Toni Ogden, museum coordinator at the Greenbrier Historical Society (GHS), recently completed certification training with Northern States Conservation Center, one of the few schools in the United States offering advanced classes in museum topics. Ogden has qualified for the title of Collections Manager, having met the requirements for NSCC’s Certificate in Collections Management and Care.
The nearly three year course of study required completion of individual certificates in Registration, Cataloging and Storage of Collections; Preservation Environments; Disaster and Emergency Planning; Care of Museum Artifacts and Textiles and Grant Writing among other topics. For a final project Ogden created a Museum Handling Manual for the Greenbrier Historical Society.
Ogden said, “The past 15 years has seen a tremendous change in expectation of professional care and management of museum collections all around the world. It’s an exciting time to be a part of that community. Small museums across our country hold the collective history of our nation. As such, small museums are every bit as important as say, the Smithsonian. It is a privilege to work as we do as a public trust, preserving local heritage and the history of our material culture for the education and delight of generations to come.”
Ogden manages the North House Museum’s collection and exhibits, and with the assistance of the Mary Nickell Foundation, is the Director of Educational Programs at GHS. She also serves as Vice-President of the board of the Monroe County Historical Society and recently received a West Virginia Humanities Council grant to improve exhibits and displays in advance of the seasonal opening of their museum. Ogden represents Greenbrier Historical Society as a board member of the West Virginia Association of Museums.
