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Contents Introduction .......................................................................................................................................... 3

History of PHM ................................................................................................................................... 3

Vision, Mission, Values Statements .................................................................................................. 4

Mission Statement: .......................................................................................................................... 4

Vision Statement: ............................................................................................................................. 4

Values Statement: ............................................................................................................................ 4

Our Exhibits ......................................................................................................................................... 5

Upper Level “Main Street Plymouth” .......................................................................................... 5

The Lincoln Room ........................................................................................................................... 5

Lower Level: The Timeline ............................................................................................................ 5

The Archive ...................................................................................................................................... 5

Rules for Using the Archives ..................................................................................................... 6

Procedures ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Orientation ....................................................................................................................................... 7

Identification Badge ........................................................................................................................ 7

Scheduling ........................................................................................................................................ 7

Your Daily Guide Shift ................................................................................................................... 7

Rest rooms ........................................................................................................................................ 8

Documenting Your Hours ............................................................................................................. 9

Policies .................................................................................................................................................. 9

Safety ................................................................................................................................................. 9

Time Commitment .......................................................................................................................... 9

No Call/No Show ............................................................................................................................ 9

Leaving Early ................................................................................................................................... 9

Hours .............................................................................................................................................. 10

Cellphones ...................................................................................................................................... 10

Learning the Exhibit/Training ..................................................................................................... 10

Your Shift ........................................................................................................................................ 11

Absences/If You Have an Emergency ........................................................................................ 12

Inclement Weather ........................................................................................................................ 12

Theft or Vandalism ....................................................................................................................... 12

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Dress Code ..................................................................................................................................... 12

Engaging with Patrons ................................................................................................................. 13

Events and Special Projects .......................................................................................................... 13

Communicating With Our Guides ............................................................................................. 13

Opener/Closer Duties ................................................................................................................... 13

GEM: Guide Emeritus .................................................................................................................. 14

Continuing Education .................................................................................................................. 14

Recruiting New Guides ................................................................................................................ 14

Fulfilling a Service Requirement ................................................................................................. 14

Ending Your Volunteer Time at the Museum ........................................................................... 15

Organization Chart ............................................................................................................................ 15

Board of Directors, 2012-2013 ...................................................................................................... 15

Museum Staff (2012) ..................................................................................................................... 15

Contact Information .......................................................................................................................... 16

Mailing Address ............................................................................................................................ 16

Telephone ....................................................................................................................................... 16

Website ........................................................................................................................................... 16

Volunteer Coordinator ................................................................................................................. 16

Glossary .............................................................................................................................................. 16

Appendix A: Guide Contract ........................................................................................................... 17

Our Responsibilities .......................................................................................................................... 17

Your Expectations .............................................................................................................................. 17

Appendix B: Opener/Closer Checklist............................................................................................ 19

Open ................................................................................................................................................ 19

Close ................................................................................................................................................ 20

Helpful numbers ........................................................................................................................... 20

Appendix C: Museum Accident/Injury Report ............................................................................ 21

Appendix D: Injury Report ............................................................................................................. 22

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Introduction

Thank you for volunteering as a guide at the Plymouth Historical Museum! This guide training manual will serve as a handbook for the duties and policies of the position. It was developed from interviews with several of our guides and serves as the best practices for the position.

Volunteering at the Museum helps to preserve Plymouth’s history as well as keep it alive. Our volunteers are here to make our guests feel welcome and to help answer their questions. You are the face of the Plymouth Historical Museum.

The Plymouth Historical Museum is a privately funded organization. It stays open thanks to kind donations, memberships, and people who are interested in preserving the history of Plymouth. Your work as a guide is also a donation, but one of time rather than of cash. It is a great way to show your interest in our heritage as well as sharing that passion with others.

Volunteering as a guide can also maintain and develop skills that can be applied to other positions, such as working with the public and in a museum setting.

History of PHM

The Plymouth Historical Society was organized in 1948 with 52 original members who were determined to preserve the cultural history of their community. They chartered as a non-profit under Michigan law in 1955.

