Humm . . . paying extra for special events, travel opportunities,
publications other than the newsletter . . . it all sounds strangely
like a museum membership . . .

Robb Hyde
Canton Museum of Art


Ross Weeks wrote:
>
> <snip> from Henry Crawford
> >As for _Museum News_, I never considered it to be anything more than
> a
> >marketing tool, much like a corporate annual report.  It lets the
> outside
> >world know what we're doing in a slick (upscale, if you will) way,
> >providing insight into the big broad issues.  It's ok for that
> purpose.
> >Mind you, there is some information I get from MN, but for the most
> part,
> >it's usually the superficial kind (who has moved where, etc.)  It's
> not
> >something I read cover to cover.  As for grass roots information we
> all
> can
> >use, like grant deadlines, legislative updates, and such, AVISO
> serves the
> >profession much more effectively.
>
> I have before me the annual billing for AAM membership.  Here is the
> gist
> of the renewal letter:
>
> ".....your support enables AAM to provide you...with essential
> benefits and
> services to proactively address your museum's current and future
> needs."
>
> These benefits are:
>
> "Professional Standards" transmitted via special publications for sale
> and
> programs        for an extra fee
> "Continuing education & professional development" for those who have
> the
> budgets         to travel great distances, pay the fees and mostly to
> find the
> spare time
>         it all takes
> "Representation" ..... in general, promoting throughout the USA the
> value
> of      museums <as if we aren't doing that on our own, in general>
> "Group purchase programs" for those who can't find better prices for
> the
> services
>
> Continuing,
>
> "In addition, as an AAM member you receive AAM publications......."
> without
> identifying what these publications are or describing their purpose.
>
> Sam Stokes writes:
>
> <snip>The Fort MacArthur Museum ... will soon be getting
> our first paid staff, a "Historic Site Coordinator."
>
> >For a shoestring operation such as ours, we have found that
> membership in
> the
> >AMA is completely a waste of our hard earned money.  Museum News
> almost
> >never has anything pertaining to us, and is full of advertisements
> for
> items and
> >services we could never afford.
>
> >I imagine that there are hundreds of operations out there such as
> ours.
> The
> >AMA appears to be ignoring a large sector of the museum community.
>
> >Two cents, from the bottom half of the museum world....<
>
> Sam, I'd say it would be more like three-fourths of the museum world
> thirsty for useful and relevant material in "AAM publications" that
> come
> with the membership fee.  THAT is the "member benefit" downplayed in
> the
> renewal letter.