Benefits for Institutions Seeking Assistance

Mentoring by a volunteer professional archivist brings expertise to institutions that do not employ staff trained in the management of historical collections. Institutions can use mentors for short- or long-term projects of many kinds. Mentors may be able to make on-site visits to examine collections and facilities and to hold in-person discussions about collections improvements.

Using a mentor can:

• Bring needed expertise on historical collections management
  
• Help carry out a collections assessment and brief
  improvement plan
  
• Help complete a collections improvement project
  
• Make historical collections more visible and more valued within an institution
  
• Attract new users, friends, and supporters for historical collections
  
• Develop an on-going supportive relationship with a professional archivist