Hi,
I use E-Bay to purchase - with my own funds - objects and photogrpahs for the museum. A lot of good and relevant stuff shows up. Some of it is worth the price. Some of it is part of a highly charged collectors market. In any case it's not a bad resource.
Greg Koos
McLean County Museum of History
Bloomington IL

Amanda Kraus wrote:

> 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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