Update – 07-16-2009

Today, I completed the final recommendation and requirements for the online Blog and Artifact Systems.  Next steps — Edit and then provide for Bob’s review.

The web site was moved over to a new server that support MySql 5.x.  All backend systems are responding and the CMS installed was successfully installed.

Next, I plan on working on the data conversion plan.

In addition, Phil called today and we should have a plan on the internet by Friday or Monday from the town of colchester.  They have kept us inform of the progress over the last week.

 

07-15-2009 – Update

I have finished the initial configuration of the blog, CMS, Artifact, and Library System.  The CMS is not initial on  the main host due to the database being at release 4.0.  The site will be migrated on Thursday.

Tomorrow, Elizabeth and I are meeting with the sponsors.  In addition, I will be meeting with Phil at 9:00 to discuss the internet connections.   Below is our agenda.

Meeting Agenda

1. Internet access update
2. Facebook and Twitter accounts
3. Changes to external site – donor and links
4. New modules – review of alternative web site

• Library
• Contact management, membership, donor
• Blog
• Forum
• Video
• Artifact Tracking
• Should we have the Twitter and Facebook update posted on the web site?
• Next steps – gather and convert data from existing systems

1. Setup PayPal account with Lisa
2. Types of donors?  Membership, Artifact, Pledges, One-time donor, time.  Do we have a separate page to list donors of the month?  Large donors? Part of the blog?
3. Marketing Plan – review and questions
4. Video update
5. Fort Ethan Allen Day update
6. Email lists
7. Press Release
8. Retire old web site and update external links
9. Training and Owner(s)
10. Budget update
11. August meeting with launch of web  site and training event
12. Next steps

We are almost there!!

 

Update – 07-12-09

On Saturday, Marlboro College had the capstone fair.  Elizabeth and I attended the fair.  Our displayed consisted of a movie, pictures of artifacts from the musuem, and the online web site.

Positive feedback and a lot of positive ideas for changes to the web site and helping increase our donors. For example, adding donor buttons to the front of the page for financial, t ime, and artificat donations.

On July 15th we are meeting w ith  the museum directors and presenting a number of our ideas.  More to follow on the agenda and feedback.

 

Update – 07-12-2009

Minutes from 6/30/09 – Sponsor Meeting

Vermont Veterans Militia Museum and Library

Marketing

June 27, 2009

Present

Marlboro College:

Lisa LaBounty

Elizabeth Bonney

Museum Board:

Bernie Pfenning – Vice President

Phil and Elaine Spargo

Walt Houghton

Rod Fisher

Wayne Gibson & Elaine Gibson – Library

Jean Rainville

Dan Ryan

Internet access

Camp Johnson can install the internet option for $6,500.  This cost is for the labor and harder to put the cables underground.  Bernie is going to look into other options including: cable, Dolor satellite.

Need to absolutely have by August 1.

Could they possibly have the VT Guard sponsor it?

Marketing plan

Elizabeth presented the initial draft of the marketing plan, everyone will review and comment as appropriate.

The marketing plan contains many tasks; we are hoping to find someone to “adopt” each task. It does not need to be someone from the museum, but they can if they wish. For the tasks that the museum staff cannot fulfill, we will create a plan to find volunteers.

There are many unanswered question in the plan. Bernie and Phil have a list and will answer all the questions they can by our July 15^th meeting. The $10,000 grant they received replaced the furnace and other interior renovations.

$5,000 grant for library. $25,000 for addition.

There 3,000 people to send membership list to. Have membership be via email. Answer back to us, or printed. Write back or call about a printed newsletter.

Wayne has a database of emails will try to send to Lisa, they are in MSOffice 07.

We also need to get CODA email lists.

Buffalo Soldiers Event – Fort Ethan Allen

Will be open both Friday and Saturday. We placed an ad in the commerative program

Memorial – Fallen Heroes – guided tour

The memorial is behind the gate on the campus, so guided tours will be necessary; the memorial features VT soldiers who have lost their lives since the Iraq War

Slide show – we will take the VHS from the 50^th anniversary (photos and music) and play at the museum. We will try to find a projector to show the DVD with.

Website

It’s important to express that the museum is in a non-restricted area on the VT Guard Campus. AT the gate people will be directed to the museum.

Need someone to populate the VT Guard, Camp Johnson pages.

Civil War Cards – Cemetery sites – maybe a teaser about ancestors.

The museum has information on every person in Vermont in every war.

Need to set-up a PayPal account – Lisa will work with Bernie on this, also need to be able to see screens of interactions, they do their accounting through QuickBooks.

The museum has a display of POWs. Looking for more people who were POWs, Bruce Gran only Korean POW in Vermont. Chapter of POWs – looking for members Chapter #1. Put something on the website about this, Elizabeth has the brochure.

Iraq, Afghanistan – we need to get these wars added to the site

Jean has some thank you letters from soldiers that we might be able to use.

We need to put stuff on the website about donating items to the soldiers.

Add to Web Site:

Jean works for the VFW

National Project

Let’s make a difference Day!

October 24^th

Present them with metals, a shadow box, give them a dinner

Give a facial, massage, pedicure

Looking or donations

Word of mouth

State sends out a general order – put out to the state guard

28 soldiers and 2 marines – working with Camp Johnson

Writes a newsletter and sends it out to 850 members.

Facebook

What about blogging, twitter, Facebook? Lisa will get the social network going, and will for the time being maintain it.

