>In response to a couple of Elizabeth Hanson's points... >

 "While this is a wonderful experience, I too
>CANNOT devote any further time to free labor.  Why?  Because my wonderful
>education put me $24,000 in debt!  Come December my loans come due.  Loan
>companies could care less if I have decided to devote myself to a
>wonderful career.  They just want their money!"

...You must have known this was going to happen before you started your
program--and to those thinking of starting grad programs in Museum
Studies---this is going to happen!  It doesn't mean you shouldn't go for
it, however.
>
>"I am sorry at some point I deserve to be paid for my efforts.  There
seems to be a lack of balance in this field.  Many creative, talent people
are left out because they had to completely finance their educations alone
and cannot volunteer because
>they were not independently wealthy before they entered the field."

...Like Clint Eastwood said in Unforgiven:  "Deserve's got nothing to do
with it"--and it doesn't.
>
>"Maybe museums should collect less stuff if they cannot afford to pay the
staff to care for them?  Maybe more museums should offer paid opportunities
for MA and Phd candidates to use museum collections for their thesis papers?"

...Where will the money come from to pay these MA's and PHd's?
>
>"Am I nuts?  Can any one relate to what I have mentioned?"

...you are not nuts and have many valid concerns, but eventually you will
score if you keep plugging away--everybody that was in my program did
eventually......