The Plymouth Historical Society Museum opened its doors to the public on May 20, 1962. It was originally located in the Orson Polley House at 157 South Main St. This location served for 10 years, until the increasing size of the collection forced the Historical Society to find a larger building. The museum opened in its current location at 155 South Main Street on February 13, 1976. This location was purpose-built for the Museum, thanks to a generous donation by Miss Margaret Dunning in memory of her parents; the building is known as the Dunning Memorial Building. All of the displays were built by volunteers.

After a major fund drive in the 1990s, the Museum was able to purchase the Weldon Petz Abraham Lincoln collection, much of which is now on display in the Lincoln Room. It is the largest Lincoln collection on exhibit in the state.

An 8,630 square foot addition was completed in 2001 to house the Lincoln collection and to add an archive and reading room.

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The Museum receives no government funding. Funds to operate the museum come from admission fees, school groups, membership dues, donations, proceeds from the Museum store, and fundraisers.

Vision, Mission, Values Statements

Below are the Museum’s Mission, Vision, and Values statements. They represent what the Museum stands for, as well as the direction we wish to head in the future. The statements are also available on the Museum’s website.

Mission Statement:

“The Friends of the Plymouth Historical Museum, formally the Plymouth Historical Society, is a privately funded membership organization dedicated to preserving, teaching, and presenting history through the operation and support of the Plymouth Historical Museum.”

Vision Statement:

“To be recognized as a premier provider of innovative, historical, and educational opportunities for the region.”

Values Statement:

• Accessible to all • Historical accuracy • Integrity and honesty • Preserving and presenting history • Stewards of history • A part of the community • Inclusive and diverse • Educational • Technological • We value our volunteers, benefactors and staff • Respect for our collection • Prudent use of our environment • Creation of a legacy • Fiscal integrity • Transparency/openness

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Our Exhibits

Upper Level “Main Street Plymouth”

In the upper level of the Museum you will find the Main Street Plymouth exhibit. From the railroad depot to the general store, it is a re-creation of Plymouth’s Main Street in the late 19th-century era. Along both sides of the “street” you will see reduced-scale re-creations of storefronts that were completely built by volunteer labor. Each storefront has windows that we use as our exhibit cases; as you walk down the street you will see artifacts and documents from Plymouth’s history displayed. Some of these items are on permanent display, and some of the artifacts are part of the changing exhibits.

Our exhibits will change over time; please feel free to “window shop” by checking for new artifacts.

The Lincoln Room

Our Lincoln Room is the largest Lincoln collection on exhibit in the state. The Museum acquired the collection in the 1990s via purchase from Dr. Weldon Petz, a private collector. Please understand that this collection was purchased — not donated — as some people believe.

The Lincoln Room contains artifacts of Lincoln himself as well as artifacts of the era in which he lived. The exhibit begins to the left of the door and circles around the room chronologically until you reach the door again.

A separate guide works in the Lincoln Room so you are not expected to monitor the room as part of your duties, unless you are assigned to work in there.

Lower Level: The Timeline

On the Lower Level is the timeline of Plymouth. This newest addition to the Museum consists of a series of displays representing Plymouth from before European settlement through to the computer age. The timeline contains many artifacts that are not behind glass; please gently remind guests of the damage that can be done to delicate artifacts by fingerprints and handling.

The Archives

The archive is located on the upper level. It contains unique documents representing Plymouth’s history, as well as Abraham Lincoln. These documents

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include items such as government records, family genealogies, scrapbooks, and photographs.

The archive is a climate-controlled environment in which the temperature and humidity are kept at conditions that will preserve the documents for as long as possible. You will note the temperature is kept cool, the humidity low, and the materials kept in dark boxes or drawers: all of this is to keep the documents from deteriorating further. Most archival materials are not allowed to leave the archive (other than to go into one of our exhibits). The research room is presently closed on weekends.

There are two sections to the archive. When you go through the door, you will see an outer room; this is the research room where the guests can request and read the documents they are interested in. Past the half-door is the archive itself. If you look in, you will see many drawers and shelves where documents are stored, as well as the desks where the archival volunteers work with the documents. Archives volunteers only are allowed in the archives. The archives volunteers receive their own training before they can begin work.

