In article <[log in to unmask]>, "Schansberg, Jennifer
A." <[log in to unmask]> says:
>
>   Word of advice, CONTRACT WORK IS THE WAVE OF THE FUTURE!!
>   Especially if you are collections management focused.  Many places
>   can't afford to hire registrars or collections managers full-time


Thanks for all the people who responded to my frustrations regarding
employment in the museum community.  To me, museums had always been a
bridge between my two worlds (working 10 years in a public library and
a progress on an MA in archaeology).  It seemed natural to seek work in
an institution that was public, non-profit, and studied past humanity
in all its diversity...

But the idea of extensive volunteer and contract work for the next
several years, as many of my colleagues are struggling with, is a
difficult pill to swallow.  How does one pay a house mortgage and start
a family on irregular or seasonal paychecks?  Or any monthly bill?

While museums have fared unevenly in different places and under
different political climates, state-sponsored museums are to be found
under a great diversity of systems -- including but not limited to
feudalism, monarchical systems, capitalism, communism, etc.  Why is the
USA apparently in the business of now dismantling (actively or by
neglect) anything which is non-profit?  If public schools are to be
supplanted by private schools, will museums be replaced by private
collectors, turning a profit on individual pieces and not really
concerned about a viewing public?

I've made the decision the past month to drop plans on pursuing the
MA in Archaeology and minor in Museum Studies (the University of
Minnesota presently does not offer a Master's in Museum Studies).
I'll be going into a business/computer related program and possibly take
one graduate course a year, to keep my status active -- but regrettably
I'll have to shelve plans to work in a museum.  And I'm sure I'm not the
only x-generation'er forced to abandon a career in this field.

You'd think with all the education expected of library, museum, and
archaeology professionals that there would be courses on how to seek
or >>create<< employment opportunities, to help keep the professions
alive -- it sure doesn't do University departments much good if talented
students abandon them in favor of degrees with a brighter job future...

But thanks for the varying comments from everyone in this group and
in e-mail -- my department rarely mentions job opportunities, only
volunteer work (which is difficult for full-time working graduate
students to invest much time into).