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NEWSLETTER
... of the Society of Mineral Museum Professionals

Volume 3, #1      January 19, 2000

 

Inside:
Tucson Meeting
Pres. Message
Editors Drivel
Minutes - Denver 99
Newsy Stuff

Board of Directors:

President and Newsletter Editor
Mark Mauthner
Pacific Mineral Museum
1500-625 Howe Street
Vancouver, BC  V6C 2T6

Past President
Jean DeMouthe
California Academy of Sciences
Golden Gate Park
San Francisco, CA 94118

Vice President
Jeffrey Post
Dept. of Mineral Sciences, MRC-19
National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC 20560

Secretary
George Harlow
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY  10024

Treasurer
Anna Domitrovic
Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum
2021 N. Kinney Road
Tucson, AZ  85743

Suzanne Cowan
New Mexico Museum of
Natural History & Science
1801 Mountain Road NW
Albuquerque, NM 87104

Anthony Kampf
L. A. Co. Museum of Natural History
900 Exposition Blvd.
Los Angeles, CA  90007

Virgil Lueth
New Mexico Bureau of Mines
801 Leroy Place
Socorro, New Mexico 87801

Virginia Mast
Geology Museum
Colorado School of Mines
Golden, CO 80401

Marc Wilson
Carnegie Museum of Natural History
4400 Forbes Avenue
Pittsburgh, PA 15213

TUCSON MEETING

            The Society of Mineral Museum Professionals will meet on Friday, 11 February, in our usual room on the upper level of the Convention Center in Tucson, Arizona.   The board meeting is scheduled for noon (12:00 to 1:00).  The general annual meeting will begin at 1:00, and will be followed by a symposium/seminar examining appraisals and the law.  The meetings will all be over and done with by 3:00 at the latest.

PRESIDENT'S MESSAGE

            We are already one month into it already, but a Happy New Year everyone!  What a year last year was.  Maintaining a positive attitude about things is sometimes a real challenge and 1999 was just plain a year I care never to repeat.  However, after much turmoil and many opportunities for growth, the much-awaited Y2K arrived and for me, truly arrived in glorious Technicolor.
            If the tone of this message seems rather personal, it is because my professional life and personal life have pretty much been one for the past two years.  As many of you know, for the past three years (yes, three), I have been involved in getting the Pacific Mineral Museum up and going.  After what has been an undeniably torturous past year and a half, the light is at the end of the tunnel, and this time I really believe it isnt another train.  We are still not open as I write these words, but shall be by the time you read them (fingers crossed, of course).
            What all this really means is that after the museum is open, all the time that I have been spending with an uncomfortable construction project managers hat on my head, I can reassign to a museum professionals hat.  I am hoping then to be able to fulfill more of the goals I envisioned when I accepted this role in the SMMP.
            I think some the ideas we discussed in Denver with respect to the directions in which the Society would like to focus its efforts, are worthwhile and would make the Society more relevant to its membership.  I am looking forward, in addition to our normal business, to further discuss some of these thoughts (especially publications), and to hearing more from the membership about other ideas.  I am also looking forward to an informative program on appraisals.  It is an important issue, and it would serve us, especially North American museums, well to be reading from the same page.
            More than anything, though, I am looking forward to a most productive year 2000, and wish you all the best in it.  See you in Tucson! 

Mark Mauthner
President

 

FROM THE EDITOR

As always, submissions and ideas appropriate for this newsletter, and of course, constructive criticisms are all welcomed.

 

MEETING MINUTES
Denver:  September 17, 1999

Directors Meeting, 12:00 pm

            Present: Mark Mauthner (President), Anna Domitrovic (Treasurer), Anthony Kampf, Virgil Lueth, Virginia Mast, Marc Wilson and Jean DeMouthe.

President Mauthner called the meeting to order at 1:35 p.m. Virgil Lueth was asked to keep the minutes of the meeting in the absence of George Harlow (Secretary).

Treasurers report: Domitrovic distributed copies of the treasurers report.

            The agenda for the general meeting was presented and discussed.  Outlines for reports from the following committee chairs were presented:

            Computer Committee Report: Kampf reported the website is active and updated regularly. A new moderate-tech list server is available email sent to smmp@nhm.org will reach all SMMP members with email.

            Orphan Collection / Curators: Lueth reported no new orphans.  DeMouthe noted the California State collection is now under the jurisdiction of the Calif. State Department of Parks and Recreation. Kampf reported that a new curator position might be open for the position.

            Stolen Specimens: No stolen specimens were reported.

            Education Committee: Mast thanked the membership for the good participation in this shows mineral case, Sphalerites from around the world. She mentioned that ideas are needed for the Tucson 2000 show. The theme is Brazilian Minerals.

            Publications Committee: An action proposal was presented to the committee for review for the establishment of a permanent set of publications by the Society.

            No new business was brought up at this meeting.

            The directors meeting adjourned at 1:57 p.m.

General Meeting, 1:00 pm

            President Mauthner called the meeting to order at 2:05 p.m.  A roll call and introduction of guests started the meeting

            Minutes of the Tucson meeting on 12 February 1999:  A motion was made to adopt the minutes as printed in the newsletter and seconded. The motion was passed by unanimous vote.

            Presidents Report: President Mauthner discussed his objectives for the society as outlined in the recent newsletter concerning the benefits of membership. He solicited comments and advice from the entire membership. He stressed the adoption of a cooperative model over a service model for the society by decreasing emphasis on outreach and increasing internal programs.

