Special Volunteer Opportunities at the Powers Museum

2011–2015 Projects Needs

Contact the museum if interested in becoming involved in any of these projects. All ages from mature teens to seniors are welcomed!

Archives Assistant(s)
Duties include sorting, arranging and making descriptive lists and finding aids for specific collections of the Powers Museum archives including but not limited to portions of a family letter collection (1870s-1950s); Wright family genealogy collection (collected 1910-15); Dr. Powers' medical papers (1890s-1950); photograph collections, misc. Carthage ephemera and papers including women's clubs, businesses, churches, etc. Some in-county off-site research may be necessary to gather background information to support holdings.

Skills needed: basic computer/data entry skills, good organizational and written skills, must be able to work independently and be able to read a variety of handwriting styles. 

Research Assistant(s)
Duties include conducting research at museum and at other local/regional repositories on topics supplied by museum's director that are associated with special projects, publications and/or upcoming exhibits. 

Possible research themes to be conducted in near future: World War II (prior to 2015-16) and Carthage homefront, World War I (prior to 2017-18) & Carthage homefront, limestone industry and mining history (on-going project theme), early Ozark highways and Ozark tourism, local food customs (including testing old-time recipies), Carthage Chautauqua activities, local religious groups and institutions, ethnic populations (ie. Swedes, early Hispanic families, Chinese) and women's suffage activities in history.  Also, the Powers Museum is assisting the Greene County Archive with an on-going African-American research project encompassing Black residents in Southwest Missouri and we need volunteers to go through city directories (at museum) and/or newspapers at the Carthage Public Library finding info based on certain criteria.

Skills needed: Good research and writing skills and must be able to work independently and provide own transportation.

Local History Research Assistant(s)
Duties include performing research and secretarial work associated with on-site, e-mail, written & phone requests for information located at museum.

Skills needed: Ability to perform look-ups, filing, photocopying, mailing and dealing with patrons. Basic genealogy skills are helpful but not required. Basic internet and computer email skills would also be helpfu.

Curatorial Assistant(s)
Duties include working with museum director in accessioning, documenting and researching artifacts and archival collections.

Skills needed: Ability to follow directions, basic computer/data entry/scanning skills and willingness to learn museum nomenclature and accessioning procedures. Must be able to lift and carry artifacts and boxes ranging in weight from 5 to 25 pounds. Work on ladders and use of stairs required once in a while training on Past Perfect software will be provided.

Scanning Assistant(s)
Duties include scanning and keying in information concerning scans with option of attaching to museum's Past Perfect Collection Management Software. Materials involved: photographs, program booklets, postcards and other archival and artifact items.

Skills needed: basic computer/data entry/scanning knowledge. Willingness to learn scanning procedures within Past Perfect software if scans are done directly into that program.

Indexing Assistant(s)
Duties include creating indexes from photocopied materials on Carthage such as Chamber of Commerce, club or school scrapbooks, special editions of newspapers, unindexed local history books.

Skills needed: prefer some basic computer skills to create index listings in Word Pad software. Willingness to learn Past Perfect in respect to taking indexes (which can be made off-site) and pasting into master collection record on-site at museum.

Oral History Interviewers
Assist Museum's Special Projects Coordinator in conducting interviews, making logs and proofing transcriptions. Latter two tasks can be done at home, interviewing done in home of veterans (or other subject interviewee) and/or at the museum.

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All of the above positions can be structured to fit various levels of commitment and credit levels (if being done for academic institutions). Work can be performed on Saturdays and Sunday afternoons (in season) or during normal museum hours Tuesday–Friday.

Research assistants may work anytime at off-site locations after project outline has been agreed upon by student/volunteer and museum director.  On-site work at museum can be done during public hours or by special arrangement (off-season).

Please note that anyone with allergies to dust, mold or similar medical conditions probably should not consider the curatorial assistant position and may have some difficulties with archival assistant position.