Hello--
        Neither your Director nor anyone else has any obligation to gift
this person with the research they have done. She should not get in the
way to prevent this person from doing his own research, and she should
plan to publish her research as soon as possible. Just tell the lazy
person that the research is in the process of being worked up with the aim
of publication, and you'll be glad to let him know when and where it
appears.
        Nobody "owns" an artist but no one is obligated to share the
results of their research, even if they are employed by a museum.  There's
no reason why there can't be two biographies of your artist.

        Adrienne DeAngelis
        [log in to unmask]


On Sat, 13 Apr 2002, William Maurer wrote:

>
>
> My Director of Education has just taken on the challenge of researching the
> genealogy in depth of an artist who was one of the five families that once
> owned/occupied our historic house museum. She has been buying books that add
> to our knowledge, she has visited cemeteries at our expense, she has
> invested a great deal of the museum's and her personal time in this project.
> The ultimate goal is make our tour better and to be a resource on this
> artist.
>
> The other day she received a phone call from a craftsman who was restoring
> one of the works of this artist.  Along with his restoration, he wants to
> write the definitive work on the artist. His request was for the site to
> send all we have on the artist to him.
>
> Now, I want my Director to get this material in shape, first present it to
> my Board, and for the museum to publish the new and exciting material she
> finds.  What kind of obligation do you - as our peers - feel that we owe a
> request of this kind?
>
> How would you answer the request?    Thanks.
>

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