Membership

Goal to send out the membership letter by August 1, 2009. Bernie and Phil are writing it, Elizabeth will review it. We will also send this out as an email blast.

CiviCRM – Joomla Extension

This extension can be used for donations, pledges online, mass mailing, membership lists, events, case management (don’t need).

We will mainly use donors and pledges, at least to begin with

Library
Wayne and Elaine will need training on library.

The extension Lisa found will allow for reviews and suggestions.

Books cannot leave the library.

Make sure to have an area where people can donate books, and give them credit, the museum keeps a record of where their books come from, when known. We will make sure to add this to the database from this point forward.

Make sure categories are set-up properly.

Could we get set-up to the state library as well – so their database can be hooked in? Lisa will check into this.

The museum has some photos of their books. We will suggest a procedure for photographing all books when they are donated.

Photos & Presentation

Elizabeth will send links to Joanne’s photos on-line.

Phil has contact sheets, Phil & Bernie will write a description of each photo, includes the room, due on July 15th.

Slide Show – Have someone talking through

• Museum history

• Maybe have Walt narrate with or without a script

Note: some of the pieces in the museum are on loan from Fleming museum – Bernie to check on fire insurance, possibly will need to send those pieces back.

Videos

Have 50^th anniversary slide show.

Elizabeth will digitize all the VHS and miniDV tapes. She will present a proposal on how to digitize the magnetic tapes to the museum.

Capstone Fair

Poster, stickers

Slide show on laptop

8 x 10 photos

Lisa will pick-up photos from Phil

Vermont Historical Society

Just acquired a film of the VT State guard form 1941 – 8 mil to DVD

Hopefully we can get a copy of this.

Walt will bring in CD of images

 

Update – 07-09-09

This week has been busy with non-capstone but yet project related activities.  The museum has been working with the local camp /military officials to gain network and internet access to the museum.   I finally attended a brief “informal” meeting with Phil (museum director) on Wednesday.   The museum is located on a military base but incorporate as a private entity.  This is a challenge in the billing of the museum’s access to the internet etc.  I have to admit that I do not understand the issue(s)….however the military did agree to allow a private vendor to dug on the base in order for Comcast (or similar vendor) to provide the service.   Based on this discussion,  we decide to contact Comcast to supply the service.  The directors agreed to the expense of 60.00 per month and Comcast will provide the labor to provide access to the museum.   Comcast also mention that they provide a number of free “access” to towns that they service and to contact the town of Colchester.  We checked with the town and they might have an open Slot for the museum.  If yes, the service would be available “free”.

We hope to know more on Friday.   Overall, a good week for the museum.

I have completed 2 additional deliverable.  In addition, I have installed all the selected extensions for the museum.  Elizabeth and I plan on joining the sites next week.

Capstone weekend is on Saturday.  I am all set and looking forward to discuss this project.

 

Update – 07-04-2009

Over the last few days, I have met with Elizabeth on next steps for the web site.  In addition, I research products for the Photo Video and Forum or blog extensions.

Should we use a blog or forum for the musuem will be the next discussion. A forum would provide a community based feedback to the public.  The blog would provide additional input from the musuem.  Some thoughts

Over the next few days, I will be completing and refining the requirements and recommendation documenation.

Next weekend is the capstone fair.  I have a poster, pictures, artifacts, and the web site available. I plan on staying over on Friday night to prepare for the fair.

 

Update – 06/29/2009 — Additional updates

Additional Update –

Elizabeth and I met with the museum for our capstone project.  A number of agenda  item were discussed.   A key web marketing discussion point to bring visitors to our new site were discussed and approved.  Specifically –

1. Create a social networking presence with a Face book and Twitter Accounts
2. Join external blogs relating to the Veterans, Military and/ or Libraries
3. Create a blog for the new web site.

Today, I have created a Face book and Twitter accounts.  Below are the links –

Face book – http://www.facebook.com/topic.php?topic=11871&uid=97268036373#/pages/Vermont-Veterans-Militia-Museum-Library/97268036373

Twitter –

http://twitter.com/VTMuseumLibrary

Next, we will work on joining blogs and adding our blogs for the new web site.

 

Update – 06/28/2009

Last night, I completed the poster and a movie for the Capstone Fair.  In addition, the museum will loan a few pictures for the background.

 

Update – 06/27/09

Today, Elizabeth and I met with the museum directors.  This was our 3rd meeting.  We accomplished multiple steps and minutes will be distributed and posted to this blog.  Some additional information on the capstone fair -

the museum will loan me some pictures for our display on the capstone.  In addition, I am starting the posting and photo array disk.  I hope this will be done later today.  The museum also approved starting a face book and twitter account to help drive traffic to the web site.

I have completed a couple of work products – specifically the business requirements and the recommendatation for the library.  I feel that piece needs some additional work.

 

Update – 06/24/2009

The last three (3) days have been busy.  Specifically –

• Completed a draft of the requirements and data base schema for the Cemetery Tracking systems

• Installed and configured the selected library components on a test Joomla Server

• Researched and installed two contact management systems (cms) based on the initial requirements.  An initial selection has been made that will incorporate the donor plug originally proposed.  Drafts of the requirements have been completed.

• Reviewed the new pictures for the museum –   http://picasaweb.google.com/Jodelabruere/ForthEathanAllen#

• Remind Phil on Saturday’s museum meeting.

Over the next few days, I will working on my “change management class” but will come back to the capstone on Thursday.  In addition, Elizabeth and I will be meeting with the sponsor on Saturday.