MPMA Archival Project

MPMA is carefully saving its archival materials dating back to when the organization was formed in 1953. At that time, the organization was known as the Mountain-Plains Museums Conference (MPMC). The MPMA Archives Committee began processing, organizing and re-housing the archives in 2003 so that materials that had been stored at the Colorado Historical Society and the Littleton Historical Society could be stored together.

What MPMA Collects

MPMA actively collects items from its past. A recent addition to the archives was a black and white photograph of the 1959 MPMC Annual Meeting in Hastings, NE showing Local Committee Members; a copy of the 6th Annual MPMC Conference Program and a newspaper article from the NEBRASKA DAILY TRIBUNE. The meeting was hosted by The House of Yesterday Museum and held at the Minden Country Club with 85 attendees. The featured speaker, Joseph A. Patterson (from AAM), noted: “There has been fantastic growth in museums in terms of attendance. Likewise, museums now have become centers of community cultural and educational activities. They offer dramatic and music programs, lecture series, films and specialized classes. Museums work closely with schools and offer independent classes. People are interested in museums and they are willing to pay for their culture and also participate.”

What's Missing

MPMA is looking for the following items:

-- Old MPMA identified photographs, slides and negatives
-- Board meeting minutes and reports
-- Annual meeting programs and preliminary fliers
-- Scholarship application forms
-- Newsletters - "missing" issues January - November, 1981 and January - March, 1982
-- Dated membership lists
-- Dated copies of the Constitution & Bylaws
-- Other printed brochures and forms
-- Other interesting ephemera items

Let us know what you have BEFORE you toss them out. Already some big gaps have been filled in by the Archives Committee plundering their own files. And Board members, SPC and Chairs -- be sure to keep your past and current files organized so that when MPMA calls for YOUR records for inclusion to the MPMA archives, you’ll be ready.

Guidelines for Sending Items to MPMA

If you do have items, please be sure you follow the following guidelines:
Images: photographs, slides and negatives. All images must be identified as to the: who, what, where and when information, for use in documentation and writing captions. Send any current digital images or scans (as jpg files) to MPMA for use in the NEWSGRAM or for use in the website.

Newsletters and Conference Programs: check with MPMA before sending these items. There are only a few copies still missing.

EVENT GRID

What else can you do to help? VOLUNTEER! Call or email MPMA if you would like to help.

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