Course: HIST 7994 – Advanced Projects in Public History
Semester: Summer 2011
Instructor: Dr. Brenden Martin
Course Description: This Advanced Projects course will involve developing a disaster management plan for the Sam Davis Home in Smyrna, Tennessee, utilizing AASLH’s STEPs program as the basis for work. This project will also fulfill Ms. Stringer’s skill set requirement by incorporating material conservation research as an element of her disaster management plan. Specifically, she will be required to inventory the different types of materials in the collection, research best practices for interventive conservation techniques, and integrate these material conservation techniques in her disaster plan.
This Advanced Projects course will have five main benchmarks:
1) Background research—Review AASLH Standards and Excellence Program (STEPs); read professional literature on disaster management, including Primer on Disaster Preparedness and Management, Disaster Risk Management for Museums, etc.; review a variety of disaster plans for historic sites, including Smithsonian, NPS, National Archives, TSLA, etc.
2) Inventory of materials in collections—determine types of materials in collection storage; research interventive conservation techniques for most likely disaster scenarios (flooding, tornado)
3) Draft Disaster Management Plan
4) Revise after review by Dr. Martin and Anita Teague; consult with Teague on formatting and preferred methods of access
For more information about projects completed in the class, please click the following links:
Katie Stringer Clary, PhD 