Put Your Gloves On! Managing Volunteers in Museum Collections

Table of ContentsEXECUTIVE SUMMARY ...................................................................................................1RESEARCH QUESTIONS...................................................................................................5METHODOLOGY.................................................................................................................6LIMITATIONS OF METHODOLOGY ......................................................................... 11LITERATURE REVIEW .................................................................................................. 13FINDINGS............................................................................................................................ 37COLLECTIONS MANAGER SURVEY................................................................................... 38VOLUNTEER SURVEY ........................................................................................................ 50INTERVIEW, DENVER ART MUSEUM................................................................................ 56CASE STUDY, COMPUTER HISTORY MUSEUM................................................................. 60SUMMARY.......................................................................................................................... 64CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS .......................................................... 66PRODUCT DESCRIPTION.............................................................................................. 78BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................... 80APPENDICES...................................................................................................................... 84APPENDIX A ...................................................................................................................... 85Outcomes Valued by VolunteersAPPENDIX B....................................................................................................................... 86Managing Satisfiers and DissatisfiersAPPENDIX C....................................................................................................................... 87Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 1APPENDIX D ...................................................................................................................... 88Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 1APPENDIX E....................................................................................................................... 89Collections Manager Survey Results (Not in Chapter)i

APPENDIX F ....................................................................................................................... 91Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 10APPENDIX G ...................................................................................................................... 92Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 16APPENDIX H ...................................................................................................................... 93Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 17APPENDIX I ........................................................................................................................ 96Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 18APPENDIX J...................................................................................................................... 102Collections Manager Survey Results- Question 19APPENDIX K .................................................................................................................... 103Volunteer Survey Results (Not in Chapter)APPENDIX L..................................................................................................................... 104Volunteer Survey Results- Question 5APPENDIX M.................................................................................................................... 106Volunteer Survey Results- Question 6APPENDIX N .................................................................................................................... 108Denver Art Museum Volunteer Assessment GuideAPPENDIX O .................................................................................................................... 115Collections Manager Survey from SurveyMonkeyAPPENDIX P ..................................................................................................................... 120Collections Volunteer Survey from SurveyMonkeyii

Executive SummaryOver a course of the last few years I have volunteered in andstudied an assortment of museums; from small, local, volunteer runmuseums; to historically oriented museums and houses with a few staffmembers, to large “corporate” museums with multiple departments. Itwas through my first volunteer position that my eyes were opened to anarea in museums not often seen by the public: the collections department.Here I experienced first-hand the many challenges that a collectionsmanager deals with everyday. I also learned that volunteers are essentialand necessary to helping collections managers meet their daily challenges.During the course of my museum studies graduate program,classes related to collections management defined various correct and“ideal” standards that a professional collections manager should maintain. 1Yet, my original volunteer experience in small museums continued tohaunt me. How could a collections manager possibly maintain such highstandards and large workload? An answer to this question may never befound, but the efforts and work of volunteers, certainly seems like anessential component. I began to wonder why some of the collections1 For the purposes of this paper, a collections manager will be defined and referred to as anyonewho is in charge of maintaining the records, preservation care, and the state of the museum’scollection. Collections in small to medium institutions may contain, but are not limited to a varietyof 3-D objects, paper works, photographs, and textiles.1

managers I knew often felt unsure of the way they managed theirvolunteers. Posts to listservs such as MuseumL, the Registrar’sCommittee, and the small museums group introduced other trepidations onvolunteer management. Slowly I learned that much of the museumprofessional literature and trainings did not address the role of volunteersin collections departments.The purpose of this project is to outline the elements of asuccessful and realistic volunteer program for museum collectionsdepartments, including how to effectively screen, train, supervise andretain unpaid volunteers in small to mid-sized museums. 2 It also includesways to establish and maintain a professional working relationshipbetween museum staff and the volunteers. In addition to programrecommendations, I also provide examples of projects that volunteersenjoy doing and can partake in easily with training and adequatesupervision. With these program suggestions, collections managers willbe able to better utilize their volunteers appropriately for collections care.This project begins with a literature review that provides ananalysis on how in the twentieth-century, Americans developed a renewedsense of cultural preservation, and founded small, local museums in theircommunities. It portrays how the “local” museum became a repository for2 Small to mid-size museums typically have an annual operating budget of $0 to $350k.2

on the extensive use of volunteers in cataloging objects at the ComputerHistory Museum in California. Stemming from the results found fromthese research methods, conclusions and recommendations follow,providing insightful ways in which collections managers can successfullyuse volunteers for help with collections projects and tasks. The lastsection in this project is a description of the product; it is a letter of inquirysent to Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals foran article based on my research.4

Research Questions1. What is the historical role of volunteers in museums in the UnitedStates?2. What motivates people to volunteer in museums?3. How do collections managers utilize volunteers? What type ofprojects do they do? Are there any agreements, interviews, orpolicies in place at their museums?4. What types of projects do volunteers seek and find interesting?5. How can the “ideal” volunteer program be modified to satisfy thespecific needs of museum collection care?6. What should collections managers look for in volunteers wheninterviewing to ensure proper placement?7. What can collections managers do to recruit and train successfulvolunteers?5

MethodologyFrom the research conducted in books, journals, and papers, Ifound a lack of material written specifically on volunteering in collectionsdepartments. The literature usually pertains to unpaid educationaldepartment or visitor services volunteers, such as docents, and activitiesfor volunteers who work with the public. In order to obtain the coreinformation on what currently exists in museums for volunteers who workbehind the scenes in collections, I chose to conduct two surveys, aninterview with one conservator, and conduct one brief case study of theComputer History Museum in California that actively utilizes volunteersfor prior subject knowledge.The surveys were conducted with two groups using the onlineservice SurveyMonkey; these were collections managers and 20 unpaidvolunteers. They were sent through email to 180 museums across theUnited States. I selected a random sample of museums that vary in sizeaccording to annual budget. The first question on the collections managersurvey established how many hours per week the respondent works at themuseum: full-time, part-time or volunteer. A second question determinedthe museum’s size by asking respondents to mark the annual budgetcategory their museum falls in. This survey identified how many6

volunteers work specifically in collections, if the volunteers are internsfrom school or universities, the average volunteer age, and how many ofthe volunteers are “regulars.” The word “regulars” can be defined as thosevolunteers who participate weekly or bi-weekly on a regular basis, andhave been volunteering for at least 3 months. This term was identifiedfrom preliminary interviews with collections managers and personalexperience during internships. Information from this survey provided thebackground for what types of volunteers the collections manager iscurrently working with, and inferred how familiar the volunteer is withcollections practices.In addition to volunteer data, the survey asked if the museum hasorientation, training and handbooks provided for volunteers who engage incollections work, their selection process, and how much supervision thecollections manager directly provides. One question directly targeted thetypes of projects that volunteers are given through an ordinal response.Respondents were asked to mark the frequency of the projects in whichthey have volunteers participate from a set of given examples. It includeda space for “other” activities in which the respondent must specify theproject. Problems associated with volunteers in collections were alsoaddressed through a “mark all that apply” question that indicates some ofthe common problems identified through preliminary interviews with7

collections managers. The last set of questions addressed the overallsatisfaction of the respondent with the volunteer program currently inplace. This section began by asking an open-ended question regardingwhat respondents felt is the best aspect of their program. Next, in anordinal type question, the respondent was asked to rate their overallsatisfaction with their volunteer program on a scale of one to five.Through this survey, a general overview of how collections managersview their volunteers was identified.A second survey given to volunteers currently working at the samemuseums previously surveyed, was also conducted. Two methods ofdistribution were used for this survey. Volunteers could respond by a hardcopy or complete it online through SurveyMonkey. This survey consistedof twelve short questions and sought to identify three major aspects of avolunteer’s profile: reasons why they volunteer, longevity of volunteering,and their favorite aspect of volunteering. First, through categoricalquestions, the survey asked how long the respondent had volunteered inmuseums in general. Second, the survey asked how many hours per weekthey volunteer, and how long at that particular museum. Two open-endedquestions asked the respondents to indicate the reasons why they volunteerat museums and what they found most appealing in collections work.Using the same categories from the collections manager survey for types8

of projects, volunteer respondents were asked to rank the projects they liketo work on. They ranked the projects in three categories of, least favorite,favorite, and most favorite. Lastly, the survey asked the respondent toindicate their favorite project at the museum.The volunteer survey provided a useful framework for identifyingprojects in which volunteers like to participate. As indicated bypreliminary interviews in the museum field, collections managers areunsure of appropriate and “fun” projects for their volunteers. Some feelthat they assign boring and tedious ones, even though these tasks arenecessary to the nature of collections work. Identifying the least appealingprojects that volunteers do will help to reformulate and shape the projectto better suit a volunteer’s need.One phone interview with the conservator of the Denver ArtMuseum was conducted on March 27, 2007. The Denver Art Museum isnot a small history museum, but was chosen as a model because itcurrently has a strong collections volunteer program in which thevolunteers can ultimately achieve a “prestigious” volunteer position: theconservation council. Questions concerning retaining volunteers and thetypes of activities volunteers participate in, and volunteer and staffrelationships were asked. Questions regarding the development of the9

program provide an important background for an ideal collectionsvolunteer program.Along with the two surveys and interview, I conducted a case studyof volunteer utilization in the collections department at the ComputerHistory Museum in Mountain View, California. This museum reliesheavily on the knowledge of volunteers to identify computer pieces andparts, especially those that are electronic components. Both registrarshave professional museum training, but not professional computerassembly training. Volunteers here, have often worked in the computerindustry or have a hobby of making and assembling computers. Theirknowledge is indispensable when it comes to the task of cataloging anddescribing the objects in their collection. Seeing the interaction betweenstaff and the volunteers, and also the interaction between the volunteersand the collection helps to point out specific ways volunteers can work ina specialized museum collection.10

Limitations of MethodologyVolunteer management is a complex subject that requiresknowledge of human resource management, psychology of volunteeringand museum professional practice. There are also legal and financialissues. As the title of the book, The 9 Keys to Successful VolunteerManagement by Kathleen Brown Fletcher, suggests, a volunteer programmust consist of key elements to make it successful. 3These keys identifynine facets that a volunteer program should address and include in itsdesign: job design, staff commitment, recruitment, screening andselection, training, supervision, surveillance, recognition, and evaluation.However, while these core ideas are the framework for my analysis ofvolunteer collections programs, my project does not address any legalissues surrounding the use of unpaid volunteers. Employment laws arebeyond the scope of this project.Results from my research are limited in several other ways. I onlyconducted one interview with a conservator at a large art museum andconducted one case study at a medium sized museum. These two werechosen to serve as models. Another limitation includes the number ofresponses attained from the two surveys conducted through the internet.3 Kathleen Brown Fletcher, The Nine Keys to Successful Volunteer Program (Washington D.C.:The Taft Group, 1987).11

Monetary constraints led to only conducting the collections managersurvey online rather than through mail, limiting the variety of museumssurveyed to those with frequent online access. While conducting thesurvey in this manner yielded a large response rate, the respondingmuseums did not necessarily reflect only small to mid-sized museums.The volunteer survey was not sent out to a specific number of volunteers,rather the collections managers who participated in the online survey wereasked to give the survey to their volunteers. Volunteers then had a choiceof responding online or on paper to be mailed. This project would alsohave benefited from consulting with more volunteers and a wider range ofvolunteer coordinators. The surveys and interviews were limited to asmall number of collections managers, and unpaid volunteers.One of the surprises that came out from my research wasinformation on student interns as volunteers. Many museums identifiedinterns as the younger group of their unpaid collections volunteers. I wasnot able to explore this in great detail in my literature review, but I doaddress student interns in the findings, conclusions and recommendationssection.12

Literature ReviewBy the middle of the twentieth century, Americans’ views of theirpersonal history began to change. They became aware of the need topreserve and protect their local heritage, especially in towns that weregrowing quickly and modernizing. A renewed sense of culturalpreservation invoked people to volunteer their time to create homage totheir communities. The number of museums and historical housesincreased, creating repositories of objects that showcased a town’s culturalheritage, famous inhabitants, or a person’s particular passion for somekind of object or tradition. The 1970s and 1980s brought forth a newgeneration of museum professionals who saw these volunteer-runmuseums lacking in professionalism, preservation, and the organization ofits collections. Professionally trained collections managers were hired andthese small museums slowly improved their collections. Yet, the amountof work involved with organizing and preserving the objects thesemuseums possess greatly outnumbers the one person in charge of thecollection. In turn, small museums continue to rely heavily on the help ofvolunteers. The following analysis outlines the development of smallmuseums in the United States, collection management issues faced by13

staff, the psychology of volunteering, and why good volunteermanagement is necessary for the collections manager.People and museums have always been “in the business of‘keeping and sorting’ the products of Man and Nature and in promotingunderstanding of their significance.” 4In the United States museumsbegan much like their European counterparts as “cabinets of curiosity.” Itis from the notion of the cabinet that many museum collections, especiallyhistorically oriented ones, took the shape that they are in today-- aneclectic mix of objects deemed important by a few collectors. With thediscovery of the New World, European collectors became aware that theexotic objects they displayed became representative of the society thatmade it. As a result collectors “began to take an interest in the formerlyunconsidered elements of their old surroundings.” 5 Everyday and obsoleteobjects began appearing in “cabinets,” leading scholars to identify withtheir own natural history as well. In the United States, the CharlestonLibrary Society collected animal and plant samples from South Carolina in1773. 6 This collection, in a sense, began the United States’ first localmuseum.4 Oliver Impey and Arthur MacGregor, introduction to The Origins of Museums, The Cabinet ofCuriosities in Sixteenth- and Seventeenth- Century Europe ed. by Oliver Impey and ArthurMacGregor. (New York: Oxford University Press, 1985), 1.5 Impey, 2.6 Marjorie Schwarzer, Riches, Rivals & Radicals: 100 Years of Museums in America. (WashingtonD.C.: American Association of Museums, 2006), 8.14

