[Themaintainers] Big question - but looking for practical solution

Tue Apr 27 13:36:37 EDT 2021

Erin,

Thank you :)
Astronomical equipment are such hallowed objects!
I remember going through a phase where I would buy old 35mm rangefinders
made in eastern europe and the soviet union (Voightlanders, Praktika)
because they had such a presence to them! (they are built like TANKS! and
they have a smell to them that is absolutely divine :)
Perhaps there is a larger opportunity here to consider an astronomy themed
cafe using the derelict but hallowed objects.
Maybe it needn't be public facing but for the astronomers to be caffeinated
under the gaze of the instruments of their forebearers.

The Camera Museum in UK has a Cafe (https://www.cameramuseum.uk/coffee-shop)

Varun

On Fri, Apr 23, 2021 at 1:21 PM Erin Richardson <erin at frankandglory.com>
wrote:

> Thank you to everyone for these fantastic suggestions!
>
> This organization (it's a public observatory structured as a membership
> organization) does a lot of public programs and they're really
> overwhelmed with their tech boneyard. Maintenance is really the absolute
> last priority for these very enthusiastic people Their basement is full of
> telescopes, mounts, lenses, CPUs, tools, spare parts, a retired and
> dismantled photography darkroom, and other parts and its
> completely disorganized to the point where if they encountered a functional
> problem with one of their telescopes-in-use, they couldn't even find a
> replacement in their basement.
>
> Members bring in personal equipment that just never goes home, or they
> leave it there thinking that the organization will eventually use it for
> something. They are NOT a museum - NYS has one of the only "regulatory
> environments" for museums in the country and they really should not get
> into the business of preserving this equipment - it should be transferred
> to a more appropriate repository for use or preservation. Basically, I
> don't think they understand that they're giving up a huge amount of usable
> square footage to storage of equipment that will never have a purpose other
> than occupying the space vacuum. I'm recommending that they:
> 1) Create and implement an equipment management and maintenance plan
> (including an asset, out of service, and "scrap" tagging system)
> 2) Create and implement a "member personal property" agreement that allows
> members to store items at the property only if the organization agrees -the
> agreement must be renewed annually to ensure that the member is in good
> standing and still wishes to store their stuff.
>
> I love Varun's idea of Maintenance Days on a regular schedule - I can see
> the organization really getting behind that.
>
> And, I looked up the quote referenced by Joe its “You cannot overestimate
> the unimportance of practically everything.” ― John Maxwell.
>
> Thanks everyone for your great ideas!
>
> Erin
>
>  Erin Richardson, PhD
> * Founder and Principal*
>   C — 518.577.0186 | FrankAndGlory.com <http://frankandglory.com/>
> (formerly Erin Richardson Consulting)
>   —————
>   Follow us on Linked In <https://www.linkedin.com/company/frank-glory/>
>   Download my Contact Card
>
> <https://www.dropbox.com/s/dbj1inhmg27822n/ErinRichardson-FrankandGlory-vcard.vcf?dl=0>
>
> ᐧ
>
> On Mon, Apr 19, 2021 at 8:27 PM Varun Adibhatla (ARGO) <varun at argolabs.org>
> wrote:
>
>> Erin,
>>
>> My suggestion is to replace the "ad-hoc" culture of maintenance with a
>> regular cadence of upkeep but also MAKING IT FUN!!!
>> Maybe every Friday is Maintenance Day! where the scientists can take a
>> break from their routines and socialize around maintaining the machines
>> that serve them.
>> Maybe they could extend the theme so that every Friday, they invite a
>> Maintainer to teach them how to repair and maintain all sorts of stuff?
>> (machines, body, mind)
>> In the absence of local maintenance talent, maybe they can binge on some
>> youtube videos that show how to repair and maintain all sorts of
>> stuff? (machines, body, mind)
>>
>> I'd be happy to make a maintenance oriented youtube playlist for your
>> mysterious science people working with what appears to be interesting
>> equipment :)
>>
>> Hope this helps,
>> Varun
>>
>> On Sat, Apr 17, 2021 at 2:43 PM Erin Richardson <erin at frankandglory.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hello, maintainers!
>>>
>>> I normally work in the museum space where I work with maintenance and
>>> preservation of cultural objects and associated metadata and systems.
>>>
>>> This time I have a project that involves equipment in use (or supposed
>>> to be in use) and I'm looking for a maintenance plan framework for a very
>>> small nonprofit organization without any kind of maintenance plan for
>>> their equipment. They do "ad-hoc" maintenance and are very loathe to
>>> officially retire anything because someone might be able to fix it some
>>> day.
>>>
>>> However, their boneyard is impinging on their ability to fulfill their
>>> public mission - a whole lot of square footage is consumed with broken
>>> equipment, much of which has been in purgatory so long that it wouldn't be
>>> redeployed even if repaired because it has been superceded by something
>>> better.
>>>
>>> So, I'd like to direct them to some philosophy about maintenance that
>>> focuses on planning and resource allocation for preventative maintenance
>>> and repair, but also something that will help them know when it is ok to
>>> enter equipment into hospice and let it die. These are science people, but
>>> I'd prefer something not-too-technical. They're a fun and very smart bunch
>>> with a basement full of what can only be described as recyclables at this
>>> point.  Help please?
>>>
>>> Thank you!
>>> Erin
>>>
>>>
>>>  Erin Richardson, PhD
>>> * Founder and Principal*
>>>   C — 518.577.0186 | FrankAndGlory.com <http://frankandglory.com/>
>>> (formerly Erin Richardson Consulting)
>>>   —————
>>>   Follow us on Linked In <https://www.linkedin.com/company/frank-glory/>
>>>   Download my Contact Card
>>>
>>> <https://www.dropbox.com/s/dbj1inhmg27822n/ErinRichardson-FrankandGlory-vcard.vcf?dl=0>
>>> ᐧ
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Themaintainers mailing list
>>> Themaintainers at lists.stevens.edu
>>> https://lists.stevens.edu/mailman/listinfo/themaintainers
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Thank You,
>> Varun Adibhatla
>> Applied Research in Government Operations - argolabs.org
>> 347-815-3383
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Themaintainers mailing list
> Themaintainers at lists.stevens.edu
> https://lists.stevens.edu/mailman/listinfo/themaintainers
>

-- 
Thank You,
Varun Adibhatla
ARGO
347-815-3383
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://lists.stevens.edu/pipermail/themaintainers/attachments/20210427/f7812509/attachment-0001.html>