Reposted from SEMC

The Southeastern Museums Conference (SEMC) in partnership with the Association of Academic Museums and Galleries (AAMG) returns this spring with the next installment of The Launchpad Series.

We are kicking off the series with a Resume Review designed to help your skills stand out. Whether you are just beginning to build your resume or are simply looking for a fresh update, this is your chance to be paired with a seasoned museum professional for personalized feedback.

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Reposted from AMM

Center—or challenge—your truths. Get creative. Dwell in the possibilities. Emerge stronger.

We’ve been working with our Chicago museum friends to develop a program for #AMM_2026, We Hold These Truths, that features perspectives from nearly 100 different Midwest museums. It's going to be awesome!

This year's conference won't shy away from the struggle. More importantly, it will provide a safe space to lean on and learn from your peers, explore possible solutions to your common challenges, and find a renewed sense of hope (with realism).

Register by July 13 to save on Virtual + In-Person and Virtual + Single Day rates. Check out our registration information page for details on what's included along with FAQs and detailed form instructions.

What's in store for We Hold These Truths

Join AMM and hundreds of your peers online for Virtual Day on Wednesday, July 22, for a robust day of programming. Virtual Day will feature an opening session titled “Whose Truths?” with a focus on the Chicago Monuments Project. We will virtually visit two Chicagoland museums, chat about hot topics in roundtable discussions, and take part in any of 4 live concurrent virtual sessions - all from the comfort of our homes or offices!

In Chicago on July 26-29, you’ll have access to your choice of 50+ sessions, posters and conversation stations presented by your peers, PLUS plenty of time for fellowship and visits to our exhibit hall featuring 40+ providers. This year’s workshops will provide in-depth skill and knowledge building in key areas of need: volunteer workforce development, repatriation, and emergency planning.

Central to the experience, of course, is the chance to explore at least a dozen unique Chicagoland museums through virtual tours and in-person programs. You'll see - there's truly a museum to satisfy every interest in Chicago!

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

Today is Tax Day. And for millions of Americans, it is a race to submit returns just in time. But here is the bigger question:

What happens when we start believing no one is watching?

Recently, The Wall Street Journal highlighted a troubling trend, suggesting that “the IRS isn’t going to catch me” has become a growing mindset in the United States. While I am not a proponent of paying more taxes than I owe, I do believe every American should pay their fair share. That belief traces back to something my father told me when I was young: “If you cheat on the small things, you’ll cheat on the big things.” That principle has stayed with me my entire life, even though I have not always lived up to it. As a teenager working at Publix Super Markets in Florida, I regularly took snack items without paying for them. At the time, it felt insignificant. Years later, it did not. About 15 years ago, I went back to that same store, which was still open. I met with the general manager and handed him $200 in cash to try to make things right. He hesitated to accept it. He told me that my apology was enough and that in 30 years of working in management, no one had ever apologized for stealing. But for me, it was a freeing moment. What seemed like a small mistake from a teenager had stayed with me, and making restitution lifted a weight I did not fully realize I was carrying. Cheating, cutting corners, and bending the rules are not new. But they do feel more normalized today.

In the business world, it shows up in subtle ways:

• Padding expense accounts
• Logging work hours while distracted or disengaged
• Taking company resources for personal use

The common justification? “Everyone does it.” But that does not make it right. Early in my career at IBM, our team went through an internal audit. Instead of approaching it with integrity, we did the opposite.

We laughed as we:

• Created documents that never existed
• Backdated files to match expectations
• Manufactured compliance

At the time, it was dismissed as harmless because it was “internal.” But looking back, it was not harmless at all. It was a clear violation of the standard my father had set:

Cheating is cheating. Leaders set the tone. Employees follow what they see, not just what they are told. When integrity slips in small areas, it creates permission for larger compromises. But the opposite is also true. When you hold yourself to a higher standard, even when no one is watching, you create:

• Trust
• Credibility
• Peace of mind

You sleep better. Just when I thought I had this lesson fully internalized, I was reminded again. Recently, I used an unauthorized image in a blog post and was called out by a copyright enforcement company. I could have justified it. I could have said:

• “Everyone uses images online”
• “I gave credit”
• “What’s the harm?”