All volunteers of the Museum are welcome to conduct their own research at the archive as long as it is done off-duty and by following the archives rules:

Rules for Using the Archives

1. All patrons must sign in. Valid photo identification — which includes address— is required.

2. There is a $5 research fee that is paid at the main counter. Fee is waived for students with valid school ID and members.

3. Eating, drinking, and use of cellular telephones are prohibited in all areas of the research room.

4. Researchers must remain in the research room. Absolutely no researchers are allowed in the archives.

5. To protect the documents from the damage that can be done by the chemicals in the inks, we ask that you use pencils only. No pens allowed.

6. Backpacks and bags must be placed along the wall or under the table. We reserve the right to search all containers.

7. Archives staff will instruct you on the use of finding aids and how to request materials. Some materials are restricted and are not available to researchers.

8. All materials will be pulled and delivered to the research room. Researchers will be issued one item at a time.

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9. All materials must be handled with extreme care to ensure preservation for the future. Gloves may be provided for examining original materials. Papers must rest on a table surface and pages turned carefully. Do not fold materials. Marking on or erasing material is not allowed. Please maintain the materials in the same order in which they are filed.

10. Materials may not be removed from the research room. Staff will make photocopies for you at a charge of 25¢ per copy.

11. If archive material is cited, quoted, summarized, or reproduced, please use the credit “Courtesy of the Plymouth Historical Museum.”

Procedures

Orientation

When you agree to volunteer for the Museum, you must first go through the official hiring process.

You will receive training for the guide position. This training will include receiving a copy of this manual, a contract of behavior, and the volunteer application form. On the volunteer application form you will list your own contact information so that we can reach you, as well as emergency contact information.

Identification Badge

When you begin as a guide, you will be issued a badge that identifies you as a volunteer of the Museum. The badge is on a cloth lanyard and should be worn during your shift.

The identification badges are stored in the closet by the men’s room. Your badge should stay in the Museum building. Remember to get your badge from the closet at the beginning of each shift and put it away before you leave.

Scheduling

The guide schedule is kept inside the front office, on the wall above the sign-in book. Please keep track of the days you are scheduled. You can also sign yourself up to work on the Museum’s website at www.plymouthhistory.org/join-us/volunteers.html.

Your Daily Guide Shift

• please arrive 15 minutes before your shift to get yourself oriented.

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• get your name tag from the closet by the men’s room and put it on. • sign in at the office; signing in ensures we get credit with the IRS for the

volunteer hours. • check in with the opener/closer. • walk through the exhibit to refresh yourself and see if anything is new. • go over printed materials for the exhibit again in order to refresh yourself. • keep an eye out for patrons to come in, perhaps stand near the top of the

stairs so you can greet the patrons. • When a patron comes in:

o Remember that you are the face of the Museum; you are the person they meet when they come to visit.

o Treat the Museum like your home and be a gracious host when we have guests.

o Greet each guest as they come in. o If they have not been to the Museum before, tell them a little about the

history of the Museum (see section II., “The History of the PHM”). o Tell them a little about the current exhibit (refer to the printed material

available for each exhibit). o Perhaps make a little conversation by asking their names and where

they’re from. o If they are a local resident, give them a membership application. o You don’t have to follow them and give a tour, but please be available

to answer questions. o Perhaps you could help kids with the scavenger hunt (hint: the

question number refers to the window they should be looking at). The child gets a piece of candy for completing the scavenger hunt sheet.

• Please remain attentive to our guests while you are on shift. Do not read, fill out paperwork, knit, chat on your cellphone, or engage in other activities that signal to the guests that you are preoccupied and do not wish to be bothered.

• You can dust the exhibits if you have nothing else to do. • At 4pm your shift is over, please put your tag back in the closet and then

you can leave.

Rest rooms

There are public rest rooms available adjacent to the stairwell.

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Documenting Your Hours

Please document your hours in the guide binder in the front office. List the date, where you worked and the total time worked.

Policies

Safety

Smoking is not allowed at the Plymouth Historical Museum, either inside the building or outside at the front or door sides of the building.

Please report any spills or accidents to the opener/closer so that it can be cleaned up as soon as possible. There are accident report forms in the opener/closer cabinet and also in Appendices C and D of this manual.

