By Caitlin Eckard

The past couple weeks at ATHS have been centered around their convention at the end of May. Every year this is their annual event, where people can hear about new events happening at ATHS, and it helps attract new members. I am learning a lot about the many tasks that need to be done in order for things to run smoothly. Meaning- everybody wears many different hats at ATHS. This is a phrase that I have heard repeatedly working there, and at other institutions. I have really come to understand it at ATHS, because everybody pitches in and does whatever work needs to be done. This has been especially true the past month.

I will also be helping out at the convention, luckily it’s in Springfield this year, so it’s relatively close by. I hope to learn more about the organization there, and hopefully meet some of the members, and ask them where they would like to see ATHS go in the future. Fundraising is such an important aspect of working in a museum or an historical society, (unless of course it’s the Smithsonian)  so I plan on learning what works, what doesn’t, and possibly new things to try. I am taking a fundraising class next year, so hopefully this will give me a good background to start from.