“Bored? Got Stuff/Interests? Develop Hobbies, Collections and Expertise”

"Hobbies Shared" (previously known as "Pack Rats" a common term for collectors)  is conducted as a forum in which everyone shares their interests and experiences collecting things or pursuing hobbies. These sessions are open to everyone, from accomplished kid collectors  to beginners, as well as, those who have an activity they pursue strongly. 

These will be dynamic, ever-changing sessions, deliberately limited to five students to allow for lively interactive discussions,  sharing of collections, interests and questions. 

Returning participants always can expect to have a completely different and fun experience, because new hobbyists  will show up with collections of interests to share and the teacher, Tom the Global Guy, has a near inexhaustible supply of his own collections and interests to show off. Not to mention those of his friends.

Each "Hobbies Shared" session begins with participants providing clues, so the teacher and others can guess where in the world they live and what their special interest might be.  All sessions end with a summary of topics covered, and participants are encouraged to pin down what they’ve learned by sharing it with family and friends. 

Informally, the teacher will guide the participants to consider ways they can expand and extend their collections and interests. 

 Ongoing topics and concepts explored during each session include:

—the history, psychology and sociology of hobbies

—how institutions such as museums, historical societies, and universities, often depend on the expertise of hobbists,  collectors and their collections

Collecting basics: 

--Research: developing expertise by learning more about the subject of the collection, its origins, history, provenance or previous owners, the materials involved, whether natural or manufactured, and the estimated value of individual items whether to be sold, or for insurance purposes.

--Acquisition: finding and/or funding additions to the collection.

--Conservation: taking care of the collections

--Presentation: displaying collections from a shelf or table top, to larger community spaces such as a library, community center, historical society, shop or school.