Claudia Berg, Curator of Exhibits for the State
     Historical Society of North Dakota, serves on the Board
     of Directors of the Plains Art Museum.  she offers the
     following comment in response to this query:

     "As someone in the position of working at a public
     history museum and a board member of a private art
     museum, there have been many more advantages than
     problems.  My museum has dealt with many collections
     and ethics issues that allow me to be a resource to
     guide the art museum through some expanding territory.
     This relationship has also added to the museum network
     in the state, and possible collaborations. As the
     museum person on the board, I can act as an advocate
     for the staff, explaining to other board members the
     whos, whats, and how of standard museum operations and
     efforts required by the staff to accomplish many of the
     tasks.  I'm also in a position to remind many board
     members that the heart of the museum is the collections
     and that fund raising and profits are activities of the
     museum not its focus.  The only activity that has been
     a slight problem was during a recent capital campaign,
     many targeted donors were business I might have also
     approached for contributions to my institution."

     Claudia does not subscribe to Museum-L, but offers can
     be reached at:  [log in to unmask]


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C. L. Dill, Museum Director
State Historical Society of North Dakota
612 East Boulevard
Bismarck  ND  58505-0830
P: (701)328-2666
F: (701)328-3710
E:  [log in to unmask]
Visit our Web site at: http://www.state.nd.us/hist/
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