With apologies for the regional political tone of this message, but what may happen is of critical importance to the Virginia museum community. Ross, Gilmore's plan is very worrisome. I too live in Virginia and I have to admit, the question definitely comes to mind of how many people in the museum field might have voted for Gilmore (hopefully not many!). Anyway, his no-car-tax scheme sounded too good to be true, and now he's looking for ways to pay for it partially on the backs of museums around the state. Where is this all going to lead us? I think Virginians will be paying one way or another for this shortsighted plan. ---------- From: Ross Weeks Jr.[SMTP:[log in to unmask]] Sent: Sunday, April 19, 1998 8:12 PM To: [log in to unmask] Subject: Re: JOB OPPORTUNITY discussion This is exactly on target. For some types of museums, staffing has a whole new complexion, for better or worse. It is disconcerting that -- even as we make the effort to improve compensation & working conditions for specialized people who deserve better -- it won't be long before some are (in English terms) "redundant" to museums , just as Hodcarry's extremely skilled carpenter became. Far too many fine museums are struggling to stay afloat in rough waters. Here in Virginia, our new governor recommended Friday taking away 100% of the state funding for all non-state museums, starting in 1999, the funds to be diverted to a tax reduction plan. Some truly excellent museums receive 50% or more of their operating resources from the state. Other small institutions are open only because of the state funding. We've gone through a period of emphasizing and building up the "educational" departments/staffs/programs of many museums. Is the public interest in this peaking? I'd be interested in reactions to the hunch that sources of funding for museum educational programs (and collaboration in them from the 'educational establishment') are on the wane. Public investment in education is a matter of political choice. Are we non-governmental museums "included" in that choice, or are we actually a bit of icing on the educational cake? -----Original Message----- From: Hodcarry <[log in to unmask]> >>Frankly, I'm disillusioned by what seems to be a growing trend in >>hiring temporary workers to develop and make permanent exhibits > >I would qualifiy as a 'seasoned' museum worker and as far as historical museum >are concerned (and I think this applies to natural history museums as wel) the >operation of museums has changed greatly. Artifacts are less important and the' >story' has moved to the front so exhibits arefar more complex than they once >were and require more specialized skills. was a time when the same wood worker >fixed the building and built the exhibits.