Time Commitment

Volunteering at the Museum should be considered a commitment of your time. Your help allows us to arrange a schedule of workers and know that the exhibits will be fully staffed at all times. It takes four guides to properly staff the Museum when we are open. That means we need 16 guides per week, 64 per month, etc.

When you call off from your volunteer hours with no notice, it forces the scheduler to find someone to come in, or the Museum runs short staffed that day. Therefore we ask you that when you volunteer, that you expect to be able to work the shifts you agree to, with reasonable accommodations for illness or emergencies.

We’re happy to work around scheduling conflicts, and we’re also happy to put you down for the same day each week or month, depending on your preferences. But please let us know what those preferences are.

No Call/No Show

Please note that if you do not show up for work and do not contact us to let us know you are going to be absent two times in a row, by Museum policy you will be considered to have voluntarily quit the guide position. This rule does not include any time off that you have notified the Museum of in advance, for example any short or long term vacations.

Leaving Early

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The Museum has regular business hours and we need our guides to be available when our guests arrive. Please do not leave your shift early because we have not had many guests that day; someone else may still come in or need assistance.

However, we understand that everyone has an occasional emergency such as an illness. If it is an emergency, please let the scheduler know that you need to leave.

In rare instances the opener/closer may decide to close the Museum early due to low attendance. In this case, you are free to leave when the Museum closes.

Hours

The Plymouth Historical Museum is open Wednesday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday from 1pm until 4pm. We are closed most holidays including Easter, Fourth of July, Christmas, and New Year’s Day. Please plan to be at the Museum 15 minutes before the beginning of your shift in order to orient yourself.

The Museum may adjust the schedule from time to time as needed. When it does, you will be notified in advance.

Cellphones

If you have an emergency and you need to make a phone call, please let the scheduler know you will be away from the exhibits, and then make your phone call either in the office or outside.

Please do not use your cellphone in the exhibit areas.

Learning the Exhibit/Training

The guides here at the Museum are not expected to act as tour guides, leading the patrons through each exhibit. However, we should be able to answer questions or at least be able to locate someone who can. We ask that every guide please learn the exhibit so that you can speak knowledgeably about it to patrons.

We offer many opportunities for you to be able to learn more about the artifacts; for example at the beginning of each exhibit there will be a walk-through, during which someone will explain the new exhibit and answer your questions. Attending the walk-through for each new exhibit is expected. If you are not able to attend the walkthrough due to prior commitments including religious reasons, please let us know. Also, there are training videos and reading materials available in the archive that you are encouraged to study and learn more about the Museum.

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Around the museum you will find several digital displays that show video information relevant to the nearby exhibit. Please watch the videos to learn more about the exhibit.

If a patron approaches you with a question about the exhibit, make an effort to provide an answer. If you do not know the answer to the patron’s question, please check to see if the opener/closer is not busy and ask for her or his assistance. If no one is available to answer the patron’s question, apologize, and let the guest know. Optionally, you can tell the guest that if they have any questions, they can email them to the archivist at archivist@plymouthhistory.org.

Your Shift

These are considered the best practices for the guide shift: • Please come when you promised you would. • Please give at least three days’ notice if you are not going to be able to

work your shift due to schedule conflicts, please give at least 24 hours’ notice for emergencies.

• Please arrive 15 minutes ahead of your shift in order to orient yourself. • When you arrive, please remember to sign in and record your hours in the

binder. The Museum uses this sign-in information for tax reporting, as well as for the recognition dinner.

• Also check the schedule to see if there have been any changes made. • Please acknowledge our guests when they come in and make a little

conversation, such as asking if they have been to the Museum before or telling a little bit about yourself. Also offer to answer questions. Also mention the elevator to guests who look like they might need it.

• Please do not bring in books or knitting to bide your time while you are on the Museum floor; it makes you look preoccupied and signals to the guests that you don’t want to be bothered. There are exhibit materials you can read, such as the flyers and signs.

• Please don’t volunteer for big projects such as folding newsletters while you are on shift as a guide, because then you won’t be able to pay attention to guests as they come in.

