Hello to all the Museum-L folks.  My apologies for lurking for quite
a long time and not introducing myself.  Anyway, the time has come
for me to introduce myself.  My name is Melissa Smith and I am a
grad of Wright State University's Museum and Archival Administration
program.  I am currently working as a program specialist for the
Department of Veterans Affairs Medical Center in Dayton, OH.  I was
hired about 5 years ago to start and run a museum which would highlight
the historical heritage of our facility as well as local military and
veteran history.  The budget has always been VERY SMALL and I work
as the Director, Curator, Registrar, Volunteer Coordinator, Educator,
Writer, Researcher, Exhibit Designer, Archivist, Librarian, Furniture
Mover, Housekeeper and general Jack-of-all-trades.  You name it, I have
to do it myself.  Its an experience, but I love it!

In light of the cutbacks and reorganization both within the Federal
Government and specifically within the VA, the museum is now only
PART of my job (!).  I also function as a project manager for our
workplace literacy program, instructor for the Customer Service
classes and a Presentation Skills class, and as the manager/administrator
of a Preventing Assaultive Behavior class.  Whew!  Most recently,
I have been selected to be the editor of our Medical Center newsletter
which has a circulation of over 2,000 employees and other interested
individuals.

I am very interested in making contact with other individuals who edit
and design newsletters for their organizations.  Are there listservs or
other Internet resources which would be helpful for me?  Any tips about
innovative publishing will be appreciated.

I am also interested in talking to other individuals in small or
(as in my case) VERY SMALL historical organizations, especially those
who must exist in a corporate or governmental environment.  I find my
challenges are sometimes unique, as the museum is not an independent
entity and must compete with the other concerns of the Medical Center
for buget, etc.  I spend lots of my energy justifying expenses,
working for a community identity, and doing lots of consciousness
rasising about historical issues spanning the spectrum from historical
preservation to care and use of artifacts to working with researchers and
genealogists.

I'm looking forward to hearing from you!

Melissa R. Smith
VA Medical Center
4100 W. Third Street (141)
Dayton, OH  45428

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(513) 262-2194