Good answer.  I had forgotten about Mr. Weil's article, and I remember
feeling compelled to answer it, but I couldn't find a way to express it.
Guess I got tongue-tied.

I am not normally cynical, but I do have a healthy dose of it when it
comes time to negotiating for a raise, for myself and my staff.  I don't
think we've touched on that issue; a supervisor who wants to keep the
help, yet has to keep an eye on himself/herself.  You can't short-sell
yourself nor the staff.

I have seen that when there is turn-over that is about the time a
director can parcel out well-earned raises to people.  Unfortunately it
may look like it's happening at the expense of someone else; of course, I
don't want to generalize and say it's always the case.  Wouldn't do for
proper etiquette on Museum-L.

O

Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard
Yorba Linda, CA  92886
(714) 993-5075; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail:  [log in to unmask]

On Fri, 25 Jul 1997 13:12:58 GMT Claudia Nicholson
<[log in to unmask]> writes:
>>Every time the discussion about "Should museums educate or
>>entertain?" comes up, the prevailing debate includes the premise
>>that you can only have one at the expense of the other.  If museums,
>>libraries or any form of voluntary learning is to garner monetary
>>support, both imperatives must be seen as complimentary, not
>>conflicting, components to success.
>>
>>The fun and enjoyment has to come from within the ongoing,
>>successful achievement of the mission of the museum, period.  If
>>that isn't there from the Director on down to the newest volunteer
>>working in the gift shop, no amount of public or private money will
>>make your institution anything more than an overfunded mausoleum.
>>
>>Rich Johnson
>
>
>Hear, hear, Rich Johnson!  We all know of successful museums that are
>fun,
>widely supported in their communities, AND successfully carrying out
>their missions in solid, professional, yet innovative ways.  Perhaps a
>look at Stephen Weil's article "Creampuffs and Hardball:  Are you
>really
>worth what you cost? [Museum News, Sept/Oct 1994] would help us think
>a
>little more clearly about what museums ought to be doing.  To quote:
>
>        "The museum seeking to articulate the ways in which it intends
>to
>        impact its target community would be wise to observe one
>caution:
>        concentrate on those object-related outcomes that are most
>        particular to museums and don't inadvertently undermine your
>        unique importance by describing outcomes that might as easily
>be
>        achieved by some other organization."
>
>Alas, I am not sure that there is a connection between successful
>museums
>and higher salaries.  One will not necessarily follow the other,
>unless
>we lobby (sometimes, hard) for higher pay.
>
>Claudia Nicholson
>Curator of Collections
>Museum of the South Dakota State Historical Society
>Pierre
>
>[log in to unmask]
>