Articles

The Volunteer Project Challenge: A Museum Elderhostel Service Program Case Study

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Abstract

In March 1996, the Museum of Science and Industry (MSI) in Chicago hosted the first Museum Elderhostel^TM Service Program in the United States. Elderhostel is an independent, nonprofit organization that offers adults aged 55 and over the opportunity to attend lecture series and to participate in service projects throughout the world. For one week, 50 Elderhostel volunteers researched, cataloged, cleaned, and rehoused three-dimensional and archival artifacts in MSI's collections. Since March 1996, MSI has hosted six additional Elderhostel service projects, the most recent of which occurred in September 1999. This article describes and evaluates the Elderhostel Service Program at MSI, using the February 1997 project as its example. The archival component of the project is the focus of the case study and practical tips are included for those planning a similar project. The study provides perspective on how archival volunteer programs in general can be managed effectively

How to Cite:

Graedel, L., (1998) “The Volunteer Project Challenge: A Museum Elderhostel Service Program Case Study”, Archival Issues 23(2), 117–134. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/archivalissues.10869