Yikes! hehe How true.
 
Also, as a 'volunteer/member' I split my time between 'museum chapter' duties...and my duties as a paid employee. I usually won't, for instance...balance the chapter's checkbook while I'm on paid time. The hardest thing for me to do, is to not do what I've determined to be 'paid' work while I'm volunteering (Yikes, again).
 
This coming Saturday, as a volunteer/member I'll be leaving home at 7:30am to pick up a fellow member a couple of towns away...so that he can attend our open house (he's 90 and gave up his licence 6 mos ago). Then, I'll drop him and my son off at the museum (after picking up bags of ice) and head 2 towns away in the other direction to pick up Lillian (my 'other' mother) and Theresa...they're both in their 80's and are not driving any longer. And of course, drive them all home after the program. I'm glad to be able to do this! But I won't be counting my time as a paid employee until I get to the museum that day.
 
My membership to the museum/chapter is 'free'. I've actually been given 3 lifetime memberships...and I often do feel like I'm volunteering 3 membership's worth of time (and that it could go on for ever and ever).
 
My employer and the chapter are 2 separate entities...which has been odd at times. So my employer hasn't required nor is the one who has given me these lifetime memberships. But I'd have to say that requiring an employee to become a member (whether it is given for free or not) or otherwise making an employee feel obligated to become one -is a conflict of interest. Obviously my duties as both a volunteer/member and a paid employee attest to this...try as I might to separate these.
 
I too, think that the required membership for an employee is a 'dated' practice (along with it being a potential conflict of interest). Joining an organization should be a free choice for the employee...something that is done voluntarily.
 
I would also wonder how many paid employees who have free memberships or have been required/obligated to pay to join their organization -would be a member if not for their employment?
 
One museum that I was affiliated with while I was an undergrad student...never made me feel obligated to join. I felt welcome to attend any activity (that I wasn't already volunteering for or paid to work on) and even if I offered to pay - they wouldn't take my money anyway. They always made me (and my son) feel welcome and us feel like we 'belonged'. And I wasn't a permanent employee (though I was treated the same as all the other staff) nor did I have a free or paid membership.
 
So what if you HAVE to purchase a membership to the museum for which you work and you later choose not to renew? Or if you have been given the membership and you request to be taken off the membership list?
 
Employees should be extended free memberships or a reduced membership if they choose to join. Be offered to partake in museum activities for free or a reduced fee if possible, etc.  A reduced fee for family members is a nice perk.
 
Pam
 
In a message dated 6/6/2007 8:57:06 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, [log in to unmask] writes:
Jaord:

By way of reply here's another quick inquiry.  How many museum members
at your museum HAVE to stay around until 1AM to finish the exhibit
before it opens or get ready for a special event?  How many members HAVE
to come in on Sunday because a pipe sprang a leak and collections
storage is flooding?  How many members HAVE to deal with the bridezilla
that rented the banquet room?

This sounds like a hangover from the good old days when the place was
all volunteer (if it once was and I'm betting it was).  I'd dig in my
heels on this one.  It's unreasonable.  For volunteer board members
maybe.  Staff -- no.

Dan

> -----Original Message-----
> *From:* Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
> *On Behalf Of *Jarod Atkins
> *Sent:* Tuesday, June 05, 2007 2:57 PM
> *To:* [log in to unmask]
> *Subject:* [MUSEUM-L] Museum Membership
>
> 
>
> Just a quick inquiry, but I was wondering how many people HAVE to
> become a member and pay for the membership to the museum that they
> work at.
>
> Thank you.
>

> Jarod Atkins, Administrative and Curatorial Assistant
> Edmond Historical Society
> 431 S. Boulevard, Edmond, OK 73034
> Office:  (405)340-0078
>
> www.edmondhistory.org


--
Dan Bartlett, BFA, MA
Curator of Exhibits
IMLS Grant Project Coordinator
Midway Village & Museum Center
Rockford, IL
 
Pamela Silvestri, Seasonal State Parks Interpretive Guide
Northeast States Civilian Conservation Corps Museum
Shenipsit State Forest Headquarters
166 Chestnut Hill Road
Stafford Springs, Connecticut 06076
Telephone: (860) 684-3430
e-mail: [log in to unmask] or
[log in to unmask]



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