Museum Studies Commons^™

Pioneering Partnerships: The Role Of The Independent And Non-Traditional Collections Manager In The Museum World, Erin K. Schovel

Seton Hall University Dissertations and Theses (ETDs)

Museums are increasingly following for-profit business models. Downsizing, partnering and outsourcing are no longer exclusive business terms, but have been adopted into museum lingo. As museums large and small adapt to decreased funding, they look for ways to stretch their dollars further. Museums are finding value in outsourcing work to independent professionals who are knowledgeable in museum practices. The available literature on museum outsourcing focuses on guest curators. Little is written about other categories of non-affiliated museum professionals on which museums rely, such as fundraisers, public relations officers, and, especially, collections managers. I am particularly interested in non-affiliated museum workers …