Maritime Makes the Daily Show

On March 27 Jon Stewart interviewed John Bolton on The Daily Show. Jon's calling Bolton out on a number of issues aside, the highlight of the interview for those of us in the maritime world was when Stewart compared appointing Bolton UN Ambassador to say putting "Capt. Ahab in charge of Save the Whales."... and lots of people are loving the reference!

You can view a video of the interview on The Daily Show website...but as it usually freezes up my computer check it out at Pollyticks. warning! interview content has blatent liberal bias!

Image is of Gregory Peck in Moby Dick

Songs of the Erie Canal

The Library of Congress' latest addition to their American Memory Collection, Captain Pearl R. Nye: Life on the Ohio and and Erie Canal is an interesting collection of 75 songs recorded in the 1930s. While the collection includes two essays and a few manuscripts and photographs, the heart is the audio. Easily downloadable in .wav. .mpg. or realplayer formats Nye's voice carries a fine tune.

Things I Didn't Know

This weekend I picked up The Birth of Black America: The First African Americans and the Pursuit of Freedom at Jamestown by Tim Hashaw, and while I'm only on page 117 I've already learned a great deal about colonial Virginia and it's black settlers and would recommend it highly. Although it does not promote itself as such it is one of the few books I've come across that truly give a sense of the wholeness of the "Atlantic World."

A New Blessing of the Fleet

This year hundreds gathered Saturday outside the Great Lakes Maritime Center at Vantage Point to take part in the Blessing of the Fleet ceremony. The first-ever event to start the Great Lakes shipping season.

Peter Werle, the center’s lead volunteer, said he arranged the ceremony to get people down to the water and recognize the city’s maritime heritage, now largely reduced to tourist vessels and tall ships. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office approved a slogan deeming the city the ‘‘Maritime Capital of the Great Lakes’’ in 2005.

Blessing of the Fleet ceremonies are held annually in coastal towns throughout the world. Narragansett, RI; Stonington, CT; Darien, GA; Kemah, TX; and Ulladulla, New South Wales and follows a centuries-old tradition originating in southern European, predominantly Catholic, fishing communities. A blessing from the local priest was meant to ensure a safe and bountiful season.

Position Announcement: Independence Seaport

Project Archivist: Independence Seaport Museum
Applications Contact person: Megan Fraser
Application due date: 2007/04/30
Salary range: Mid 30's
Web Address: www.phillyseaport.org
The Independence Seaport Museum Library seeks a full-time archivist for a one-year processing project. The archivist will arrange and describe two significant collections: the John E. Hand and Sons Company Records and the Seamen's Church Institute Records.
John E. Hand and Sons were manufacturers of nautical instruments in the Philadelphia area for more than 100 years. The archives of the company date from 1873-1997, and consist of approximately 18,000 items, including business correspondence with shipyards, patents, photographs, promotional materials such as calendars and brochures, and approximately 4,000 blueprints and drawings for virtually all of the instruments produced by the company.
The Seamen's Church Institute was founded in Philadelphia in 1843 to offer both spiritual and practical assistance to seafarers from around the world. The organization's archives consist of business and financial records, board meeting minutes, promotional materials and publications, photographs, art work, and records of those who used their facilities.
The goal of the project is to provide intellectual and physical access to these two important collections. The archivist will conduct a survey and determine appropriate arrangement schemes in consultation with the library director. S/he will arrange and rehouse the collection according to standard archival practice, and produce a finding aid including a scope and content note, a brief historical note, and a container/location list. Data from the finding aid will be used in the creation of an electronic record to be contributed to the OCLC union catalog.
Upon completion of arrangement and description, the archivist will co-curate a small exhibit of materials from the collections for the library's display cases. This work will include selection of items, composition of label text and exhibit design. Images and text from this exhibit will be used in a long-term online exhibit mounted on the Museum's website.
Required: ALA-accredited MLS with formal training in archival theory and practice. Knowledge of American/maritime history/technology. Excellent writing and organizational skills, accuracy, attention to detail. Ability to work independently.
Preferred: Undergraduate degree in humanities. Three years experience with mixed materials collections. Reference and/or research experience.
To Apply: Send resume, cover letter and finding aid sample to Megan Fraser, Library Director, Independence Seaport Museum, 211 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia, PA 19106; fax: 215.925.6713; or e-mail: library@phillyseaport.org P

New York Times Museum Review: USS Monitor

NEWPORT NEWS, Va. — As sacred relics go, it doesn’t seem too inspiring. In appearance, Nathaniel Hawthorne said, it “looked like a gigantic rat-trap.” In life, it had little more than a single day of major achievement, and in that it was less than triumphant. In death, it was even less grand, sinking into the Atlantic during a storm, not even a year after it first lumbered onto the scene.....Full Story

Pirates Again

Blackbeards ship, Queen Anne's Revenge is thought to be the vessel under excavation off the coast of North Carolina.

According to cnn.com:

Several officials said historical data and coral-covered artifacts recovered from the site -- including 25 cannons, which experts said was an uncommonly large number to find on a ship in the region in the early 18th century -- remove any doubt the wreckage belonged to Blackbeard.

Three university professors, including two from East Carolina University, have challenged the findings. But officials working on the excavation said Friday that the more they find, the stronger their case becomes.

"Historians have really looked at it thoroughly and don't feel that there's any possibility anything else is in there that was not recorded," said Mark Wilde-Ramsing, director of the Queen Anne's Revenge Project. "And the artifacts continue to support it."

Wilde-Ramsing said a coin weight recovered last fall bearing a likeness of Britain's Queen Anne and a King George cup, both dated before the shipwreck, further bolster their position.

---

Plans are to fully excavate the ship in 3 years.

Eighth Maritime Heritage Conference: Call For Papers

The Conference Program Committee of the 8^th Maritime Heritage Conference which will be held in San Diego, California, Tuesday October 9^th through Friday October 12^th, 2007 invites abstracts for individual papers (15-30 minutes in length) and session proposals (three or four papers in 75 minutes). Papers may address a specific subject or aspects of the broader themes of the conference. Among the themes the conference will focus on are:

Maritime and Naval History ♦ History of Hydrographic Surveys ♦

Oceanic Trade and Communications ♦ National Marine Sanctuaries ♦ Marine Art ♦ Shipbuilding ♦ Ship Preservation ♦ Small Craft ♦ Lighthouses and Lifesaving Stations ♦ Historic Ships ♦ Underwater Archaeology ♦ Maritime Libraries and Museums ♦

Maritime Heritage Education

Abstracts should be typed and consist of no more than one single-spaced page. Each abstract must be accompanied by a CV of no more than three pages. Abstracts and CVs are due no later than June 1^st, 2007.

