[0:00] - [Jean] I am really excited about this program. [0:02] I love it. [0:03] I love the online ability to go in [0:06] and look at an item and see it from home, [0:07] and then be able to come into the museum [0:09] and see it in person. [0:11] - In October, we were awarded a grant [0:14] through the State of Minnesota Arts and Heritage Fund [0:16] through the Minnesota Historical Society in order [0:19] to purchase a data system that would allow us [0:22] to enter our collections [0:23] and also to have access to Minnesota Collections online, [0:27] to display items along with other Minnesota museums [0:31] for the public to view. [0:33] - This software really allows us [0:35] to take a huge leap from handwritten, sketchy, [0:39] incomplete inventory to when we're finally able [0:42] to get everything in, [0:44] we will be totally professional inventory, [0:47] we will know where everything is, we will know [0:48] what it is, and it's just so exciting. [0:51] It's just huge. [0:51] Today, we're working on a box of artifacts [0:54] that is the police and fire department from Bloomington. [0:57] So first, we go into the box [0:58] and we see if things have a number [1:00] and if they have a number, [1:02] then we create the number here in our number system, [1:06] and I take a picture of each item that I can then edit down [1:10] to the right size to go into our collective access database, [1:15] and I'm able to start entering [1:17] all the information about our handcuffs. [1:20] - When we submitted the grant, we had to specify [1:23] how we were going to use it and what our goals were, [1:27] and Jean had thought that it was reasonable to be able [1:31] to enter 1000 items out of the tens of thousands [1:34] of items that we have. [1:36] And so we have until the end of the grant cycle. [1:39] It's a one-year grant. [1:40] It ends in October of this year. [1:43] At this time, we have 866 items entered, so we're well ahead [1:48] of our schedule and we're finding it very, very useful. [1:51] - It's just so exciting to be able to share [1:53] the collection outside these walls. [1:55] This is a small museum. [1:57] We've got thousands of items in the basement [1:58] that we don't have room to put here. [2:00] Their goals for giving the grant is so that the stories [2:04] of our community can be shared beyond our doors. [2:07] So there is a link on our website [2:10] to the MN Collections online portion [2:13] of our database inventory. [2:15] Our monthly programs are all listed on our website [2:18] and everyone is invited to those. [2:20] The Old Town Hall Museum is open on Wednesday, Thursday, [2:24] and Saturday afternoons, one to five. [2:25] We are open late on Thursdays till eight o'clock, [2:28] and there is no admission fee. [2:30] It's free to come in and visit. [2:32] It's entirely volunteer run. [2:33] We operate only on donations and memberships. [2:35] The Old Town Hall is a Bloomington Treasure [2:38] and it belongs to our community, [2:40] and we invite all of you to come. [2:42] (gentle music)