More Data from the AASLH Online conference

There is a session going on right now about a consumer survey done in the state of Connecticut. Those surveyed were core visitors to museums in that state, making up almost 5,000 respondents. There is a lot of good information that can perhaps be broadened to the larger museum audience across the country, and some of it is good news. One bit of data that stood out for me, though, is very bad news. When asked, only 12% of respondents said that museum staff were "helpful."

What does this mean for museum staff? What exactly are museum visitors expecting of museum staff when they come to a museum? Are they looking for something they shouldn't be, or are we as museum professionals falling flat in serving our visitors?

Fun Idea for Online Community Access

Is anyone in Virginia doing a project like this?

http://hold.cstx.gov

This community in Texas decided to start a program to help local folks preserve community history. They invite people to bring in photos and documents that relate to the history of the town. The program then scans the photos/documents, post them online for the community to be able to access, and then return the originals to the owners, along with archival storage folders to keep the items in.

AASLH Online Conference

I'm sitting in my living room, listening with fascination to the first AASLH online conference. The very first session introduced an interesting question that I would like to throw out there: When and why did opening a museum become the default solution for local groups looking to preserve local history?

In an era when museums that already exist are having a hard time staying open, what other ways might exist for a local history organization to preserve local history without opening a museum?

VAM Survey on Fraud, Theft, and Embezzlement

Take a moment to respond to this VAM Survey. Data will be used for an upcoming VAM Voice Newsmagazine article, and all responses are strictly anonymous!

Thanks,
Heather

Advice for Audio Guides?

A colleague of Al’s in the Tidewater area is looking at initiating an audio guide at their site, and would like to talk to a few sites who have done this successfully (or not, as the case may be—sometimes as important a lesson). Do any of you have suggestions as to who she should talk to?

Any ideas are welcome—thanks!!

Jennifer