Full Details

Position: National Maritime Museum

Curator of 17th-Century Imperial and Maritime Studies

Organisation: NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
Location: South London
Salary: £27,500 - £32,336 plus benefits
Date posted: 5 Mar 2007
Closing date: 20 Mar 2007



Ref: G/17

£27,500 - £32,336 + benefits o Greenwich

(Starting salary dependant on skills and experience. More may be available for the exceptional candidate)

We have ambitious plans for our new Centre for Imperial and Maritime Studies (www.nmm.ac.uk/cims). Driving innovative new initiatives and online resources, our goal is to establish the Museum as the major research institution and a global driving force for study in this area.

These roles are key to making that happen. Working closely with your fellow curators, you will conduct high-quality research on the Museum's collections and subjects, contribute to gallery and exhibition development, build partnerships with academics and key institutions and, working with Learning and Interpretation, develop imaginative ways to reach and engage a range of audiences.

With a postgraduate degree in a relevant subject, you should already have material published (or in preparation for publication). However, your area of specialisation is less important than your keenness to work with a range of unique 2 and 3-D materials, using them to bring alive Britain's imperial and maritime history for people of all ages and cultural backgrounds.

Private Ocean Liner Memoriabilia Collection Hosted by Cruise Lines

Norfolk Brings Maritime Memorabilia to New Terminal

Editorial Comment: Funny, they didn't make an arrangement with a museum.

Who owns abondoned documents?

Recently a large group of documents belonging to Todd Shipyards Corporation were discovered in the possession of the IKEA corporation who had purchased the former shipyard property. The documents along with other abandoned Shipyard property was found by Carolina Salguero, the founder of PortSide NewYork, a waterfront themed cultural and educational institution.

Salguero recovered the documents but then it appears Todd Shipyard wanted them back. You can read more about the story New deal snatches maritime documents from the trash heap, but my question is, why does Todd Shipyards have a right to the documents. They clearly deserted them, moved away without taking them, and then made no effort to recover them. IKEA did not even know they existed, so why would they not then belong to PortSide New York? And thinking further...how many documents do we hold that were abondoned and added to our collections only after having been found by a third party?

Grant News!

Mystic Seaport has received a grant for $150,000 from the Arthur Vining Davis Foundation to create a prototype Cultural Heritage Digital Library. This Library will focus on the maritime studies field, and also provide a framework around which other Cultural Heritage fields could build similar libraries. Building upon the successful implementation of the G. W. Blunt White Digital, this unique digital library will provide non-technical access to the type of electronic resources requested by maritime scholars in a recent study conducted by the G. W. Blunt White Library and funded by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.

While the exact configuration of The Cultural Heritage Digital Library will be determined in consultation with partner institutions, it will be international in nature and may consist of:

a) A Resource Discovery tool to collect, annotate and provide access to existing electronic maritime resources

b) A Multi-institutional Manuscript Collection Description Repository

c) A Digital Collection of historic maritime newspapers

d) A Repository for Electronic maritime materials with no other home, including curricula, grey literature and a maritime heritage studies journal.

Paul O’Pecko, Vice President for Collections and Research is the Project Director, responsible for setting the direction of the project, fund-raising for its continued success, convincing potential partners of the need to participate and presenting results at conferences.

Kelly S. Drake, Associate Director for Collections Access and Research is the Project Manager and will be in charge of the actual creation of the Library with input from institutional partners.

The Arthur Vining Davis Foundation provides financial assistance to educational, cultural, scientific and religious institutions. The Board of Trustees’ current practice is to award grants primarily in the areas of private higher education, secondary education, graduate theological education, health care and public television.

Follow Up

More info on the North Carolina Maritime Museum issue: Squall Lines

PEM Appoints Library Director

According to an article in the Salem News, Sidney Berger, 62, a faculty member at Simmons College and a former curator at the American Antiquarian Society, was selected to be the first Ann C. Pingree director of the Phillips Library. He will begin his new post in June.

The job of library director, which has not existed since before the 1992 merger of the Essex Institute and Peabody Museum, will be a senior-level staff position and "a clear-cut indication of the role and importance of the library," Monroe said.

Decisions about future changes and directions for the Library will be made after Berger takes his new position.

Position: Executive Director Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver Maritime Museum
Type: Full Time
Salary Range: Open
Web: www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
The Vancouver Maritime Museum is the principal maritime museum on the Pacific Coast of Canada and one of a few major maritime museums on the west coast of North America. It interprets the story of Canada's great Pacific port and is home to the famous RCMP ship, St. Roch. The Museum is well-known for its excellent programs and exhibits, strong membership and corporate support, as well as its family friendly focus and dedicated staff. It is in this exciting and challenging environment that we have a pivotal role for a new
Executive Director - Help chart a new course for this venerable museum.
We are seeking an experienced leader to provide new direction and reinvigorate the day-to-day operations of the museum. You will build on our strengths as the museum moves forward, poised to make a significant contribution to the educational, maritime and tourism communities of the Greater Vancouver area in BC.
With a strong background in operations and change management, combined with an enthusiasm for public institutions, you will be ideal for this role. Experience in the maritime sector is desirable although not essential.
Vancouver is a place in which you can feel at home: it is Canada's gateway to the Pacific and consistently rated as one of the top places to live in the world. With approximately 2.3 million people in the metropolitan area, this growing, multicultural city is proud to be hosting the 2010 Winter Olympic Games.
Closes 2/9/07
Send letter, resume and salary requirements to:
Application Email: director@vancouvermaritimemuseum.com
Application Address:
Director
Vancouver Maritime Museum
1905 Ogden Avenue
Vancouver, British Columbia V6J 1A3 Posted January 24th

Internships: Martha's Vineyard Museum

Curatorial Intern Edgartown, Massachusetts
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Applications Contact person: Jill Bouck
Application due date: 2007/March 30
Salary range: $9 per hour
Web Address: www.marthasvineyardhistory.org
Curatorial Intern: The curatorial intern will work extensively with the curator and assistant curator on a variety of tasks such as the overall operation of the 18th century Cooke House on the MVM campus, exhibit care and maintenance, environmental monitoring, collection care, security, registration and collection storage. The curatorial intern will lead interpretational tours of the Cooke House as well as campus-wide tours for visitors of all ages and assist in training other interns and volunteers to do the same. The intern will also work with other museum staff, interns and volunteers on a variety of museum-related tasks and ongoing summer education programs. Candidates for this position should have a strong interest or background in museum studies, education and history and enjoy working with the public.
Application Process:
To be considered for an internship position, you will have to submit a complete application package to the MVM by March 30, 2007. This application package includes:
- Martha's Vineyard Museum Intern Information Sheet(see MVM website for form)
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Most Current Contact Information (phone number and email)
Upon receiving the application packet, MVM staff will send an email acknowledgement. A telephone interview will be necessary for the finalists.
Please send the completed application packet to:
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Attn: Internship Committee
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA. 02539 Posted January 24th