At the end of the nineteenth century, a British man identified andlaid the case for developing local historical museums. Sir William HenryFlower made the distinction that “many customs change with greatrapidity… most living people, accustomed to the daily use of one of thegreatest triumphs of applied science, know nothing of the difficulties theirgrandfathers had to contend with in supplying the most necessary want ofcommon life.” 7He identified the essential features of a local museum asbeing anything that recollects and provides context for the memory of theneighborhood or surrounding area. Flower also recognized that “voluntaryassistance is, no doubt, often valuable” for small local museums with a“competent staff.” 8This letter essentially defines the essence of whatmany small and local museums in towns across the United States aretoday: collectors of local ephemera organized by competent staff assistedby volunteers.Collecting material culture as historian Thomas J. Schlerethdefines, is done by people “who are intrigued by the idea of studying the(possibly unique) explanatory potential of material evidence as culturalmeaning.” 9In comparison to Schlereth’s definition, museologist Philipp7 Sir William Henry Flower, “Local Museums” in Museum Studies ed. by Bettina MessiasCarbonell (Malden: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004), 315.8 Ibid, 316.9 Thomas J. Schlereth, “Material Culture and Cultural Research” in Material Culture: A ResearchGuide (Lawrence: University Press of Kansas, 1985), 5.15

Blom identifies people’s inherent need to collect objects in the modernworld. In previous centuries, objects such as works of art and exotic floraand fauna required money to obtain; only the wealthy could collect. Now,mass production has allowed for a broader range of people to collectitems. Objects could now be amassed by the “very kind of people forwhom they had been made: ordinary people.” 10Blom infers that not onlyare these items potential collections but they also “bind their possessorsintellectually and emotionally to another world.” 11 These often kitschyitems end up becoming the subject of, or in small museum collectionsacross the United States and Europe. With the ease of collecting,museums find themselves possessing objects made of a variety ofmaterials in need of cataloging and preservation.Keeping in mind the model of the museum defined by Flower, andthe idea of material culture as collections, another aspect of local museumsemerges. The historic house, defined as a home of historical significance,has long been a part of American culture, and most often encompasses asmall museum or is the museum itself. Monica Risnicoff de Gorgas infersthat the historic home represents the heritage of the town or person itportrays. It is often aimed at the “reconstruction of historical10 Philipp Blom, To Have and to Hold- An Intimate History of Collectors and Collecting (NewYork: Overlook Press, 2003), 167.11 Ibid. 168.16

verisimilitude.” 12Local museums and historic house museums seek toportray historical identity of the town. They are of symbolic value and areused to present “simplified messages portraying cultural identity.” 13By the 1970s as America celebrated its Bicentennial, thousands ofhistoric home museums across the nation had opened their doors; anaverage of 6,000 properties were preserved at this time. 14Sherry Butcher-Younghans points out that Americans redefined their look at history,“especially on personal and local levels.” 15Both Risnicoff de Gorgas andButcher-Younghans agree that local museums wanted to present anarrative of their past and the origin of the particular town or subject itrepresents. While these museums may display period pieces such as irontools, scale models, photographs, and old bathroom installations, all allowvisitors to “identify with the social actors who have gone before them.” 16The residents, to showcase their town’s treasures and history, created thegenres of local museums. With the rapid development of local historichomes and museums, new issues and questions emerged.12 Monica Risinicoff de Gorgas, “Reality as Illusion, the Historic Houses that Become Museums”in Museum Studies ed. by Bettina Messias Carbonel (Malden: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004),357.13 Ibid. 358.14 Sherry Butcher-Younghans, Historic House Museums. (New York: Oxford University Press,1993), 3.15 Ibid. 4.16 Ibid. 360.17

The mid-twentieth century saw many changes for museums.Debates arose surrounding ethics, conservation and preservation, and adevelopment of professional museum staff; but these issues mainlyfocused on the mainstream museum world. They were far removed fromthe concerns of the small museum outside major urban centers. Museumslaunched in towns by volunteers and historical societies, possessed only afew resources to base the organization and collection of their museum orhistoric home on. Books such as A Primer for Local Historical Societiesand The Care of Historical Collections- A Conservation Handbook for theNonspecialist were first published in the 1970s and aimed for use bypeople with no professional museum training. Laurence Pizer begins hisPrimer by recounting the grass-roots organization of the Adams CountyHistorical Society in Nebraska in 1966. He describes how “its membersfollowed a practice as old as the eighteenth century in gathering toorganize the history of their area.” 17 Like the Adams County HistoricalSociety, volunteers also founded numerous other museums. Typically, avolunteer board, managed by a volunteer director, and operated by17 Laurence R. Pizer, A Primer for Local Historical Societies (Nashville: American Association forState and Local History, 1991), 1.18

volunteers, governed new museums. 18Slowly they began to incorporatestaff, as money allowed.Sherry Butcher-Younghans recognized in 1993 that not much hadchanged in the way of local historic homes since the 1970s. Butcher-Younghans poses vital questions that provoke concern on the state oflocal, small museums. Two key questions are: what are the qualificationsof and who tends the buildings, and, how do the museums obtain thefinancial support that keeps them in operation? 19She also revealsshocking statistics that surfaced during the National Trust for HistoricPreservation survey and an independent survey conducted at the end of the1980s. Survey results revealed that most historic home museums operatedwith minimal staff. An astonishing sixty-five percent of these propertieshave no full-time paid employees with little as nineteen percent onlyemploying one full-time staff member. 20Clearly as Butcher-Younghansstates, “volunteers for the most part are running the typical house museumand keeping the doors open to the public.” 21As of 1971, eighty percent of institutional membership in theAmerican Association of Museums fell into the category of “small18 Gail Dexter Lord and Barry Lord, The Manual of Museum Management (Walnut Creek: AltaMira Press, 1997), 44.19 Butcher-Younghans, 6.20 Ibid. 6.21 Ibid. 6.19

museum,” employing only a few staff and relying heavily on volunteers. 22An article in the March 1971 Museum News invited staff members ofsmall museums to share their views and opinions about museum practice.Richard F. Leet, the director of the MacNider Museum in Iowa at the time,confirmed that small museums faced a host of challenges such as “stafflimitations in terms of numbers, qualifications, training and experience.” 23Actually, all of the six professionals’ reflections pointed to one centraltheme: there is not enough money in small museums and all lackprofessional staff. It seems as though trained staff gravitate to the largeand technically advanced museums first as William Jones, former curatorof the Eisenhower Museum, pointed out. 24Whether or not this view stillholds true thirty years later, one pertinent strength of small communitymuseums was identified in this discussion: they portray the communities’personal history and spirit, and allow locals to be active participants in thatstory. Even though a community might not know what a museum is, asDaniel Reibel, curator of the Old Economy Museum in Pennsylvania atthe time remarked, “it is my role as a museum professional to showthem.” 2522 “The Small Museum: Some Reflections.” Museum News (March 1971), 15.23 Ibid. 16.24 Ibid. 15.25 Ibid. 18.20

Small museums have established that volunteer help, mediated bymuseum professionals, is necessary to sustain their existence. However,the professionals working in these institutions continue to face variousproblems associated with the random collecting practices of the past.Arguably then, the professional who faces the most arduous task is thecollections manager. A 2006 survey conducted by the HeritagePreservation of Washington D.C. revealed the true and current state ofcollections in American museums of all sizes. About 500 museumsresponded to the survey, both accredited and non-accredited. Resultsshow that 70 percent have the majority of their collections in inadequatestorage, 81 percent have no emergency plan for collections, 76 percentneed additional training, 55 percent have a significant backlog incataloging, and 67 percent have no current assessment of the condition ofthe entire collection. 26It is apparent that something needs to be done withthe state of museum collections, since as the American Association argues,“collections stewardship is central to their mission.” 27 Even though themajority of respondents to this survey represent museums of all sizes, wecan infer that the problems of small museums are similar or even moresevere.26 Merritt, Elizabeth. “This Is Not a Test: Museums and Heritage Preservation.” Museum News(November/December 2006), 45.27 Ibid., 45.21

How did so many museum collections come to be in the state theyare in today? One of the most important aspects to a museum’s collectionis its records and catalog. These track the type and quantity of objects,their conditions, and where items are located. The collections manager ina small museum commonly holds the responsibility for record keeping;however, for decades, record keeping became of secondary importance. 28Collections managers and registrars prior to the 1970s developed theirown filing systems; often documentation and information on objects wasidiosyncratic at best, held by oral tradition among curators and staff. Dueto this lack of standards, collections documentation lacked in coherencyand “devolved into a series of disjointed, poorly integrated files and ledgerbooks.” 29With the growing use of computers in the 1980s and 1990s andfrom long-time neglect, museums finally saw the need to integratecomputer-filing systems and ascertain the true state of their collections.However, as Lenore Sarasan recounts in her article from the 1980s, “it isapparent that in the haste of some institutions to ‘do something’ [digitizecollections] they have not necessarily done it well.” 30One such case of collections digitization projects gone awry can befound in the Maine State Museum’s journey to a computer-cataloged28 Sarasan, Lenore. “Why Museum Computer Projects Fail.” Collections Management ed. byAnne Fahy (London: Routledge, 1995). 187.29 Ibid. 187.30 Ibid. 188.22

collection. Since the museum was officially founded in 1965, itscollections went undocumented while the staff waited for theirtechnological catalog answer. Staff and focus of the museum changed inthe 1970s. The collection grew rapidly, and by 1979 the Maine StateMuseum was twelve years behind in cataloging their collections. 31By1989 and with the museum’s first personal computer, the registrar begancataloging the collection, but “forty-thousand artifacts still awaitedattention.” 32 The Maine State Museum is only one of many museums thatfaced the same dilemma of catalog digitization.Today it is nearly impossible not to utilize a computer database forcollection documentation, but as 55 percent of museums reported in theHeritage Preservation Survey, there is still a backlog in cataloging. 33Whythen does the cataloging process impede so many museums’ collectionsand do computer projects often fail? Lenore Sarasan offers some ideas.She identifies three key factors as to why problems occur: poor projectmanagement; a “serious lack” of understanding the principals andfunctions of documentation; and a “serious lack” of understanding the useof computers. 34 If a collections manager is untrained or does not recognize31 Paul E. Rivard and Steven Miller, “Cataloguing Collections- Erratic Starts and Eventual Success:A Case Study” in Collections Management ed. by Anne Fahy (London: Routledge, 1995), 213.32 Ibid. 213.33 Meritt, 47.34 Sarasan, 191.23

problems, then a cataloging project will just “keep chugging along” foryears without any direction. 35Cataloging and data entry are only one concern of organizing andmanaging a museum’s collection. Two others pose significant hindrancesto small museums as well. As seen in the 2006 Heritage Preservationsurvey, over 70 percent of museums surveyed say they lack professionallytrained staff and have inadequate storage and preservation techniques inplace. 36 In 2003 the Bessemer Historical Society in Colorado, beganarchiving its 22,000 cubic foot collection that consists of photos, papers,books, ledgers and various other items from the Bessemer County area andmill of Colorado. 37 The Society hired a local professional archivist, JayTrask, whose salary was made possible from a federal Save America’sTreasures grant awarded to the Society. Trask encountered potentiallydangerous conditions from the years of neglect in the archive storagerooms of the Rocky Mountain Steel Mills. This included finding nitratenegatives in drawers, and as Trask remarked, “this is really bad…they areoff-gassing, and there are tens of thousands of them.” 3835 Ibid. 191.36 Merritt, 47.37 Mary Jean Porter, “New Archivist for Major Pueblo, Colo., Faces Monumental Task.” KnightRidder Tribune Business News, 4 August 2003. Page 1.38 Ibid. 1.24