But the truth is simple: It was wrong. And no amount of justification changes that. Maybe, like me, you have done something in the past that still lingers. Something small. Something easy to dismiss. But still there. An apology is a good place to start. But whenever possible, making it right is even better. Because integrity is not built in the big moments. It is built in the small ones.

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Reposted from ArtSentry

Art Sentry-

Take The Quiz: Are Your Security Functions Meeting Industry Standards?
The Museum Security Scorecard offers a quick way to evaluate how your current security approach aligns with standard industry practices. Take a few minutes to assess where your museum stands and identify opportunities to strengthen it.
3 Questions That Reveal the True Cost of Your Museum Security
Museum security spending is often viewed as a simple budget line item, but the real cost extends far beyond the obvious. Read on to explore the hidden expenses institutions should consider when evaluating their security strategy.
Art Sentry 2026 Grant Guide

Funding opportunities can feel especially difficult and confusing right now. Even so, support still exists through federal, state, and local governments, along with charitable foundations and businesses. The Art Sentry Grant Guide brings those options together and helps you understand where to start, what to look for, and how to move forward with confidence.

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Reposted from Tim Richardson

Is There Joy in Your Job? Why Leaders Must Reintroduce the Pause to Reignite Engagement and Retain Talent
In a Wall Street Journal article this week, “There’s More Work and No Perks, but at Least the Vibes Are Bad,” highlights a growing reality. For many employees, work feels heavier and less rewarding than ever. Economic uncertainty, political tension, rapid AI adoption, and fewer workplace perks are all contributing to a noticeable decline in morale. In short, joy at work is fading. Research backs this up. Gallup continues to report declining employee engagement. Harvard Business Review has noted rising burnout and emotional fatigue. Forbes has highlighted how constant change and unclear expectations leave employees feeling overwhelmed and disconnected.
So, what can leaders do?
It may be time to become a “joy infuser” at work. It may not be a role you signed up for, but it is one your team needs now more than ever. This does not require grand gestures. It starts with small, intentional actions:
Look for what is going right and share it
Recognize effort, not just outcomes
Understand how change, especially AI, is impacting your team
Check in regularly and genuinely care about the response
These are simple, but they are powerful.
Early in my career, I experienced what it feels like to lose joy in a job. I was close to being fired in my first post-college role. Not because I lacked ability, but because I lacked connection and purpose. I eventually left in my mid-20s because the job drained my energy. I am not alone. Today, employees everywhere are making similar decisions. And it is not your weakest performers leaving. It is your most capable people. The ones who are adaptable, innovative, and have options. When joy disappears, they do not wait.
They leave. Fast Company recently noted that employees are no longer just chasing compensation. They are seeking meaning, flexibility, and progress. When those are missing, disengagement follows quickly. Here is the challenge. You cannot afford to lose your best people. You might be thinking, “This is not my responsibility.” Or, “Someone else should handle culture.” But leadership today requires more. This is where the Power of the Pause becomes essential. A pause is not about slowing down. It is about creating space to:
Think more clearly
Connect more meaningfully
Lead more intentionally
When leaders pause, they reset the tone. They create clarity. They bring people back to what matters. And that is where joy begins to return.
So here is the question: Is there joy in your job? And just as important: Is there joy in the jobs of the people you lead? Because when leaders create space for clarity, connection, and purpose, something powerful happens. People stay. Teams perform. And organizations thrive.

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Reposted from Zenitel

Experience superior sound at ISC West with our two new door intercoms: the Zenitel Display Door (ZDD-1) and the Zenitel Slim Door (ZSD-1) that deliver:

Crystal-clear sound

HD video

Remote visitor verification

Simplified access at the door

Remote management and control

Improved situational awareness

Get a demo of Zenitel Connect Pro, the industry's first Unified Critical Communication Platform that simplifies your communication infrastructure by seamlessly integrating intercoms, IP speakers, public address, and voice alarm systems into a single, unified audio communication platform.

