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Topic: Research Protocols

Gobae
Member
Member # 112

posted 12-30-2002 11:55 AM

Although my time period is much earlier than what FireStryker deals with, the information about conducting research and what constitutes good research has been invaluable! I'm sure someone here has had to contact museums or other history institutions, so perhaps someone here can help with an issue I'm having with contacting musuems.

Many times there are photos or drawings of items (restored or recreated) that I would love to have more info on. Other than common sense courtesy are there specific protocols for contacting museums? Is email acceptable? If it is a foriegn source, is using English acceptable or is it rude to assume they can read/reply in English? What if I have access to someone who can translate?

I have tried contacting two establishments. Asparn an der Zaya (http://www.bernsteinstrasse.net/partner/urgeschichte_asparn.htm) and Castell Henllys (http://castellhenllys.pembrokeshirecoast.org.uk/)but neither have even given an acknowledgement that the email was receieved. What is reasonable to expect a musuem to do for a response? What resources are reasonable to request from them? More detailed or extra pictures of an item in question? The email address or opening of a dialogue with someone on the staff involved with the item?

Thanks!

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Gobae - The Blacksmith
Historic Strides Blog
Ancient Celtic Clans

Registered: Jan 2001 | IP: Logged

Fire Stryker
Admin & Advocatus Diaboli
Member # 2

posted 12-30-2002 01:42 PM

Some organizations are open to email as a first contact approach, others are not or it is considered too "informal/personal" an approach.

Email is a good way to find out "general info" for example to which curator or department you should address your query. Then send a formal written request to the person in question. This way they are addressed in the correct fashion and it shows that you have done your homework. You can also include xeroxs of items that your are interested in so that there is no mistake regarding what you are looking for, be sure to include book references and catalog numbers of artifacts if available.

Also, unless you are certain the person in question speaks your native language, it is best to see if you can find someone who can translate your letter into the contactee's native language. Also include a letter written in your language.

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ad finem fidelis

Registered: May 2000 | IP: Logged

J.K. Vernier
Member
Member # 123

posted 01-02-2003 11:55 PM

I worked for a couple of years in a small museum. The above advice is quite sound, all I will add is that many museums have photographs of their holdings and expect to distribute these, but they rarely can do it for free. Any request for photos should include a request for cost information. Often a museum will have large-format B&W prints at reasonable cost ($10.00 per print or less), but color pictures can be much more and are often not available. If an item needs to be specially photographed the museum may charge you for this service (unfair in the big picture, since future requesters will benefit from these photos, but that's how tiny budgets get managed). Be sure to say in your request that the photos are for personal study and not for publication, as most museums will charge you a great deal more for photos intended for commercial use.

As of a few years ago I found European institutions to be generally unresponsive to email requests for information. Hopefully this will change eventually. At least in
American museums it does not seem to be bad etiquette to request general information via email, but if you do not get a quick response you should follow up with a letter.

Registered: Feb 2001 | IP: Logged

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