With apologies for the regional political tone of this message, but what
may happen is of critical importance to the Virginia museum community.

Ross,  Gilmore's plan is very worrisome.  I too live in Virginia and I have
to admit, the question definitely comes to mind of how many people in the
museum field might have voted for Gilmore (hopefully not many!).  Anyway,
his no-car-tax scheme sounded too good to be true, and now he's looking for
ways to pay for it partially on the backs of museums around the state.
 Where is this all going to lead us?  I think Virginians will be paying one
way or another for this shortsighted plan.

----------
From:   Ross Weeks Jr.[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
Sent:   Sunday, April 19, 1998 8:12 PM
To:     [log in to unmask]
Subject:        Re: JOB OPPORTUNITY discussion

This is exactly on target.  For some types of museums, staffing has a whole
new complexion, for better or worse.  It is disconcerting that -- even as
we
make the effort to improve compensation & working conditions for
specialized
people who deserve better -- it won't be long before some are (in English
terms) "redundant"  to museums , just as Hodcarry's extremely skilled
carpenter became.  Far too many fine museums are struggling to stay afloat
in rough waters.

Here in Virginia, our new governor recommended Friday taking away 100% of
the state funding for all non-state museums, starting in 1999, the funds to
be diverted to a tax reduction plan.   Some truly excellent museums receive
50% or more of their operating resources from the state.  Other small
institutions are open only because of the state funding.

We've gone through a period of emphasizing and building up the
"educational"
departments/staffs/programs of many museums.  Is the public interest in
this
peaking?  I'd be interested in reactions to the hunch that sources of
funding for museum educational programs (and collaboration in them from the
'educational establishment') are on the wane.

Public investment in education is a matter of political choice.  Are we
non-governmental museums "included" in that choice, or are we actually a
bit
of icing on the educational cake?

-----Original Message-----
From: Hodcarry <[log in to unmask]>


>>Frankly, I'm disillusioned by what seems to be a growing trend in
>>hiring temporary workers to develop and make permanent exhibits
>
>I would qualifiy as a 'seasoned' museum worker and as far as historical
museum
>are concerned (and I think this applies to natural history museums as wel)
the
>operation of museums has changed greatly. Artifacts are less important and
the'
>story' has moved to the front  so exhibits arefar more complex than they
once
>were and require more specialized skills.  was a time when the same wood
worker
>fixed the building and built the exhibits.