From: "Rita Frakes" <rita42@centurytel.net> Subject: RE: Compensation Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 17:54:04 -0500 Message-ID: <OLEDLGFKLLDILABDEECOCEPCCIAA.rita42@centurytel.net>
Hi Pat,
The Mazomanie Historical Society museum is open on Wed. & Sun. from 1-4pm,
also on holidays, and occasionally for other events going on in the village
(pop. 1,500) and we are located between Madison and Spring Green on Highway
14.
Volunteers are docents on the Sundays, holidays and special days. As a paid
parttime curator for the society I am the docent at the museum on
Wednesdays. I work for the society year around, 18 hours a week so I do
everything and anything but my biggest responsibilities are taking in
artifacts, doing the required paper work, correctly storing EVERYTHING, and
creating displays. I am now also involved with our Research Center which
involves paper records. I also keep the museum clean and neat but have
inlisted volunteers to plant and water flowers and do some general
maintenance required. A volunteer organizes and stores our photo collection
(8,000+) but I still have to do the paper work when the photos are donated.
Volunteers help with some of the display work and I get minimal volunteer
help with the paperwork for artifacts.
Sometimes I have small tasks that docents can do, I leave the work with
instructions and they may do the work if they chose to or are not busy with
visitors. They do have to open up and close the museum, put out the signs
and the flag, sell merchandise from our small gift shop, and answer
questions if they are able.to do so. We encourage them to read the signage
so they can discuss exhibits and history with visitors. We do not train
docents but it would be good to do that so they all are relating ACCURATE
history of the village and information pertaining to displays. They can
offer a guided tour--some do not feel comfortable doing this--or a bit of an
overview so visitors will get an idea of what to expect in the 4 rooms that
make up the museum, and then let them browse on their own. We encourage
them to be visible and move throughout the rooms to discourage theft. We do
everything to discourage theft but it can and does happen. That is a whole
other topic but if you have questions relating to that I will try to answer
them.
You are fortunate that your society is so young. You may be able to get and
keep a handle on the work now and having a paid person will help to insure
that work is getting done on a regular basis, or it should. Our society was
formed in the 1960s and volunteers did everything until I was hired in 1996.
If volunteers work on a regular basis you may be able to keep up, but
sometimes volunteers kind of work when they want to work with no regularity.
I am still working on artifacts that came in before I was hired in addition
to what has come in since I have been an employee..
I hope you have a written mission statement and an acquisitions committee,
so you are being very selective about what you accept. I am helping our
society to go through artifacts that have been stored for many years, never
been on display, and some are not in good enough condition to display, and
some have no strong connection to our area and do not fullfill our mission
statement. Years ago some societies accepted almost anything that was
"old", and if one saw was good, two of the very same type were even better.
Again, this a whole other topic but if you have questions I would try to
answer them.
I am paid by the hour but do not wish to disclose my pay. But your work
will be worth every bit of the $10. an hour. When visitors are in you will
have to attend to them, but when they aren't there you should be able to
accomplish much needed work on a regular basis. I asked my board to do an
employee review after my first year of work, they did that, and they do it
annually. They had never had an employee so having one was a learning
process for them and for me. That is a time when they can evaluate your
accomplishments, determine if the goals you and the board have set together
are being met, and can consider a raise if warranted. Even if it is a small
raise you will feel appreciated.
I hope this is helpful. Lucky, you , a new building!!
Rita Frakes, Curator
Mazomanie HIstorical Society
-----Original Message-----
From: localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu
[mailto:localhistory-request@listserve.uwec.edu]On Behalf Of Pat Konkle
Sent: Wednesday, July 02, 2008 2:39 PM
To: localhistory@listserve.uwec.edu
Subject: Compensation
Do you pay anyone to be at your museum or society building during open
hours? If yes, how much per hour and what are their duties while there?
Our society formed in 2006 and we have been lucky enough to lease a brand
new building, which was built for the society and paid for by a very
generous member, who then donated the building to the Town. We moved into
the building this spring and there is a lot of work to do, such as
cataloging, organizing files, books, albums, displays, training others on
new equipment, documenting procedures, scanning etc. Many of our board
members and members are elderly and not able to do much of the work. We do
have board members and members who volunteer some of their time, but they
also have other commitments. As a result, the majority of work has been my
responsibility. I currently volunteer an average of 20 hours per week,
working on society needs.
Recently, the Board has been discussing the idea of paying me $10 per hour
to be at the building a couple of days a week, so members and the general
public can bring in artifacts and information, as well as tour the building
and do some of their own research. I would be at the building during open
hours to help people and to tackle the work that needs to be done.
We would appreciate your input.
Thank you,
Pat Konkle, President
Freedom Area Historical Society
(located between Appleton & Green Bay)