Building Community among Museum Information Professionals: A Case Study of the Museum Computer Network

Museum information professionals meet the needs of the producers and consumers of museum information resources, yet little is known of how their own needs are met or what benefits they obtain from being part of a broader professional community. This study presents results from a survey of 283 individuals who were asked about their relationship with the Museum Computer Network, an international professional organization dedicated to supporting the needs of museum information professionals. The results shed light on how professional organizations can meet the needs of individuals who share a common interest in museums and information technology, particularly when those individuals are professionally diverse and geographically distributed. The results can help researchers and practitioners better understand how to build community among museum information professionals, and have implications for all organizations supporting the needs of museum professionals.