The issues, changing attitudes, philosophic shifts and so forth, in
museums are creating all sorts of differing positions on what a museum
should be, function and so forth.  While none of us come into this world
fully knowledgable, we usually do have desire to know.  Learning about
museum topics and so forth, can be a time consuming job, but teaching a
survey course cold, could be difficult considering the written material
available, the diversity, and so forth.  Good books do exist, like
Timothy Ambrose/Crispin Paine's "Museum Basics" (Routledge/ICOM, 1993).
Of couse, any instructor is going to put as much reading into the task
PRIOR to teaching, so all those curious minds will get some answer to
their questions.

Thanks
Dave Wells

On Fri, 21 Jul 1995, MARY KATHERINE MANNIX wrote:
> A valid point, but would you prefer that people who are in these
> situations, whether you think they should be or not, do not try to find
> the information they know they need because they are afraid of receiving
> snide comments from an arena which is suppose to maintain a certain level
> of friendly professionalism.  Perhaps in the situation in which they find
> themselves they are the less harmful alternative.  Even if they are not
> familiar with the present literature this does not mean that they will
> not teach a worthwhile class or that they will not make a true effort to
> meet the needs of their students.  Keep in mind that they seem to know that
> they have a gap in their knowledge and they are trying to fill it.
>
> Mary K. Mannix
> Library Director
> Howard County Historical Society
> PO Box 109
> Ellicott City, MD 21041
> 410-750-0370    410-955-3028 (fax)
> [log in to unmask]
>
>
> On Fri, 21 Jul 1995, Bruce C. Craig wrote:
> > I would prefer that people who teach museum studies courses already be
> > familiar with the available literature or stick to teaching subjects
> > where they will inflict less harm.
> >
> > Bruce C. Craig              Internet:  [log in to unmask]
> > Center for Museum Studies   Smithsonian Institution
> > A&I 2235-MRC427             Washington, DC  20560
> > (202) 357-3148              FAX:(202) 357-3346