Partnership Power examines museum-related partnerships, collaborations, and networks within today's dynamic, ever-changing environment. With today's greater emphasis is placed on measurable community impact and leveraging technology for greater reach and connection on significant social challenges, partnerships have become increasingly important. Through perspectives from other, related sectors, including libraries and other nonprofits; current museum case studies from a broad and diverse spectrum of museum types (history, children's, art, science, and ethnic); and proven tools, tips, and resources, Partnership Power: Essential Museum Strategies for Today's Networked World serves as an invaluable primer for museums - and museum professionals -- wanting to create and sustain effective partnerships and collaborations. The volume helps solve the partnership puzzle, focusing on the essential attributes of sustainable and relevant collaborations, within communities, states, and nationally, including examples of broader multi-institutional networks that are increasingly important to maintain relevance in this hyper-connected world. It contains words of wisdom from museum leaders, funders, community organizers, and researchers-both industry experts and newcomers--on what authentic partnership means, how partnerships evolve, the benefits of partnerships as well as the challenges they present. How does a museum determine and select a viable partner or partners? What happens when a partnership encounters the inevitable pitfalls and barriers? When should you move away from a partnership? How does one evaluate a partnership's success or failure? The book also looks inside the museum: the key issues of institutional culture, staff skills and competencies, managing financial resources, marketing the partnership, and working with boards that often emerge in the context of partnership development and management?
About the Author: Marsha Semmel is a national museum leader who has served in senior executive positions at the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Institute of Museum and Library Services. She has been the President and CEO of two museums, Conner Prairie and the Women of the West Museum. Semmel has been senior advisor to the Noyce Foundation's Noyce Leadership Institute, a global program for science and technology center leaders. She is currently on the faculty of the Bank Street College of Education's graduate program in museum leadership and serves as senior advisor to the Center for Science and Civic Engagement, a national network of academic and informal learning organizations based at the State University of New York Stony Brook.