>FROM: [log in to unmask]
>TO:  Byron A. Johnson (813) 228-0097      ( JOHNSOB2@A1 )
 
>Subject: Re: Compare Museums to Libraries
 
>Dear Byron:
 
>I may say something totally stupid. Just a thought. After reading your
>message, which I loved very much, I thought of taxes and the use of >our
local taxes.
 
>I knew that we were paying for local libraries. I pulled my file and
>look at the latest tax bill I could find. As of March 93, I pay >$211.04
in taxes to support our local library district. I could not >find anything
relating to Museums.
 
>Do you see any correlation with what you were saying? Libraries are
>construed as being part of education. Museums are not? Why? I don't
>know. You may be talking of the eternal problem: "we have a wonderful
>product, but we did not know how to sell it".
 
>Gerard
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Gerard,
 
Thanks for the reply. Despite the A.A.M. overhaul of "what is a museum?"
some years ago, and the redefinition of them as educational institutions,
it hasn't gotten through. This is especially frustrating as teachers REALLY
want curriculium related materials that museums produce.
 
In our master planning process we have actually considered whether it would
be appropriate for us to look at some sort of operational alliance or
merger with a local library system. Not that I think they have all the
answers, but that the public is really confused about what we are and it
might be easier to ontain a STABLE base of community funding. Most
libraries have taxing authority and get public support for such taxes,
while few museums have such authority. Books can usually be replaced;
museum objects are often unique, so, perhaps even a stronger case for
support can be made for stable museum funding.  This is important as the
big buck private and corporate supporters of past decades are fast
disappearing, will work only with museums in large metro areas, or want
"deals" that sometimes stretch ethics. Part of the problem is that
libraries have established and ACCEPTED methods for gaining operational
funding, whereas museums run the gamut. While libraries are still receiving
tax support, government agencies look at museums and mutter "earned income
- more earned income."
 
This affec ts how we sell ourselves. I am personally in a quandry relative
to the trend in selling ourselves as entertainment/amusement. This seems to
have started with the megabuck aquaria and science centers that were funded
with 8-figure revenue bonds. I think "edutainment" is fine, but I question
whether everything is O.K. when marketing and sales persons outnumber
curators, educators and collections managers in some facilities by 2:1.
They have to in order to repay the bonds. But where does the museum end,
and EPCOT and SeaWorld begin? Will museums soon be traded on the NYSE?
 
Byron A. Johnson
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