Internship: Martha's Vineyard Museum

Library/Archive Intern Edgartown, Massachusetts
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Applications Contact person: Keith Gorman
Application due date: 2007 March 30
Salary range: $9 per hour
Web Address: www.marthasvineyardhistory.org
The Library/Archive Intern will work closely with the librarian, library staff and volunteers, and visiting researchers at the Gale Huntington Library. The Library's special collections include 50,000 photographic images, 500 maps, and 550 linear feet of manuscripts, logbooks, diaries, and scrapbooks. The Library maintains a small non-circulating collection of monographs that relate to the Museum's focus on Martha's Vineyard history and culture. It functions as the Vineyard's primary cultural and historical repository. Thus, the Library responds to research and reference queries from around the world. While gaining a solid understanding of the basic operations of a research library, the intern will also learn a number of important archival concepts and skills. Candidates for this position should have a strong interest and background in American history and/or some experience working in a research library setting.
Application Process:
To be considered for an internship position, you will have to submit a complete application package to the MVM by March 30, 2007. This application package includes:
- Martha's Vineyard Museum Intern Information Sheet (see website for form)
- Cover Letter
- Resume
- Two Letters of Recommendation
- Most Current Contact Information (phone number and email)
Upon receiving the application packet, MVM staff will send an email acknowledgement.
A telephone interview will be necessary for the finalists.
Please send the completed application packet to:
Martha's Vineyard Museum
Attn: Internship Committee
P.O. Box 1310
Edgartown, MA. 02539 Posted January 24th

Internship: Wisconsin Maritime Museum

Curatorial Internship, Summer 2007 Manitowoc, WI
Wisconsin Maritime Museum
The Curatorial Intern will focus on exhibits research, production and maintenance; however, responsibilities may also include conservation and collections management work. The intern’s primary projects will relate to work on the Museum’s permanent gallery and upcoming temporary exhibits, and may include identifying and researching potential items for exhibit, coordinating incoming loan items, and script writing. The intern works directly with the Curator or a department head responsible for the project, under the supervision of the Curator. Projects will involve various Museum resources such as ship's plans, photographic, and art archives; film and manuscript collections; three-dimensional artifacts, historic small boat collection; or the Museum's World War II submarine U.S.S. COBIA.
Qualifications: Must have excellent research and writing skills, be self-motivated, and able to work independently with little supervision. Preference will be given to candidates enrolled in history, museum studies or public history programs.
Compensation is $7.50 per hour for up to 320 hours of paid work; start date and work schedule are flexible.
Please send cover letter, resume, and references by February 28, 2007 to: Michelle Hill, Wisconsin Maritime Museum, 75 Maritime Drive, Manitowoc, WI 54220; or via email to mhill@wisconsinmaritime.org. Posted January 28th

Australian Register of Historic Vessels

The Australian National Maritime Museum launched the nation's first Australian Register of Historic Vessels on February 1.

The initial objective of the online register it to assemble a broad picture of Australia's historic boats and ships - indicating the various types, their numbers, their distribution, the uses they serve and their condition.

At launch, the database contains an initial list of 100 vessels - ranging from an early Australian surfboard and an Indigenous one-person fishing raft to a Murray River paddle steamer, a Newcastle collier and a former Royal Australian Navy destroyer.

Any owner wishing to nominate a vessel for inclusion in the Register will find the assessment criteria, helpful information and a Nomination Form on the Register web pages.

I haven't played around in the database much but from what I've seen it's a very rich source of information on the vessels that are included.

Heads up

I don't have the full story, but it would be irresponsible and counter to the Compass's mission not to mention the latest happening regarding Independence Seaport Museum. It appears that during the month of January the Museum sued past director Johns S. Brown for stealing 2.4 million.

A better summary of the situation is at: the Sea-Fever blog (which I've never noticed before but will now follow)


The following are a few links to some of the stories:

Former Museum Chief Denies Stealing Millions

John S. Brown has 99 Problems

Position Announcement:: Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum seeks a proven museum professional to manage the production, installation and maintenance of the Museum's exhibits. As a member of the exhibit development teams, the specialist will participate in exhibit design and planning. Responsibilities also include cost estimation for ongoing maintenance and exhibit fabrication and the annual department budget; graphic design, fabrication and assistance with installation of all Museum signage.

See Job Detail.

One Month Later...

Today being February 1st it seemed a good time to get back to blogging. The reason I've been 'gone' is due to the Holidays, the kids being home for winter break and ... the G. W. Blunt White Library move and inter-Collection Intigration. For those of you not familiar with recent events at the Library what follows is a brief run down.

It all began in February of last year when, as a cost saving measure Mystic Seaport offered veteran employees a buy-out option. Out of 40 some staff members in the Collections Area, 12 took the option leaving each Collection thinly staffed. The Library had only 3 full time employees, Ships Plans 2, Curatorial 5, Photgraphy 3...well you get the idea.

And so it was decided that the best way to move forward was to combine forces, reorganze along functional, rather than collection, lines and move the Library into the vast spaces of the Collections Research Center.

...we are now in the midst of that great move but things have settled down enough, both at work and at home that I feel we can get this blog going again.

What have missed? Well aside from the big happening down at Phili, which I'll cover later, not too much. The biggest omission, I think, was Joe's Follansbees audio book and I'll get that story and link up today (getting an error message on the page now).

Kelly

PS Its good to be back

Transatlantic Destinies: Connections and Disconnections Across

Call for Papers
Northeast American Society for Eighteenth-Century Studies
October 25-28, 2007
Dartmouth College, New Hampshire

The Theme for the 2007 NEASECS Conference at Dartmouth College memorializes the 200th anniversary of the abolition of the English slave trade. Transatlantic Destinies also acknowledges all aspects of the transformation of the transatlantic social sphere including the exchange of ideas, the resistance of European colonies to the motherlands, European exploration and native resistance, and the increasingly unified
circulation of culture and capital across the largest natural trade routes known up to this point.

As in any NEASECS conference, papers and panels are sought in all areas of eighteenth-century studies.

Please submit 1-page proposals for panels or papers and a brief c.v. by January 15, 2007 to:

Peter Cosgrove, Conference Chair
English Department
Dartmouth College
Hanover, NH 03755
Peter.W.Cosgrove@dartmouth.edu

Web Address: http://www.dartmouth.edu/~neasecs07/

PEM Recieves High Praises

Muzine reviewed the new Peabody Essex and gave it a great review and makes some good points for other maritime museums.

The Enduring Relevance of Maritime History

We've all been on a diet at one time or another. Many of us have also tried low carb diets.

Now Michael R. Eades,M.D. turns to maritime sources to illustrate the long established effects of an all meat diet. Dr. Eades cites the journal of Frederick G. Schwatka, aka Misc. Vol. 163 at the G. W. Blunt White Library of Mystic Seaport, which records an 1878-1880 search for Franklin during which the crew of the schooner Eothen switched to an all meat diet.