Education at ISC West: Building a Security Business That Endures Market Shifts

Join Dan Rothrock, SVP of Global Business Development on Tuesday, March 24 at 2:15 PM and learn how industry leaders are strengthening their financial and operational strategies to build resilience in the face of market fluctuations.

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Reposted from Abigail Manning

Dear Thriver

I had the privilege of speaking at the Courage to Risk Conference with over 700 educators and community members serving students with learning challenges and disabilities.

It was deeply personal.

I grew up with dyslexia, often told I was “stupid and dumb” and I believed it. When my own children struggled in school, I made a different choice. I helped them see their brilliance.

In both my keynote and interactive workshop, I shared the Purple Threads® mindset shift that transformed my life, my children's lives and has helped thousands of others ... from classrooms to boardrooms. What I've learned, beneath every breakthrough is something foundational:

TRUST

When leaders create TRUST, people expand. When they don’t, people shrink.
Leaders who establish themselves with TRUST create the conditions where people can risk, grow, contribute, and thrive.
In schools. In companies. At home.

TRUST is the structural framework and it begins with us.

Let's build what empowers,

Abigail

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Reposted from SafeHaven Security

From Vulnerabilities to Visibility: Strengthening Security in 2026

Most security risks aren’t dramatic. They’re subtle gaps that go unnoticed—until they’re exploited.

In our latest expert article, we outline the most common facility weaknesses identified during vulnerability assessments, from access control gaps and blind spots to policy breakdowns and environmental design issues.

The goal isn’t to react after an incident. It’s to identify and correct vulnerabilities before they become liabilities.

If your organization hasn’t completed a comprehensive vulnerability assessment recently, this is a good place to start.

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Reposted from AAM

From “Shields Up” to “60 Ideas”: A Preview of the AAM Annual Meeting

From practical, rapid-fire innovation in 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes: Small Museums are Thriving to courageous leadership in Shields Up! Safety, Security, and Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Programming, experience two of our most talked-about sessions from recent AAM Annual Meetings.

Plus, AAM staff will share an inside look at what’s ahead for the 2026 conference in Philadelphia, including new experiences, learning opportunities, and ways to connect. Whether you’re considering attending for the first time or looking to get re-energized for 2026, this is your chance to get a preview of the big ideas, lively conversations, and sparks of inspiration that keep people coming back year after year. 

2:00-3:20 pm ET: 60 Ideas in 60 Minutes: Small Museums are Thriving, followed by Q&A with presenters, Alli Schell, Kenny Libben, and Ann Bennett

3:30-4:45 pm ET: Shields Up! Safety, Security, and Inclusion for LGBTQ+ Programming, followed by Q&A with presenters, Tony Pankuch, Regan Lopez-deVictoria, and Jonathan Hamilt.

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Reposted from Securitas

Security on the Move:
Protect More, Spend Less with Securitas Mobile Patrols

Not every site needs a full‑time security officer—but every site needs protection.
Securitas Mobile Guarding delivers professional mobile patrols, rapid alarm response, and detailed digital reporting—all at a fraction of the cost of traditional staffing. We operate the largest mobile guarding footprint in North America, making us the industry leader in mobile patrol services. With 65 strategically located branches, each led by a dedicated local branch manager, we combine national strength with true local expertise.

Whether you need coverage hourly, nightly, or only when alarms go off, Mobile Guarding gives you protection when and where you need it most.

Leveraging real-time field reporting, Mobile Vision analyzes incident activity and identifies emerging trends. Through a secure online client portal, you gain full visibility and stay informed at all times. Whether you need coverage hourly, nightly, or only when alarms go off, Mobile Guarding gives you protection when and where you need it most.

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