-----Original Message-----
From: TXlime <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Wednesday, November 03, 1999 9:35 PM
Subject: Volunteering for museum jobs...


>It was suggested to me during a discussion last week
>that people who volunteer in museums are actually
>doing their profession a dis-service, and that while
>qualified people are willing to work for free, museums
>are never going to look for the money to employ them.
>Having been a volunteer myself, it was not something I
>had thought about...does anyone have any opinions on
>this?
>
I followed that discussion when it came up, and mentioned to Dr. David
Friedman, professor of economics and law at Santa Clara University, that my
volunteering during my ongoing job search could actually be driving my
potential future salary down.  He asked why I wanted to disadvantage the
collection.  He pointed out that the relationship of volunteers to a museum
is an exchange.  We give time and effort for something in exchange (just not
money).  That is a good exchange if both parties benefit.  Volunteers
receive experience, connections etc. while the institution receives the
benefit of their labor.  If there were not such a large pool of volunteers,
the institution would have to pay someone to do the work.  That paid person
then gets money and still the other benefits, but the institution loses out
because it now pays for all it gets and at best only breaks even.  We go
from both benefitting, to one benefiting a lot and the other not at all.
Refusing to volunteer may raise the salaries of paid employees (or induce
more paid positions) but it does so solely at the expense of the
institution.  That did not seem to him to be an equitable exchange.  We do
after all believe what we do is important don't we?
I think I have that right.  It was simply table conversation at dinner a few
weeks back and I have never studied economics, but it did give me pause.
Sure, I'm willing to get less money to do what I love.

As an aside; from the listings I've seen, it appears museums have more
openings than they know what to do with for people who have fund-raising
experience.
Vincent
[log in to unmask]

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