Bessemer Historical Society is not the only museum to recentlybegin the long and daunting task of collections organization and storage;the Veteran’s Museum in San Diego, located in a small former militarychapel in Balboa Park, has also begun an aggressive documentation andpreservation campaign. While the site is one of San Diego’s signaturelandmarks, the museum remains relatively unknown except to its curatorAbe Shragge and loyal military enthusiast volunteers. Shragge recognizesthe need for better care and housing for the museum’s diverse collectionwhich consists of not only paper objects but also metal and textiles datingto the Civil War era. However, Shragge notes the reality of a $200,000annual operating budget, “we have limited staff, funding, and expertise todo all the things we need to do.” 39One suggestion for obtaining funds formuseum collections comes from Larry Reger, president of HeritagePreservation. Reger feels that if more people can see what is “behind thescenes” of a museum they will be more appreciative of the costsassociated with preservation. 40 These two examples portray the reality ofmany small museums and their collections. And as Michael Hager,39 Randy Dotinga, “Museums’ Survival Depends on Their Ability to Reach Out.” The ChristianScience Monitor, February 15, 2006. Par. 11.40 Ibid. Par. 12.25

director of the San Diego Natural History Museum comments, “apathy isthe first step toward deterioration.” 41How then can small museums secure more funding and visitors,gain a documented and cataloged collection, and survive in a newlycomputer driven field, all while working with a small annual budget? Theunifying and key factor in determining their survival is the efforts ofvolunteers. In October 1996 the World Federation of Friends of Museumsmet in Oaxaca, Mexico and adopted a Code of Ethics. This Code ofEthics defines volunteer/friends as “those who contribute in any way tothe support of museums, to their development and to their public presenceand influence. They act on a voluntary and non-remunerative basis.” 42The Code of Ethics also sets forth a volunteer’s expectation of themuseum, and their behavior toward the museum and its staff. As of 1993,more than 375,000 people were volunteering in American museums, withthousands of museums being run by volunteers. 43 An estimate in 1994placed a 176 billion dollar value on the contributed time people spentvolunteering in non-profit organizations. 44Museums benefit greatly fromthe time their volunteers contribute, but why people donate their time to a41 Ibid. par. 16.42 “Code of Ethics for Museum Friends and Volunteers.” Paris: World Federation of Friends ofMuseums, 1996. 14.43 Joan Kuyper, Volunteer Program Administration: A Handbook for Museums and Other CulturalInstitutions, (New York: American Association for Museum Volunteers, 1993), 2.44 Brian O’Connell, People Power- Service, Advocacy, Empowerment (New York: FoundationCenter, 1994), 2.26

non-paying position needs further explanation. It is necessary to see theunderlying factors of volunteer motivation, to better understand thereasons for developing a successful volunteer program.Brian O’Connell speculates that currently America is increasinglyrealizing that “citizen participation is a vital part of our nationalcharacter.” 45He goes on to outline some of the national traits of thenation: community oriented, participatory society, and a “nation ofjoiners.” 46 It is from these intrinsic characteristics that a profile of theAmerican volunteer emerges showing why so many people volunteer inmuseums. Museums in a sense represent the national character of theUnited States by promoting not only its national history but local historyas well. The following theories provide more insight into understandingwhat motivates people volunteer their time to an organization.Milena Meneghetti’s article “Motivating People to VolunteerTheir Services,” provides a short and simple idea on why peoplevolunteer. Meneghetti defines “instrumentality” as a prediction thatpeople will act if they believe that doing so will eventually help themobtain something they value. 47 This theory suggests that people do not45 Ibid. 3.46 Ibid. 7.47 Milena M. Meneghetti, “Motivating People to Volunteer Their Services” in The VolunteerManagement Handbook ed. by Tracy Daniel Conners (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995),15.27

volunteer out of the desire to help others, but rather to help themselves.Interns and students volunteering for class credit may fall into this theory;they often seek to obtain work experience or further their careeraspirations. These volunteers seek an outcome, or as Meneghetti terms,“valued outcomes;” these are six broad reasons behind volunteering:social, value, career, understanding, protective and esteem (explainedmore fully in Appendix A). 48O’Connell also engages the social andcareer aspects of this theory of motivation. He feels that perhapsvolunteering provides people a chance to “do their own thing”; it frees upany limitations they might experience in their personal or work life. 49People have discovered the “sheer satisfaction to be had through the socialcontact” that volunteering brings. 50The second theory outlined herebrings forth a better understanding of the satisfaction factor behindmotivation.Herzburg’s “two-factor” theory provides a useful model forunderstanding volunteer motivation to do quality work and perform well.He distinguished two categories of “dissatisfiers” and “satisfiers” whichare either external or inherent conditions to the nature of the work. 5148 Ibid. 16. (See Appendix A for examples of outcomes valued by volunteers)49 O’Connell 9.50 Sinclair Goodland and Stephanie McIvor. Museum Volunteers: Good Practice in theManagement of Volunteers (London: Routledge, 1998), 4.51 Meneghetti, 22.28

When present, “dissatisfiers” create a sense of dissatisfaction and resultedin poor work. Dissatisfiers can include poor working conditions,complicated procedures, quality of supervision, and poor interpersonalrelationships with co-workers. 52On the other hand, “satisfiers” lead to anoverall pleasurable work experience. “Satisfiers” include achievement,recognition, the work itself, and responsibility. 53Many volunteermanagers view volunteer motivation to be multidimensional; that is bothof the “satisfiers” and “dissatisfiers” outlined above contribute to thereasons why people volunteer in the first place, and why they quit. The“two-factor” theory provides an excellent reference and starting point forevaluation of current volunteer programs. 54 For example, if the quality ofsupervision provided is poor or needs improvement (a “dissastisfier”),even the most exciting volunteer project will fail to motivate people tovolunteer. As Pizer ruminates in his Primer, “volunteers should never beconsidered people to do merely busy work and menial tasks.” 55Researchhas proven that volunteer motivation relies on the person’s ability tosatisfy their personal needs and achieve a result.Pursuing this further, museums hope to achieve rewarding andsuccessful programs that fulfill the volunteer’s motivation. Numerous52 Ibid. 22.53 Ibid. 22.54 Please see Appendix B for a chart on managing “satisfiers” and “dissatisfiers.”55 Pizer, 88.29

authors cite common reasons as to why people are motivated to volunteerin museums. Some reasons are to socialize, gain work experience,practice old skills, help a specific cause, or to simply get out of the house.As Pizer notes, many people are simply looking for challenging,stimulating ways to invest leisure time. 56This idea is commonly foundamong retirees and senior citizens. Meneghetti mentions one survey inwhich 29 percent of the senior volunteer respondents responded first that“feeling useful” was the basis of their motivation. 57 Younger museumvolunteers, such as students and interns, have different motivating factors.During a panel discussion at the 2004 American Association of Museums(AAM) conference, Althea Olsen, an intern for the Natural HistoryMuseum in Los Angeles, provided her insight as to why she volunteered.She found herself looking for a “meaningful experience.” 58Volunteerscome to the museum looking for a variety of ways to fulfill their personalneeds. Yet, volunteers also fulfill some of the museum’s needs. Asconsultant Gail Dexter-Lord points out, a volunteer workforce can“simultaneously link the museum to its community.” 59Concurring withDexter-Lord, Joan Kuyper sees volunteers bringing the “voice” of the56 Pizer, 88.57 Meneghetti, 30.58 Althea Olsen, “The Virtures of Necessity: Inventive and Responsible Programs for CollectionsCare.” May 6-10, 2004, New Orleans (conference proceedings, American Association ofMuseums).59 Lord, 44.30

community into the museum and representing the museum in thecommunity. 60As we have seen, small historical societies are absolutelydependent upon volunteers. 61In turn, volunteers expect the museum to“recognize, encourage, and make good use of their commitment andcontribution.” 62 How can museums achieve a balance between fulfillingthe volunteer’s aspirations while using the volunteer to supplement itsdeficiencies? A well planned, organized, and thought out volunteerprogram is integral in achieving this balance. Several authors offerguidance in creating a program. Seven common components to asuccessful volunteer program emerge: interview/selection process,adequate staff supervision, evaluation process, good job design, training,recruitment, and recognition.Four of the books reviewed outline and offer ideas on volunteerprograms specifically in museums. Three authors reside in the UnitedKingdom. Bridget Yates’, Julie Nightingale, and Sinclair Goodland andStephanie McIver’s recommendations are either slightly skewed by thevolunteer practices of the United Kingdom or cover British law.Nonetheless, the British authors provide some well thought-out examples60 Kuyper, 2.61 Pizer, 85.62 “Code of Ethics”, 18.31

and ideas for volunteer management. The American author Joan Kuyperprovides a type of “handbook” written in association with the AmericanAssociation for Museum Volunteers. A fifth author, Kathleen BrownFletcher, does not write a volunteer management book specifically formuseums. She instead writes a concise and general book titled, The 9Keys To Successful Volunteer Programs. It is through the ideas in thisbook that all of the afore mentioned author’s ideas materialize into nineshort, easily adopted steps for success. Brown Fletcher provides a “bookof ideas” that “make a volunteer program work.” 63 Kuyper examinessome of the same ideas, with three prioritized as the most important.First on both authors agendas is the issue of interviews andselection. As Kuyper tells us, “the success of the volunteer programdepends on finding the right person for each volunteer job.” 64 Theinterview process is especially important with collections work. AllysonLazar, one speaker at the 2004 AAM conference, discovered, after thefact, that some volunteers do not do well handling collections directly. 65Following Fletcher’s fourth key might have prevented the wrong volunteer63 Kathleen Brown Fletcher, The Nine Keys to Successful Volunteer Program (Washington D.C.:The Taft Group, 1987), ix.64 Kuyper, 52.65 Allyson Lazar, “The Virtues of Necessity: Inventive and Responsible Programs for CollectionsCare.” May 6-10, 2004, New Orleans (conference proceedings, American Association ofMuseums).32

from being placed with the wrong task. She advises a trial period for alljobs assigned to ensure that the volunteer performs well.Second, many volunteers often receive no formal orientation ortraining. Kuyper and Fletcher see such steps as essential to creating acorps of satisfied and productive volunteers. A successful programprovides volunteers with an “orientation to the organization, instruction inthe specific job, supervised training as the volunteer begins work, and ongoingtraining as the volunteer continues.” 66 The speakers at the AAMconference agree that “trained hands” are useful to complete tasks in thecollection. 67 Likewise Nightingale states, “training should makevolunteers more willing to seek advice rather than be over-confident.” 68In addition to the training, a volunteer handbook is necessary. Yatesidentifies thirteen useful elements to include in a handbook. Of these, the“volunteer task description” provides the most useful resource for ongoingtraining and reminders. 69Third, staff supervision is one of the major problems that bothauthors identify as integral to a volunteer program. Fletcher reminds that66 Fletcher, 41.67 Carrie Christophersen, “The Virtures of Necessity: Inventive and Responsible Programs forCollections Care.” May 6-10, 2004, NewOrleans (conference proceedings, American Associationof Museums).68 Julie Nightingale, “Team Players.” Museum Practice (Autumn 2006), 45.69 Bridget Yates, “Working with Volunteers- an Introduction to good practice.” AIM Focus Papers,Focus 18 February 2006, http://www.aim-museums.co.uk/images/cms.focus-papers/foucs18.pdf(accessed November 6, 2006). 5.33

volunteers may forget specific instructions from week to week until theyhave been on the job for a month or two. 70A handbook documentsessential steps and can be referred to until volunteers have memorizedcertain procedures. Adequate supervision of volunteers is anotherimportant key to success identified by all of the speakers at the 2004 AAMpresentation. This problem becomes widely apparent in smaller museums;as evidenced by one audience member’s question at the end of the AAMpresentation. She wondered how to supervise the large number ofvolunteers working with her in the collections. The speakers onlyrecommended decreasing the number of volunteers present at one time.Another issue that all presenters at the 2004 AAM conferencediscussed repeatedly was the need for an evaluation process of volunteerprograms. Fletcher and Kuyper both agree that a formal “systematicevaluation” of all volunteers will not only help individual volunteersachieve success, but surface the program’s strengths and weaknesses. Inaddition to an evaluation occurring while the volunteer is still with theorganization, Meneghetti recommends an exit interview or a “postturnoversurvey” as well. 71 She documented this as a useful tool foridentifying the “dissatisfiers” and “satisfiers” that created the volunteer’sdeparture. Moreover, the exit interview survey contains main elements of70 Fletcher, 52.71 Meneghetti, 24.34

“discovery and communication:” discovering the true cause for thevolunteer leaving, communicating the reasons why, and acting uponthem. 72Evaluating a current program to identify the successes as well asthe problems involved will help to create a better and overall rewardingexperience for not only the volunteers, but the collections manager aswell.A collections manager is typically trained in the myriad ofresponsibilities and skills needed to manage a museum collection.However, few have training in how to best manage, motivate, and train acorps of volunteers. Thus they will most likely have a plethora ofquestions regarding best practices in this area. What types of collectionsoriented jobs are best suited for volunteers? What type of jobs do thevolunteers find interesting? How can a small staff be balanced withvolunteer and object supervision? Where can helpful and willingvolunteers be found for collections work? What types of training areimportant for collections volunteers? How can cataloging beaccomplished correctly and efficiently with volunteers? These are only afew of the questions plaguing a collections manager who relies onvolunteers to help manage their collections. Unfortunately, no specificliterature or recommendations have been published, and none of the72 Ibid. 24.35

museum volunteer management handbooks address these concerns. Theproject that follows, addresses these questions with the aim of encouragingbest practices in collections management in small museums.36

FindingsThese findings are based on four different methods of research.First, surveys were e-mailed to 180 individuals in charge of a museumcollection. Of these, 65 were returned for a response rate of about 36percent. The survey spanned different genres, sizes and locations ofmuseums across the United States. Second, those who responded to thesurvey (and did not wish to remain anonymous) were asked to survey theirvolunteers. This survey was either completed on paper or online, andyielded twenty responses from seven different museums. Third, Iinterviewed Carl Patterson, conservator, of the Denver Art Museum(DAM) in Colorado. Patterson created and implemented a volunteerconservation group at the museum in 1997. Lastly, a short case study wasconducted at the Computer History Museum (CHM) in Mountain View,California. The Computer History Museum created an extensive, detailed,and successful cataloging program (C.R.A.M.P) three years ago. Itactively utilizes teams of volunteers to simultaneously inventory andcatalog all objects in the museum’s collection three days a week. In orderto describe what currently exists across the field, the two surveys will bediscussed first and are supported by appendices at the end of thisdocument. The surveys are followed by the interview with Patterson that37

portrays a long-standing collections volunteer program, and finally, thecase study of the more recently-developed Computer History Museum.Collections Manager SurveyThe first section of the survey profiles the responding museums. Ireceived a wide range of responses that mirrored the general breakdown ofmuseums in the nation indicating robust survey results. Results werereceived from museums in 29 different states, with California having thehighest number of participants at 14 (see Appendix C for completeresults). Likewise, I received surveys from museums of annual operatingbudgets of all sizes. Thirty-nine percent of the responding museums fellin the “over $2 million” category, 18 percent in “$250k-$1M,” 16 percentin “$51k-$249k,” 15 percent in “less than $50k,” and 13 percent in“$1.1M- $2M” (see figure 1).What is your museum's current annual operatingbudget?2%14%38%13%17%16%less than $50k$51k-$249k$250k-$1M$1.1M- $2Mover $2MSkipped questionFigure 138

