My dean of faculty has asked me to find how other institutions like
ours (small liberal arts college) handle the day-to-day climate control
and maintenance of the archives, and, especially of any historical
museum which is connected to the archives.  The archives here is located
in the college library and there the regular maintenance staff person is
responsible for its daily care--vacuuming, with the proviso that she
does not do any cleaning or throwing away without the archivist's
request.  Climate control is not great, but at least it is what the
library demands.  \
A museum on the history of the college was started in 1989 in a separate
building, one of the older classroom buildings on campus. Climate
control is difficult. Currently there is air-conditioning. A humidifier
is on the premises, but in the past there was some question as to
whether the plant department should be responsible for any maintenance
of museum equipment--changing filters, adding water, etc. In addition
the building cleaning people have expressed a great reluctance to dust
the room since they would have to handle "antiques." I am trying to
establish some workable arrangement whereby the plant department takes
some responsible for the museum, since it is neither my private
collection, room, or office. The art department has it in writing that
the plant department is responsible for climate control and for help in
physically getting some exhibits prepared.  I don't know who dusts, but
assume it is the building cleaning person.

I feel a more compelling need than other departments to find a solution,
since my contract specifies only 330 hours per YEAR, most to be worked
in the 2 15-week semesters.  I do have 16 hours of student assistance,
but that leaves large periods of time when no one on my staff is around
to even check for routine neatness.  A faculty secretary has an office
near the museum and provides minimal security, etc, but she is off in
the summers.

Sorry to be so wordy. But does anyone have similar circumstances with
extra facilities and lack of institutional status for museums, etc,
I know being short of hours is common, but I could really use some ideas
on this and on whether I need to look at the problem from some other
angle.
Assuming this isn't an problem for most, a word to my personal email is
probably best.  Thanks
Louise Schang, Archivist/Curator, Ripon College, 300 Seward St, Ripon,
WI, 54971, 1-414-748-8325 or 1-414-748-6627 (Home).
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