Dear Robert and Jennifer:
I am also interested in concept of "Certification" in the museum field.
Having just attended a Federal Government Value Management Conference
here in Washington, D.C. and working in the field of Value Methodology,
I am familiar with the certification procedures utilized in this fairly
new field - where people with various backgrounds and academic training
work together within a "team" structure to instill quality in various
projects while usually cutting overall costs. This certification
process produces a professional designation known as a Certified Value
Specialist -CVS- (here in Washington, one must tell people this CVS
designation is not in any way connected with the local drug store chain
with the same initials).
Kind Regards
Roger Wulff
**************************************************************
Museum Services International is a non-profit organization which
provides planning and implementation services in all areas of cultural
and museum operations.
VISIT US AT: http://www.washingtonpost.com/yp/museumshopint
Museum Value Methodology - Please contact us for details on how this
methodology can assure quality and cut costs for your institution's
activities
******************************************************************
Robert T. Handy wrote:
>
> This is for Jennifer and the list:
>
> Hi Jennifer! I'm the one who posted the message to which you responded
> (certification). I have a lot more messages in my box; some might also be
> in response to either of us, so I will get back to you when I have read
> them all.
>
> In the meantime, be prepared to be on a committee. Two of us so far.
>
> ------
> Robert Handy
> Brazoria County Historical Museum
> museum_bob
> [log in to unmask]
> http://www.bchm.org
>
> ----------
> From: Jennifer Schansberg[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
> Sent: Monday, June 22, 1998 8:44 AM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: AAM "Certification" as a requirement for accreditation
>
> Regarding a certification program through AAM...
>
> I believe that the UK Museums Association does something like this.
> It is more like a continuing professional development type thing --
> from what I understand about it, its kind of like taking a Bar exam
> (but then again, not really. You have to take the bar to be a
> practicing lawyer <right?> but you do not have to be certified from
> the MA to practice in a museum).
>
> It's not just having a degree that "certifies" you (as implied by
> whoever it was that posted the message regarding librarians being
> required to have an MLS). The degree is just a *requirement*. What
> we're talking about is obtaining a certification from your
> professional organization that says you know your stuff, that you are
> committed to continuing your education, that you HAVE continued your
> education, that you are committed to help others continue their
> education, (etc.) in your chosen field. I believe that it must help
> immensely when negotiating salary, when trying to obtain a post in
> academia, etc. Plus, you also get to use some kind of letter thing
> after your name, along the lines of PhD or JD or whatever (i guess
> that's a big deal for some people).
>
> It is the support of the professional organization that is the
> certification. The degree can come from anywhere but if your
> professional organization recognizes your professionalism (like the
> ABA, for example), that is a big bonus for you.
>
> I've always wondered why we don't have something like that through
> AAM. Why do we have a professional organization that doesn't do much
> to support it's members on a personal level? Salary surveys and
> lobbying and all that stuff is great but HEEEELLLLLLLPPPPPPP
> MMMMMMMEEEEEEEEE personally once in a while. A certification program
> (provided that the certification actually meant something, as in
> "museum must have x-% of employees certified by the AAM") would really
> be a good way to show that MY professional organization, to which I
> pay yearly dues, recognizes that *I* am a professional in need of
> something and they have a way to solve MY problem.
>
> I full on support whoever it was (sorry, I digest so I don't have
> individual messages saved) who suggested it here just recently. If
> I'm going to now have to pay over $100 in AAM dues, I'd like to see
> something for my money for a change. I think this is a GREAT idea and
> someone from AAM should talk to our UKMA counterparts for ideas. Who,
> by the way, is responsible within the AAM for professional
> development? Anyone know?
>
> Any Brits out there want to talk about it a bit more knowledgeably?
>
> I've been throwing around an idea (in my own head) for an AAM session
> that is related in some ways to this for about the last 3 years. Is
> anyone interested in working with this as well? I'm not real sure
> where it could go but it could definitely go somewhere! Perhaps it
> could ultimately help AAM develop a certification program. I'll
> help...
>
> Jennifer
>
> [log in to unmask]
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