Those representing a museum in the survey commonly identifiedwith three position titles: collections manager, registrar, and curator.These positions are most often “full time” with three quarters ofrespondents marking this category. For the others, 19 percent hold “parttime” positions and five percent are “volunteer.” Out of the 65 respondingmuseums, The Chester Historical Society’s 1915 Eerie Station in NewYork, is the only completely volunteer run museum. It falls into the “lessthan $50k” category. (see Appendix D for results of all survey questions).Museum respondents were then asked to provide information ontheir volunteers. These responses portray a range of varied volunteerprograms among the museums. According to this survey, most collectionsdepartments (63 percent) typically have one to five volunteers working,and either none or one of the volunteers is an intern sponsored by a schoolor university. As seen in figure 2 on the next page, when asked how oftentheir volunteers work at the museum, about half (47 percent) of therespondents marked one or two came on a “regular” basis, that isconsistently more than once a month. On average, these regular volunteershave been working at museums between three to five years (see AppendixE for full results).39

How many volunteers are "regulars?" (those thatconsistently come more than once a month)12%5%12%15%5%23425%5%5721%10%810OtherFigure 2Some exceptions exist. The Faulkner County Museum in Arkansas citedthat one volunteer has been helping there for over 15 years. Tworespondents see a connection between the age of the volunteer and thelength of service. As the registrar at the Spurlock Museum in Illinoisobserved, “student volunteers less than one to three years. Retiredvolunteers over five.” Likewise, a registrar at a museum in Arizona notedthat, “about half have been volunteering at the museum for over 5 years(the older ones – ages 55-85) and about half have been here less than ayear (the younger ones, including students – ages 20-35).” For the mostpart it appears that the greater the volunteer’s age, the longer they committo working at the museum. More than two thirds (a combined 68 percent)of the respondents cited the average age of their volunteers being over 51,40

with a few having an average of under 50 (see figure 3). In subsequentquestions regarding volunteer activities and challenges, a volunteer’s agebegins to play an even larger role.What is the average age of your volunteers?75 and older4%under 3518%66-7536%36-5013%51-6529%Figure 3The third section in the collection manager’s survey askedquestions about the volunteer program currently in place. When asked ifthe institution has a formal volunteer coordinator, three out of five (63percent) collection managers marked “yes.” Four in five (81 percent)responded that they personally interview and select volunteers for helpingin collections projects. However, a surprising 55 percent of theresponding museums marked that they do not have a volunteer manual orhandbook in place for collections work. Of the 40 percent that do, onaverage the manuals had been updated within the last five years (see41

Appendix F for complete list). In addition, five museums responded thattheir manuals are currently being updated or in development. Only asmall fraction, four percent, responded “don’t know” to having a volunteermanual in place. Also divided equally between responses, was thequestion regarding a formal orientation process that includes trainingspecific to collections work. Half (50 percent) marked “no,” 48 percentmarked “yes,” and one marked “don’t know” to this question. This was theonly set of questions that found all survey respondents evenly dividedbetween “yes” and “no” answers. The remaining questions found greaterconsensus.Leading into the next section of the survey was the question: “onaverage, how many hours per week do you spend supervising volunteersdirectly?” The responses varied among all categories as seen in figure 4on the next page, but the majority of collection managers marked betweenone and three hours or between four and six hours per week. Severalanswers in the “other” category revealed that some museums have astructured and intensively supervised volunteer environment. For instanceat the Spurlock Museum in Illinois, the registrar wrote, “at first their entireshifts (usually 2 hours 2x [times] a week per volunteer) then they are leftalone if they are comfortable with their duties. But I am alwayssupervising the volunteers and staff.” The Homestead Museum in42

California also has structured volunteer supervision; the collectionmanager there has a volunteer group that meets two times per month forsix hours.On average, how many hours per week do you spendsupervising volunteers directly?Other34%1 to 328%10 to 130%7 to 98%4 to 630%Figure 4Others cited having varied hours, anywhere between eight and twenty-fourhours per week depending on how many volunteers or interns come.Completely opposite to museums who employ a professional staff was theaforementioned volunteer-run Chester Historical Society in Connecticut.Its volunteers have a “cooperative self-motivated cross-checkingenvironment.” Seeing how many hours the collections managersupervises volunteers per week reveals insight into the types of projectsvolunteers participate in. The next section of the survey explores commonprojects and challenges of the volunteer.43

Survey respondents were given the choice seven projects with aneighth choice of “other:” activities that are part of everyday collectionmanagement from observations made during this author’s internships.Several of these activities also correspond to the Heritage Preservationsurvey discussed in the literature review, which revealed areas museumsneed to improve. The projects listed in the question are: 1) cleaningobjects, 2) tagging/permanently marking objects, 3) cataloging/databaseentry, 4) inventory, 5) research/providing knowledge on objects, 6)exhibition installation, 7) miscellaneous office work, and 8) other. Fromthese eight choices respondents rated the frequency of the types of projectstheir volunteers participate in.In figure 5 on the next page, each bar represents 100 percent of theresponses in each category; the portions in each column represent thepercentage of frequency of the given project. Three projects emerge as themost frequently assigned: 1) cataloging/database entry (57 percent), 2)inventory (43 percent), and 3) research/providing knowledge on objects(43 percent). Projects less frequently assigned include: 1) cleaningobjects, 2) tagging/permanently marking objects, 3) exhibition installation,and 4) miscellaneous office work. These projects were all given tovolunteers by a majority of collection managers at the same infrequentrate.44

Frequency of Project TypesOtherMiscellanous officeworkExhibition installationResearch/providingknowledge on objectsInventoryCataloging/databaseentryTagging/permanentlymarking objectsCleaning objects0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Frequently Infrequently Never N/AFigure 5Hardly any (less than 15 percent) of the respondents marked the “never”category for the three most common projects. Interestingly, no correlationbetween the annual budget of the museum and project types could befound. For example the cataloging/database entry project, most frequent,had six museums mark “never assigned.” Out of those, three had annualbudgets of $51k-$249k, and one falling in each of the three categoriesabove $250k.45

After choosing between the set of defined projects, respondentshad the opportunity to list any not found. Several projects appeared,including: 1) conservation, 2) re-housing objects, 3) time-consuming taskssuch as making archival boxes, and 4) database clean up. Others includemoving artifacts, scanning and attaching images to the database, quilt refoldingand “everything else.” Projects such as conservation and objecthandling also correspond to several of the preferred tasks identified byvolunteers in their survey (for a complete list see appendix G).Following the question regarding projects, collections managementrespondents were asked to identify challenges they have when workingwith volunteers. Six choices of challenges were offered and respondentscould mark all that apply (see figure 6 on the next page). The choiceswere: 1) not following directions, 2) not using gloves/improper handling,3) using ink pens around objects, 4) not familiar with computers/databaseknowledge, 5) inconsistent or spotty work, and of course other. Thesewere derived from preliminary interviews for this project. Over half (52percent) chose “not familiar with computers/database knowledge” as themost common challenge they encounter. One Colorado curator related hercomputer problem with older volunteers, “[they] are afraid to try computerrelated projects, which we desperately need (data entry, oral historytranscription, etc.) They are afraid they will ‘mess something up’ or ‘break46

it.’” The second most common challenge was “not following directions,”followed by “inconsistent or spotty work,” and “not using gloves/improperhandling.” “Using ink pens around objects” did not prove to be asignificant problem.What are some common challenges you've had withvolunteers?2%26%17%12%17%26%Not following directionsNot using gloves/improper handlingUsing ink pens around objectsNot familiar with computers/database knowledgeInconsistent or spotty workOtherFigure 6The other category provided an opportunity for respondents toshare some challenges that they have personally encountered. Fourchallenges emerge as the most problematic: 1) availability, 2) supervision,3) recruiting, and 4) volunteers disliking non-object related projects (for acomplete list see Appendix H). Of these, younger volunteers, such asstudent and intern reliability seem to pose problems in terms of length of47

service. The executive director of the Richmond History Museum inCalifornia finds that it is “difficult to attract younger workers who can berelied upon to show up.” A museum in Texas shares this problem as well,the collections specialist notes, “many students seem only to be interestedin recommendation letters, so [they] only tend to stay long enough to getone.” Likewise in Connecticut, a collections manager finds, “since mostof my volunteers are students they stick around for one semester and thenare gone. Which means I have dedicated a lot of time to training andsupervision and once I get comfortable with their quality of work andhandling skills the semester is up.” Even though collections managers canreadily identify challenges they encounter, most agree that their volunteersprovide an invaluable service to their museum.Closing the survey were two questions asking respondents to ratetheir overall satisfaction with their volunteer program and to offer somethoughts on the “best thing about your collections volunteer program.”The responses gathered from the second open-ended question reveal howimportant volunteers can be to museums of all sizes. Words such asinvaluable, loyal, pride, hard-workers, dedicated, accomplishment, andknowledge were repeated through all the survey responses. The registrarat the Ohio History Museum sees “the volunteers themselves” as being thebest aspect to their program, “we learn so much from them.” Others like48

the archivist at the Japanese American History Society of San Diegocommend their volunteers for being “very passionate about their work,and very loyal.” And, this comment was offered by one New Jerseymuseum: “we are a tiny local history museum and I am just grateful whenthe volunteer(s) show up.” All agree that the volunteer’s contribution isessential to collections work. As the registrar and curatorial associate atthe Jewish Museum of Maryland noted, “volunteers who work in thecollections have a real sense of pride in their work and take their jobsseriously.” Forty-eight comments praising the work of volunteers werecollected; to read all of the responses please see Appendix I.Lastly, the survey asked respondents to rate their satisfaction withtheir program. Most of the collections managers are satisfied with thevolunteer program at their museum. On a scale of one to five, with onebeing completely dissatisfied and five being completely satisfied, over half(52 percent) chose four as their satisfaction level. For the others, 25percent chose five, 17 percent chose three, and small portion (six percent)chose two. No one indicated they are completely dissatisfied (seeAppendix J). What can be done to supplement these already valuableprograms and make them even better? Learning what volunteers have tosay about their time spent in museums offers some guidance.49

Volunteer SurveyVolunteers from seven museums responded to a survey intended tomeasure their thoughts about volunteering. Four states were represented,with California having the highest number of responses at 11; onemuseum from Virginia, Ohio, and Illinois also responded. The volunteersurvey gathered background information and established that the majorityof volunteers are 60 years or older, have been working at museums onaverage for two years, and volunteer at least four hours per week.However, there were a few respondents to this survey who did not fit thisprofile.Of the first four questions asked, answers were either skewed inone direction, or varied throughout all categories. Respondents wereasked how long they have volunteered at museums in general. Responsesranged across all categories, but two received the most. Both the “1-3years” and “4-6 years” choices received an equal 35 percent, the choice of“less than a year” had 20 percent, and “over 10 years” had 10 percent ofthe responses (see figure 7 on the next page).50

How long have you been volunteering at your currentmuseum?30%20%20%15%15%less than a year1 year2 years3 yearsover 3 yearsFigure 7The volunteers responding to this survey tend to be older: 50-59 years old(15 percent), 60-69 years old (40 percent), and 70 or older old (35percent). Two other categories were also marked but received less than 10percent of the responses: 21-29 years old (five percent) and 30-39 yearsold (five percent). This question resulted with an overwhelming 75percent of volunteer respondents are of retirement age (see figure 8).Age of Volunteer Respondents5% 5%15%35%21-2930-3950-5960-6970 or older40%Figure 851

The one respondent in the 21-29 years category was an intern at theUniversity of California Berkeley Archives. Respondents were then askedhow many hours per week they volunteer. Again, responses varied overall categories, but one choice, “4-6” hours per week, received over 50percent. See Appendix K for complete results. The last question in thebackground information section asked how long the respondent hasvolunteered at their current museum. Responses varied over all choices,but a tendency can be read from the numbers: the older the volunteers, thelonger they stay at a museum. Of the age group “over 60,” 40 percent ofthe respondents have been with their respective museums for more thanthree years. In contrast, none of the respondents “under 60” havevolunteered at one museum for this amount of time.This survey also aimed to identify why volunteers donate theirtime, what they find most appealing about working with collections andthe types of projects they most enjoy. Not one respondent skipped theopen-ended question, “why do you want to volunteer in a museum?”From the responses gathered, several reasons appear the most frequently.Volunteers feel that they contribute to the following: fulfilling themuseum’s mission, societal good, learning about history, and teaching thecommunity (see Appendix L for all responses). Volunteer MichaelMcGrath of the Elgin Public Museum in Illinois, enjoys “informing the52

community of the vast diversity of life and cultures that make up thisworld.” Others like volunteer David Cortesi at the Computer HistoryMuseum, see museum volunteering as “part of my retirement ‘career plan’to volunteer at different jobs where my skills are useful.” He also appliesa “different set of skills” at another organization as well. Most volunteerresponses portray that they feel a need to “help where it is needed.”To find out what volunteers most like to “help” with, the nextopen-ended question in the survey asked, “what do you find mostappealing when working with a museum’s collections?” Words such ashandle, see, preserve, contact and history pervade all responses. For themost part, volunteers find that being in close proximity to artifacts is whatthey find most appealing. One volunteer’s comments from the ComputerHistory Museum in California summarizes this feeling, “I like looking atthings. I like learning about things I’ve never seen before. I enjoyhandling the objects. I think it is unusual for a museum to allow volunteersthis much access to the collection, and I feel privileged to be allowed tohandle items. Every object is new and different. Nothing is ever thesame. There is always something new to learn.” Aside from handlingartifacts, volunteers also find that “contact with history” and “the stories ofwhat, when, where, why and how people lived” peak their interest inworking with a museum’s collection (see Appendix M for all responses).53

