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Date: | Wed, 25 Nov 1998 09:42:04 -0600 |
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Mark,
brief comment: read your posting with personal concept of "small" in mind and
was formulating reactions as i read through it. your last comment - small =
under 50 staff - blew me away ! it's nice to know that so many museums will
be join me being included in your definition.
L.
Mark McClane wrote:
> I am a graduate student working on a thesis topic and need help from
> msuem professionals. I would appreciate comments.
>
> Thesis statement:
>
> Small museums have computers -- many acquired randomly,
> not systematically. This raises the question, how can museums
> organize and centralize information systems, how do they make
> decisions regarding the use of technology, and how can museum
> staff understand the impact on their institution. I propose a planning
> process for small museums to determine how to use technology for
> more efficient and ineffective internal communication. This process
> might culminate in the hiring of an IS manager to maintain, overseeing,
> develop/evolve this technology as the museum grows and technology changes.
>
> Your comments on the previous and following statements/questions
> would be appreciated:
> There are many nonprofits that do have jerry-mandered,
> out of date systems and don't have the resources or skills
> to replace them or develop a system for evaluating them.
>
> The big challenge is always funding--money is very, very
> hard for infrastructure.
>
> Are there still directors of small museums who are resistant
> to what technology can do for them? Consensus is that pretty
> much everyone agrees on the merits of information systems.
>
> Who would be the decision maker on how to go about
> integrating or acquiring technology, the director?
>
> The feeling that an analysis of what can be done, rather than
> a need to convince people that it needs to be done would
> be useful.
>
> My current thinking is to stick to the "how to" analyze the current state
> of affairs and oppose the "why."
>
> My interest is in small museums with staff under fifty.
>
> Thanks
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