Hi all


I have watched  this debate with great interest and enjoyment - all the
elements of high drama and low comedy are there. As ever I call for common
sense. Part of the problem with debates such as this is that it all gets very
anecdotal, with wonderful stories about what happened where, when.

I have spent many years sitting on Worthy Bodies about Higher/Adult Education
and Training, and I have found that it is very easy to lapse into genuinely
funny anectodes of  'bloomers' in exam papers and so on, which cause chortles
of delight in committee, but which actually have little to do with the issues
in hand.

It has become clear to me, watching the debate, that the whole definition of
'volunteer' needs re-examination. It seeems to me that 'anyone-who-works-for-
our-institution-unpaid' will no longer do.

It must be 'horses for courses': The situation where highly motivated
individuals are vetted carefully and trained systematically by a well-sussed
large museum is quite different to that of a small-town org that maintains its
funding on condition that the Mayor's dotty maiden art runs the admissions
desk. If this sounds flippant, I assure you that I have known such a case.

I did my thesis work at what I regard to be one of the great museums of the
world, the Imperial War Museum. The people there  have a brilliant public
access policy. It matters not whether you are a young school student, stroppy
academic or ancient veteran, they will bend over backwards to show you what
you want but you WILL BE SUPERVISED. If you are unknown, you are supervised
all the way. Perhaps they have learned how to distinguish between casual
visitors and the genuinely committed.

When first I arrived there they treated me with the greatest courtesy then,
(very charmingly), kicked me out the private areas over the lunch hour. After
a month or two they issued me with a staff pass which gave me virtual run of
all areas of the building. They made me one of the family for three years.
They choose and vet volunteers in a similar fashion. I think they have got it
about right!

I hope this helps


Best regards


PS: Does anyone know of a litserv or similar that deals with major public
libraries?



Nick



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