In conjunction with the collection’s manager survey, respondentsto the volunteer survey were also given a set of predefined choices askingthem to rate the types of projects they like to participate in the most.Projects appeared exactly as they did on the collections manager survey,except here the respondents chose between their favorite projects. Oneequaled their least favorite, two, their favorite, and three, their mostfavorite. Three projects are these volunteers’ most favorite: 1)research/providing knowledge on objects (57 percent), 2) cataloging anddatabase entry (41 percent), and 3) miscellaneous office work (31percent). The volunteers’ second favorite projects are: 1)tagging/permanently marking objects (50 percent), and 2) inventory (40percent). Interestingly, 30 percent of the volunteers also chose catalogingand database entry as their least favorite.Figure 9, on the next page, shows in detail the responses collected.Each bar represents 100 percent of the responses for the particular project;the different shaded sections indicate the volunteer’s favorite ranking ofthat project. None of the respondents chose to indicate a project that wasnot listed on this chart. However following this question, they were askedto list their favorite project. Of all projects listed, almost all pertained tohandling artifacts.54

Volunteer Favorite ProjectsOtherMisc. office workExhibitioninstallationSharing KnowledgeInventoryCataloging entryMarking objectsCleaning objects0% 20% 40% 60% 80% 100%Least Favorite Favorite Most Favorite N/AFigure 9A volunteer at the Ohio Historical Society writes, “whatever meansI am handling and learning about objects.” Others enjoy “restoration” and“CRAMP,” 73 while some, like this volunteer at the Japanese HistoricalSociety in San Diego likes “doing mostly ‘grunt work’ – stamping filefolders to hold papers; numbering the folders, [and] Xeroxing photos tomake photo books so older community members can come in and try to73 CRAMP is the acronym given the cataloging project at the Computer History Museum inCalifornia.55

identify the people.” It becomes apparent from this survey that mostvolunteers like to participate in collections projects that require objecthandling or doing research that involves learning about the object, whilecataloging and database entry is both liked and disliked as a project byvolunteers.Interview, Denver Art MuseumMarch 27, 2007Carl Patterson has been a conservator at the Denver Art Museum(DAM) for over ten years. During his time there, he has changed almostall aspects of collections management at the DAM. The DAM startedwith each floor having a different curator responsible for each collection.One cannot even begin to “imagine seven different systems” of cataloging,preservation, and storage techniques. Once Patterson began working atthe museum, he computerized and cataloged the collection to a uniformsystem. He also began to provide proper conservation and storage for allthe objects in the collection.Throughout the last ten years Patterson has always had a group ofdedicated volunteers watching and learning his techniques. Rather thanPatterson founding a volunteer program himself, a group of volunteersapproached him wanting to work directly with him in the collection. This56

group was comprised of older Denver area women who were artists.Shortly after, the volunteer group began their first project of stuffingNative American moccasins with tissue over a period of several years toreturn them to their original shape. These artifacts had once been flattenedand shoved into drawers. Patterson also recalls that the group wrotecondition reports and cleaned objects as well. He maintains a firm stancethat this group participated in “supervised collections management.”Patterson constantly reiterated the importance of supervision throughouthis interview.Patterson’s group of volunteers accomplished numerous largeprojects including, re-housing the Asian costume collection in which thevolunteers made supports; re-doing the entire paper and photographcollection through the help of paid conservators; and re-housing theecclesiastical costume collection in which volunteers photographed, rolledand condition reported on each. Patterson actively utilized volunteer laboras the premise behind writing and successfully obtaining several grantsfrom the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) and the Instituteof Museum and Library Services (IMLS). These grants allowed themuseum to hire a professional conservator for various projects, whilevolunteer labor applied toward the match at eighteen dollars an hour.Currently the new project to be undertaken by Patterson and the57

conservation council is to move the entire collection to the new museumbuilding. Without the volunteers, comments Patterson, none of this wouldhave happened. He has made huge strides in storage and inventory. Butthese volunteers do not catalog; they mainly help with physical projectssuch as sewing and making boxes.The conservation council is structured. It only meets nine monthsout of the year for two days a week with a conservator supervising. Aformal training process is completed before any work on a specific projectbegins. In addition, a set of written guidelines is also provided (seeappendix N for an example). Volunteers and staff participate in an arthandlingcourse as well. Membership on the council is limited to 10 to 12volunteers, and positions are highly sought after. The only way to becomea volunteer is if someone leaves.Patterson notes that volunteers do require a lot of time andsupervision, and the largest aspect to working with volunteers is “staffattitude.” Staff needs to dedicate time, and be willing to work with thedifferent personalities and abilities of each volunteer. Pattersonrecommends understanding the particular group’s “dynamics.” That is,understand what each person’s interests are and provide appropriate tasks.He gave one example of an older woman, about the age of 90, who lovedto sketch and draw. Even though her sketches were not necessarily58

needed, she did them and was perfectly content in her volunteer position.Providing a “sign-up-sheet” for specific projects ensures that volunteerswill be available when needed. The staff member in charge can also seewho has signed up in advance, and determine if their skills match theneeds of the project. Patterson also knows that at times, the volunteerneeds to be “let go.” Evaluation, a time to discuss performance,attendance, and any concerns, determines the status of the volunteer.Since members on Patterson’s conservation council are older women, ageplays an important role in determining their abilities. He devised an“Emeritus status” to phase out volunteers that should no longer work.This status “pushes” the volunteer away from the hands-on aspect of work,but they are still a part of the council through parties and other socialevents. As Patterson pointedly remarked, “it’s a way to see them gowithout hard feelings.” The conservation council provides an excellentexample of using older volunteers to complete simple, yet timeconsuming,collections projects. For the most part, Patterson feels thatanyone interested in utilizing volunteers in collections and conservationwork should “do it!”59

Case Study, Computer History MuseumLocated in Mountain View, California, the Computer HistoryMuseum (CHM) lies in the heart of the Silicon Valley within a few milesof companies such as Google, Sun Microsystems, IBM, and Apple. CHMwas not always located here. The museum originally began in Boston andmoved to its current location in 2002 after purchasing a building onceowned by a dot-com company. The building itself projects a feeling of“technology” through its contemporary and colorful design. What mostpeople do not realize as they hurriedly drive by, is that this museum holdsover 38,000 objects, images, and documentation relating to the history ofcomputation. CHM has one of the largest collections of old computers,parts, and ephemera in the United States, but with this collection comesspecialized knowledge. Computer programmers, software engineers,technicians, and those who worked in the technology industry are the onlypeople who possess the knowledge to correctly identify random parts andextinct machines. Fortunately, for CHM, retired computer programmers inthe Bay Area are willing to volunteer their time.Prior to 2003, the registrar at CHM did not believe in usingvolunteers in collections work. When Allison Akbay, the current registrar,joined the museum in 2003, it quickly “became apparent that cataloginglarge amounts of items would require outside help.” She found this help60

in volunteers, and developed a detailed and efficient volunteer project,CRAMP. Like many computer applications and projects, CHM’s projectalso uses an acronym for a name. CRAMP stands for CollectionReconciliation And Management Project, which involves looking at every3-dimensional object in the Museum collection, and checking to see if it isin the Museum’s computerized database. Existing records are updated andnew records are created for objects not already in the database, in addition,all objects are photographed. This project began small, with one volunteercoming in three days a week for the first six months, but he quickly“burned out” on the project. Jim Somers, the volunteer program manager,recalls CRAMP originally being a six-month project that has now turnedinto two years.CRAMP currently has ten volunteers working with the collection,eight with cataloging and two assisting with attaching the photographstaken during cataloging to the object in the database. Allison Akbaycommented that since CRAMP takes place during the week most of hervolunteers are retired. She does not interview potential volunteers, ratherthe interview and training process is combined. Akbay details thisprocess:Volunteers take a 4 hour artifact handling and preservationworkshop with me and then contact me if they are interested incataloging. I send volunteers documents on the CRAMP process61

and the data dictionary for them to read before they start one-ononetraining with me. I have 3 four-hour training CRAMP sessionswith each volunteer for a total of 12 hours. The first session is twohours of database introduction and from there I train the volunteerby actually cataloging with them. Our CRAMP catalogers work inteams of two so even after the 12 hours of training is complete thevolunteer is either working with a more experienced volunteer orwith staff member.Volunteers in CRAMP agree to commit to volunteer once a week for atleast four hours on an ongoing basis, since training them is a large timeinvestment. (Some volunteers do not directly work with the collection anddatabase and are not required to make such a time commitment.)Originally Akbay asked for the volunteer to work at least two days a week,but found it impossible to find people who could commit that much time.As a result, “asking for less of a time commitment results in morevolunteers but a higher rate of mistakes in the cataloging.” Despite this,CHM’s volunteer cataloging project has made great strides in digitizingand organizing the collection.Since the start of CRAMP nearly three years ago, approximately11,165 objects have been cataloged and inventoried as a result. Thevolunteers and staff have sorted through about 30 percent of the storageareas, with only the large object storage left. Akbay estimates about 9,000objects are left to be cataloged, and if CRAMP continues at its current rateit will take about two more years to complete. It will continue after the62

acklog has been caught up, since the museum is actively collecting, butwill not remain at the current three days a week. (Each of the three dayshas a different set of volunteers who come in, but some volunteers cometwo days.) Akbay sees no end to using volunteers in collections, shereadily keeps “a list of projects that can be done by volunteers.”Time commitment on part of the staff plays a large role inmaintaining a successful project such as CRAMP. Akbay spends aboutfour to five hours per week setting up CRAMP stations for volunteers.These stations are within the collection storage areas and consist of awireless equipped laptop computer connected to the database, a digitalcamera, a cart which has an area for placing the object to be photographedand examined, a light, a magnetic strip to place the accession number onfor photographs, a ruler, a scale, and various sizes of archival bags andstorage materials. All of this allows for the CRAMP teams to activelywork along the aisles of objects. While the teams are working, Akbay isavailable for them to answer questions. She often fills in on a team if anodd number of volunteers come. Unfortunately, Akbay finds that“management sees volunteers as a solution for small staffs and does nottake into account the amount of time that is required to train and supervisevolunteers.”63

When beginning a collections cataloging project, Akbayrecommends starting small with a few people and then building up slowly.Jim Somers finds that volunteers “like to touch things;” he sees thiseveryday when he works with docents. Often his docents will move overto CRAMP so that they can “reconnect” in a sense to objects they onceworked on in their careers. Somers pointed out that no volunteer projectshould be without adequate staff involvement, with cooperation andenthusiasm as the most important aspects, second to the training of thevolunteers. Projects such as CRAMP and the volunteer council at theDAM, are proof that a museum can actively use volunteers in collectionsrelated projects and gain progress in reducing cataloging backlog, storagepreparation and other important tasks.SummaryThese surveys, interviews and observations all point to severalimportant aspects of the people who work with museum collections. Staff,or those in charge, cannot complete the heavy faceted workload alone.Several projects such as cataloging and database entry, inventory, andobject research compete for the most frequently assigned projects tovolunteers. Those volunteering most often in collections departments areoften retired and possess uneven computer skills, or are students who64

arely volunteer longer than a few months. Staff time commitment to thetraining and supervision of volunteers is key in their effective utilization.Volunteers are passionate about working directly with objects. And, bothvolunteers and museum staff mutually have a high degree of dedication tothe museum’s mission and its collection.Unfortunately, there is a certain “ageism” in respect to utilizingvolunteers in museum collections. One respondent for this projectconfided that their museum’s new collections manager wants to phase out“elderly” volunteers, and make a strictly younger student internshipprogram. This respondent felt that the collections manager only wants tofurther their career, rather than foster the community engagement thatlong-time local volunteers bring to the museum, or the significantopportunity that lies ahead with an increase in the number of retirementage people. This raises in a rather distressing way the tension betweenprofessionalism and involving people from the community in the museum,especially in how volunteers interact with the museum’s collection. Waysto balance the use of volunteers in collections while maintaining a sense ofprofessionalism need to be identified.65

Conclusions and RecommendationsThis project aimed to examine the ways collections managersoversee and manage the volunteers working directly with them. Theliterature reviewed for this project revealed that authors have writtenextensively on the subject of volunteer management and motivation, butnot specifically in the area of managing volunteers working with amuseum collections department. From preliminary interviews conductedfor this project, it became apparent that many collections managers havedeveloped their own volunteer corps, but do not know what others in thefield are doing. Based on the findings collected from the surveys andinterviews conducted for this project, several aspects to volunteers incollections departments emerge:• Age is an important determinant in the role of a volunteer’sabilities, length of service, types of projects they participate in, andloyalty.• Interns are considered unpaid volunteers in collections departmentsof some museums.• Volunteers must be adequately trained and supervised in order tocomplete projects well.66