For the full story check out A critical look at nutritional science

Caught, Canned, and Eaten: The Story of San Pedro's Fishing and Canning Industries

According to the DailyBreeze.com the Los Angeles Maritime Museum will unveil a permanent exhibit on San Pedro's vibrant fishing industry and port-town culture.

The interactive exhibit will include murals, gear used by local fishermen, home movies from the Fishermen's Fiesta, classic television commercials ("Charlie the Tuna"), films of sardine and mackerel fishing and cannery equipment salvaged from Terminal Island.

According to the Museum website the exhibit opens today.

Congrats to Museum Director (and Compass editor) Marifrances Trivelli and her crew for putting together a news worthy exhibit on an overlooked aspect of local maritime history.

New Book Alert

Shipbuilders, Sea Captains, and Fishermen: The Story of the Schooner Wawona

Joe Follansbee, of MHN fame, has a new book out. While I haven't read it yet, it has been ordered and hopefully Joe will make an East Coast author's tour sometime and sign it!

Here's the blurb from the back cover: "Discover the history of the three-masted schooner Wawona and the quirky adventures of her captains and crews in the North Pacific. Shipbuilders, Sea Captains and Fishermen reveals the innovations of Wawona's builder, H.D. Bendixsen. Capt. Ralph E. "Matt" Peasley, "the big overgrown kid," became the most famous ship captain in America. Capt. Charles Foss called on the heavens for a breeze by wearing his wife's hats. And the crew caught hundreds of tons of cod in the stormy Bering Sea while secretly fermenting shipboard wine with canned fruit and sourdough starter. Complete with detailed illustrations, historical photographs, and great stories, Shipbuilders, Sea Captains and Fishermen recreates a world that ended with the last sailing ships."

It's the canned fruit and sourdough wine that really peaks my curiosity!

Position Announcement: Director of the Library

The Mariners' Museum is seeking a dynamic and innovative leader to direct the operations of the Museum's 78,000+ volume research library and archives. The director is a member of the senior leadership team and is expected to provide overall vision for the library in accordance with the Long Range Plan and mission of the Museum, act as a communicative mentor and effective leader for the library staff, identify and utilize opportunities for new technologies, be a spokesperson and advocate for the library-both internally and externally, and network with the library community. In addition, the director will be involved in planning and development of a new library as part of the whole Museum campus. Individual must have a Masters of Library Science from an ALA-accredited program and at least 5 years previous related experience in a research library with demonstrated increased responsibilities including supervisory experience, superior communication skills, and experience in community networking. Previous experience with a building program preferred. This position offers a salary commensurate with experience and an excellent benefits package.

Intrepid Update

The mud that held up the USS Intrepid move has been removed from beneath the aircraft carrier but plans to move her have not yet been announced.

The Intrepid, a legendary Pacific war campaigner that survived torpedoes and five kamikaze plane attacks, is overdue for rehabilitation after sitting idle for 24 years at the Hudson's city-owned Pier 86.

Full story.

Maritime Heritage Center Proposed for Bay City

An editorial in the Bay City Times promotes the planned development of a maritime museum.

According to the editorial Bay City officials, Dow Corning Corp., the Bay Area Convention and Visitors Bureau and Bay Future propose to build a Maritime Heritage Center on 8.5 acres of the 48-acre Uptown at RiversEdge property, just south of downtown Bay City.

A proposal to fund an initial study comes before the City Commissioners this week.

Quick News Item:

Smuggling, Iron and Sugar: Millersville University Students in Atlantic Project with Bermuda Maritime Museum

MILLERSVILLE, Pa., Nov. 27 /PRNewswire/ -- History and archeology students from Millersville University of Pennsylvania plan to spend next summer at the Bermuda Maritime Museum to research smuggling, iron and sugar during the 18th century....link to full article.

Position Announcement: Executive Director Michigan Maritime Museum

The Board of Directors for the Michigan Maritime Museum is seeking a skilled Executive Director who will lead the Museum forward as it builds on its strengths and charts its future direction. The successful candidate will demonstrate skills and expertise in leading an organization through thoughtful change; managing day-to-day operations; effectively communicating with the staff and public; employing creative marketing strategies; administering the budget and financial records; encouraging volunteers; conducting fruitful fundraising activities; and promoting exceptional customer service.

For more information see complete description

CFP: 28th Annual Mystic Seaport Sea Music Festival Symposium

Mystic Seaport is seeking proposals for papers in History, Folklore, Literature, Ethnomusicology, or other appropriate disciplines that address any aspect of music or verse of the sea or inland waters from the Age of Sail through the present day.
Topics of interest have included: Shipboard work songs, songs of maritime or other occupational trades, seafaring cultures and cultural change, ethnicity and ethnic influences, cultural exchanges, ballad and broadside traditions, technology, regional interests, and popular culture.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE is March 10, 2007. Audiovisually illustrated presentations are welcome. Papers selected must be submitted in final form by May 7th.

Graduate students encouraged to submit a proposal.

Speakers will receive lodging and meals and free admission to the festival weekend.
PLEASE SUBMIT PROPOSALS and a brief curriculum vita or resume to:

Dr. Glenn Gordinier
attn: Symposium Williams-Mystic Program Mystic Seaport
75 Greenmanville Ave.
Mystic, CT 06355-0990
glenn.gordinier@mysticseaport.org

Online Exhibit - Ladies Who Launch

Press Release:

Independence Seaport Museum is pleased to announce their first online exhibit: Ladies Who Launch: Ship Christening Photographs from Delaware Valley Shipyards, which can be viewed at http://www.phillyseaport.org/LWL

In portraits and candid shots selected from the Library’s collections, these images show the scale of the members of the launching parties in relation to the enormity of the ships, the effervescent crash of champagne bottles, and the fabulous fashions from the first half of the 20th Century.

The online presentation is an expanded version of the exhibit now on display in the Museum. Ladies Who Launch is presented in conjunction with Women & the Sea, a comprehensive exhibit that explores the contributions of women mariners; open now through Labor Day 2007. For more information about exhibits and related programming please see: http://www.phillyseaport.org/New_Exhibits.shtml

The photo included here happens to be one of my favorite from the exhibit. It is interesting to note that in all the women and the sea studies I've heard about - this involvement of women and the sea has rarely been mentioned. Great job!

Salem Crew List Database Online

Between 1799 and 1879 over 7900 voyages to foreign ports sailed from Salem, Massachusetts. Prior to sailing the shipmaster, or captain of each vessel was required to file a crew list containing information about the vessel's destination and its crew. This website provides an index to those crewlists. Containing over 75,770 names, it also provides access to crew members based upon age, complexion, birthplace and residence place.

