I intend this posting to go to the computer professionals who are interested
and/or employed in the museum profession.  I am a young museum professional
with about five years experience.  I started at my current site as a part
time archival assistant, then doubled as a part time docent, was assistant
curator for a stretch, and am now the director of education in charge of a
hands on education program that serves 100,000 people a year including about
45,000 school children.  I head a department that employs over 30 people,
most on a part time basis.  I have a Masters in the History of Science from
the University of Maryland, Baltimore County and a Masters of Arts in
Teaching from Johns Hopkins.  I have taught at the College and High School
levels, specializing in making complex concepts, ideas, and theories
understandable to children and young adults.  My question is this.  How would
I go about pursuing a career or position as a computer professional in a
Museum environment.  I have been working with computers for only three years
, and I have never programed anything since my BASIC days as an
undergraduate.  I have however provided some small help in my and other
institutions by instructing staff in applications, designing relational and
flat file data bases and spread sheets, etc. and bubble gumming out dated
hardware together, since we have exactly zero budget for office machines and
only use others' cast offs.  (We still use a Wang)  I am a novice to
computers to be sure, but I am very interested in shifting my career aliitle
to the left and help museums, especially small poor museums, join the
proverbial information superhighway.  (am I the only person tired of that
metaphor and all of its stupid spinoffs?)
 
Again what do I need to do to attain this goal.  If I must have _more_
college education, I am afraid I am drained for the time being. I might be
willing to take night classes etc., but so far I have learned most of what I
know on my own.
 
SO.  Any advice?  Please E-Mail me privately just in case you are going to
tell me I am whistling up the wrong tree.
 
 
MATThew A. White
Director of Education
Baltimore Museum of Industry
1415 Key Highway
Baltimore, MD 21230
(410)727-4808
FAX(410)727-4869
e-mail [log in to unmask]