Dear Robert and Jennifer:

I am also interested in concept of "Certification" in the museum field.

Having just attended a Federal Government Value Management Conference
here in Washington, D.C. and working in the field of Value Methodology,
I am familiar with the certification procedures utilized in this fairly
new field - where people with various backgrounds and academic training
work together within a "team" structure to instill quality in various
projects while usually cutting overall costs.  This certification
process produces a professional designation known as a Certified Value
Specialist -CVS- (here in Washington, one must tell people this CVS
designation is not in any way connected with the local drug store chain
with the same initials).

Kind Regards

Roger Wulff
**************************************************************
Museum Services International is a non-profit organization which
provides planning and implementation services in all areas of cultural
and museum operations.

        VISIT US AT: http://www.washingtonpost.com/yp/museumshopint

Museum Value Methodology - Please contact us for details on how this
methodology can assure quality and cut costs for your institution's
activities
******************************************************************
Robert T. Handy wrote:
>
> This is for Jennifer and the list:
>
> Hi Jennifer!  I'm the one who posted the message to which you responded
> (certification).  I have a lot more messages in my box; some might also be
> in response to either of us, so I will get back to you when I have read
> them all.
>
> In the meantime, be prepared to be on a committee.  Two of us so far.
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From:   Jennifer Schansberg[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent:   Monday, June 22, 1998 8:44 AM
> To:     [log in to unmask]
> Subject:        AAM "Certification" as a requirement for accreditation
>
>      Regarding a certification program through AAM...
>
>      I believe that the UK Museums Association does something like this.
>      It is more like a continuing professional development type thing --
>      from what I understand about it, its kind of like taking a Bar exam
>      (but then again, not really.  You have to take the bar to be a
>      practicing lawyer <right?> but you do not have to be certified from
>      the MA to practice in a museum).
>
>      It's not just having a degree that "certifies" you (as implied by
>      whoever it was that posted the message regarding librarians being
>      required to have an MLS).  The degree is just a *requirement*.  What
>      we're talking about is obtaining a certification from your
>      professional organization that says you know your stuff, that you are
>      committed to continuing your education, that you HAVE continued your
>      education, that you are committed to help others continue their
>      education, (etc.) in your chosen field.  I believe that it must help
>      immensely when negotiating salary, when trying to obtain a post in
>      academia, etc.  Plus, you also get to use some kind of letter thing
>      after your name, along the lines of PhD or JD or whatever (i guess
>      that's a big deal for some people).
>
>      It is the support of the professional organization that is the
>      certification.  The degree can come from anywhere but if your
>      professional organization recognizes your professionalism (like the
>      ABA, for example), that is a big bonus for you.
>
>      I've always wondered why we don't have something like that through
>      AAM.  Why do we have a professional organization that doesn't do much
>      to support it's members on a personal level?  Salary surveys and
>      lobbying and all that stuff is great but HEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP
>      MMMMMMMEEEEEEEEE personally once in a while.  A certification program
>      (provided that the certification actually meant something, as in
>      "museum must have x-% of employees certified by the AAM") would really
>      be a good way to show that MY professional organization, to which I
>      pay yearly dues, recognizes that *I* am a professional in need of
>      something and they have a way to solve MY problem.
>
>      I full on support whoever it was (sorry, I digest so I don't have
>      individual messages saved) who suggested it here just recently.  If
>      I'm going to now have to pay over $100 in AAM dues, I'd like to see
>      something for my money for a change.  I think this is a GREAT idea and
>      someone from AAM should talk to our UKMA counterparts for ideas.  Who,
>      by the way, is responsible within the AAM for professional
>      development?  Anyone know?
>
>      Any Brits out there want to talk about it a bit more knowledgeably?
>
>      I've been throwing around an idea (in my own head) for an AAM session
>      that is related in some ways to this for about the last 3 years.  Is
>      anyone interested in working with this as well?  I'm not real sure
>      where it could go but it could definitely go somewhere!  Perhaps it
>      could ultimately help AAM develop a certification program. I'll
>      help...
>
>      Jennifer
>
>      [log in to unmask]