>>For a WWW-project regarding museums on the web we are looking >>for URLs of museums that have a presentation on WWW. >>Please post the URL, including a short description and city/country >>of the museum. >>In the near future we will be including these URLs in a list on >>(virtual) museums worldwide. >> > > > Hi --- > > One thing I have never understood... There must be at least five to >ten MAJOR MAJOR lists of virtual museums compiled. Why do people feel >obliged to create new sets of lists when 99% of the material is covered on >another list? I can tell you all why I maintain our list, even though it is redundant. 1. Increase Public Awareness of our institution. 2. Public Service (both to the Internet public and our own membership). 3. High traffic area - good for placement of surveys and potential sponsorship. I would like to emphasize the first point. Los Angeles and the Natural History Museum has received a considerable amount of bad press in recent years. I am fairly confident that most subscribers to this list have a recently heightened awareness of our institution and may have the perception that we are starting to do some interesting things, at least on the 'Internet' front. The list of museums that I maintain is, in part, the mechanism used to increase that awareness. Why try to increase awareness? Increased awareness in the 'public sector' will bring people to our museums when they visit Los Angeles. Increased awareness in the Los Angeles area will bring new members. Increased awareness in the museum community...you folks are the ones that review our grant proposals and collaborate with our researchers. As for redundancy...yes I am reproducing efforts made by other groups. However, our institution will benefit, and other institutions will benefit regardless of the redundancy. However, the redundancy necessitates that I strive to develop one of the 'best' and 'most frequented' lists in order to reap the maximum benefit. I encourage others to maintain 'public service' lists. Such activities can only benefit your institution. However, be warned that maintaining these lists is a lot of work. And...remember that the information in the lists is public information and isn't 'owned'. It takes a bit of a mental adjustment to cultivate the attitude that the information you worked so hard to obtain will be taken and 'reworked'. My own philosophy...don't worry about it and offer the information freely. It'll reduce stress levels all around. Jim Jim Angus Director of Information Technology and Hypermedia Programs Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County 900 Exposition Blvd. Los Angeles, CA 90007 voice: 213/744-3317 fax: 213/746-2999 eMail: [log in to unmask] [log in to unmask]