>Timothy L. Campbell wrote:
>collectionless>>
><<museums" is the fear that directors will become inspired to sell off>>
><<valuable cultural or historic resources to buy computer terminals and>>
><<those cool glass spheres with the lightning effects inside>>

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Collection vs. Virtual Collection:
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I know of a civic museum Director who instructed their Curator to
deaccession about 50% of the collection due to the costs and size of the
collection and its storage space.  Holding a collection is expensive.  Being
without a collection or having a virtual collection instead, may be cheaper,
and possibly easier. A virtual collection can even be cloned easily.  I do
think that using database and images to SUPPLEMENT BUT NOT REPLACE the
collection is a great idea. With 80% or more of most collections in storage
or simply far away from the person wanting the information, having virtual
access to collections would be great for researchers and the public.  There
is however a REAL DANGER that some Boards and Directors will opt for this
supplement instead of the more expensive real thing.

I am from the Coca Cola Generation - "It's the real thing!"  One can create
virtual images of a bottle of Coca Cola, but there is nothing like the real
thing.

Colin Macgregor Stevens
Museum Curator
Burnaby Village Museum
City of Burnaby,  BC,  CANADA
(604) 293-6500
Business: [log in to unmask]
Museum Webpage:
http://www.burnabyparksrec.org/villagemuseum/villagemuseum.html
Personal: [log in to unmask]  Personal website:
http://bcoy1cpb.pacdat.net

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