Hi, I've only recently joined this list, I joined ICOM/ICOM-UK last year and have some thoughts regarding this issue. I feel the main issues (for me at least) has been around poor communication/marketing of ICOM itself and its events. I haven't been to any ICOM events even though I am an active member of a number of UK-based museums organisations, and my workplace will support national travel to events (though rarely international). I joined two committees when I signed up to ICOM but no-one has ever communicated to me what I need to do to be active on them. I think that the ICOM magazines are visually quite dull, mainly black and white (maybe with a single colour), the ICOM news has an incredibly small typeface making it difficult to read (I have no visual impairment). There are no other mailings or extra information included with them. They do not make me want to read them. I just looked through my last ICOM-UK magazine and there is nothing about up-and-coming events. Details of the meetings listed in ICOM news are very brief, just the title/theme but no further information - obviously we can email to find out but the communication is bad as nothing grabs you and makes you think 'oh, that sounds interesting' etc. The websites of ICOM and ICOM-UK are not up to the visual quality or intuitive accessible structure of other organisations - the new ICOM website does look like it might be a very significant improvement visually and structurally this may help. The events page of ICOM-UK currently lists events from 2003, the calendar page of ICOM does not make it immediately clear what each event. I use the websites/magazines of a number of Museum organisations regularly to find out all sorts of information. I think the main issue is that when compared to other organisations (in the UK - Museums Association, Museum Documentation Association, Regional MLA's etc...) ICOM simply does not compete well in the fields of communication or marketing. I always seem to know, with minimal effort what the UK organisations are up to (via emails, websites, publications sent to me at home, and to my workplace) and I have gone to meetings, taken part in panels/committees etc. I feel I learn more about what is going on internationally in museums from UK Museums publications and UK newspapers. I also wonder about your definition of 'youth' as under 40? I'm 30 and I don't think I am young any more, certainly too old to join anything labelled 'youth-organisation'. To me (and marketing organisations) the youth age group is 16-25. Aside from the free entry to every museum I have tried using it in - a very considerable benefit I admit - I have felt that ICOM has not added anything to my knowledge of museums/ the museum world. I hope this can change. Rachel Cockett Birmingham, UK ************************************************************************************************* The information contained within this e-mail (and any attachment) sent by Birmingham City Council is confidential and may be legally privileged. It is intended only for the named recipient or entity to whom it is addressed. If you are not the intended recipient please accept our apologies and notify the sender immediately, or telephone +(44) 121 464 4444 Unauthorised access, use, disclosure, storage or copying is not permitted and may be unlawful. Any e-mail including its content may be monitored and used by Birmingham City Council for reasons of security and for monitoring internal compliance with the office policy on staff use. E-mail blocking software may also be used. Any views or opinions presented are solely those of the originator and do not necessarily represent those of Birmingham City Council. We cannot guarantee that this message or any attachment is virus free or has not been intercepted and amended. ************************************************************************************************* - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - Change ICOM-L subscription options, unsubscribe, and search the archives at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/icom-l.html