• Please do not eat or drink on the museum floor. • You can dust if you have nothing else to do. • Please pick up and dispose of any small litter you see in the Museum; if

you see any messes too large for you to safely pick up, please let the opener/closer know so that it can be cleaned up.

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• We have mandatory events (such as the walkthrough); please attend them. If you are not able to attend a mandatory event due to conflicts, please notify us in advance as you would with a scheduled shift.

• Please don’t leave early except if the opener/closer decides to close the Museum early or in case of a personal emergency.

Absences/If You Have an Emergency

Everyone has occasional emergencies that crop up. However, when you call off without notice, the Museum is forced to find a replacement for you, or operate short-staffed that shift. Therefore, we ask that you please do not call off without notice if at all possible.

Please make every effort to contact the Museum at 734-455-8940 at least 24 hours before the beginning of the shift you expect to miss.

Inclement Weather

Although thankfully a rare occurrence, the chance of a weather emergency happening is a possibility.

During inclement weather, you should follow the National Weather Service (on the television, radio, online, etc.) for weather Warnings. If the National Weather Service issues a weather Warning (as opposed to a weather Watch), you should use your own discretion to know if it is safe to come to the museum. If you decide you cannot make it safely to the Museum, please try to leave a message at 734-455-8940 so that we know that you are safe.

The opener/closer should also follow the national Weather Service, and in the case of a local weather Warning, will use his or her own discretion as to whether the Museum should be closed, or whether everyone in the Museum should take shelter. The Sanford Burr Meeting Room can be used as a safe shelter.

Theft or Vandalism

If in the unlikely event you see a guest committing theft or vandalism, please notify the opener/closer as soon as safely possible. The opener/closer will then make the decision whether to notify the police. Never approach the guest yourself.

Dress Code

As a guide, you represent the face of the Museum. As such, you should take special care to be neat and clean in your appearance at all times while you are

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working at the museum. You should use your best judgment in your choice of appropriate dress and hairstyles, but should remain business casual. All volunteers must be well groomed.

Also, some of our guests have allergies or can be sensitive to strong scents and perfumes. Although we understand that you enjoy dressing up for your shift, please use discretion in the amount of perfumed toiletries you wear while working as a guide.

The Museum also reserves the right to forbid the wearing of specified articles of clothing or types of dress which would be offensive, disruptive, unsafe or otherwise inappropriate for work.

Engaging with Patrons

Engagement with the patrons is essential in your position as a guide. Please acknowledge the patrons as they come in; do not ignore them. Please walk around while we have patrons. You don’t have to give a “tour,” but be ready to answer patrons’ questions.

Events and Special Projects

Exhibits change two to three times per year. When the exhibits change, the Museum will close for two weeks as specialists and volunteers come in to take down the old and put up the new exhibit. You will not be scheduled to work while the exhibits are being changed.

After the exhibit has been changed, someone, usually the executive director will lead a walkthrough before we reopen. Attendance to the walkthrough is expected.

Communicating With Our Guides

Keeping lines of communication open is important for the smooth running of the museum. Across the hall from the closet where you store your badge are two bulletin boards. One of these bulletin boards will be dedicated to announcements for guides. Please make a point of checking this bulletin board as you get your badge in order to stay on top of news and events in the Museum.

Opener/Closer Duties

On Saturdays and Sundays, one guide is appointed who will act as an Opener/closer for that day. The Opener/closer makes the Museum ready for the

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day, including turning the lights on and unlocking the door, and making sure someone is answering the telephone (usually the cashier).

The Opener/closer will arrive by 12:30 pm to open the Museum for the day. He or she will follow the Opener/closer checklist, which is found in the Opener/closer cabinet in the front office, also in this manual as Appendix B. The Opener/closer will complete the checklist in reverse to close the Museum.

At 3:40pm, the Opener/closer should lock the main entrance in preparation for closing. If at 3:40 there are no guests in the Museum, the Opener/Closer may, at his or her discretion, turn off the lights and advise the other guides that they can leave for the day.

GEM: Guide Emeritus

Some of our long-serving guides have proven themselves real GEMS, and we would like to recognize them for their commitment. GEM stand for Guide Emeritus, a volunteer designation that recognizes the time and effort these individuals have dedicated to the Museum.

