov www.ArcadiaCA.gov/Museum T h e G i l b M u s e u m i s o f f e r i n g f r e e k i t s ! E a c h k i t c o m e s w i t h a s h o r t h i s t o r y l e s s o n a n d m a t e r i a l s n e c e s s a r y t o c o m p l e t e s o m e f u n c r a f t s ! A p p l i c a t i o n s f o r k i t s c a n b e f o u n d o n t h e M u s e u m w e b s i t e . U n t i l s u p p l i e s l a s t ! 2 0 2 52025 MUSEUM COMMISSION REGULAR MEETING MINUTES Wednesday, September 4, 2024 ____________________________________________________________________________ CALL TO ORDER – Chairperson Pro Tempore Janalee Shimmin called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. in the Museum Education Center. PLEDGE OF ALLEGIANCE – Chairperson Pro Tempore Janalee Shimmin ROLL CALL –Chairperson Pro Tempore Janalee Shimmin; Commissioners, Virginia Blitz, Dale Carter, Marilyn Daleo; Director of Library and Museum Services Darlene Bradley, Library Services Manager Petra Morris, Museum Substitute Coordinator Rebecca Andersen and Museum Education Coordinator Lauren Porras. PUBLIC COMMENTS: None REPORTS FROM MUSEUM COMMISSION MEMBERS/LIAISONS - Commissioner Blitz informed the Commission that the Friends of the Arcadia Museum have been fundraising for the Museum’s programs. The Friends of the Museum are finishing up fundraising for a new enclosed exhibit case for the Museum’s Local Veteran’s History Room. REPORT FROM THE DIRECTOR Director Bradley reported that there is now a new Library Service Manager, Petra Morris and a new Principal Librarian for Adult and Teen Services, Andres Garza. Interviews for a New Principal Children's Librarian will begin this September. REPORT FROM THE CURATOR Acting Curator Rebecca Andersen shared that Volunteer Deborah Cordano has played a crucial role in the Museum’s Military Banner Program by reaching out to local veterans, conducting research, and assisting with paperwork. Interns Zackary Ostrowski and Andrew Bermudez have also contributed significantly; Ostrowski is enhancing the Arcadia Woman’s Club collection with additional photographs and details, while Bermudez is working on cataloging items from a donation by Dr. Semeen Issa, which includes class photographs and awards. Another intern, Hannah Chang, is involved in scanning and cataloging donations from Marilyn Daleo, such as Arcadia Weekly newspapers and school documents. Lastly, volunteer Azariah Towns is aiding in the development of lesson plans for the upcoming preschool programs along with new Fall Intern Jaina Tarman. Recent donations to the Museum include a Jurassic Park book and dinosaur figures from Ethel Laczko, to be used during the Dino Day event, and a print of “Thee Happy Hollow” from Ronald W. Thee, which features an illustration and photo of the Thee family home. The 14th Annual Photography Contest exhibit was on display until July 20, and the Santa Anita Park 90th Anniversary exhibit opened on August 10. Getty Marrow Intern Samuel Reed, along with substitute coordinator Lily Wu and volunteer Kenny Woo, worked on this exhibit, which includes informative panels, historic photographs, and video clips. Exhibits at City Hall and the Council Chambers are ongoing. Museum staff, including Education Coordinator Lauren Porras, Kim, and Reed, participated in a tour of Santa Anita Park on July 24, led by June Aochi Berk, a former detainee of the Santa Anita Japanese Assembly Center. The Museum applied for the Superintendent's Award for Excellence in Museum Education through the California Association of Museums but was not selected. Acting Curator Andersen and Library Staff attended the League of California Cities Board of Directors Installation Ceremony on August 1, where Arcadia Mayor Dr. Michael Cao was inaugurated as President. Curator Stevy Acevedo began her maternity leave on July 9, with Rebecca Andersen serving as Acting Curator until October 19. The Friends of the Arcadia Museum (FAM) did not meet in July but gathered on August 1 and raised over $14,000 for a new exhibit case for the Veterans History Room. The next FAM meeting is scheduled for September 5. Getty Marrow Interns Ellya Kim and Samuel Reed, who have been with the museum since June, completed their main projects and concluded their internships at the Dino Day event on August 24. The Peacock Fountain basin repair has been completed by Public Works, with further restoration work scheduled for this fall. REPORT FROM MUSEUM EDUCATION COORDINATOR The Summer Enrichment Program, coordinated by Education Coordinator Lauren Porras and Getty Intern Ellya Kim, successfully engaged 139 students across its four diverse programs. The initiative included "The Science of Animation," "Ancestry and Me," "Fossils: Who’s the Poop-etrator," and "Trashology in Anthropology." Each program featured two sessions per week, with morning classes led by Ms. Porras and afternoon sessions conducted by Ms. Kim. Nine students who attended all four programs were awarded special certificates and back-to-school gift bags, reflecting the program's commitment to recognizing consistent participation. Feedback from parents, students, and guardians was overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the engaging and educational nature of the content. For those unable to attend in person, Ms. Porras and Ms. Kim adapted the program by creating 80 take-home kits for each topic, with any remaining kits converted for home use. These kits continue to be available in limited quantities. Additionally, the team distributed 50 kits at the City of Arcadia Summer Concerts and Movies in the Park event on August 8, which also served as a platform to promote upcoming events like Dino Day and the Preschool Program. In collaboration with Getty Intern Ms. Kim and teen volunteers, the Museum assembled Hispanic Heritage Educational Kits, now available for community reservation and pickup. Indigenous Heritage kits are in production and will be released in October. These efforts reflect the Museum's dedication to expanding educational resources and community engagement through interactive and culturally relevant materials. Ms. Porras also coordinated the annual Dino Day event and had about 100 visitors. The event featured five interactive stations, including fossil excavation and crafting activities. Staff and volunteers were diligently preparing materials and supplies to ensure a successful event. Additionally, Ms. Porras, Ms. Acevedo, and Ms. Andersen have begun planning programs for 2025, aiming to enhance community engagement with diverse offerings. On the marketing front, the Museum has seen significant growth in social media engagement, thanks to Getty Intern Ellya Kim's content creation and Ms. Porras's strategic scheduling. The Instagram reels have been particularly popular, leading to a dramatic increase in both reach and engagement. The Museum’s MailChimp newsletter also remains a vital tool for promoting events and updates. Meanwhile, volunteer activities have been robust, with recent appreciation events and ongoing support for various Museum programs and events. The deadline for nominating teen volunteers for the Presidential Service Award is September 21, recognizing their dedication and contribution. There were 2361.15 Volunteer Hours logged as of August 20. Coordinator Porras also shared upcoming event flyers such as for the Preschool Program, the Educational Kits, the various upcoming Preservation Workshops, and the opening of the Santa Anita Park Exhibition. CONSENT CALENDAR: a. Approval of the Regular Meeting Minutes of July 3, 2024, was postponed due to lack of quorum. Approval of minutes will commence at the next commission meeting November 6. ADJOURNMENT: Chairperson Shimmin adjourned the meeting at 5:35 p.m. to Wednesday, November 6, 2024, at 5:00 p.m. in the Museum Education Center at 382 West Huntington Drive, Arcadia. Approved: ________________________________________________ Darlene Bradley, Director of Library and Museum Services Prepared by: Lauren Porras, Museum Education Coordinator