Search the database!

New Book: So Others May Live

Joe has recommended So Others May Live: Coast Guard's Rescue Swimmers: Saving Lives, Defying Death.

Reading the reviews both at Amazon and in the seattlepi.com report has me thinking this is a must read.

Arkansas Inland Maritime Museum's Newest Addition

The Little Rock City council approved spending $395,000 to tow the World War II-era fireboat USS Hoga from California to its maritime museum on the Arkansas River.

The Hoga survived the bombing of Pearl Harbor and will join the USS Razorback which was present for the Japanese surrender.

The Hoga is presently moored near San Francisco.

If Only I Were British

Position Announcement:
Head of Digital Projects

Organisation: NATIONAL MARITIME MUSEUM
Location: East London
Salary: £35,000 - £45,000 plus benefits
Date posted: 29 Oct 2006
Closing date: 13 Nov 2006

If you have experience of delivering large, complex new media projects on time and on budget, this varied role with the world's leading maritime museum could be your ideal next move.

It's our aim to illustrate to a wide range of audiences the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars and their relationship with people. The Museum's collections are extremely diverse, featuring stories about everything from seafaring history to trade, empire, slavery and astronomy.

Already attracting some 8.7 million visitors, our award-winning website is now poised to enter an exciting new phase in its development with a landmark project that will bring some of these fascinating stories to life. Managing a dynamic team and networking internally as well as with external bodies, your brief will be to create the digital elements of this remarkable initiative.

It's a unique challenge that spells involvement in everything from our online collections and gallery interactives to e-commerce and online marketing. To meet it, you'll be an excellent planner and collaborator with an impressive track record of creating innovative content for large, segmented audiences - probably in the arts, education, media or broadcasting sectors. A passion for user experience is a must, along with an understanding of the potential of a wide range of interactive technologies.

Quoting reference G/HDP

We regret that we are unable to reply to every applicant. If you do not hear from us within three weeks, please assume you have not been shortlisted.

The Museum upholds equal opportunities for all staff and has a no smoking policy.

ROYAL OBSERVATORY GREENWICH

- POSITIVE ABOUT DISABLED PEOPLE

INVESTOR IN PEOPLE

Book Reviews from H-Maritime

Heather Hernandez just posted on the Book Discussion list about the following book reviews available through H-Maritime.

The Barbary Wars

Sea of Gray

X Marks the Spot: The Archaeology of Piracy

Industrializing American Shipbuilding

Position Announcement: Collections Access and Research Associate

Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea is currently seeking a Collections Access and Research Associate to work in the Collections and Research Department. The successful applicant will serve as part of the Access Team providing intellectual, physical and electronic access to the Collections of Mystic Seaport. This is an entry-level position.

Essential functions include, but are not limited to:
• Oversee circulation function of Collection materials to staff, students and volunteers
• Respond to reference requests, including onsite, written, commercial and personal, related to the Collections using all available Collections Access Systems.
• Master the various means of Collections access, including but not limited to Endeavors’s Voyager system, XG, websites, visual files, card files and databases.
• Advise patrons and clients on research and derivative fees when applicable and initiate production orders for Production Team.
• Staff the Collections Reference and Research Room on a regular basis. Duties include reshelving of retrieved Collections materials, circulation of books, answering phones, overseeing reading room, etc.
• Improve and increase public Web resources related to the collections, proofing web pages and databases products.
• Assist in the hosting and developing of digital resources that improve Collections Access.
• Maintain and update Collections Web site.

Requirements include:
• General knowledge of maritime history and terminology
• Desire to learn and work with ever-changing software applications.
• Ability to participate, lead and thrive in a team setting
• Bachelors Degree
• Knowledge of search strategies and information retrieval practices
• Strong foundation and belief in providing superior customer service
• Ability to work with and continuously learn common computer applications
• General computer experience with museum and collections management software preferred.
• Knowledge of Microsoft Access, or SQL
• Detail-oriented and able to handle fragile objects according to collections management standards.

This is a full time (35 hrs./wk) position . Mystic Seaport is an AA/EOE employer.

If you wish to apply for an advertised job opening, you can download an Employment Application (Adobe Acrobat Required) or call 860.572.5346 for an application or e-mail Human Resources. We can only accept applications, accompanied by a resume if you wish, for positions for which we currently have an advertised opening. Applications must be filled out completely on both sides, be signed as well as dated, before they can be accepted for review.

Position Announcement: Collection Management Technician

Mystic Seaport's Collection and Research Department is seeking a Collection Management Technician: Full time (35 hrs./wk.) position assists with care and preservation of Museum’s Collections in storage, in transit and on exhibit. Maintains collections’ records, provides basic conservation and other duties as applicable. Requirements include Bachelor’s degree, ability to lift 50 lbs., general computer skills and valid driver’s license. Background check required. Mystic Seaport is an AA/EOE employer.

If you wish to apply for an advertised job opening, you can download an Employment Application (Adobe Acrobat Required) or call 860.572.5346 for an application or e-mail Human Resources. We can only accept applications, accompanied by a resume if you wish, for positions for which we currently have an advertised opening. Applications must be filled out completely on both sides, be signed as well as dated, before they can be accepted for review.

Christmas List

It's never too early to start thinking about my favorite holiday and a recent article in the Maine Antique Digest certainly got the idea's flowing. I know more than a few people who would appreciate receiving some of the items auctioned off at Christie's July 27th maritime sale.

For those more interested in steamship memorabilia check out the June 1 auction where "A painted cast bronze house flag and name board from a lifeboat aboard the R.M.S. Titanic of the White Star Line realized $72,000." Maine Antique Digest

According to the article items for the Steamship Auction came from "came from the collections of Jan J. Loeff, Ted Marcollo, the Steamship Society of America, dealer Kenneth C. Schultz, and from various other properties."

Maine Maritime Museum lands $1M gift

Full details from the timesrecord.com .

Congratulations!

USS Intrepid to Close for Repairs

The USS Intrepid closes after this weekend for a 58 million dollar overhaul that will include repainting the Intrepid's hull and rebuilding the Hudson River pier that has been its home at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum.

In addition, some areas that have been closed to visitors, including crew living quarters in the lower decks, will be fixed up so that they can become part of the tour when the museum reopens in the fall of 2008.

Newsday story

Job Posting:Collections Manager in St. Michaels, Maryland

Salary: Open
Type: Full Time - Experienced

The Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum seeks an organized candidate to facilitate public and internal access and intellectual property rights for growing object, image and oral history collections. Duties include cataloging, generating and updating loan agreements, supervision of collections volunteers, maintaining database records and contributing to exhibition development.

Requirements:
Bachelors in an appropriate field, MA preferred; and experience with museum collections required. Must be meticulous, highly organized and conscientious, but also flexible and able to take initiative. Basic Keyboarding and computer skills are necessary. Should be competent with databases and have good oral and written communications skills. Must receive resume by October 20, 2006.