            Treasurers Report: Domitrovic provided the semi-annual financial report as a memo dated 13 Sept. 1999. A checkbook balance of $2,825.88 was reported. A money market account was established last February with $5000.00. However, the bank did not deposit any money in the account until September. An explanation for the tardiness of the transaction is awaiting an inquiry by Domitrovic.

            Computer Committee Report: Kampf discussed the activity of the website and welcomed suggestions for its improvement. The newsletter and email addresses are present on the site along with recent job postings. A new medium-tech listserver is now available at: email sent to  smmp@nhm.org will reach all SMMP members with email.

Members can be removed from the mailing list by contacting Tony. A suggestion for inclusion of show listings and locations was presented.

            Orphan Collections / Curators: Lueth reported no new listings of orphaned collections or curators. DeMouthe noted the California State collection has been transferred to the Calif. State Department of Parks and Recreation. Kampf mentioned that a job opening for a curator for the California State collection was recently posted. Erickson reported additional funding for the Virginia Natural History Museum. A new curator, Jay Ague, was appointed at the Peabody Museum at Yale.

            Education Committee: Mast thanked the contributions of members to the SMMP mineral case highlighting worldwide sphalerites at this years show. She reported a record number of participants. A call for ideas for the Tucson 2000 (Brazilian Minerals) show was made. A discussion concerning the mandate for this committee commenced. Aspects of this discussion were postponed until later in the meeting.

            Publications Committee: Mauthner discussed newsletter distribution via email or snail-mail. DeMouthe, chair of the committee, presented an action proposal to the membership. In the proposal, the society would begin to publish two types of papers: (1) Peer-reviewed occasional papers intended to address collection issues and (2) Collection notes to provide educational tools for the public. Publications would be posted on the web page and hardcopies would also be available. Review of the papers would fall to the publications committee consisting of 3 to 4 members. An editorial board remained to be named and volunteers were solicited. The recycling of papers was discussed along with email linkage of the membership.

            New Business: No new business was presented.

            Announcements: Terry Huizing announced the establishment of a potential new museum in Appleton, WI, curated by Mr. and Mrs. Gene LeBarge. Jack Murphy stated he had extra pieces of South African kimberlite available to anyone who would like some. Dimitri Belakovskii thanked the membership for the donation of back issues of American Mineralogist to his museum. The call for other duplicate journals for donation to foreign members was made.

            The meeting was adjourned at 2:49 p.m.

Presented by Virgil W. Lueth, Director.

 

KEEPING TRACK OF YOUR DUES

Check with Anna Domitrovic if you are not certain whether your dues are current. The Societys dues for 2000 are $10.00 U.S., payable to our treasurer Anna Domitrovic, Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, 2021 N. Kinney Road, Tucson, AZ 85743. Any directory changes or additions should also be sent to Anna Domitrovic. Please also submit changes to Tony Kampf for the SMMP website.

 

THINGS NEWSY AND/OR RELEVANT

Job Postings

Geology Museum Curator
Geology Museum, Colorado School of Mines

The Colorado School of Mines Geology Museum is seeking a creative person to run the museum as its curator. Colorado School of Mines, a public university with a reputation for educational excellence, is Colorados oldest institution of higher education.  Its Geology Museum, with major rock, mineral, gem and fossil collections, supports informal and formal earth science education through tours, exhibits, outreach and research.

The museums curator is solely responsible for its administration; collection acquisitions and management; staff supervision; education, outreach and research programs; exhibit development and installation; and fundraising.  This is an administrative faculty position within the Department of Geology and Geological Engineering reporting to the department head.  The curator also works with other museums and institutions in the Denver metro area.

The position requires a minimum of bachelors degree in an appropriate discipline (e.g., education, geology, museum studies) and either graduate work in a complimentary discipline, or 3 years progressively more responsible work experience in a museum field (e.g., administration, collections management, exhibition, education).  Salary up to $42,000, dependent on qualifications, with an excellent benefits package.  Anticipated start date July 1, 2000.

Candidates should send a letter of application, resume, and three letters of reference to: 

Colorado School of Mines
Office of Human Resources
Search # 00-050220
1500 Illinois Street, Golden, CO  80401 

For full consideration, applications must be submitted by April 15, 2000.  CSM is an EEO/AA employer.  Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Director, Museum of Geology
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology (SDSM&T), located at the foot of the Black Hills in western South Dakota, is seeking applicants for a Director of the Museum of Geology. The successful candidate will hold faculty rank. The position will be available beginning July 1, 2000.

Responsibilities for this position will include: administering the Museum facility and its collections; advancing the Museum's role in the educational and outreach missions of the university though interaction with external groups and pursuit of external funding opportunities; and management of the Master's degree program in Paleontology, including participation in guidance of students and delivery of the curriculum.

This position requires an earned doctorate in paleontology, geology or a related field. Candidates should have significant leadership experience in a natural history museum or other business, non-profit, or academic organization, including demonstrated success in managing programs, personnel, and finances. Teaching and research experience are desirable.

Submit curriculum vitae and the names, phone numbers, and e-mail addresses of three references to:

Dr. Sangchul Bang
Dean, College of Earth Systems
South Dakota School of Mines and Technology
501 East St. Joseph Street
Rapid City, SD 57701

Review of applications will begin on March 1, 2000, and will continue until the position is filled.

SDSM&T is an EEO/AA/ADA employer & provider.

 

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