N.E.IL – Look Where We’ve Been
When a small group of people started meeting to discuss common concerns and to trade ideas on how to make their museums valuable community resources, no one expected what eventually happened. After just a few of these meetings, the group realized the benefit they were deriving from these informal get togethers at different museums. So, they began dreaming of a formal organization that would extend the benefits to a wider group. Look where those dreams have taken us!
That organization was incorporated on January 15, 1986 as the North Eastern Illinois Historic Council. Called N.E.IL, the organization fulfills the dreams of a vital link for local historical societies and museums.
The North Eastern Historical Council was organized to assist members in the following endeavors:
- To share goals relating to the interpretation of local history
- To increase professionalism skills in accepted museum practices
- To disseminate technical information
- To encourage public participation
- To provide a network of cooperation between member organizations
N.E.IL was chartered with 25 members. Memberships are available to museums and associate members. The focus remains learning from each other. In addition to a structured quarterly program of interest to members, one of the highlights of membership remains getting together with people doing the same thing you do and swapping stories and ideas. Since the quarterly meetings are held in different museums, an added benefit is the opportunity to see what others are doing at their museums.
