>Patricia Downs wrote: >> >> Would anyone help me out by giving me a good definition of 'public >> program'. Thanks in advance. > One way to define public program is to take the very broadest definition and then to categorise different types as subsets. This acknowledges the difficulty of the differences in the way the term is used in different institutions; for example, some use public program to mean event type programs for visitors others use public programs to include exhibitions and education programs and visitor programs and outreach and research programs and volunteer programs etc. Museum public programs: All the ways a museum communicates with its publics- that is,its audience, its visitors and its users. This may include: marketing (market research, advertising, PR, customer service) information services (telephone, reception, mail, internet) exhibitions(permanent, temporary, travelling, interactive facilities) education programs (formal K-12, tertiary, on site and offsite) Visitor programs( tours, demonstrations, performances, lectures, events) publications(books, research series, education material, internet, multimedia) orientation(outside, inside, physical, conceptual) research services (access to collections & staff expertise; virtual access) facilities (shop, food outlets, toilets, seating, conference and venue hire, corporate & sponsors events) volunteer programs (recruitment, training, development, evaluation and support) I think it depends on the size and sophistication of an institution as to how many of these public programs have separate identities within a museum's organizational chart and staffing structure. Ann Baillie Museum studies adjunct lecturer Consultant research, evaluation, cultural policy, planning and development ph/fax: 07 55764485 email: [log in to unmask] address:118 Ocean Parade Burleigh Heads Australia 4220