I've been reading this stuff with great interest.  I think a lot of us
have been reading this without making any comments.  It's become a great
forum, englightening, heartbreaking.  You know, us little people aren't
in on the "higher" decisions, so when a breakdown such as Baltimore's
occurs we are all just as surprised as the rest of the public.  There's
gotta be a way for better communication between the board and the museum
staff; I think that has been a problem since day one.

Regarding the slick magazines, you make a good point.  But I'll tell you
this, some standing professional committees are better than others in
producing monthlies and they are not glossy jobs.  The best newsletters I
have come across with excellent hands-on information come from the
Registrar's Committee and NAME's Exhibitionist.  Once in a while the
CurCom people print something interesting.  I look forward to reading
these newsletters over and above MuseumNews; Aviso is very much like the
AASLH's monthly, but I always view them as the job listing side of AAM's
efforts for it's constituencies.  Being realistic though, the AAM does
serve a purpose allowing us to have a high profile whenever legalese
against non-profits gets thrown around in Washington.  These are the
things we must bear in order to be connected.  Museum-L takes up a lot of
time, but I have found it worthwhile.

O
Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator
Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace
Yorba Linda, CA  92886
(714) 993-5075 ext. 224; fax (714) 528-0544


On Sat, 28 Jun 1997 10:10:07 -0400 Ross Weeks <[log in to unmask]>
writes:
>        EBC made a good point regarding the AAM's ability to be a
>lively forum for
>serious discussion of heated issues in the museum field.  How long has
>it
>been, for example, that anyone has taken a good look at the overall
>format/content, utility to its readers, and relevance to the
>profession(s)
>of its AVISO and Museum News?   This is the face that AAM shows to
>most of
>its members year 'round.
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>        AVISO is a fine little news sheet and may be useful primarily
>for its
>listings and its classifieds, but it's chock full of tidbits about
>government and political things and I have found that it ends up
>becoming a
>throwaway for lots of readers.
>
>        Museum News seems to be saved by its subscribers, in part
>because it
>"looks" appropriately dignified when it is placed around conference
>rooms
>and offices.  And yes, it has well-done articles that seem to appeal
>to
>various kinds of professionals within the museum field.  For as long
>as I
>can remember, however, it has been design-heavy, by which I mean it
>emphasizes appearance and color printing technology to the detriment
>of
>additional solid reading matter and content.
>
>        Suppose color and expensive paper were eliminated, and the
>dollars saved
>were put toward expanding AVISO's content and size?
>
>        Is anyone in AAM looking at these things?  In the late 1960s,
>for example,
>many of America's leading universities began burying their old alumni
>periodicals in order to give birth to "mag-papers," substantial
>monthly
>tabloids on newsprint or uncoated stock capable of running on web
>presses.
>The alumni wanted and received  much more timely information, more
>often,
>as a result.  The higher education PR/Development professional
>organization
>CASE also changed its communication focus.   And there emerged the
>wonderful weekly newspaper "Chronicle of Higher Education," a
>profitable
>enterprise.
>
>        One wonders how many of us would subscribe to a "Chronicle of
>Museums" if
>the publisher of the original "Chronicle" were to consider putting one
>out
>monthy.  It has already long ago developed a monthly called "Chronicle
>of
>Philanthropy."  Then, one wonders, how many of us would still pay
>AAM's
>annual dues?
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