Finally, a chance to give back to the list! I get the digested version of Museum-L, so these may have already been mentioned.

There are a couple of good publications I have read on visitor evaluation. You can find descriptions and purchase both through the AAM web site, http://www.aam-us.org/index.htm. Just click on "bookstore" then "member" or "non-member" accordingly. Full references are on AAM's site. The two publications:

Judy Diamond's "Practical Evaluation Guide: Tools for Museums & Other Informal Educational Settings" (1999).
- It's very understandable and straightforward. Covers topics like planning a project, collecting data, measuring learning, as well as presenting and evaluating data.

Minda Borun and Randi Korn (Eds.), Roxana Adams (Series Ed.). "Introduction to Museum Evaluation" (1999).
- Series of papers from visitor evaluators in the field, covering a wide range of topics. Really a pretty complete view of visitor evaluation, including issues like visitor surveys, working with data, front-end evaluation, formative evaluation, summative evaluation, and issues in the field. Gives case studies of some of these as well. A professional practice series put out by CARE (Committee on Audience Research and Evaluation of AAM).

Just a couple of references out of many in the field, although the books do a nice job of bringing much of the current and past thinking and research together. If I missed any obvious references, please forgive me, these are just a couple of recent ones.

Take care,

Steve Yalowitz
Colorado State University

P.S. Thanks to those who responded to my "visitor satisfaction" question. I will summarize and send feedback I received to those who requested it.

Subject: Visitor Evaluation in the Museum
Date: Fri, 14 Apr 2000 17:53:38 +0200
From: Susan Hazan <[log in to unmask]>

to Museum discussion list
I am currently researching the similarities and differences between visitor
evaluation in the museum and audience research  in media studies.  Could
someone please recommend 'the' book on visitor evaluation research in the
museum or any up to date publication on the subject.

with thanks

Susan Hazan
Goldsmiths College, University of London