Please post such a policy on line. I would also like to see this type of
policy.
Leslie A. Vollnogle
Curator of Collections
Stuhr Museum of the Prairie Pioneer
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Julie Blood
Sent: Thursday, September 16, 2010 11:00 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Problems with volunteers
I work for a museum that has a large collection of agricultural equipment,
especially tractors. Many of these tractors come in unrestored and we have
a group of retired guys who volunteer their time to restore these tractors.
Unfortunately, their idea of restoration and my idea of restoration are not
the same thing.
The tractor they are currently working on is a Holt 75 that Museum staff
would like to have running for demonstrations. I have been told by other
museum staff that a few of the restoration volunteers have referred to the
artifacts as "junk," luckily these staff members have informed the
volunteers otherwise. Even though I have been working with a "friend of the
museum" in acquiring accurate replications of parts for the Holt 75, I am
finding that my restoration volunteers are using scrap pieces of materials
to make parts for the tractor which are inaccurate. I have provided them
with parts lists/pictures and the care and operations manual for this
tractor. The "friend of the museum" is also serving as a consultant for
this project, but cannot be out at the museum to assist in the actual
restoration.
Unfortunately, this is only one example of the many poorly restored projects
they have done over the years. One of the last tractors that was restored
had a cap from the fly-wheel chiseled off instead of just unscrewing the
cover to remove this cap. This was a problem that the previous Collections
Manager faced for MANY years and I would really like to break the cycle.
How to you get through to these guys that our artifacts are not "junk"? I
am in the process of writing a restoration policy for the museum, but just
because I write one doesn't mean that they are going to follow it. Since
this project began, I have had to be in the restoration shop supervising
their work (a total of 6 hours/week) instead of being able to do other
necessary job duties. I would like to be able to trust them enough where I
can go out to the shop for about a few hours, take photos, get updates and
make decisions and answer questions they have. I do have a few volunteers
who understand and love being able to accurately restore the equipment and I
don't have to worry about them, but they aren't rubbing off on the others.
Since these are all volunteers, how do you handle this situation
diplomatically? I would really like to get rid of the bad apples, but know
that may not be possible. We have a guy who is kind of their leader, but he
isn't doing the best of job in directing the volunteers... he is older and
has health issues, so I am also playing a waiting game on that too... hoping
it will improve once he isn't involved anymore. What is the nicest, but
firmest way to let them know that they need to change their thinking and do
things correctly? Any suggestions you provide would be very helpful, as it
would really help my stress level. Also if you have a restoration policy
you would like to share, I would appreciate that too!
Thanks,
Julie
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