An Assessment of the Informational Needs of the Museum Field: An Investigative Report
GENERAL
Initial investigation by the staff of IMS has shown that one significant obstacle in improving the professional standards and assisting cooperation between museums is the lack of information, communications, and library resources. One way IMS sought to meet its Congressional mandate to improve museum services was to award a contract to the American Association of Museums to conduct a ten-week study to determine the informational needs of the museum profession, IMS and other federal agencies with museum related programs. The objectives of this study were to document the existing informational resources available to the profession and to determine possible methods of collecting and disseminating information to be included in a National Museum Resource Center (NMRC). (Introduction, p. I-1).
CONTENTS
1. Introduction.
A. Background.
B. Scope and method.
Summary.
2. Methodology.
A. Data collection.
B. Data interpretation.
3. Needs assessment.
A. Museum information needs.
B. Federal agency information needs.
C. Comparison of needs with resources.
4. Mapping a system.
A. Design concepts.
B. Professions' view of a National Museum Resource Center.
C. Role of a National Museum Resource Center.
5. Recommendations.
Appendixes.
