We used to have a single email contact, but then it was extremely onerous
for one person to sort through that daily and expeditiously forward all the
correspondence to the appropriate staff member.  We have both departmental
and individual email contacts on our website:  yes, we do get tons and tons
of spam but it is easy to set up filters to cut down on the volume, and we
think the accessibility to the public is worth it.  If we don't serve the
people who need us most immediately, then why are we here?

As for the volume and appropriateness of inquiries, we have found that
neither is a severe problem.  True, sometimes we get inquiries at times when
we can't respond as quickly as we would like, but often if we respond with
something like "we have received your message and will get back to you with
a detailed response in 2 days" it's better than if we just ignored their
message for the same 2 days until we can get to it.  We don't do peoples'
homework or papers for them, and we are all well versed on where the sources
are that, for example, a 6th grader could use for the information they are
seeking (and I personally have no compunction about suggesting that if I
fulfilled their request entirely then they would not be getting the full
learning experience that their teachers intended, and therefore I will not
do so).

Julia Muney Moore
Director of Exhibitions and Artist Services
Indianapolis Art Center
820 E. 67th St.
Indianapolis, IN  46220
(317) 255-2464 x233
FAX (317) 254-0486
email <[log in to unmask]>
website <http://www.indplsartcenter.org>

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