Hi Annette,
We have similarly knowledgeable and enthusiastic attendant here so I understand where you're coming from - you don't want to dampen his enthusiasm or not make use of his skills, but you still need him to do the job he was originally employed for.
I think the only way to do it is to keep an eye on him and make sure he's not always prioritising the photo/reminiscing work over other tasks. If I want our member of staff to do something, I try to request it through his line manager as I find he'll often drop what's he doing to help me, even if the other thing is more of a priority. He can also disappear into the store for long periods of time - yes, the work he's doing there is useful in the long term, but not when there are visitors who need assistance or something needs setting up in the museum now. This can/has caused tensions with other work colleagues who can feel they're picking up his slack so it's also about being fair to everyone who works in the museum.
His line manager (is this you?) will have to have a gentle chat with him and come to an arrangement to redress the balance between his day-to-day duties and his local history work. I also think you should emphasise that even if he visits people at home in his own time, he is associated to the museum and the people he visits won't make the distinction (he'll always be "the man from the museum") so it's important you know when/where he's going. On this point, is he CRB checked?
It may cause a row (hence the gentle approach) but you need to consider the needs of the whole service rather than keeping one individual or one section of your visitors happy.
Perhaps in the long term you could work towards making changes to his job description, but in local authority world it won't happen in a hurry!
Best wishes,
Martha
Martha Lawrence
Assistant Museums Manager
Buxton Museum and Art Gallery
Terrace Road, Buxton, Derbyshire, SK17 6DA
Direct line: 01629 533543 (VOIP 33543)
Museum reception: 01629 533540 (VOIP 33540)
www.derbyshire.gov.uk/buxtonmuseum
Mark in Stitch
An exhibition of work by Cheshire Textiles
Saturday 10 September to Saturday 12 November
-----Original Message-----
From: List for discussion of issues in museum education in the UK. [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Annette Wells
Sent: 04 October 2011 15:08
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: community researchers
Hi all
one of our museum assistants has his own collection of photographs
about the town that he has been encouraged to share with visitors to the
museum. This arrangements pre dates me and I have inherited a situation
which is now getting out of hand. Although we offer 2 days a week for
people to visit and mainly reminisce, this in reality is happening
across the 6 days we are open. Whilst we recognise that this opportunity
is relished by the people who come in, it also means that our museum
assistant is no longer doing the job he is employed to do! he also makes
appointments at the museum to visit people in their homes or even to
make care home appointments in his own time, but without the museums
knowledge. What we are asking is - has anyone found themselves in a
similar position, and how might we make better use of the very obvious
interest of our member staff and the people who come to see him?
regards
Annette Wells
Museums Officer (Public Access)
Museums and Heritage Service
Newport Museum and Art Gallery
John Frost Square
Newport
S Wales
NP20 1PA
01633 414712 (direct line)
01633 414701 (admin)
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