Continuing Education

In the archive reading room, there are videos from previous guest speakers. These speaker presentations cover interesting pieces of American history and can help build a fuller understanding of the era covered by our Museum. You are welcome to view the videos, as well as conduct research in the archive in order to deepen your understanding of Plymouth history. This research should be done on your own time, not while serving as a guide.

Recruiting New Guides

New guides are always welcome at the Plymouth Historical Museum, and we would love for you to introduce us to new people who would be interested in volunteering.

In that light, we are willing to offer a reward for recruiting successful new guides: for each new guide you recruit who continues to volunteer for six months, you will receive a gift certificate from the Chamber of Commerce in the amount of $25.

Fulfilling a Service Requirement

The Museum welcomes students who have a service hour requirement to fulfill that requirement as a Museum guide. Please bring all necessary paperwork

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to the volunteer coordinator. Please make sure that you document all of your hours in the volunteer binder so that your service time can be properly accounted for.

Ending Your Volunteer Time at the Museum

The Museum understands that sometimes extenuating circumstances alter your ability to commit to a volunteer schedule. If you decide to end your time at the Museum, we ask that you please give us two weeks’ notice so that we know to remove you from our schedule.

Organization Chart

Board of Directors, 2012-2013

Pam Yockey, President Mike Pappas, Vice President Sally Fedus, Secretary Jim Burroughs, Treasurer Bee Friedlander, Past President Jeff Ashton, Director Margaret Dunning, Director Aaron Frank, Director Wes Graff, Director Dan Packer, Director Jim Vermeulen, Director

Museum Staff (2012)

Elizabeth Kelley Kerstens, Executive Director Heidi Nielsen, Archivist Donna Keough, Exhibits Leslie Ryder, Education Janet Burns, Volunteer Coordinator/Bookkeeper Ralph Moote, Facilities Elizabeth England, Administration Madelyn Beddoes, Cashier/Volunteer Scheduler

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Contact Information

Mailing Address

The Plymouth Historical Museum is located at 155 South Main Street, Plymouth, MI 48170.

Telephone

The main telephone number is (734) 455-8940.

Website

Our website can be found at http://www.plymouthhistory.org . Please try to check our website for news and for our bi-monthly newsletter.

Volunteer Coordinator

If you have any questions, please bring them to the opener/closer or to the Volunteer Coordinator.

Glossary

artifact: in the case of the Museum, means something created by humans for a practical purpose, especially an object remaining from a particular period (source: merriman-webster.com)

guide: are also known as docents and interpreters. patron: also known as a guest, is a visitor to the Museum walkthrough: our Executive Director, or someone else will lead an initial tour

of the latest exhibit as soon as it is finished being set up, before we reopen to the public. Attendance to a walkthrough is expected.

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Appendix A: Guide Contract Thank you again for volunteering at the Plymouth Historical Museum! It is

through the help of our volunteers that we preserve Plymouth’s history for future generations, as well as continue to grow into an even more active participant in of the Plymouth community.

Working at the Plymouth Historical Museum in any capacity represents an

agreement between yourself and the Museum. In exchange for our responsibilities to you, we hope that you will able to fulfill our expectations of you in the position.

Our Responsibilities The Museum agrees to maintain a safe working environment for you. This

includes keeping areas in good repair and cleaning up messes as soon as possible.

The Museum agrees to give clear expectations for your position so that you can know what is expected of you.

The Museum agrees to give at least one week notice of upcoming mandatory meetings at the Museum so that you can schedule your time accordingly.

Your Expectations I agree to volunteer at the PHM for at least 3.25 hours per month for a time

period of no less than six months. If I decide to end my time at the museum, I agree to notify the PHM so that a replacement for my shifts can be found.

I agree to follow the procedures for the guide position as laid out in my training.

I agree to work all of the shifts I am assigned, with the exception of a personal emergency. If I am unable to work my scheduled shift, I agree to give the

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Museum at least 24 hours’ notice so that a substitute might be found. If I do not want to be scheduled a shift due to other commitments such as an upcoming vacation, I agree to notify the Museum at least 3 days’ notice in advance so that I am not added to the schedule.

