That would be my initial assessment as well. John's description of the situation smacks strongly of institutional squirming/shuffling uncomfortably.
I see no reason to let the issue die, if for no other reason than the interest of the object. If it is merely an overworked staff(understaffed) situation, or some other snafu, then the information will be eventually forthcoming.
Mark Janzen
Registrar/Collections Manager
Ulrich Museum of Art
Martin H. Bush Outdoor Sculpture Collection
316-978-5850
-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Dan Bartlett
Sent: Wednesday, February 27, 2008 9:40 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Museums working together...NOT!
$5 says they can't find the pistol.
db
John Gavin wrote:
> Last August a researcher let us know about an artifact in a museum in
> Colorado that may have belonged to an individual central to the biggest
> story in our area. The staff was very excited about this info and my
> registrar contacted the museum to see if we could obtain a photo, serial
> number (item is a pistol) and the provenance. My registrar was told by the
> curator there that the request would have to come in the form of a letter
> from me, the museum director. I thought it a little odd that a director
> would have to get involved in what is essentially a collection's staff
> everyday procedure, but nevertheless in early October I wrote a letter to
> the director of the museum requesting the above information. I explained the
> importance to us of the pistol.
>
> Time passed without any response so in January I wrote a second letter and
> attached the original letter. Still no response. The researcher who had
> volunteered at the museum in the 70s (how he knew about the pistol), called
> the director to see if he could get some action. No response. He called
> again and the director asked that I call him after faxing a copy of the
> original letter, which I did. (NOTICE THAT HE DID NOT OFFER TO CALL ME). In
> my conversation with the director he laid it all on his curator... busy, on
> vacation, thought it was taken care of, blah, blah, blah. Three weeks have
> gone by and you guessed it... no response.
>
> Correct me if I am wrong but it is my understanding that museums are
> supposed to work together. I know that our response to such a request would
> have been answered as soon as possible. What also bothers me is the idea
> that the museum in question is really tooting its own horn in an attempt to
> get AAM conference attendees to take the long trip by Denver Light Rail to
> their site in the spirit of collaboration! One additional item I noticed in
> their board minutes, posted on their site, was the response by the director
> to a question from a board member about whether the museum ever piggybacks
> on the events of other organizations in the area. His response was, "...that
> usually others piggyback on the museum." I suppose that is a telling remark.
>
> What do all of you think about this situation? The volunteer wanted to call
> the director again and really let him have it, but I squashed that idea. My
> only idea at this point is to write to the board members to make them aware
> of the non-collaboration, or perhaps I should just let it die, especially
> since I have now vented to this board!
>
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--
Dan Bartlett, BFA, MA
Curator of Exhibits
Midway Village & Museum Center
Rockford, IL
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