Museum Shops Committee

What is the Purpose

The Museum Shops Committee is responsible for recruiting, training, and scheduling volunteers to work with the paid staff in the three Museum Shops at the Central, North, and West locations.  All volunteers must be members of both the Museum and the Guild.

Who is Involved

The Shop Chair is appointed by the Guild President with the assistance of the Museum Services Coordinator.  The Shop Chair forms a Shop Board of 12 members, including the Shop Chair, two shop staff members, the Museum Services Coordinator, a representative from North and West shops, and six Guild members selected by the Shop Chair for a two-year term.  Board members should have a minimum of one year of experience working in the shop prior to serving on the Board.  In addition, some 90 volunteers are recruited, trained, and scheduled to work in the Shops.

What are the Tasks

Prepare and submit a budget to the Guild Treasurer.

Work with the Heard Central Shop Manager to develop, update, and implement the policies and procedures governing volunteer activities in the shops.

Appoint committee members and their replacements when terms of office are complete.

Conduct monthly meetings of the Shop Board from September through May.  Invite the  Museum’s Director of Retail Sales and Manager of Retail Sales to attend all meetings in an advisory capacity.

Make room reservations and arrangements with the Museum’s Customer Relations Manager.

Submit a monthly article to Artifacts to inform the membership of the Shops’ activities and events and to remind them of the need for Shop volunteers.

Attend and report at the Museum Trustees’ bi-monthly Shop Committee meetings.

Recruit new volunteers through announcements at Guild meetings, articles in Artifacts and other Museum publications, direct verbal contact, etc.

Arrange for new volunteers to be trained before they are scheduled to work independently in the Shops.  Because they are selling exquisite American Indian art, shop workers need a knowledge of the shop procedures and merchandise, as well as the ability to handle items in an appropriate manner.

• Each volunteer must complete four training sessions.  The first two sessions are held at Heard Central Shop.  The other two may be held at any of the shops.
• After training, a shop volunteer will usually begin as a substitute and/or volunteer at special shop events.
• New volunteers may start at any time during the year, including summer months.
• For training as a Shop volunteer, contact

Edna Weinberg
(480-948-5365)
 hiwein@quest.net

Assign Committee members to be Staffer of the Month.  Each Shop Board member handles scheduling at Heard Central for 2 months.

• the Heard Central Shop has three shifts daily:
   
       Monday - Saturday - Morning 10:00-1:00; Swing 11:00-3:00; Afternoon 1-5. 
       Sunday - Morning 11-1; Swing 11-3; Afternoon 1-5.
• shifts may vary at the Heard North and Heard West locations.
• volunteers usually handle one complete shift per week.  Subs handle one or more each week, as their time allows.
• shop volunteers who work 40 full shifts between September 1 and April 30 will receive a one-time 20% discount on one shop item.

Obtain shop volunteers for special events which necessitate the opening of the shops.

Arrange continuing education events, including four annual workshops.

• the Educational Workshops are held in the Monte Vista Room with coffee at 9:30 a.m. and a program at 10:00 a.m.
• the dates for this year’s remaining workshops are:

            January 28, 2008   February 25, 2008   April 21, 2008

• the Workshops are open to all Museum members.  There is no charge.

Select, with input from other Shop Board members, the Outstanding Shop Volunteer of the Year.

Submit, in April, a list of the new volunteers trained in the Shop in the past year to be printed in the Spring Luncheon program.

Acknowledge, by thank you note or other means, appreciation for the work done by the volunteers.

What is the Suggested Time Line

August

Submit budget to Guild Treasurer.
Make room reservations for Committee meetings and Shop Workshops.

September through August

Recruit, train, and schedule volunteers for the Heard Shops.
Attend bi-monthly Trustees Shop Committee meetings.

September through May

Conduct workshops.
Conduct monthly Committee meetings.
Submit articles to Artifacts.

April

Submit list of year’s new volunteers to the Spring Luncheon Chair.
Select the Outstanding Shop Volunteer of the Year.