I agree that I cannot not show up for my shift without calling to let anyone know I am not coming. If I do not show nor call off two times, the Museum will assume I have voluntarily quit my position.

I agree to arrive 15 minutes before the beginning of my scheduled shift so that I can be ready by the time guests arrive. In general, our hours are 1 to 4 pm; therefore I agree to be here by 12:45pm.

I agree to not have non-museum materials visible while I’m waiting for guests to arrive. Non-museum materials include things like knitting, recreational books, newspapers, or cell phones. I understand that I am welcome to read the materials available about the exhibit.

I agree not to eat or drink on the main Museum floor.

I agree to attend all mandatory meetings for the museum. These mandatory events could include training sessions as well as the walkthrough for each new exhibit. If I cannot attend the meeting due to previous commitments, I agree to let the Museum know the same as a regularly scheduled shift.

I agree to bring suggestions to the Executive Director so that the Museum can continually improve.

Name: Signature:

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Appendix B: Opener/Closer Checklist

Open

Turn on Main Street lights at office circuit boards by flipping switches with yellow stickers to the middle

Turn on switch next to the closet for music. Inside closet, turn on disc changer, press play.

Turn on lights for glass cases next to Museum store and freight elevator (switch is behind the cases).

Unlock Museum Store and Lincoln Room (Multi key) In Lincoln Room, turn on lights in cases on power strips adjacent to the cases for

White House and Assassination years; turn on lights in case along brick wall by flipping the switch on the wall to the left of the door to the Research Room. Turn on the music by pressing the On button on the stereo.

Leave Research Room and Archives lights off until there is someone to work there.

Turn on lobby picture lights from circuit board (switch #16) in janitor’s closet. In lower level, flip switches to middle on all marked lights for Plymouth

Timeline (leave 1,3,13 off) and open door leading to exhibit (with Multi key). Leave exit door from exhibit closed. Start jukebox by pressing on the red button on top and then the red button on the right side.

In the Timeline, turn on lights in display next to radio room. There are two toggle switches on the side of the display closest to the meeting room.

Lock open the main door with allen wrench behind the desk. Put up “Open” flag outside main door and turn closed sign to open. Go to Main St. entrance, reverse the doors so you can get back in, and hang

“Open” flag on side of marquee. Make sure doors are secure again. Turn on neon “Open” sign in window next to door clicking on toggle switch.

Check messages on answering machine on secretary’s desk. A guide may have cancelled.

Guides Greet guides as they arrive (have them sign in volunteer book; name tags are in

janitor’s closet; assign work stations). Give money ($70 in opener/closer cabinet on wall in office) to cashier. Go over latest Museum news with guides.

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Close

Lock the Church Street door before 4 p.m. (it’s usually safe to lock about 3:40 p.m.) with the allen wrench.

Reverse the procedures for Opening the Museum. Be sure flags are brought in and open sign is changed to closed (Church St. door) or turned off (Main St. door).

Release the guides. Ensure cashier takes a “Z” reading from cash register. Count money, put $70 back in “door envelope,” and return money to

opener/closer cabinet; put the rest of the money and the “Z” tape from register in an envelope from on top of grey box with amount, date, and your name, and deposit envelope in grey box.

Before exiting, reset the alarm by entering the code.

Helpful numbers

Dial 911 for emergencies (non-emergency

Liz Kerstens, Executive Director, cell (

John Schmidt, Physical Plant

Ralph Moote, Facility Manager

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Appendix C: Museum Accident/Injury Report

MUSEUM ACCIDENT/INJURY REPORT Visitors’ Accidents/Injuries on Premises (Includes Exterior of Building) Procedure: 1. Call 911 immediately. Give name and address and ask for immediate assistance.

2. Get the name of the person involved and the name of the responsible adult if applicable.

3. Get the name of the group visiting (if in a group). If a school group, get the school name, address, phone number and teacher.

4. If necessary, call the school to report the accident. They will then notify the parent. Give museum name and number and have the school, return the call and let us know if they reached the parent and what should be done.

5. Write description of accident/injury incident and file in "accident report file" in main office.

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Appendix D: Injury Report