• Collections managers must be committed to supervisingvolunteers.• In general, volunteers are valued and appreciated in museumcollections departments.One critical aspect of volunteers working with collectionsmanagers on projects is their age. Both surveys revealed that currently theaverage age of volunteers working with collections is between 66-75 yearsold, with a minority of volunteers falling into the age category of under 35(mostly student interns). It became apparent that age brought forthconcerns for collections managers. Older volunteers are usually very loyaland dedicated to the museum and its mission; they volunteer at themuseum for at least a year or longer, but they often lack the much neededcomputer skills for database and catalog entry. Student interns possess theneeded computer skills, but they only volunteer on average for threemonths at a time- the typical length of one school semester. Using studentvolunteers also raised other concerns such as dedication to the project,completing projects, and being relied upon to show up. Variousopportunities exist for collections managers to recruit and retain youngervolunteers, as well as older ones. Projects need to be tailored totimeframes presented by the volunteer’s age.67

A second important aspect to working with volunteers incollections is staff involvement. Volunteers must be trained andsupervised in order to perform well in their assigned jobs, as well as staycommitted to the museum. Volunteers cited that learning about objects,and seeing “old things” was one of the best perks for their time spent withthe museum. A collections manager should always have a positiveoutlook towards their volunteers and never treat them as if they are “freelabor.” The collections manager survey found that dedication of time tosupervise volunteers was limited. It also revealed that over 50 percent ofthe museums surveyed have no volunteer manual or handbook in place.Collections managers need to be fully aware of the responsibilities theyhave to the volunteer working with them; volunteers can serve as thecollections manager’s dedicated corps of workers. Time spent developinga volunteer manual on general practices in museum collections is timewell spent. Volunteers also need to have staff or other experiencedvolunteers readily available to answer questions when they arise, and alsohost periodical training sessions, especially in object handling, to furthernew skills.Lastly, volunteers are valued and appreciated immeasurably amongcollections managers in museums. From the survey and interviews,volunteers are seen as having a “dedication and passion for the work they68

are doing.” Often “community and connections are formed,” as well as“fresh ideas,” and they bring in a “progression of museum collection goalsand mission.” Collections managers value the time the volunteersdedicate each week, they come in fresh and without the “ ‘corporatesickness’ that many of us working in the business get after awhile.”Volunteers help to further the progress made by professional staff in themuseum; they continue to “provide significant help … to a small museumgetting [a] large collection under control and identified.” Often a trainedcollections manager is the only person working to maintain a museum’sobjects. Their workload far outnumbers the hours they have in one week,and projects such as cataloging require a significant amount of time.Volunteers can focus on one time-consuming project through the guidanceof the collections manager and work consistently each week. Onecollections manager summed up the value of volunteer work successfullythrough her response, “more importantly they help us get far moreaccomplished than we can with a small four person department. Wesimply couldn’t function on such a high level without them.”Professionally trained collections managers can better utilizevolunteers in several ways. The following recommendations come in partfrom this author’s personal experiences in the field, suggestionsextrapolated from the two interviewees successful programs, and from69

concerns identified by the collections manager’s survey that showed areasof volunteer management that were lacking. These recommendations alsostem from the various volunteer management guidelines recommended byauthors like Joan Kuyper and Kathleen Brown Fletcher discussed in theliterature review.• Collections managers need to develop better ways to recruit andretain student interns. Utilizing student interns for computer relatedprojects such as database cleanup or cataloging, are a potentially missedopportunity, as evidenced by responses from almost half (44 percent) ofthe museums surveyed. Generally students, especially museum studies orlibrary science graduate students possess, computer skills and can learndatabases quickly. They also know that dedicating part of their time asstudents for internships is necessary for graduation. But to obtain someonewho will develop loyalty to the institution, museums need to providesomething in return. Recognition is one of Brown Fletcher’s keys tosuccessful volunteer retention. Having an appreciation dinner for allvolunteers in the collection department, or simply providing a useful giftto the intern for a successfully completing a semester of work, gainsrecognition for the museum in that student’s community. Some other70

suggestions for actively recruiting younger volunteers with benefits for theintern include:Work-Study: Universities and community colleges offer workstudyprograms. Contact the local college’s office to set up awork-study program for students in humanities disciplines such as,anthropology, history, art history, and liberal arts. If the museum’scollection holds natural history items, include disciplines such asbiology and geology. A work-study program allows the student togain exposure to the field while they earn financial aid and classcredit in return.Monetary Stipend: Even if the amount is small, students will feellike their time is worth something. Three to five hundred dollarscould make a three-month dedication time worth enough to comeeach scheduled day. A fundraiser, grant, or donation, could fund asmall stipend. However, it should be noted that not all universitiesallow students to receive both a stipend and class credit at the sametime.Internship Class: One or two units of course credit earned can helpraise a grade point average (GPA) if the project is done well.Almost all universities have an internship class in theiranthropology, history, art history, or liberal arts departments.71

Contacting the local university will let them know that yourmuseum is in need. Often the schools will already have a syllabusfor the class. The student sets up a specific project with themuseum and then is evaluated at the end of the semester. Projectscan be determined by the collections manager for the museum’sspecific needs.• Volunteers can be helpful with preventative conservation efforts.Volunteers have valuable skills that can be utilized to better house andpreserve your collection. Often older volunteers will have sewing skillsand can make dustcovers, clothing pads, and sand bags. Others havecarpentry or construction skills and can make boxes specifically for anobject. Volunteers can also be trained for a preventive conservationstrategy. In England, some small museums have hired a professionalconservator to assess the collection. The hired conservators then trained ateam of volunteers on the “do’s and don’ts of working with textiles… ittaught volunteers how to identify damage so they could assess thecondition of objects.” 74 The volunteers are not meant to do theconservation themselves, rather they become an extra set of eyes and ears,and inform of the problem so that the collections manager can take theappropriate steps.74 Julie Nightingale, 46.72

• Collections managers need to provide adequate training to theirvolunteers. One of the chief reasons why a volunteer wants to help incollections is to handle objects in order to connect to the museum’smission. To them the object might not seem fragile or worthy of specialhandling. Collections managers should provide an object handling and ageneral rules course the first day of the volunteer’s time, and continue toreiterate rules (especially the wearing of gloves) before the volunteerdevelops a bad habit. “Refresher” courses should be provided throughoutthe year, and a manual that lists all of the general guidelines for objecthandling, use, and rules should be created and made readily available inhard copy. The volunteer should sign a short contract acknowledging thathe or she has read the manual. And of course, staff should lead byexample. Volunteers and other staff will mimic actions taken by those inleadership positions.• Extensive training needs to be provided for computer databaseentry projects. Over half (57 percent) of the responding museums to thecollections manager survey cited database entry as the most frequent ofprojects given. Typically volunteers over the age of 65 have not likedparticipating in this project. However, an opportunity arises with the“baby boomer” generation nearing retirement. This group often possesses73

extensive computer skills. An example is the volunteer corps at theComputer History Museum. These retirees understand computers verywell and use the database willingly.Several steps can be taken to ensure that the data entry is donecorrectly. If a database is not currently being used, collections managerscan find one that allows an easy interface for volunteers using it. Onedatabase, MimsyXG, allows the primary user to design specific userinterfaces. A collections manager can design a volunteer screen thatallows that user to only see and enter text into allotted fields. This makescataloging easier and less confusing for the volunteer. Other databasessuch as PastPerfect already have a relatively simple user interface, withseveral different screen views for the type of object being entered and doesnot have “child fields.” 75As with any type of collections work, adequate training for thoseusing the database is necessary. While some younger volunteers mightcatch on more quickly than older volunteers, collection managers shouldallow at least four to six hours for training. This training might begin withsimple tasks such as searching for objects in the database and move tocataloging along side the collections manager. The collection manager75 A “child field” is a term used in relational databases. This means that data is stored in two areas;the main entry is considered the “parent” and any data specific to a certain identified fields is storedseparately. For example, the parent entry would be the object record; condition and dimensionswould be child fields.74

must then spot check entries the volunteer has done to see if the task iscompleted correctly. This is especially important if specific terms or titlesfor the object name must be used to correctly complete a search later on inthe database. Descriptions of objects also share equal importance if thedatabase will be going online for public view. Volunteers should knowexactly what is expected in this field; specific guidelines for the museum’scollection will facilitate this.• Collections managers need to create structured volunteerexpectations. Education departments often require docents to volunteer acertain number of hours and conform to specific program guidelines.Collections managers can borrow ideas from the museum’s docentprogram’s structure and implement the same kinds of expectations. Thevolunteer should sign up for specific times and days of the week so thatthe collections manager can be sure to provide adequate supervision forthe project. One idea for collection managers who cannot dedicate a lot oftime to volunteer supervision is volunteer day one day a week dedicated tovolunteer projects. Or as a few museums have done, a collectionsmanager can create a volunteer collections group that comes in twice amonth for four hours. A four-hour time block seems to the best amount of75

time for one volunteer session, and is typically the amount of timevolunteers donate to the museum on a weekly basis.• Develop an evaluation system for the volunteers. Telling volunteersthat their services are no longer needed can be a frustrating and dauntingprocess. A collections manager should let the volunteers know upfrontthat they are going to be evaluated about once a month. This will signalthat they should perform to the best of their abilities, and that the workthey are doing is extremely important to the museum. It might be difficultto judge or predict whether a volunteer will work with collections wellfrom an interview. Provide a trial period so that if the volunteer does notlike the projects assigned or the nature of the work, they can opt out. Oneway to gently dismiss long-time volunteers who are not working wellanymore with the collection is to follow the example of Carl Patterson ofthe Denver Art Museum, by creating an “Emeritus Status” that thevolunteer moves up to. Thus, they no longer work directly with thecollection, but are still included in group functions such as parties orluncheons.• Volunteers are not a substitute for staff. Volunteers supplement theeveryday work that a professionally trained collections manager does.Without their help, large projects like cataloging, would take one person76

years to complete. Yet, every museum needs at least one person versed inmuseum registration and preventive conservation to maintain a collection.Professionally trained staff have created the organization and structuredcollections departments of museums today and are indispensable to amuseum’s success in meeting its mission. This staff member is necessaryto oversee and guide the volunteers in correct practices.• Respect volunteers. Volunteers are the museum’s community.The collections manager’s actions, how they treat objects, and theirattitude towards help will all affect how well volunteers perform in theirprojects. Volunteers are providing the museum with their free time to helpwhere they see a deficiency. They believe in the museum’s mission.Many are there to learn about their communities’ history or to providespecific knowledge on objects, photographs, or local history that thecollections manager may not know. What they learn from the collection,museum, and staff will disseminate to their friends and build trust, respectand continued good will for the museum and its greater community.77

Product DescriptionThe following letter was sent to the editor of Collections, AJournal for Museum and Archives Professionals, about writing an article.I chose to write an article as a product of this master’s project to informcollections managers of the current practices their colleagues have forvolunteer management. The potential article aims to inform this journal’saudience about the issue and use of volunteers in museum collections. Itwill provide an overlook for current museum collections professionals toreview and improve their volunteer management practices. The Journalreplied positively to the inquiry, and an article will appear in a futurepublication of the journal.78

Rachael Morenorachael_moreno@yahoo.comPamela J. TrimpePamela-trimpe@uiowa.eduDear Ms. Trimpe,Currently I am a graduate student at John F. Kennedy University inBerkeley, California working towards my masters degree in museumstudies. Recently my thesis advisor, Marjorie Schwarzer, informed me ofCollections, A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals. Afterreviewing past issues of the journal, I feel that my masters project isrelevant to the burgeoning profession of museum collections management.Over the past six months my masters project has evolved intorecommendations for the current museum collections managers whosupervises volunteers in collections management activities. This topicsurfaced in part from a gap in literature on volunteer management inmuseum collections departments and from personal experience duringinternships. Many of my survey responses and professionals I interviewedexpressed the desire to know what others in the field are doing. Mymasters project provides insight into types of activities and projectsvolunteers participate in and like, and areas in which a collectionsmanager should focus on to improve their current volunteer program. Keyareas addressed are database entry projects and volunteer retention andrecruiting strategies.I am inquiring about writing an article for your publication. This articlewould be a version of my masters project, titled Managing Volunteers inMuseum Collections, and would be submitted in July 2007. You maycontact me either by email or by phone. Thank you for your time andconsideration, I look forward to hearing from you soon.Sincerely,Rachael Moreno79

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Hunt, John Dixon. “Curiosities to adorn Cabinets and Gardens.” TheOrigins of Museums, The Cabinet of Curiosities in Sixteenth- andSeventeenth- Century Europe ed. by Oliver Impey and ArthurMacGregor. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985. 193-203.Impey, Oliver and Arthur MacGregor. Introduction to The Origins ofMuseums, The Cabinet of Curiosities in Sixteenth- andSeventeenth- Century Europe, ed. by Oliver Impey and ArthurMacGregor. New York: Oxford University Press, 1985.Irish, Leon E. and Karla W. Simon. “Legal Issues Affecting Volunteers.”Fifth International Conference of the International Society forThird-Sector Research, July 7-10, 2002.Kuyper, Joan. Volunteer Program Administration: A Handbook forMuseums and Other Cultural Institutions. New York: AmericanAssociation for Museum Volunteers, 1993.Landrey, Gregory J. and others. The Winterthur Guide to Caring for YourCollection.Winterthur: University Press of New England, 2000.Lord, Gail Dexter and Barry Lord. The Manual of MuseumManagement. Walnut Creek: Alta Mira Press, 1997.Meneghetti, Milena M. “Motivating People to Volunteer Their Services.”The Volunteer Management Handbook ed. by Tracy DanielConners. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995. 12-35.Merritt, Elizabeth. “This Is Not a Test: Museums and HeritagePreservation.” Museum News (November/December 2006), 42-47.Nightingale, Julie. “Team Players.” Museum Practice (Autumn 2006),44-46.O’Connell, Brian. People Power- Service, Advocacy, Empowerment.New York: Foundation Center, 1994.Pearce, Susan. Museums, Objects, and Collections. Washington D.C.:Smithsonian Institution Press, 1993.81

