Mark,
brief comment: read your posting with personal concept of "small" in mind and
was formulating reactions as i read through it.  your last comment - small =
under 50 staff - blew me away !  it's nice to know that so many museums will
be join me being included in your definition.
L.

Mark McClane wrote:

> I am a graduate student working on a thesis topic and need help from
> msuem professionals.  I would appreciate comments.
>
> Thesis statement:
>
> Small museums have computers -- many acquired randomly,
> not systematically. This raises the question, how can museums
> organize and centralize information systems, how do they make
> decisions regarding the use of technology, and how can museum
> staff understand the impact on their institution.  I propose a planning
> process for small museums to determine how to use technology for
> more efficient and ineffective internal communication.  This process
> might culminate in the hiring of an IS manager to maintain, overseeing,
> develop/evolve this technology as the museum grows and technology changes.
>
> Your comments on the previous and following statements/questions
> would be appreciated:
>  There are many nonprofits that do have jerry-mandered,
>  out of date systems and don't have the resources or skills
>  to replace them or develop a system for evaluating them.
>
>  The big challenge is always funding--money is very, very
>  hard for infrastructure.
>
>  Are there still directors of small museums who are resistant
>   to what technology can do for them?  Consensus is that pretty
>   much everyone agrees on the merits of information systems.
>
>  Who would be the decision maker on how to go about
>   integrating or acquiring technology, the director?
>
>  The feeling that an analysis of what can be done, rather than
>   a need to convince people that it needs to be done would
>   be useful.
>
> My current thinking is to stick to the "how to" analyze the current state
> of affairs and oppose the "why."
>
> My interest is in small museums with staff under fifty.
>
> Thanks