Dear Listers,

        Erica's comments on placing museum students in small museums in small
towns brought two thoughts to mind.

        First, as the instructor in a graduate-level museum studies course, I
often advise students to look at small institutions for a first job.  This
is especially true, I think, for students who do not have much hands-on
experience yet or who have not decided on a particular branch of museum
work on which to focus.  I know of no place that gives a museum profession
more exposure to all facets of museum work than a stint in a small
institution.  Also, there might be less competition for jobs in small
institutions.  As Erica says, many students want to head to the "big city"
and the big institutions or want to stay in their hometowns or places where
they have studied.  The reality is that most museum professionals will move
from place to place in their careers.  Someone once told me that the most
important thing about your first job is getting it; you can move up from
there.

        Secondly, many small towns rely heavily on their local museums for
educational and social programming.  In such places, workers get both
direct contact with the public and can make significant contributions to
public life in their community.  During my museum career in small
institutions in small towns, I often envied my friends who worked in large
famous institutions.  I was amazed to realize that they envied me
(somewhat, at least) because I got to do so many different things and to
have contact with visitors.

        There is a lot to be said for working in a small institution in a small
town.  Keep the faith.


                                Mike Cahall
Michael Cahall, Ph.D.
Department of History
Duquesne University
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