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Arizona Convocation 2009

The eleventh annual Arizona Convocation was held in Carefree, March 1 & 2, 2009. The conference focused on a key topic: sustaining cultural organizations during an economic downturn. Nearly 200 librarians, archivists, historians, and museum and arts professionals from around the state attended. 94% of participants who completed evaluations reported that they learned something new that would help them do their job better. 94% reported that they met people with whom they will collaborate.

The Arizona Convocations were begun in 1999 to build collaboration and partnerships among libraries, archives, and museums and to preserve Arizona’s cultural heritage. Convocations include speakers, panels, and valuable networking opportunities which:

• strengthen programs that support Arizona’s cultural resources
• share information and encourage collaborative projects, including exhibitions, collections, preservation and Arizona Centennial events planning
• promote public access to Arizona collections

Turtle Award
Each year the Director of the State Library, Archives and Public Records presents Turtle Awards to recognize individuals or organizations who cherish Arizona’s rich cultural heritage and who have supported the agency’s efforts to accomplish its mission. The award’s name derives from the similarity of the agency’s logo to the shape of a turtle. The recipients, like the award’s namesake, have helped the agency move forward through extra effort – perhaps even by sticking their necks out.

GladysAnn Wells presented Ted Hale with an award for staff excellence for his work as Development Manager at the State Library. Awards for support and continual collaboration with the State Library went to Seth Franzman from the Arizona State Capitol Museum Guild and Amy O’Brien from Gilbane, Inc.

AGENDA Back to Top

SESSION INFORMATION:     Back to Top

View Linda's powerpoint presentation

The concept of sustainability, both in terms of sound business practice as well as in the implementation of advanced and renewable energy sources, is becoming ever more important to the future of our nation’s arts and culture organizations. Sustainability offers great opportunities for arts and culture organizations to play leading roles in shaping the public policy around some of the most critical issues of our time. Our speaker shared her personal experience in developing recent advanced energy projects at the Great Lakes Science Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and offered thoughts on engaging stakeholders from corporations to foundations in this increasingly important work.

Linda Abraham-Silver, Ed.D., is President and Executive Director of the Great Lakes Science Center, the premier science-education attraction at the North Coast Harbor in Cleveland, Ohio. Only the second president of the Science Center since its founding in 1996, Dr. Abraham-Silver came to Cleveland in 2004 after more than a decade at California’s world-renowned Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, where she served as Vice President of Education and Guest Relations. A California native, she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), a Masters of Business Administration degree from Pepperdine University, and an Ed.D. in science education from the University of Southern California.

PLENARY: Rick Heffernon

View Rick’s powerpoint presentation

In his presentation, Rick Heffernon addressed sustainability as a defining issue and organizing practice for the 21st century and covered the following topics:
• What is the thought process of becoming sustainable?
• How can sustainability become an opportunity?
• What are some good ideas and policies for sustainable living?
Rick Heffernon joined Arizona State University’s Global Institute of Sustainability in June 2008 as a senior writer/editor and policy analyst. He conducts research and develops articles, editorials, reports, and other content for the communications group there. He was previously a senior policy analyst with the ASU’s Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona’s oldest think tank. During almost two decades with Morrison Institute, he specialized in policy research projects related to science and technology, economic development, education, rural communities, and population growth and land use. He was principal author of Morrison Institute’s 2007 landmark report “Sustainability for Arizona: The Issue of Our Age.” A resident of rural Arizona for nearly 30 years, Rick has a strong interest in rural development, natural resource issues, and related concerns. Rick holds an MA in education from Arizona State University and BA in interdisciplinary Russian Studies from Dartmouth College.

GROUP WORKSHOP: World Café

View World Café instructions

The World Café is an innovative yet simple methodology for hosting conversations about questions that matter. These conversations link and build on each other as people move between groups, cross-pollinate ideas, and discover new insights into the questions or issues that are most important in their life, work, or community. For information on how to use this tool to begin conversations at your organization, visit www.theworldcafe.com.

Special Presentation: Musical Instrument Museum, Bill DeWalt

View Bill’s powerpoint presentation

Learn more about the Musical Instrument Museum

The Musical Instrument Museum (MIM), currently under construction and scheduled to open in Phoenix in early 2010, will celebrate the similarities and differences of the world’s cultures as expressed through music—a language common to us all. With musical instruments from every country in the world, MIM will pay homage to the history and diversity of instruments and introduce museum guests to their varied and unique sounds. MIM President and Director, Bill DeWalt, will discuss the challenges and successes of opening this unique museum, including raising the $100 million to buy the land and build the museum, as well as acquiring the collection and designing the exhibits.

Bill DeWalt is the first President and Director of the Musical Instrument Museum. He joined the museum in March 2007. Prior to joining MIM, he served as the Director of the Carnegie Museum of Natural History in Pittsburgh. He received his Ph.D. in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Connecticut.

