1st Edition

Museum Volunteers Good Practice in the Management of Volunteers

By Sinclair Goodlad, Stephanie McIvor Copyright 1998
    144 Pages
    by Routledge

    144 Pages
    by Routledge

    Museum Volunteers is a practical handbook on the use of volunteers as interpreters within museums. Drawing on key examples of outstanding practice from the UK and North America, this book forms a unique resource on volunteerism.
    This book:
    * reviews research on the changing priorities of museums
    * examines a form of volunteering that has provided benefits to all participants in an activity similar to museum interpretation - student tutoring
    * describes and analyses the strengths of five exceptional volunteer programmes in Canada and the USA
    * reports the finding of five volunteer programmes set up and managed by the authors in the Science Museum, London
    * examines the development process of the pilot studies and the consequent establishment of a permanent volunteer programme in the Science Museum, London
    * discusses the mutual benefits that volunteer programmes can bring to museums and volunteers
    * offers suggestions on the practical day-to-day management and administration of volunteers.
    This book is essential reading for anyone involved with the management and administration of a museum, or, is thinking of offering their services to a museum as a volunteer.

    1 Making knowledge accessible 2 The functions of museums and the role of volunteers 3 The development of student tutoring as a form of volunteering 4 Case studies of five exemplary programmes in Canada and the USA 5 Pilot volunteer programmes in the Science Museum (London)6 Some principles of good practice in, and working documents for, the management of museum interpretation by volunteers

    Biography

    Sinclair Goodlad is Professor of Sociology of Higher Education at Imperial College and a leading expert on the use of volunteers within museums. Stephanie McIvor has worked as a manager in the Science Museum in London since 1991. In 1995 she launched the Museum's new volunteer programme.

    'A valuable contribution to those with an interest in the subject.' - C. Duffy, Museum National