Hi Listers
1.  I found Ann Gonneau's story about the outsourcing of that living
history site so very disturbing...
This was after I smugly sent a couple of the messages about misuse of
volunteers to our volunteer coordinator and congratulated her on the
quality of the program here.  How easily things could change, for any of
us.  Her warning "Please, keep up the fight and make sure our colleagues
realize that they must take a position on unregulated outsourcing of
cultural institutions and the exploitation of volunteers, especially
graduate students", is a good one.

2.  Regarding Gene Dillenburg's comments about one of the down sides of
contract projects - loss of institutional history - I fear this is
happening even in areas where there ARE permanent staff because of
greatly increased rates of turnover.
The listers complaining about no entry level jobs notwithstanding,
hardly anyone stays in a job for a long period of time any more, and
once there has been a turnover or two, subsequent people essentially
re-invent the position/department each time.
Change is good and re-invention periodically necessary.  Museums have
always been, at least in part, reflections of the society in which they
reside.  I'm just finding the rate of current change out of sync with
our ability to adjust and use it.

Linda Wilson
Visitor Studies & Evaluation
Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, IL  60605
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