Dealing with volunteers can be a very touchy issue--can't live with or
without them.  Also, volunteers often hold power--in the way of monetary
contributions to the institution.  Most people are resistant to change,
especially when they've been there and it is a new person with authority
asking for the change.  The way of dealing with those who have been there
a long time is with great tact, diplomacy, and patience.  Sometimes it
can't be done without offending someone, but often volunteers can be
shown that methods change and learning the "new" way makes them more
professional.  You might start by instituting a contract with the
volunteers which explains the heirarchy and the general principles ("for
the preservation of the objects" etc) that you are all working under.  I
find that starting educational programs--a monthly class in basic object
care and collections management, for example--helps.  It gives the
volunteers a sense of being supported and makes them excited to try new
techniques.  Remember, even the most basic methods of handling artifacts,
which seem perfectly reasonable to those of us who have devoted our
careers to object preservation, may seem a little extreme to
non-professionals.  They don't wear gloves at home, and they still
have negatives from their childhood; they have been passing down and wearing
great-grandma's dress to every daughter, and it only needs occasional
"mending"; why should they do anything different at the museum?  If
methods of handling are presented as new recommendations from
professional organizations, instead of something that the volunteers have
been doing wrong all along, they might be more receptive.  Finally,
sometimes a volunteer just needs to be moved to another area.  I try to
have specific, well-defined projects for each of my volunteers.  If it is
apparent that someone is not suited to that project, I make up something
vague like "We really needed to get that area done" or "we've
re-prioritized, and we're shelving that project for now", while puting
someone else on that project (you may need to put it out of sight for a
while), and puting the offending volunteer on something more suited to
their abilities and habits.  For example, I have a volunteer whose
support is very important to the institution--not only her financial
support, but she first sees the students who generally have the aptitude for
working with our collection and directs them to me.  She is extremely
knowlegable in clothing construction, but is very rough in handling
clothing.  I only allow her to work directly with the contemporary
couture pieces (objects less than five years old and very sturdy), or to
create support pieces on mannikins.  She works along side the other
volunteers who are gentler with the more fragile objects, and is not
aware (I hope) that she is being restricted.  She knows that her
strengths are being utilized.

After all of that, there will still be a few stubborn people whose
unwillingness to learn is detrimental to the objects.  At that point, you
have to make the decision as to what is more important in the long
run--the objects or the volunteers' good will (and that of their friends,
because bad will is contagious).  It's a balance that's difficult to
maintain.

Good luck.

Pat Roath
Elizabeth Sage Historic Costume Collection
Indiana University, Bloomington, IN
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On Thu, 2 May 1996, John Martinson wrote:

> I came on board as the director of a small museum a little over a year
> ago.  It has a small staff, and a lot of volunteers.
>
> An issue I am asking the net is how do you change volunteers attitude
> that the museum is not there own personal toy?
>
> The volunteers were not wearing gloves in the textile and collection
> area.  For example, an individual working with the photograph collection
> does not wear gloves.  Common sense would tell you not to handle negatives
> with bear fingers, but that person mauls the pictures.  I put signs up for
> all folks dealing with the collection to wear gloves, all are except the
> photograph volunnteer.
>
> The museum sent  the person a conservation class.  However, the individual
> states no one has ever told her to wear gloves after more than ten years.  I
> cannot beleive that.  The person still insist they will not wear gloves.  I
> had the registrar talk to the person, and the commennt again was gloves will
> not be worn.
>
> I also talked with the individual briefly about it. And my advise was
> ignored. I therefore, sent a letter saying to wear gloves, or their
> volunteer efforts at the museum were no longer required. I was told that
> maybe I should have said, the person could work some place else, but with a
> small museum -- the museum is a toy, and that was that person's "baby."  I
> was left with only to let the person go.  Any comments on this?  Volunteers
> in this location have so much concern, control and when a
> new director comes on board -- it seems they are fighting change.  But change
to
> save the collection.  It is our job to preserve, not destroy and use the
> collection
> as personal toys.  Is anyone or did anyone face this issue?
>
> Then, to me photographs are the most sensitive, fragil object(s) in the
> collection.
> Gloves are required, no ifs or buts about it.  Does anyone know how the ten
> years of handling the negatives and prints with fingers be reversed.   Can
> negatives be cleaned without damaging them or is the entire collection gone?
> Suggestions or comments are appreciated?
>
> Thanks.
>
> John Martinson
>