I do think there is a difference between retail shops and museums. Even -
and especially - in Austria.
Peter

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 | PHAROS International - Bureau for Cultural Projects
 | Peter Rebernik, Dipl.-Ing.
 | Anton Baumgartner-Str. 44/C2/3/2
 | A - 1230 Wien / AUSTRIA
 | Tel. & Fax: (+43 1) 667 2984
 | Mobiltel.: (+43 664) 230 2767
 | Email: [log in to unmask] / Web: www.rebernik.at
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This mail is a natural product.  The slight variations in spelling and
grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to
be considered flaws or defects.

-----Ursprüngliche Nachricht-----
Von: Robert T. Handy <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Datum: Dienstag, 2. Februar 1999 00:18
Betreff: Re: volunteer horror stories


>With all due respect, I disagree completely.  Volunteers should be trained
>and managed just like staff.  They are your front line people.  They should
>be trained to handle all those obnoxious visitors, just as an employee in a
>retail outlet must be trained to understand that the customer is always
>correct.  Maybe in Austria they don't practice that in retail outlets.
>
>
>------
>Robert Handy
>Brazoria County Historical Museum
>100 East Cedar
>Angleton, Texas  77515
>(409) 864-1208
>museum_bob
>[log in to unmask]
>http://www.bchm.org
>
>----------
>From:   Peter Rebernik[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>Sent:   Monday, February 01, 1999 12:11 PM
>To:     [log in to unmask]
>Subject:        Re: volunteer horror stories
>
>I do think that volunteers are not just assistants in museum work. The
>museums fulfil their cultural duty to reach and involve as many people as
>possible with their themes by having volunteers. It is the same as having
>visitors: The museums would have half the work, if they need not to have
>visitors, ugly visitors, misunderstanding visitors, harassing visitors. But
>that's part (a large part) of their job. It would be even nicer, if the
>museums could select their visitors at the gate by a psychological and
>scientific test: only let the good guys in .....
>Therefore, look on the volunteer issue in that way: you are doing it,
>because it it your job. Even the old, stubborn ladies !!!! The easy people
>might not be the only target group!
>
>Greetings to you, my fellow culturians,
>
>Peter
>
>+--------------------------------------------------------------------
> | PHAROS International - Bureau for Cultural Projects
> | Peter Rebernik, Dipl.-Ing.
> | Anton Baumgartner-Str. 44/C2/3/2
> | A - 1230 Wien / AUSTRIA
> | Tel. & Fax: (+43 1) 667 2984
> | Mobiltel.: (+43 664) 230 2767
> | Email: [log in to unmask] / Web: www.rebernik.at
>+--------------------------------------------------------------------
>This mail is a natural product.  The slight variations in spelling and
>grammar enhance its individual character and beauty and in no way are to
>be considered flaws or defects.
>
>-----Ursprungliche Nachricht-----
>Von: Robert T. Handy <[log in to unmask]>
>Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
>An: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Datum: Montag, 1. Februar 1999 16:12
>Betreff: Re: volunteer horror stories
>
>
>>Has anyone ever heard of the idea that you can and sometimes should, fire
>>bad volunteers?  How much staff time was wasted on, how much bad will was
>>generated by this particular volunteer?  Doesn't sound to me like it was
>>worth it.  Yes, she would be upset.  Yes, it is difficult to do.  But
>would
>>you tolerate that from a paid employee? No.  Would a paid employee be
>upset
>>if he/she was fired?  Yes.  So where is the difference?
>>
>>
>>------
>>Robert Handy
>>Brazoria County Historical Museum
>>100 East Cedar
>>Angleton, Texas  77515
>>(409) 864-1208
>>museum_bob
>>[log in to unmask]
>>http://www.bchm.org
>>
>>----------
>>From:   Heleanor Feltham[SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent:   Monday, February 01, 1999 6:39 AM
>>To:     [log in to unmask]
>>Subject:        FW: volunteer horror stories
>>
>>We had one little old lady volunteer who took over the desk at our branch
>>museum one morning a week.  She advised visitors that it would take them
>>four hours to see the place (which you could actually do in under an hour
>>without missing too much), told them off if she didn't like their
>>behaviour or dress, argued with the visitor services staff & other
>>volunteers - in public - and had fights with museum security.  She was
>>particularly awful with children.  Teachers with unbooked groups (who
>>were quite entitled to visit) might as well have tried to get past a
>>dragon.  She would also trap innocent visitors asking simple questions
>>and drag them around the place for hours, given half a chance.  Everybody
>>was frankly terrified of her.  We tried all the usual counselling
>>techniques, quiet meetings over coffee, assessments, peer pressure - if
>>she didn't think you were asking her advice about some other volunteer,
>>she dismissed any criticism as rubbish.  Myself (senior person on-site),
>>the Volunteer Co-ordinator, our Department Head - we didn't actually
>>involve the Director, but we thought about it - we all tried to talk to
>>her.  We suggested that since she had increasing difficulty negotiating
>>stairs (she had taken possession of our branch sever years before, and
>>now walked with a cane) she might prefer a nice behind the scenes job
>>with our main library.  She loved that - but still turned up at our
>>branch on her regular morning - and used the 'walking problem' to avoid
>>morning briefing sessions!  She stayed, triumphant to the end, until our
>>branch was actually closed.
>>
>>I can't recommend shutting down your museum as a means of getting rid of
>>an unwanted volunteer (and she still haunts the library), but it
>>certainly is effective!
>>
>>Heleanor Feltham
>>[log in to unmask]
>>
>>
>> -----Original Message-----
>>From: owner-museum-l [SMTP:[log in to unmask]]
>>Sent: Sunday, 31 January 1999 13:26
>>To: MUSEUM-L
>>Subject: volunteer horror stories
>>
>>I am presenting a session at our state museum conference on dealing with
>>difficult volunteers.  I'm looking for real examples of real problems
>>you have encountered with a difficult volunteer, plus how you solved the
>>problem!
>>
>>Regards,
>>Susan Young
>>Shiloh Museum of Ozark History
>>Springdale, Arkansas
>>
>