Interesting questions, especially for smaller museums.

It is easy for even the smallest museums to see some need for membership
and fund raising systems.  Curators won't disagree that a computer does a
better job of keeping track of things than a card file.  But the investment
to automate even these core systems can be substantial.  Worse, it is
ongoing--once a system is in it has to be maintained and updated.  The
largest museums have begun to address these issues, but the cost of doing
it right is a substantial barrier even for the largest museums.

But these are just the core systems.  Museums have some of the most complex
information environments of any kind of institution.  Implementing and
integrating systems which meet all our various needs (museum shop, library,
group tours, finance, collections, membership, fund raising, conservation,
admissions, etc.) is a daunting task for a museum of any size.

The real difficulty is that every museum is different.  Any
one-size-fits-all solution won't fit anyone well.  And finding thoughtful
IS help (at a reasonable price) is becoming increasingly difficult. Anyone
can make a computer function.  Making a set of systems work well in as
complex an institution as a museum is a task which needs solid experience.

Things which might be useful are solid numbers about the real costs and
real benefits of automating and integrating specific systems (the hardest
"why" question) and examples of successful implementations.

Guy Hermann
Director of IS, Mystic Seaport
Past President, the Museum Computer Network

>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 out of date systems and don't have the resources or skills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



Guy Hermann  | Mystic Seaport  |  <http://www.mysticseaport.org>
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see also: <http://www.mcn.edu> and http://amistad.mysticseaport.org