Pizer, Laurence R. A Primer for Local Historical Societies. Nashville:American Association for State and Local History, 1991.Porter, Mary Jean. “New Archivist for Major Pueblo, Colo., FacesMonumental Task.” Knight Ridder Tribune Business News, 4August 2003. Page 1.Reibel, Daniel B. Registration Methods for the Small Museum. WalnutCreek: Alta Mira Press, 1997.Reibel, Daniel B. “The Volunteer: Nuisance or Savior?” Museum News(March 1971), 28-30.Risinicoff de Gorgas, Monica. “Reality as Illusion, the Historic Housesthat Become Museums.” Museum Studies ed. by Bettina MessiasCarbonell. Malden: Blackwell Publishing Ltd., 2004. 356-360.Rivard, Paul E. and Steven Miller. “Cataloguing Collections- ErraticStarts and Eventual Success: A Case Study.” CollectionsManagement ed. by Anne Fahy. London: Routledge, 1995. 211-214.Sarasan, Lenore. “Why Museum Computer Projects Fail.” CollectionsManagement ed. by Anne Fahy. London: Routledge, 1995. 187-197.Schlereth, Thomas J. Artifacts and the American Past. Nashville:American Association for State and Local History, 1980.Schlereth, Thomas J. “Material Culture and Cultural Research.” MaterialCulture: A Research Guide. Lawrence: University Press of Kansas,1985. 1-34.Schwarzer, Marjorie. Riches, Rivals & Radicals: 100 Years of Museumsin America. Washington D.C.: American Association of Museums.2006.“The Small Museum: Some Reflections.” Museum News (March 1971),15-18.82

Wentz, Pnina. “Museum Information Systems: the Case forComputerization.” Collections Management ed. by Anne Fahy.London: Routledge, 1995. 198-209.Yates, Bridget. “Working with Volunteers- an Introduction to goodpractice.” AIM Focus Papers, Focus 18 February 2006,http://www.aim-museums.co.uk/images/cms.focuspapers/foucs18.pdf(accessed November 6, 2006).83

Appendices84

Appendix AOutcomes Valued by VolunteersMotivationalConcernsSocialValueCareerUnderstandingProtectiveEsteemReasons for, and Valued Outcomes of,VolunteeringMy friends volunteer.People I’m close to Volunteer.People I know share an interest in communityservice.I am concerned about those less fortunate thanmyself.I feel compassion toward people in need.I feel it is important to help others.I can make new contacts that might help mybusiness or career.Volunteering will help me succeed in my chosenprofession.Volunteering will look good on my resume.I can learn more about the cause for which I amworking.Volunteering allows me to gain a newperspective on things.I can explore my own strengths.Volunteering helps me work through my ownpersonal problems.Volunteering is a good escape from my troubles.By Volunteering I fell less lonely.Volunteering makes me feel important.Volunteering increases my self-esteem.Volunteering makes me feel needed.Source:Milena M. Meneghetti. “Motivating People to Volunteer Their Services.” The VolunteerManagement Handbook ed. by Tracy Daniel Conners. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995.17.85

Appendix BManaging Satisfiers and DissatisfiersMotivation ProfileExit InterviewsExit InterviewsIdentify VolunteerSatisfiersIdentify VolunteerDissatisfiersDevelop VolunteerRecruitment andMotivation StrategiesDevelop VolunteerRetention StrategiesTake into accountprimary SatisfiersEliminate OR AddressDissatisfiersDetermine whether there is anappropriate assignment,based on a good “motivational fit.”Source:Meneghetti, Milena M. “Motivating People to Volunteer Their Services.” The VolunteerManagement Handbook ed. by Tracy Daniel Conners. New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc., 1995.26.86

Appendix CCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 1States with number of responding museums.Ohio 3Pennsylvania 2California 14Maryland 4North Carolina 1New York 5Illinois 4Nebraska 1New Hampshire 1Wyoming 1Arkansas 1Colorado 2Virginia 2New Jersey 3Washington 3Indiana 2New Mexico 1Arizona 1Wisconsin 1Kansas 1Minnesota 1Rhode Island 1Texas 1Massachusetts 1District of Columbia 1Tennessee 1Georgia 1Delaware 1Connecticut 187

Appendix DCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 1Position titles listed by respondents.Head of Collections ManagementCollections ManagerAccounts Manager/HistoryAccessions CuratorCurator of CollectionsAssistant RegistrarRegistrarExecutive DirectorCurator IIArchivistCurator/ DirectorCuratorDirector of ExhibitionsTrustee, Collections CommitteeCollections Specialist88

Appendix ECollections Manager Survey Results (Not in Chapter)Question 2- How many hours per week is your position?Question 4- How many volunteers work with you each month specificallyin collections?89

Appendix E (continued)Question 5- How many volunteers are interns sponsored by a school oruniversity?Question 7- How long have the “regular” volunteers been working at yourmuseum?90

Appendix FCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 10Complete list of last volunteer manual updates.1. NA2. Currently being created3. In development4. Registration handbook for all staff updated in late 20055. Currently being updated6. 19987. 20048. It is being written9. Yearly10. Don’t know11. We are currently working on creating a handbook12. 200613. 200214. 3 years ago15. Within the past year16. Registration part in 200617. 2006-05-2418. Two years ago19. 200220. Unknown21. 200422. Ongoing in most depts23. 200624. 200625. 200026. 200691

Appendix GCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 16Complete list of “other” results for projects not listed in question 15.1. Light object conservation. Library work.2. We have active and ongoing volunteers who do projects in ourlibrary.3. Preparing books for cataloging; minor maintenance andconservation projects4. Quilt re-folding5. Docents6. Physically moving of objects7. Give tours, assist visiting researchers8. Collection care9. Rehousing objects10. Photography, conservation11. Special events, outreach projects12. Moving and acquiring artifacts, machines13. Making custom archival boxes14. Every thing else15. Rights and Reproductions/Digital Consortiums16. Scanning, attaching images to database, photography, testingsoftware, database corrections, organizing and interrelating largedonations of 2000 objects or more, library, transcribing oralhistories17. Re-housing objects in archival quality material92

Appendix HCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 17What are some common challenges you’ve had with volunteers?Complete list of “other” responses.1. Unhappy that work was clerical in nature and not directly relatedto the objects.2. Inconsistent usually from Community Service Hours volunteerswho do not have good computer skills.3. Not following general rules of the workroom, however most ofthese problems have only been a select few people. Our volunteersare usually great to work with and follow instructions. We treatthem like regular staff members and expect them to follow thesame rules.4. Consistency and maintenance of standard procedures is mostdifficult. We re-train on a yearly basis.5. As our volunteers are specifically used for special projects orinstallations, their availability and skills vary.6. Some of the work being done needs more supervision than others,such as some conservation work and inventory. Finding work thatis satisfying to the volunteer as well as something that we needdone7. Coordinating hours that work for our program.8. Many of our volunteers are quite elderly and are afraid to trycomputer related projects, which we desperately need (data entry,oral history transcription, etc.) They are afraid that they will "mess93

(Appendix H continued)something up" or "break it." Other volunteers that we have whoare younger and more comfortable with computer work and do anexcellent job. In Colorado, we have a tax work off program inwhich senior citizens volunteer so many hours for a non profit andget a tax break on their state tax forms. Thus, many take advantageof this and come in to the museum at the beginning of the year,begin a project and leave the museum once their hours arecompleted. Staff then must find a replacement volunteer tocomplete their projects.9. Most of our volunteers are elderly and can only perform simple,repetitive tasks. Difficult to attract younger workers who can berelied upon to show up.10. Adequate work and office space that does not interfere with ourdaily functions; using their volunteer time as an opportunity tosocialize11. Shifting availability12. We're picky, so we get good ones.13. Recruiting more volunteers14. The main problem is the time it takes to guide and instruct thevolunteers. Other problems we have encountered are poorhandwriting or poor spelling, some non-native English speakershave trouble paraphrasing, health problems with older volunteers,changing schedules15. Many students seem only to be interested in recommendationletters, so only tend to stay long enough to get one.94

(Appendix H continued)16. Matching skills/interests of volunteer with projects we most needcompleted.17. Not showing up18. Require too much time and supervision19. Finding time to prepare for their assistance--unpredictableattendance20. From time to time we may have an intern assigned to collections. Itrain them to do basic cataloging and data entry for items beingadded to the museum collection. The biggest challenge I have hadis the relatively short time that I have them for, i.e. some work only2 hrs/day for a day or two per week. others may work full days, butonly for a month or so.21. A minor thing is getting them to understand the importance ofbeing very detailed when it comes to artifact description andcataloguing.22. No real problems23. None of these24. Much of our collections area is highly secured. As a policy we donot give access to these areas to volunteers/interns. This requires agreat deal of supervision and time on my part. I essentially am withthe volunteer most of the time. Also, since most of my volunteersare students they stick around for one semester and then are gone.Which means I have dedicated a lot of time to training andsupervision and once I get comfortable with their quality of workand handling skills the semester is up.95

Appendix ICollections Manager Survey Results- Question 18What is the best thing about your collections volunteer program?Complete list of survey responses.1. The willingness to give so generously of their time; knowledgethey bring from decades of living in community2. While there are many projects that are completed more readilybecause of volunteer assistance, we really feel the greatest benefitis to the volunteer and their overall volunteer program, becausethey understand the dynamics and issues involved in collectionsmanagement. We know our collections care volunteers gettremendous satisfaction out of their work and that is the best aspectof the program.3. Wonderfully diverse body of knowledge from volunteers and skillsthat translate to collections work.4. Alleviate some of the workload of registration.5. Local help that come in and ask if they can work on project and areinterested in local history as we are a small museum in a smalltown6. Entry of data into collections database that paid staff would nothave been able to accomplish for years.7. We receive lots of help cataloging artifacts from volunteers. Theirwork is invaluable. We are able to help students figure out ifmuseum work interests them. We are able to use the skills theolder volunteers bring with them, for example we have a retired96

(Appendix I continued)reference librarian who problem solves number and provenanceissues in our collection.8. The best thing about our volunteer program is the access that theyprovide to our exhibitions and to general visitors. They lavish timeon visitors that paid staff cannot afford. They also provide awonderful example of living rich and satisfied lives, and illustratethe importance of learning new things as one ages. Our volunteersare great!9. Several volunteers provide expert knowledge on their subjects.Very helpful considering my limited knowledge and timeconstraints.10. The volunteers are usually very happy to work with collections andresearch. They usually work well under direct supervision withobjects and more independently with research.11. The volunteers themselves, we learn so much from them - they areknowledgeable about things that our limited staff doesn't have timeto research or find out, they don't have the "corporate sickness"that many of us working in the business get after awhile - theirconcerns aren't the same as ours - refreshing!12. Long term volunteers who strive to help the institution meets itsgoals.13. The volunteers are very passionate about their work, and very loyal14. They work really hard, will do almost anything asked, and are veryinterested in learning proper procedures for handling andconservation of artifacts. I just wish they were more willing toacquire computer skills.97

(Appendix I continued)15. Our volunteers have specific knowledge that helps with ourprogram.16. The best volunteers are the two regulars who have been workinghere for years - I mean one of them at least 25 years. We do havesome serious loyalty from our retired volunteers.17. Volunteers who work in the collections have a real sense of pridein their work and take their jobs seriously.18. All our volunteers are dedicated to the mission of the museum andcome every day with a smile and a good attitude about the workthat they will be performing, no matter how trivial it may seem inthe "outside world." Because our project is so large and anythingthe volunteers can do to help is necessary. Many of our volunteersalso once worked in the topic areas of focus for the museum andare a wealth of knowledge for research purposes and identificationof artifacts.19. Extra help20. Many volunteers have knowledge on in regards to many of thepeople/objects in our historic photo collection that I do not have.21. Volunteer dedication to the mission and goals.22. One of the volunteers is a former collections manager and Museumdirector.23. Provides significant help as a small museum getting our largecollection under control and identified and catalogued andorganized.24. Our collections volunteer has a great base of knowledge in herfield (costumes). She really knows what she's talking about.98

(Appendix I continued)25. I wouldn't call it a program. We get interns through the educationdepartment, whom we get along with well. They only give usapplications for people who seem like they will be extremelycareful and trustworthy. I guess the best thing is that we are notforced to take interns just for the sake of having them.26. We are a tiny local history museum and I am just grateful when thevolunteer(s) show up.27. Since we are a 100% volunteer organization, our motivation,morale, work ethic and quality standards are very high - AND -Office politics are not tolerated.28. Our volunteers are mainly interns through a local university. So,they are current students that are well versed in museumcollections standards. They complete a lot of collections work thatfull time staff members do not have time for in their workschedule.29. We are able to get more cataloging and other work in thecollections done.30. Generally the volunteers are very dedicated and friendly. Theprogram is good about recruiting volunteers with an interest inhistory and working with people.31. Volunteers have been extremely helpful in assisting with routinecollection duties, especially as we have limited staff.32. Community and connections that are formed. Fresh ideas.Progression of museum collection goals and mission with extrahelp.99

