A McLean Count non-profit is in the midst of its accreditation process.

The McLean County Museum of History every ten years has to go through an extensive process to be accredited through the American Alliance of Museums and the Museum's Candace Summers says this is a big deal because less than three percent of the nation's museums are accredited.

Every ten years an evaluation is done on the museum and Summers explains they are looking at the collection of the museum and how well that collection is cared for. She also points out evaluators want to see the museum engage the community.

To get ready for the evaluation of the Museum, not only is the collection and engagement part of the process but the facility needs to be in tip-top shape. Summers says they've already done a lot of work on the building in the last few years. 

For museum staff, the readying process for its evaluation is always ongoing. Summers says it is a natural preparation because museums want to offer great programs and care for the history they are entrusted with. 

Summers says the last time the Museum was evaluated, she was a very young historian at the library and so she was not a large part of the process but she compares it to defending a thesis and having everything in line for that extensive process.