Required Education: 4 Year Degree



Apply online at http://museumcareers.aam-us.org/jobdetail.cfm?job=2423506.32

CFP: Naval and Maritime History

The History Department of the United States Naval Academy invites proposals for papers to be presented at its 2007 Naval History Symposium in Annapolis, Maryland, from 20-22 September 2007. For decades, the Naval History Symposium has been a hallmark of the Academy's History Department, though curtailed in recent years due to the 9/11 attacks. The 2007 Symposium will mark its full resumption. We anticipate its robust continuation well into the future.

Proposals dealing with any aspect of naval and maritime history are welcome. Paper proposals should include an abstract not exceeding 250 words and a one-page vita. Proposals for panels are also encouraged and should contain an abstract and vita for each panelist. Mail proposals to Dr. M. Yu, History Department (12C), The United States Naval Academy, 107 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland 21402-5044, or send electronic proposals to yu@usna.edu. The deadline for submitting proposals is 19
January 2007. The program committee expects to finalize the program in March 2007 and final versions of papers are due by 1 August 2007.

A limited number of travel stipends are available to scholars residing outside the United States and to graduate students living within the United States. Please indicate your desire to apply for a travel stipend in the cover letter or email that contains your proposal.

The program committee will award prizes to the best papers presented at the Symposium. As in the past, we will publish selected papers at a later date.

All inquiries should be sent to yu@usna.edu. For more details and updates, visit our website at http://www.usna.edu/History/Symposium.htm

or

Papers Invited

Things You Should Do In California

Things You Should Do In California

Trial Run

If you glance over to the right hand sidebar you'll notice a new link entitled "Maritime Events Calendar". This is a google enabled calendar through which I'd like to keep track of various events. So far I've entered some CFPs and Conferences. If you get a moment to click through and click around, please let me know if it's useful, or if not, what would make it more workable.
Thanks

San Francisco Maritime Changes to Appointment Only

San Francisco Maritime News Release


For Immediate Release
Contact: John Cunnane, Supervisory Park Ranger, 415-561-7123

Maritime Library Updates Access to Aid Researchers J. Porter Shaw Library will change to appointment only hours on Monday, October 2, 2006.

Libraries and the way people use them are changing in the technological 21st Century. More people are accessing information from the comfort of their own homes or from office computers, while fewer make visiting the library their first stop. In order to aid the remote researcher by increasing digital access to the vast array of maritime information in the Park collections, and to improve services provided to those who visit the library, the J. Porter Shaw Library of San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park will be moving to appointment only hours beginning on Monday, October 2, 2006. The regular appointment hours will be Monday through Friday from 1 to 4pm (the library closes at 5pm).

Library reference staff is available to provide assistance with research in the Park’s collections (including printed, archival & photographic resources); reproduction requests and notices of intent to publish from park collections; referrals to other professionals within the Park for further research in the Park’s collections; and referrals to other organizations and research resources. These services are available on location, through email, telephone, FAX, or mailed in requests.

For more information, or to make an appointment, please call 415-561-7080 (recorded information) or 415-561-7030 during business hours to reach a Library staff member.

Appointments can also be made, and the Reference staff may be contacted through our website at http://www.nps.gov/safr/historyculture/researchcontact.htm, by fax at 415-556-3540, or by mail:

Reference Librarian
SF Maritime NHP Library
Bldg. E, Fort Mason Center
San Francisco, CA 94123
USA

New (to me) Blog of Interest

The American Sail Training Association has a very informative Blog. Tall Ships Today!

According to ASTA the blog "will try to provide you with an insider's view the world of sail training, tall ships, experiential shipboard education and other interesting stuff. Most of the posts will be by me, Peter Mello, ASTA executive director; however, from time to time we will invite others to contribute. Your comments, suggestions, ideas and contributions are welcome."

The American Sail Training Association is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit organization focused on youth education, leadership development and the preservation of North America’s rich maritime heritage. Founded in 1973 in Newport, RI, the ASTA member fleet has over 200 tall ships and sail training vessels from 26 states and 30 countries that deliver life changing experiences for “youth” of all ages.

The 2006 Conference on Sail Training and Tall Ships is being held 11/6 - 11/7 in Charleston, South Carolina.

Notice of Temporary Closing/Moving

Sometime within the next 3 to 6 months Mystic Seaport's G. W. Blunt White Library will moving across the street to its new home in the Collections Research Center. During this time the Library, Manuscript, Maps, Charts, and Periodical Collections will be unavailable. Please plan accordingly.

Editors note: Donations of alcholic beverages to aid in the accomplishment of this move will be gladly accepted.

Maritime Museum in the News

The Maritime Museum of the Atlantic was closed yesterday, Sept. 11th. It also made the news as the backdrop for a visit by U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and about 200 protesters.

Full story

Online Maritime Book Club!

Life is funny. This morning while looking through the maritime news I was thinking how I had dropped the ball on book reviews. (There hasn't been one on the "Compass" in a long time.) Then I went to check my Seaport mail and there was an email from Heather Hernandez announcing her online maritime book club.

According to Heather:

------


http://groups.yahoo.com/group/marbkclub/

Reviews and discussions of maritime books--fiction and non-fiction,old and new, and about maritime aspects of more general books. "Maritime" is understood in its broadest sense--the sea, ships, boats, rivers--if the book has something to do with something that floats, here's the place to talk about it.

We're just getting it off the ground, but we're hoping it will develop into a fun place to chat! Our members include a maritime librarian(me), a historian, and we've got a few enthusasists coming on board.

-----

I've signed on - my yahoo name is zaimmaa. Looking forward to talking 'maritime' with everyone.

One Year Anniversary

It's been one year now since the Maritime Compass first hit the internet.

And how, you ask, do I know that?

Do I have a photographic memory, keep meticulous records, or ... is International Talk Like a Pirate Day coming around again?

Yup, its number 3. On September 19th the world will again celebrate this uniquely maritime holiday - the subject of one of the Compasses very first posts.

For this years events check out the offical site.

Pensacola Developments

It's been coming across the news feeds on and off for the last year - Pensacola, FL has been seeking to become the home of the offical state maritime museum. But now its official, the Maritime Park has been approved and donations are pouring in for the Admiral John H. Fetterman State of Florida Maritime Museum and Research Center.

For more info check out the article in the Penscacola News Journal.

Job Posting

Old Dominion University Department of History invites applications for a
tenure-track position in economic or environmental history with research
specialization in maritime activities, maritime cultures or oceanic
systems. Appointment will be at the assistant or associate rank. Ph.D.
in History required. Teaching experience and relevant publications
preferred. Position begins July 2007. Submit letter of application,
c.v.,
three letters of recommendation and sample of publication to Dr. Jane T.
Merritt, Department of History, Old Dominion University, Norfolk, VA
23529-0091. Screening of applicants will begin November 1, 2006 and
continue until position is filled. Old Dominion University, an equal
opportunity, affirmative action institution, requires compliance with
Immigration Reform and Control Act of 1986.

