Amanda,
1.  I haven't purchased anything through e-bay . . . yet.  We don't have
line item in the budget for purchasing anything, but I can purchase low
value items through petty cash without raising any eyebrows.

2.  I do check e-bay and other sites on an irregular basis just to see
what's out there.  Unfortunately our organization capitalizes the
collections, so I have to place values on all donations as they are
processed.  E-bay is the site of first resort to find out what people are
asking and receiving for the same or similar items.

3.  I don't see any effect on donations at this time.  However the high-end
on-line auctions are relatively new and they may have an effect.  Still,
I've had things donated by people who saw them on-line and bid on them
specifically so that they could donate them to us.

RT

Ron Twellman, Collections Manager
EAA AirVenture Museum
P.O. Box 3065
Oshkosh, WI 54903 3065
920-426-5917



-----Original Message-----
From: Amanda Kraus [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: Thursday, June 22, 2000 3:38 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: online auctions and museums


Dear Colleagues:

I am interested to know whether museum staff are using eBay or similar
online auction sites to acquire objects for their collections. I'd like to
hear museum professionals'  thoughts about these sites. I have listed a few
specific questions below, but I welcome all comments relevant to the topic
of how the Internet is affecting object acquisition in museums.

Questions

1) Are museums/historical societies purchasing through eBay and other
auction sites? Why or why not?

2) If so, are museum staff finding material they might otherwise never see?

3) Are online auctions curbing donations from individuals to museums? Do
curators fear that objects will leave the public domain because private
collectors are buying them online?

I appreciate your input.

--Amanda Kraus
Publications Department,
American Association of Museums

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