Outreach & Advocacy

Engaging with your community is a way to ensure your historical collections are used and that your mission remains relevant to those you seek to serve. The Vermont Historical Society has wonderful resources on programming and exhibits. Connecting to Collections has several useful resources on outreach activities, public outreach and collections care, using new media to promote preservation, and taking outreach to fairs. The State Archives of North Carolina has an introductory video on promoting your collections and the Pennsylvania Historical and Museum Commission has a general video on outreach.

Social media provides another way to connect with your community. With an online presence, more users are drawn to your site and learn about your collections. The most common social media platforms that cultural heritage organizations and government agencies use are Facebook and Twitter, though social media evolves and use changes quickly. Check out Sprout Social’s Ultimate Social Media Guide for Museums and Connecting to Collections Care’s webinars on sharing museum collections through social media and using social media to tell your collections’ stories.

Maintaining a website can be very important since most people browse the internet as their first place to gather information. If you do not have the budget or technological comfort to maintain a website through a platform such as WordPress, Google Sites is another option for a simple website - especially if you are already using their email and cloud storage services for your organization. Cabot Historical Society is an example of how Google Sites can be used for sharing information about your organization and your collections.

There will be times you have to advocate for your institution and make the case to your board, management, and your community about why your institution exists, what it does, and why it matters. The American Association for State and Local History has a resource on demonstrating your organization’s relevance and how to use listening sessions to build relationships and relevance. Connecting to Collections Care has a webinar on advocating for collections during challenging times and the American Alliance of Museums also has many useful advocacy resources.

Talking to your local press is a way to demonstrate relevance and to connect with your community. View Connecting to Collections Care's helpful webinar on telling the story of your collections to the press for more guidance.