Museum of Springfield

Paul Georgakis is the new media coordinator at the Museum of Springfield.

He is working on the biggest assignment of his career: developing the

website for the museums forthcoming new show Images of Springfield.

Midwestern Industries is underwriting the exhibit, and museum curator Mary

Weston has told Paul the board of trustees is counting on the exhibits success

to open the door to more corporate support. If that happens well have

a shot at becoming a top-quality regional museum, Mary tells Paul. I dont

have to tell you how important that is to the board of trustees. Mary might as

well have said, I dont have to tell you how important this is to your career.

Along with Paul, the project team for the website includes four other members. Elaine Dorsch is

the sites designer. Bringing San Francisco-based Elaine onboard was a coup for Paul. She has created

sites for several world-class organizations, and she took the museum job for a deeply discounted fee

because she grew up in Springfield and wants to give something back to the community. Roger Chilton,

a history professor at the local branch of the state university, is the content expert on the exhibit and the

accompanying website. His specialty is the influence of business and government institutions on underprivileged

groups in nineteenth-century U.S. society. Julia Winger is the corporate liaison with Midwestern

Industries. She has made it clear her company is glad to support the museum and it expects to be recognized

for doing so. Doing good can help Midwestern Industries do well, she told Paul. Mary Weston,

Pauls boss, represents the museums administration and board of trustees.

The website project got off to a good start. But lately, several problems have developed. On a practical

level, it has proved almost impossible to get all members to attend the last few meetings. Because

Elaine is based in San Francisco and Julias office is in Minneapolis, it has been difficult for both of them

to squeeze in visits to Springfield.

Even more alarming has been the growing tension as it has become clear Rogers exhibit includes

some disturbing images and stories. Julia recently sent the team an e-mail saying, Midwestern Industries

isnt contributing several hundred thousand dollars to upset the community. Roger replied, It isnt a

historians job to make people happy. Paul is growing worried that either Roger or Julia may pull out of

the project, and either scenario would be a disaster.

Finally, it has become clear Elaine views any suggestion for revising her design as an assault on her

artistic talent. I dont tell you how to run your museum or Midwestern Industries, she says. Youre the

experts in your own fields, and I am in mine. I know what Im doing, and you just have to trust me. Pauls

boss Mary has made it clear she is counting on him to keep the team together and the project on track.

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