Job Listing

The MHN Blog: Seattle Firm May Have Found Lost WWII Sub

The MHN Blog: Seattle Firm May Have Found Lost WWII Sub

31st Annual Whaling History Symposium

The New Bedford Whaling Museum will be hosting its annual symposium from Oct 14-15, this year.

Sessions include:

"Yankee Whaling in the Caribbean and its Impact in Local culture: The Logbooks Speak" with Aldermaro Romero, "Sails, False Flags, and Paper Chases: Recovering the Cruise of hte CSS Shenandoah" with Tom Chaffin, and "All About Woggins" with Storrs L. Olson on the Smithsonian Insitution.

October 14-15, 2006
9:00 a.m. - 10:00 p.m.
$100 members, $120 non-members
For more information or to register, call 508-997-0046 ext. 101

Not sure what to do with this one

...but thought it would be of enough interest that I should post it.

A recent post on boardgamegeek.com reads as follows:

For all you wargamers and geeks in general.

I work for Jane's Information in the UK and we just unearthed the original Naval wargame designed by Fred T. Jane (late 1800's), our founder. It comes in a 4x4x2 (approx) crate!!! We now have to decide what to do to get it valued or whatever. Quite exciting stuff.

A link to Fred's story is here including a photo sitting with the game set up:

http://www.janes.com/company/about/whoisjane.shtml

Cheers,

Mark

News From Mariners Museum

Timothy Sullivan, late president of the College of William and Mary, will succeed John Hightower as president and CEO of The Mariners' Museum in November of this year.

Daily Press Story

William and Mary News
HamptonRoads.com

Position Announcement

Executive Director: Maritime & Yachting Museum

The Maritime & Yachting Museum of the Treasure Coast, a twelve-year-old, small museum with plans for significant expansion, seeks its first Executive Director. Unified Board will sell current property to renovate County buildings and move to busy park setting. Serious fundraising, programming and leadership duties lie ahead for enthusiastic individual.

Call for Papers and Workshops

Teaching and Learning in the Maritime Environment:
A Conference on Pedagogy & Scholarship

March 28-30, 2007 at The California Maritime Academy

The rich experience of teaching and learning in the maritime environment suggests that maritime educators are in a unique position to guide advances in experiential and learner centered higher education. The challenges and opportunities associated with maritime education are the foci of this conference, which will

· Establish a mechanism to recognize the contributions of all types of maritime faculty to the body of knowledge that is “maritime education.”
· Introduce maritime educators, newer to the “faculty” role, to the basics of contemporary pedagogy and scholarship.
· Provide an opportunity for the juried presentation (including “Proceedings” publication) of best “learner centered” practices in maritime education.
· Strengthen the grass roots, connectivity and resource network for campuses with a maritime mission.
· Enhance maritime campuses’ ability to relate to more comprehensive universities without lessening the unique culture that binds them to the sea.
· Chart the course for maritime education to serve as an exemplar for new directions in higher ed.

This conference is ideal for faculty on the professorial and vocational (a.k.a. “practice”) tracks in collegiate maritime academies, faculty working in both practical and theoretical aspects of maritime related disciplines (e.g., oceanography, naval architecture, marine biology and
other disciplines which may utilize research vessels, etc.), faculty in a wide variety of other arts and sciences areas with interest and expertise in subjects of a maritime nature (e.g., maritime historians, ocean engineers, etc.) and graduate students seeking careers in the above or
related areas.

With this call for papers and workshops, the program committee is looking for faculty working in the maritime milieu, and/or with maritime subject matter, to propose presentation of their best teaching and experiential learning practices as well as research findings, and exemplars of integrative undertakings including those in curriculum development, enrollment management, simulation (deck, engine, crisis management, etc.), and “semester-at-sea” or other “sea term” operations. Using the Carnegie Foundation’s Reconsidered Scholarship categories of teaching,
discovery, application and integration, the conference program, as currently envisioned, will include one all-day format of “how to” and “exemplar sharing” workshops and presentations in each category during 60 to 100 minute time slots and a second day format of 45 minute traditional academic paper/lecture presentations in the same categories. Both formal and informal opportunities for collegial discussion on specific maritime issues will also be provided.

To have your workshop or paper/lecture presentation considered for inclusion in the program, please prepare a detailed proposal or abstract describing the work to be shared and identifying which category (teaching, discovery, application, integration) will be addressed as well as which format (workshop [at 60 or 100 minutes] or 45 minute paper lecture presentation) the proposal would utilize. Identify a main presenter and supply all appropriate contact information. Submit your proposal, by Sept. 25, 2006, to

Teaching and Learning Program Committee
c/o Vice President for Academic Affairs
Cal Maritime, 200 Maritime Academy Drive
Vallejo, CA 94590.

Electronic submissions should be Microsoft Word Documents and should be sent to the program committee via email address T_L_conference_papers@csum.edu. Selected entries will be notified by October 23. Presenters must register for the conference (“early bird” deadline is November 1). For the “Proceedings”, presenters will need to submit final documents in a simple but “camera-ready” template format to be supplied at the time of proposal acceptance.

Conference registration and lodging information will be available during the early fall. Save the dates: March 28-30, 2007. Bookmark www.csum.edu.

140 Years Ago Today...

...the crew of the steamship GREAT EASTERN spliced the final link in the first permanent transatlantic telegraph cable. The 2,500 mile long cable ran from Newfoundland to Ireland.

(Smithsonian Magazine Photograph)

Maritime Museum of San Diego Receives $500,000

Congrats to San Diego! According to a story published today in The San Diego Union-Tribune :

A Point Loma couple has donated $500,000 to the Maritime Museum of San Diego. The gift from Bob and Laura Kyle will support scholars' research, publication and exhibit design.

The museum hopes the Bob and Laura Kyle Endowed Chair in Maritime History will attract prominent researchers and curators, and serve as a catalyst for future donors.

Museum of Underwater Archaeology

The online Museum of Underwater Archaeology has recently been redesigned and now contains not only exhibits on underwater projects, a children's introduction to underwater archaeology, but two new sections as well. "In The Field" is a new section where researchers can post brief updates on their current field work. Our first two entries include a project that is inventorying shipwreck sites throughout Chesapeake Bay. The other entry discusses archaeological work on a Civil War site on the Pamunkey River in Virginia that may contain numerous wrecks. The other new addition to the site is a blog component that discusses archaeological and historical website creation. Various issues from accessibility for the handicapped to online resources will be discussed. You can reach them all here:

http://www.uri.edu/mua

Digital Lighthouses

AIS or Automatic Identification Systems are being used and developed for a number of maritime functions including ship identification. The Chinese have also recently reported its succesful use as a "lighthouse".

