Dear Mary,
The fact that you sent out this query suggests that you're already off to a good start. Some simple but often overlooked advice immediately comes to mind: be sure to ask the curator what the committee, and you personally, can do to help her/him in the short term as well as the long haul. Have some long and heartfelt conversations--and listen closely. Ask lots of questions, but don't offer immediate solutions. Think about what was said for a while before providing solutions. And, make sure your committee members understand the museum's mission and history, how it serves its audiences (and who they are), its long range goals and plans (interpretive, strategic, collecting), the curator's role and responsibilities, etc.
 
If your committee understands its role and keeps its focus on the "big picture," I'll bet that it will make important contributions to the health and future growth of the museum. It also might become a model for other board committees.
 
Good luck.
 
Sincerely,
Dean
 
Dean Krimmel, Creative Museum Services
Planning for Museums, Historic Sites, Visitor Centers and Cultural Organizations
423 Range Road  Baltimore, Maryland 21204
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----- Original Message -----
From: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">Rizzo, Mary
To: [log in to unmask] href="mailto:[log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask]
Sent: Wednesday, November 08, 2006 11:11 AM
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Friends Group Collections Committee

Hi all. I'm new to this list, so I hope this issue hasn't been discussed extensively already (I searched the archives, but didn't find the kind of advice I'm looking for).
 
I'm the Chair of a new Collections Committee for the Board of a Friends' group of an 18th century house museum. Being somewhat new to the museum field and brand new to serving on a board, I'm looking for advice on what kinds of activities a Friends' Collections committee should be involved with. At our site, the collections are owned by the state and the only full-time employee is a curator who works for the state. I don't want to overstep my bounds, but I'd be interested in having the committee help with purchasing collection pieces, preservation (obviously limited by the knowledge and skill of members) and updating and maintaining the collections database. Personally, I'm most interested in helping with rotating collection pieces through the house and developing exhibits using the collection, but I'm not sure if this really is part of the Board's job. I know that each place works differently, but I'd love to hear perspectives on how a friends' collections committee can be a help to a museum.
 
Please respond either on or offlist. Thanks!
 

Mary

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