For the credibility of your museum and to prevent misuse/fraud, it's 
important to handle mailing lists with personal information sensatively. A policy 
manual can be helpful to identify concerns and procedures for handling. In 
addition, there is a fairly new law for e-marketing that is important to be familiar 
with called the CAN-SPAM Act of 2003. Sharing e-mailing lists or utilizing 
someone elses without permission (from each person) could result in fines or even 
a lawsuit. 

In collaboration with a Legal department, I worked on privacy information 
management manual for frontline staff as well as management. Based on the CAN 
SPAM Act of 2003 and the Children's Online Privacy Protection Act, procedures 
were identified for:
Collecting personal information (name, address, phone numbers, emails, etc) 
requiring permission from visitors to opt-in or out for specific information 
and use
Utilizing personal information (any new use that the visitor did not opt-in 
to required new notification for permission) 
Sending (blind)
Revising/purging data
Protecting/saving storage of data 
Deleting electronic data and discarding paper documents
Handling a leak or misuse
In addition, new copy (stating information required by CAN SPAM) was made 
visible on visitor signage and was added to mailing list and registration forms 
to ensure we were in compliance. Verbiage was also created to receive 
permission to collect personal information over the phone for those who wanted to 
receive exhibition and program notices via email. 

At the time, I did not know of this site. At a glance, it looks like it would 
be helpful for those getting started. See 
http://www.privacyrights.org/ar/listman.htm. 

For the CAN SPAM Act of 2003, see 
http://www.tech-encyclopedia.com/can-spam-act.htm

Hope this is helpful. 
-Courtney

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