Museum Data Collection Report and Analysis - ed

Museum Data Collection Report and Analysis

May 2005

INSTITUTE OF MUSEUM AND LIBRARY SERVICES 1800 M Street NW, 9th Floor Washington, DC 20036 202-653-IMLS (4657) IMLS TTY (for hearing-impaired individuals) 202-653-4699 IMLS will provide visually impaired or learning-disabled individuals with an audio recording of this publication upon request.

Printed September 2005 Prepared by: Carole Wharton, Practice Director Todd DeBruin, Project Manager McManis & Monsalve Associates Manassas, VA

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data Information not available at the time of publication

Table of Contents

PREFACE .................................................................................................................................................................... I

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS ..........................................................................................................................................II

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY AND HIGHLIGHTS.....................................................................................................1

MUSEUM DATA COLLECTION REPORT AND ANALYSIS.............................................................................5

PURPOSE OF THE STUDY ............................................................................................................................................5 THE RESEARCH PROCESS...........................................................................................................................................5 ORGANIZATIONS CONTACTED ...................................................................................................................................6 SELECTION CRITERIA, DEFINITIONS, AND DATA CATEGORIZATION ..........................................................................7 ISSUES AND CHANGES ...............................................................................................................................................9 CURRENT STATUS OF DATA COLLECTION BY TOPIC................................................................................................12

Annual Reports...................................................................................................................................................12 Directories and Surveys .....................................................................................................................................12 Economic Impact Studies ...................................................................................................................................14 Facilities ............................................................................................................................................................16 Finance ..............................................................................................................................................................17 General ..............................................................................................................................................................18 Programs............................................................................................................................................................19 Staff ....................................................................................................................................................................21 CURRENT STATUS COMPARED WITH THE 1998 IMLS STUDY..................................................................................22

RECOMMENDATIONS ..........................................................................................................................................24

APPENDIX A: BIBLIOGRAPHY BY CATEGORY.............................................................................................29

ANNUAL REPORTS ...................................................................................................................................................29 DIRECTORIES AND SURVEYS....................................................................................................................................30 ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDIES ...................................................................................................................................34 FACILITIES ...............................................................................................................................................................40 FINANCE ..................................................................................................................................................................40 GENERAL .................................................................................................................................................................44 PROGRAMS ..............................................................................................................................................................45 STAFF ......................................................................................................................................................................50

APPENDIX B: LIST OF ORGANIZATIONS AND WEBSITES.........................................................................53

Preface

May 2005

Dear Colleague,

It is a pleasure to present our Museum Data Collection: Report and Analysis. This report was prepared as part of our response to legislative language that calls upon the Institute of Museum and Library Services to analyze museum (and library) trends, evaluate programs and disseminate best practices -- all of which depend upon the availability of reliable data.

The report suggests that there is good news ? there are many sources of data and the Internet makes data more accessible and easier to collect. There are challenges as well, such as the lack of common data elements and definitions, and the lack of the habit of data collection in museums.

We hope this report is one step in a process that will ultimately result in an energized commitment to data collection activities and a smart, tech-savvy and coordinated approach upon which to build future efforts. The health and vitality of U.S. museums are important to the nation. Good data informs good practice and helps museums and policymakers make wise investments in the future.

Schroeder Cherry, Ed.D.

Our desire is that this report sparks fruitful discussion and acts as a call to action for the museum community to take up the challenge, to discuss and debate, to plan and implement and ultimately build a solid framework for museum data collection activities in the United States.

Sincerely,

Schroeder Cherry, Ed.D. Deputy Director IMLS

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