Melissa wrote:
>I found this list on the AMA web page along with other links and web
>pages for employment opportunities at museums. I am rather surprised by
>such a use for a list that has been endorsed by the AMA as a source for
>job postings... Myimpression was that this was a list to assist in
>finding job openings...

The AAM website says:
>Use the Internet to locate museum jobs. Many job announcements are
>posted to MUSEUM-L, a discussion group available as an e-mail listserv
>or USENET newsgroup.

Yes, AAM was right, there are many job announcements posted here. And I
can understand why you were misguided in your understanding of the list.
But AAM does not say Museum-L exists to "assist in finding job
openings."

When you joined, you were sent the Museum-L FAQs which include the
statement of purpose:
>2. PURPOSE.
>Museum-L is a general purpose, cross-disciplinary electronic discussion
>list for museum professionals, students, and all others interested in
>museum related issues.  All museum related topics are acceptable for
>posting and discussion at this time.  Membership in Museum-L is open to
>anyone with e-mail service.

Just like most other listservs, Museum-L is a wonderful, useful, inane,
bothersome, enlightening compilation of stuff.  It's the nature of a
listserv.  You can find a conservator from a specific area, learn about
promoting your historic house, commiserate with others about museum
payscales, read a chorus of "me, too!"s about something not worth the
bandwidth, and read dozens of jokes about museum professionals screwing
in a light bulb.  The list is open to everyone, and so it will always be
as such.  But it very definately is a GENERAL museum discussion list,
and not devoted specifically to job hunting.

And -- for the record, the applicant we hired for Director of History
Education (less than a year ago) originally saw the listing here on
Museum-L.

Heather Price
Ella Sharp Museum
Jackson, Michigan

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