ISEN-ASTC-L is a service of the Association of Science-Technology Centers
Incorporated, a worldwide network of science museums and related institutions.
*****************************************************************************
Glenn,
I think there are a number of things that work against
libraries in museums.
Back in the 1970šs the Pacific Science Center where I
worked at the time, had a library and a librarian. When
we looked at the cost for keeping the library materials
current and the cost of having a librarian and a number
of volunteer helpers, the cost per person served was
very high with no notable income against that expense.
It makes little sense to replicate the services provided
by standard city libraries, and with the advent of Google
searches on the Internet, I havenšt opened any of the
three encyclopedias I have in my office for years.
If there were any function that a museum library might
serve it would be in making curriculum materials
available to teachers for review. Curriculum materials
though seem to be best used when a teacher workshop
is done on them. But once again, might it not be better
to offer much of this material over the web?
Donšt get me wrong, I love libraries... there is something
about them that is special, just as there is in seeing an
original piece of art or artifact at a museum that I could
see a picture of on the web. I just think museums need
to look at what their core business is and where they
can afford to put their resources.
Dave Taylor
From: Glenn Walsh <[log in to unmask]>
Reply-To: Informal Science Education Network
Date: Sat, 11 Oct 2003 21:33:00 +0000
Subject: Re: being a resource for teachers
************************************************
The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science in Pittsburgh was
constructed, in 1939, specifically with a beautiful wood-paneled library
that was available, by appointment only, to teachers and other researchers.
The library was small, about 800 volumes; however, it is significant that a
library was included with the original building which, also, was small:
40,000 square feet. Regrettably, such a library was not considered a
priority with the 1991 construction of the much larger Carnegie Science
Center.
It seems that many of the newer science museums do not include any type of
library, for use by the public, with their facility. Why has something as
basic as a library been disregarded with new science museum construction?
Glenn A. Walsh
>*****************************************************************************
>
>Hello all,
>
>We're exploring ways that we, as education staff at a Science Centre,
>can be a more effective resource for teachers. I'm thinking in
>particular of situations where teachers call or drop by with questions
>about science content, appropriate activities, other resources etc. (as
>opposed to print materials or packages that we create to supplement our
>exhibits and programs).
>
>Ideally, we'd have a fabulous library on site and a dedicated
>question-answerer. But since resources do not permit this, I'd love to
>know ways that educators at other science centres act as teacher
>resources.
>
>Hope that's not too obscure a question.
>
>Sandra Eix, Ph.D.
>Exhibit and Program Development
>Science World British Columbia
>Vancouver, BC
***********************************************************************
More information about the Informal Science Education Network and the
Association of Science-Technology Centers may be found at http://www.astc.org.
To remove your e-mail address from the ISEN-ASTC-L list, send the
message SIGNOFF ISEN-ASTC-L in the BODY of a message to
[log in to unmask]
|