Liu Gongchen, China's Maritime Safety Administration executive director-general recently told the ongoing 16th Conference of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) that the AIS had given advance warning to vessels in the path of Chanchu and as a result no lives were lost.

Using digital communication technology the AIS records and reports information on vessels, including speed, location and course and receives other maritime information from onshore control stations and vessels linked to the AIS network.

The US Coast Guard is also working with AIS systems and provides a good deal of explanation on how they work.


How are we ever going to archive this?

Another Position: This one requiring maritime knowledge

The Battleship Texas State Historic Site is seeking a museum director. The duties of the director will include the management and supervision of staff, volunteers, and other personnel engaged in restoration, preservation, and interpretive programs; the development and implementation of preventive and corrective maintenance programs for the ship; the development and presentation of historically accurate exhibits and programs interpreting the naval service as well as the design features of and relating to the ship; the directing of research, acquisition, restoration, preservation, and interpretation of materials relating to the ship; and providing support and liaison for friends' groups, such as the Battleship Texas Foundation.


Full Description

Position: Museum Director - Vancouver Maritime

The Vancouver Maritime Museum seeks a skilled professional executive director to help the Museum chart a new and exciting course as we tell the maritime story of Canada's premier port city. The new director will reinvigorate day-to-day operations while leading the institution forward at a critical time of change. The position will be an appropriate challenge for someone with a strong background in operations and managing change, combined with an enthusiasm for public institutions.

Full Description

Editorial comment: Interestingly enough none of the requirements for the position involve either an understanding of things historic, or maritime. Is this the future?

Do fundo do mar... Sea bottom: Replica of 3,300-year-old shipwreck arrives in Bodrum

Do fundo do mar... Sea bottom: Replica of 3,300-year-old shipwreck arrives in Bodrum
A replica of the oldest known shipwreck, Uluburun II, built by the 360 Degree Historical Research Association in Urla, İzmir, arrived in Bodrum on Monday for display as part of activities marking the 80th anniversary of Cabotage Day.

Previously the ship had anchored in Istanbul, Marmaris, Cyprus and Kaş readying for the Cabotage Day celebrations, a maritime festival that commemorates the establishment of Turkey's sea borders and celebrated annually on July 1, reported the Anatolia news agency.

Position Announcement: Assistant Director, The National Maritime Center

The Nauticus National Maritime Center is looking for an Assistant Director.

Salary Range: $57,745 - $75,000/Yr

Duties include (but are not limited to):

• Directs and coordinates the daily activities for The National Maritime Center which includes Nauticus, The Hampton Roads Naval Museum, the Cruise & Celebration Center and the Battleship Wisconsin.
• ¨ Acts as liaison with the various tenant facilities within the center and ensures the myriad of activities taking place on-site are conducted smoothly.
• ¨ Coordinates various personnel and event schedules and logistics.
• ¨ Supervises the visitor services, maintenance, security, exhibits, education operations, special events and housekeeping units.
• ¨ Plans, develops and prepares training and maintenance plans.
• ¨ Recommends hiring and disciplinary actions; conducts performance evaluations.
• ¨ Reviews and comprehends various reports, contracts and correspondence.
• ¨ Analyzes and evaluates many complex and significant variables including city-wide policies, procedures or precedents being developed or recommended.
• ¨ Negotiates contracts with vendors for various services used by the center.
• ¨ Serves as Acting Director when appropriate.

Full Job Description available from the City of Norfolk

Postition Announcement

From: guardian jobs

Location: East London
Salary: £20,000-£25,000 - Two-year fixed-term contract - Greenwich
Closing date: 24 Jul 2006

With our ambitious collections programme, the National Maritime Museum brings Britain's maritime history to life by illustrating the importance of the sea, ships, time and the stars - and their relationship with people. In this fascinating role, you'll help us engage an ever-wider range of audiences by ensuring visitors have the best possible access to our collections.

Investigating our current use of collections data, you'll liaise widely with staff to develop fresh guidelines and procedures in terminology control for the Museum's collections records. In the process, you'll research best practice across the museum, libraries and archives sector as you apply the experience of other relevant institutions to our requirements.

Along with a degree in a relevant subject, you'll need substantial relevant experience - including some spent applying documentation standards and using collections management databases in a similar environment. We want to meet someone who can communicate at all levels, write detailed reports and guidelines, and work effectively both on their own and as part of a team.

Newport Harbor Nautical Museum Transitions from Sternwheel to Ferris Wheel

Today's L.A. Times reports that the Newport Harbor Nautical Museum, of Newport Beach, California, will relocate its operations from the riverboat restaurant PRIDE OF NEWPORT to an amusement park property on the Balboa Peninsula known as "the Fun Zone". According to Museum Director David Muller, the museum lacked adequate programming and exhibition space on board the aging vessel, whose upkeep represented 30% of the Museum's annual budget. The Fun Zone's bumper cars, arcades, and carousels will soon make way for a 2,800 square-foot museum exhibition center. But mindful of the many happy memories Newport Beach residents have of the Fun Zone, Muller stressed that "...the Ferris wheel stays."

Record Year: Australian National Maritime Museum

Yahoo news reports that the Australian National Maritime Museum "has had its most successful year ever in the 12 months to June 30," and that "a total 464,188 people passed through the doors, eclipsing by more than 4200 the museum's previous best in the Olympic Games year 2000-01."

In November of 2003 the Musem dropped its general admission charges, giving free access to its permanent exhibitions and special temporary exhibitions, no doubt increasing attendance figures. At the same time the Museum still charges admission to see its ships - the destroyer HMAS Vampire, submarine HMAS Onslow and the Endeavour replica.

No income figures are available (as far as this blogger was able to determine), but it sure would be interesting to see how this method effected revenue. One would think that food, and trinket sales would most certainly have increased with the increased visitation. How cool would it be if these surpassed previous admission fees!

New Owners Wanted: Lowell Boat Shop

In the face of worsening financial woes followed by heavy storm and flood damage this spring, the Newburyport Maritime Society has shut down the Custom House Museum on the Newburyport waterfront for the season.

The dire financial situation has also led the maritime society board to concede it can no longer run both the Custom House and Lowell's Boat Shop, which it bought in 1994.

After several months debating the boat shop's future, board members and volunteer society director Patricia Dorfman said the board is ready to break away from Lowell's, the 212-year-old institution regarded as the country's oldest continually operating wooden boat-building business.

Dorfman said a task force of the maritime society board is negotiating with various groups, including the Lowell's Boat Shop Trust, a private nonprofit group of local individuals that formed in 1992 to preserve the shop's storied boat-building tradition.

Full Story at NewburyportNews.com