Garlan Jenkins has asked for suggested readings for a museum studies
course. In our graduate-level course in this area, I assign readings in
G. Ellis Burcaw's "Introduction to Museum Work" for practical information
on museum operation and in Stephen Weil's "Rethinking the Museum" for a
more philosophical approach to museums. I also recommend that students
purchase Dorothy Dudley's "Museum Registration Methods," Arminta Neal's
"Exhibits for the Small Museum," and Bruce MacLeish's "Care of Antiques
and Historical Collections" (though there were some problems getting
copies this semester) as beginning books in their professional library.
This semester I have also required students to subscribe to Museum-L
through our university network; we are beginning to use the topics on the
list as a way of discussing what is going on currently in the museum field.
I hope this helps.
Michael Cahall
Department of History
Duquesne University