At 05:27 PM 5/8/96 EDT, you wrote:
> I too have been following this thread (an appropriate metaphor for a
>glove discussion) with interest and some dismay. Pardon me for being
>hardnosed and unequivocal, but I think this is a no-brainer. A museum
>professional simply cannot--must not--should not--dare not--knowingly
>permit anyone to mishandle collection material. To do so is
>unprofessional and is poor stewardship. A volunteer who refuses to
>cooperate and follow instructions and professional, approved procedures
>is indeed a "goriller" and in my opinion could be "fired" for
>insubordination. Who needs such a volunteer? Now if you can't bear to
>get rid of the uncooperative volunteer because he/she is otherwise nice,
>fun, rich, or influential, just take the material away that they
>mishandle and let them do something safe like filing office
>correspondence or answering phones.
>  Seriously, it's often possible to wean people away from the material
>that they are not handling properly, give them something else, and do it
>tactfully. I've had the problem of volunteers and interns who mean well
>but just don't have the manual dexterity to handle certain kinds of
>objects safely. If you don't have the tact and human qualities to
>interact with people, plus the will power to protect your collection
>from mishandling--whether by marauders or bunglers--you don't have any
>business supervising volunteers in a museum environment.
>   Now that I've addressed the gloveless volunteer problem, perhaps
>someone can help with the problem of STAFF who won't wear gloves at the
>appropriate times.
>  I once pulled rank on a new employee who was uncooperative and refused
>to wear gloves while working with glass photographic negatives;
>admittedly, he was conscientiously trying to hold them only by the
>edges, but in so doing he was risking dropping and breaking them. I
>wrote a strong "or else" memo, he apologized, and complied. But then
>there was the CONSERVATOR whose full handprint is still visible on one
>of my color photographs because this person pressed an ungloved hand on
>the surface to emphasize a point. It's my understanding that this person
>still doesn't wear gloves with photographs. Any reactions? --David
>Haberstich
>
>
_____________________________________________________________________________
John Martinson                          [log in to unmask]
Work: Fort Walla Walla Museum           School: Norwich University (VT)
755 Myra Rd
Walla Walla, WA  99364                  (509) 525-7703 (Work)

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