How does your Museum acknowledge the invaluable service of its
volunteers?

At the California State Railroad Museum (Sacramento) about 800 volunteers
work in several programs: some help visitors to the Museum of Railroad
History, others narrate a program on board Amtrak trains into the Sierra,
assist in the restoration and maintenance of full-size railroad
equipment, or serve as crew members on the Museum's excursion train.
Some choose to help with mailings, sort and mark documents for the
Library, clerk in the Museum Store or help maintain and prepare exhibits.

Recognition of their significant contributions includes free membership
in the Museum as resident associates, free admissions and train rides,
discounts in the Museum Store, pins, dinners, free parking and annual
gifts.

CSRM would be interested to know what other institutions do to
acknowledge volunteers.  What form of recognition do your volunteers
receive?  Is there an  annual event or do awards and activities occur
throughout the year?  Do benefits differ among various programs within
the institution?  Who manages volunteer recognition?  How is the
volunteer recognition budget determined?

Please reply to the e-mail address above, or to [log in to unmask]  I
will summarize for the list if topic proves to be of interest.

Thank you.

Ellen Halteman, Librarian
California State Railroad Museum
111 I Street
Sacramento CA  95814
916-323-8073