== on behalf of Info at mcn.edu == Dear MCN Community,
We need your help. MCN is here to support museum information and technology professionals and the greater community by providing a variety of resources and opportunities to explore new technologies and best practices in the field. Many of the resources and services that MCN makes available are open to the community at no cost. These include the MCN-L email list, the MCN Project Registry, and information available on MCN's website. MCN is grateful to all of you who have been able to support us through your organizations, individually, or as a corporate sponsor or advertiser. Your contributions make it possible to grow the organization and advance the services we offer to the greater community. MCN's biggest activity is the annual conference, which addresses a wide range of topics confronting museums and museum technologists today, and is attended by professionals from cultural heritage institutions in the United States and around the world. This year for the first time, MCN is making five sessions available as live webcasts for those who are unable to attend the conference. As you know, the downturn in the economy is affecting all of us, including MCN. Almost every dollar in Membership, Conference Registration, and Sponsorship goes towards the annual conference. This year attendance, membership, and sponsorships are all down considerably over our already conservative estimates, and we expect the 2009 MCN conference to lose money. The MCN Board has acted quickly to cut expenses in areas where we have flexibility, but that is just one key part of a two-part solution. We are delighted that one of our sponsors, Gallery Systems, which already generously provided a $10,000 sponsorship to support this year's annual conference, has agreed to provide an additional $5,000 in matching funds to help us close the gap. This is a unique opportunity for those of you in the MCN community who value the services and resources MCN offers, to donate and have your funds matched dollar for dollar until the total match is met. Please also consider becoming a member, if you are not already. Your membership dollars will be matched with this challenge, as well. Please make your tax-deductible donation at the MCN website: http://www.mcn.edu When you are at the conference, or elsewhere, please make a point to thank the sponsors who have made MCN 2009 possible. With thanks for your support, Rob Lancefield, MCN President Erin Coburn, MCN Vice President / President-Elect Kevin Conley, MCN Treasurer Rich Cherry, MCN Secretary
