Wed. ACM Breakfast

What a great way to start the day! So much energy, ideas, and positivity. Wess and I showed up bright and early at 7:30 and were the first people there. Aside from picking up grapefruit juice instead of orange juice (blegh!) it was great! The room was set up with cards to designate areas for table discussion. Table choices included: marketing, international museums, membership, and finance. We went with membership ....

We were so fantastic others joined our table including:

Vito
Kohl's Museum
Chicago

Raysheen Toston
Discovery Children's Museum
Membership database manager
Las Vegas (new location / previously shared with library)

Patricia Miller-Hurley
Emerging Museum
Detroit

We proudly introduced ourselves as 2013 IMLS National Medal winners, our journey for the 2nd floor, and our Play and Learn Islands! RCLS gets kudos every time!

Exciting discussion topics of the morning include:

- ACM has now introduced raised costs and new regulations on reciprocal visits (between local and even across state lines) affecting what museums are charging their visitors

- Las Vegas moved from there previous space shared with the county library to a new 3 floor facility near the Smith Center, they have a mobile outreach vehicle, they hold quarterly events for members typically tied in to new exhibits, main thing members want is more time in museum

- Detroit is excited to be moving forward on their plan to creating a museum (science Center nearby), the executive director was a former lobbyist for (GM?)

- Kohls museum has some exciting partnerships happening with local Dupage and Chicago CM around times when closed members can visit alternate locations for free, partnership with local concert venue (Ravenna?) and they also hold kids concerts, holding membership mornings on Sunday mornings (9-11) for both Kohls and Las Vegas - big hit among members, they have an imagination playground set that they love and are using within the library (as well as for outreach - rent a vehicle for this)