(Appendix I continued)33. We are able to accomplish much more with their help, especiallyon dealing with backlog34. Volunteers have a lot of enthusiasm and if well trained andsupervised do excellent work.35. It's helping take the place of staff lost to budget cuts and changingorganizational priorities.36. When the volunteer is exceptional the assistance with day to daycollections care is invaluable.37. Occasionally we have a position opening and are able to hire avolunteer that we have vetted through their internship.38. Keeps progress moving forward on long-term projects--extra handsand eyes when needed39. Getting work accomplished that I couldn't possibly do alone.40. We have none specific to collections.41. Extra hands! They love doing behind the scenes work and try veryhard to follow directions.42. The best thing is the volunteers themselves. I have a group of verydedicated volunteers that enjoy what they are doing. They are apleasure to be around and are willing to do whatever task I assignthem.43. Frees up time for me to work on other projects44. The collections volunteers have a dedication and passion for thework they are doing. They enjoy learning and discovering newthings everyday. Without them, a lot of the tedious grunt workwould never get done. And in many respects, that work is criticalto the success of the archives.100

(Appendix I continued)45. Some of our best volunteers have been working with us for morethan 18 years and are extremely valuable to the overall working ofthe department and have become almost like family to us. Inaddition and perhaps more importantly they help us get far moreaccomplished than we can with a small 4 person department. Wesimply couldn't function on such a high level without them.46. I am able to have them work on large projects which helps reducethe amount of work I need to do on them.47. Volunteers' time is not fractured across too many projects anddeadlines as staff time generally is. Instead, a volunteer can followa project through to conclusion, performing research needed,without being pulled off for other things.101

Appendix JCollections Manager Survey Results- Question 19Question 19- Please rate your overall satisfaction with your volunteerprogram with 1 being completely dissatisfied and 5 being completelysatisfied.102

Appendix KQuestion 2Volunteer Survey Results (Not in Chapter)Question 3103

Appendix LVolunteer Survey Results- Question 5Why do you want to volunteer in a museum?Complete list of survey responses.1. To assist in some way of informing the community of the vastdiversity of life and cultures that make up this world.2. 1. Satisfaction of contributing to societal good; help museum meetpurpose. 2. Satisfaction of handling artifacts that are significant tome. 3. Nice/smart/dedicated people.3. I am very interested in the history of technology in general, andespecially in certain aspects of it. Specifically, I have majorinterest in the computer industry (and its history) where I workedfor my entire 45+ year career. So it's not just "a museum," but thisparticular museum that is of special interest.4. It is part of my retirement "career plan" to volunteer at differentjobs where my skills are useful. The Computer History Museum isone where I can apply both my computer skills and my personalexperience in 35 years in the computer industry. I volunteer atanother organization where I apply a different set of skills.5. I want to volunteer, and give back. At this museum, I amsurrounded by things that interest me. I get to work with otherinteresting volunteers. I do not have to work with the public, I donot have to do office work.6. It matches my interests, and I feel good about giving back.7. It's fun. I meet interesting people. I do interesting things. I feeluseful.104

Appendix L (continued)8. Because I'm interested in the collections, and want to learn moveabout them. Also because I enjoy telling others about thecollection.9. Like to help where help is needed. Like History. I am interested inconservation.10. I always enjoyed going to Ohio Historical Society so volunteeredhere. I enjoy staff and other volunteers and seeing objects andlearning about their history.11. It needs help to fulfill its mission to society.12. I love old things and history.13. To assist the staff in fulfilling the museum's mission.14. Interesting material.15. Because my husband was all ready volunteering here when Iretired.16. I want to explore career options.17. Interesting things to do in my retirement. Keeps me off the streetsand off the couch.18. For historical reasons I want to educate and let the people knowabout what happened to the Japanese people of US citizens andcommunity during WWII in California. Their property andpersonal things were taken away, rights as US citizen were takenaway and place in internment camps for several years andconsidered enemy alien.19. My knowledge in needed.20. My late husband was the individual who collected over 90% of thecollection. I'm just helping to archive and sort what he collected.105

Appendix MVolunteer Survey Results- Question 6What do you find most appealing when working with a museum’scollection? Complete list of survey responses.1. I'm always learning something new.2. Seeing and handling artifacts.3. The artifacts from the computing industry are of interest in themuseum context because they also relate to my career experiences.4. Making the disorderly, orderly.5. After working in Technology for over 25 years, I enjoy preservingpart of my history.6. Seeing familiar objects, and ones with lots of history.7. I like looking at things. I like learning about things I've never seenbefore. I enjoy handling the objects. I think it is unusual for amuseum to allow volunteers this much access to the collection, andI feel privileged to be allowed to handle items. Every object is newand different. Nothing is ever the same. There is always somethingnew to learn.8. Getting to see what's inside the artifact, and understand how it wasmade, and why it was made in its particular way.9. Great Objects. Great staff. Great co-worker volunteers.10. Seeing old objects, their workmanship, hearing its history.11. The Espirt de lord.12. Learning history of items in museum's collection.13. Having the opportunity to view historic objects.106

Appendix M (continued)14. The variety of items, their history.15. Interesting to track relocation of items.16. The people one works with17. The stories of what, when, where, why & how people lived and thecondition during their growing up years.18. Being around all the documents and seeing interesting thingspeople have written.19. Contact with past history.20. Learning about the contributions the Japanese immigrants and theirchildren, grandchildren have made to the county of San Diego.Picking up little trivia about our community.Although hiscollection was stored in our house, I had no idea as to the breath ofthe collection.107

Appendix NDenver Art Museum Volunteer Assessment GuideVCC VOLUNTEER PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTWhy do we have assessments?• For the volunteer - to assist volunteers in performing to the best of theirability. Assessments can help you work closer to your potential oridentify need for re-assignment.• For the staff person - to show that staff cares and values the quality ofwork being done by the volunteer. This can also help the museum betterinvolve volunteers by making sure their individual strengths are utilized.How does the assessment work?This document provides a policy on the implementation of performance appraisaland review. All volunteers will be assessed in November, 2006 (to cover theprevious term of service) and then subsequently each spring prior to the summerrecess. The assessment will be conducted using this form provided by the VCCstaff liaison. The assessment will be reviewed and discussed individually witheach Volunteer by their supervisor/staff liaison. Volunteers are encouraged tocontribute their comments to the assessment in the appropriate section. Once thereview and comments are complete, the form will be signed by both parties.Things to remember when conducting the assessment:• Stick to the basics: job proficiency, working relationships, comparisonwith previous review, if there is one• Review the past; examine the present; plan the future.• Please assess volunteers as honestly and fairly as possibleGuidelines:Assessments are conducted using the Procedures and Policies outlined in theVCC Guidelines as a point of reference. Therefore, each volunteer should havethe basic VCC Guidelines and Volunteer policies in their possession. (A copy isincluded in this document to ensure compliance.) There may be additionalhandouts regarding policies for specific projects or changes to existing policies,which the Volunteer should keep for their records. Please read and understandthe Guidelines, and ask your supervisor, staff liaison, or VCC Council membersfor assistance or clarification if needed.108

(Appendix N continued)DAM Conservation Committee VolunteerAssessmentVolunteer Name: ______________________Assessment Period: ______________________Volunteer Hours Accrued: ________________Staff Liaison: ____________________________1. Performsresponsibilities as assigned:ExceedsExpectationsMeetsExpectationsBelowExpectations• Takes direction well • Able to workindependently• Displays requiredskill set2. Meets attendancerequirements:• Volunteered at least80 hour per year• Notified supervisorsof absence inaccordance withpolicies3. Maintained appropriateand safe conduct: • Personal safety • Safe art handlingpractices4. Communication Skills • With other volunteers • With supervisor • Written (treatmentreports etc.) 109

(Appendix N continued)Staff Liaison Comments:Volunteer Comments:Volunteer Signature: _____________________________________Shift Chair/Staff Liaison Signature:110

(Appendix N continued)VOLUNTEER CONSERVATION COUNCIL GUIDELINESPOLICIES AND PROCEDURES1. Responsibilities of the Volunteer Conservation CouncilUnder the direction of the Denver Art Museum’s (DAM)Conservation and Collections Management staff, the VolunteerConservation Council (VCC) members will provide support for thecare and conservation of the museum’s collections. Projects willfocus on preservation issues related to storage and exhibition andto access of the general collections. All activities will be incompliance with AAM (American Association of Museums) andAIC (American Institute of Conservation) Codes of Ethics andStandards of Practice.2. Training PlanExpectations for each project and necessary training will beprovided to all volunteers by CollectionsManagement/Conservation staff as appropriate. Each newvolunteer will receive one-on-one training to assure that the careand quality of work are fully understood.3. Mentoring SystemProjects are normally driven by grants, exhibits, and re-housingneeds within collections. All volunteer work is supervised. Ifthere is not staff available to provide the appropriate level ofsupervision, activities may be cancelled as necessary. While theVCC normally works as a team, some individuals may be used onspecial projects that require specific talents and skills.4. Selection of Conservation VolunteersVolunteer Conservation Council applicants must be activemembers of the Denver Art Museum and registered museumvolunteers. Volunteers can be accepted only with the approval ofthe Conservation and Collections Management staff followingapplication review and an interview. Regardless of the availabilityof Conservation Volunteer openings, applications will be reviewedtwice each year.111

(Appendix N continued)5. Volunteer Job DescriptionsConservation volunteers will need to have good manual skills, beattentive to detail, and work well with others. For some tasks,artistic ability will also be helpful. Because volunteers will beworking in restricted areas of the museum, security clearance willbe required. In general each volunteer will be trained to theappropriate level to complete the required tasks, though in someinstances only individuals with expertise (like sewing) will beassigned to particular tasks. There will always be a supervisorpresent but volunteers should be proficient enough to workindependently and not require continual assistance.6. MisrepresentationConservation volunteers may not misrepresent their experience atthe Denver Art Museum as professional conservation training or asa professional conservation job.7. Orientation Program and Annual MeetingsWe have two Meetings each year in the Fall & Spring whichvolunteers are required to attend. There will also be a mandatoryorientation session in the fall (which may be combined with thefall meeting). At the orientation specific guidelines regarding thecare and conservation of artifacts will be demonstrated byConservation and Collections Management staff. The meetingswill also try to include interesting activities like gallery tours orspecial lectures, and of course snacks!8. Volunteer AssessmentConservation and Collections Management staff responsible forsupervision of the volunteers will complete by the summer recesseach year individual VCC assessments measuring such things asattendance, skill level and compatibility with others, In addition,staff will address any staffing problems as they arise and makeevery attempt to find solutions. However, in the event thatresolution is not possible, the volunteer will be reassigned to moresuitable tasks or dismissed. In the case of a volunteer who either isno longer willing or able to meet the criteria for active VCC status,the volunteer may be eligible for “Emeritus Status.”112

(Appendix N continued)9. Volunteer Hours Record-keepingVolunteers record their work hours and travel time in both theVolunteer Computer System and in a dedicated ConservationVolunteer notebook provided in the work area. It is important forthe fulfillment of grant requirements that we keep detailed recordsof which project volunteers spend time on.10. AttendanceAttendance varies according to projects and time of year. Hours,though flexible, will normally be from 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. oneday per week; and volunteers are expected to designate theiravailable work dates on the monthly calendar. Unless otherwisenotified, the Conservation/Collections Management staff willassume a volunteer will be in attendance on a scheduled workday.11. Staff Member ContactsPlease provide staff with at least 24 hours of advance notificationfor planned absences. Emergency situations are the exception tothis 24-hour notification requirement. To help keep theConservation/Collections Management Staff apprised of anyunexpected schedule changes, please contact BOTH of thefollowing staff members:JULIE@denverartmuseum.orgPARKERJUHL@denverartmuseum.orgWOJAHN12. Service Hours Accrued per YearIn order to remain in good standing, volunteers will be expected tocomplete a minimum of 80 hours of service per year. If avolunteer does not complete the required 80 hours of service in ayear, they may not be credited with a year of volunteer service (atthe discretion of staff).113

(Appendix N continued)13. Leave of Absence PolicyA volunteer who will be absent for two or more months mustrequest a leave of absence from supervisory staff. A volunteerwhose request for a leave of absence has been approved may stillneed to complete 80 hours in order to be credited with a year ofvolunteer service (at the discretion of staff).14. Summer Break, Public HolidaysVCC workdays may be suspended during DAM holiday weekssuch as Christmas and Thanksgiving. In addition, most staff andVCC take holidays during the summer months. All volunteers willbe notified by the Scheduling Chair in advance.15. VCC Emeritus Status“Emeritus Status” may be proposed by the volunteer or by thesupervisory staff regardless of the number of years of theindividual’s volunteer service. The status will be confirmedthrough a vote of VCC members at a board meeting. In order to beinvited to both social and educational events, the Emeritusvolunteer will need to maintain DAM membership and alsocontinue to pay the annual VCC dues.16. Succession Plan for LeadershipThe Nominating Committee, comprised of the elected members ofthe VCC will meet annually at one of the scheduled Boardmeetings. Candidates for election will be selected from the generalVCC membership. If an unscheduled vacancy occurs, the VCCBoard must approve the replacement.17. Workday CancellationsIf a question about a weather-related workday cancellation arises,the designated Staff Liaison’s phone message will be updated.18. DuesVCC members and Emeritus volunteers are required to pay annualdues of $5. Dues are collected by the VCC Treasurer at the firstfall meeting. Collected dues will be used to support the socialbudget, including refreshments, scheduled events and activities.Dues will be deposited by the Treasurer into account 2524-5301-5009-450.114

Appendix OCollections Manager Survey from SurveyMonkey115

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Appendix PCollections Volunteer Survey from SurveyMonkey120

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