CONVOCATION EXHIBITORS

Ak-Chin Him-Dak Eco-Museum and Library
Arizona Commission on the Arts
Arizona Memory Project
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Arizona State University Libraries,
Arizona Archives Online
Cave Creek Museum
Deer Valley Rock Art Center
Desert Caballeros Western Museum/Wickenburg
Historical Society Museum
Friends of Arizona Archives
Morrison Institute for Public Policy, Arizona Indicators
Museum Association of Arizona
Postal History Foundation
Sahuaro Ranch Park
Sunnyslope Historical Society
University of Arizona, School of Information
Resources and Library Science

ARIZONA HISTORICAL ADVISORY COMMISSION MEMBERS

Paul Allvin, Associate Vice President for Communications, The University of Arizona
Honorable Ken Bennett, Secretary of State
Robert Booker, Executive Director, Arizona Commission on the Arts
Jean Calhoun, Director, Land and Water Conservation
Ann Dutton Ewbank, Education Liaison Librarian, Arizona State University West
Margie Emmerman, Director, Arizona Offi ce of Tourism
James W. Garrison, State Historical Preservation Offi cer, Arizona State Parks
Honorable Terry Goddard, Attorney General
Beth Grindell, Director, Arizona State Museum
Tom Horne, Superintendent, Arizona Department of Education
Catherine L. May, Senior Historical Analyst/Archivist, Salt River Project
Ruth V. McGregor, Chief Justice, Arizona Supreme Court
Steve Rizley, Vice President and Region Manager, Arizona Cox Communication
Don W. Ryden, Architect, Ryden Architects
Ken Travous, Director, Arizona State Parks
Steve Tully, Gordon & Rees, LLP
Dora Vazquez, Director, Boards and Commission, Offi ce of the Governor
GladysAnn Wells, Director, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Anne Woosley, Ph.D., Executive Director, Arizona Historical Society
Juliana Yoder

2009 CONVOCATION COMMITTEE

GladysAnn Wells, Director and State Librarian, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Janet Ball, Library Director, Round Valley Public Library
Joan Clark, Deputy Director of Operations and Planning, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Jane Kolbe, Director of Library Development, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Carol Tapia, Administrative Assistant, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records
Sarah Weber, Special Events Coordinator, Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records

COMMENTS FROM PARTICIPANTS:     Back to Top

Regarding Linda Abraham-Silver, Keynote Speaker
“Linda was an outstanding speaker and her talk was very inspiring. I was especially interested in the concept of intellectual and social sustainability.”

“A compelling and useful assessment of sustainability from the perspective of “hard science” and public outreach. An engaging speaker!”

“Fantastic! Made the entire conference worth it! She was very inspiring and really had some visionary ideas. Loved her!”

Regarding Rick Heffernon, Plenary Speaker
“Great quotes! Better explanation of sustainability than I’ve heard. Gave me ideas for a future presentation.”

“Very interesting speaker. Most informative speech.”

“Interesting focus on Arizona on an issue that is near and dear to my heart.”

Regarding the Group Workshop, World Café
“The conversation stimulated me to think of a project for sustainability to take back to my city.”

“Several good kernel ideas emerged that I can use as I think about sustainability in my community.”

“An effective way to generate new ideas and refresh old ones.”

Regarding the Musical Instrument Special Presentation
“Very interesting and important cultural contribution to the community.”

“Incredible; probably the most inspiring speaker for an environment facing so much negativity. Positivism for our current economic situation.”

“Excellent presentation – best of convocation. Bill’s sustainability slide was very practical and relevant.”

Overall Convocation Comments
“Convocation was a great networking opportunity to share ideas, experiences, thoughts.”

“This is my 2nd convocation and it gives me a wonderful chance to reunite with colleagues, obtain good ideas and network with a variety of people in the archival world.”

“I really enjoy the convocation because it crosses professional boundaries.”

“I look forward to attending Convocation each year. My favorite part is meeting all of the representatives from the various cultural institutions. Thanks to ASLAPR for hosting this event each year.”

“This is my second convocation, and once again I am so impressed with how the AZ State Library treats all of us with professionalism and respect. We are seen as experienced and educated folks who want to draw out and share the very best of Arizona. And yes, the food was outstanding!”

Centennial Chapter Update-Arizona’s Economy:     Back to Top

Read Tim Hogan’s paper on Arizona’s Economy

View Tim’s powerpoint presentation

As the State prepares for its 100th year birthday in 2012, Dr. Timothy Hogan is working with the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records, a division of the Secretary of State, to do research on Arizona’s economy as part of a Centennial project. Dr. Hogan’s work examines our state’s recent economic history, including the housing/financial sector-driven boom/crash that pushed first Arizona and then the national economy into the severe recession that we are still in the midst of today. Dr. Hogan looks to Arizona’s economic future as he examines the factors and ideologies that impact it.

Dr. Hogan gave a presentation about Arizona’s economic past, present, and future on Wednesday, July 8 at 12 PM at the Arizona State Library Carnegie Center (1101 W Washington, Phoenix, AZ 85007). His presentation titled, “So we were speeding and drove off a cliff – Where do we go from here?” was part of the Carnegie Lunchtime Speaker Series coordinated by the Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records.

Dr. Hogan is Professor Emeritus of Economics and Senior Research Associate in the L. William Seidman Research Institute in the W. P. Carey School of Business at Arizona State University. He received B.A. and M.A. degrees in Economics from the University of California and his Ph.D. degree in Economics from Virginia Polytechnic Institute. He joined the faculty at Arizona State University in 1970 and retired in July 2004.  Dr. Hogan served as Director of the Seidman Institute from 1995 to 2004 and the Center for Business Research from 1987 to 2004. 

Arizona Convocations: building collaboration between libraries, archives, and museums to support preservation of Arizona’s cultural heritage and to promote resource sharing

Sponsored by:
Arizona State Library, Archives and Public Records and supported, in part,
with funds granted by the Library Services and Technology Act,
administered by the Institute of Museum and Library

For 2010, the Arizona Convocation
will be on hiatus.
Please contact Joan Clark at
602-926-4035 with any questions.

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