The New-York Historical Society

The New-York Historical Society
Lessons from One Nonprofit's Long Struggle for Survival

Kevin M. Guthrie

The New-York Historical Society is home to one of the nation's most distinguished research libraries and a world-class museum that includes an impressive collection of Tiffany glasswork, a prized group of Hudson River School paintings, and more than four hundred of the original watercolors used for John J. Audubon's classic work The Birds of America. Yet this prestigious institution-with assets some estimate to be worth between one and two billion dollars-has in recent years faced a seemingly endless string of financial crises and administrative controversies. What happened?

"The Society's trustees for years sat around waiting for the bluebird of happiness to fly in the window and solve its financial woes. The birdie never arrived." Barron's

The New-York Historical Society takes a probing look behind the headlines to reveal the truth concerning the difficulties that have plagued the Society. This fascinating account is not an exposé but an effort to understand why scores of well-intentioned and competent people have been unable to correct problems that have roots in decisions made by the Society over the course of its two-hundred-year existence. Kevin Guthrie's examination of the New-York Historical Society and its efforts to overcome a tradition of mismanagement and elitism serves as an example not only for those concerned about the survival of the Society, but also for those concerned about the continued well-being of museums, libraries, and other nonprofit organizations.

Executives, managers, board members, trustees, and scholars and students of non-profit organizations will benefit from Guthrie's insightful analysis, which includes a wealth of illustrative examples and pertinent information on issues such as

 

• The deleterious effects of intense media coverage, especially on an organization struggling to overcome complex problems
• The key distinction between financial and cultural assets-and its implications
• The proper use and management of endowment resources
• The ethical considerations raised by deaccession-the selling of works from a museum collection
• The importance of having a clear and concise mission statement-a vital factor in any organization's success

The compelling analysis of these and other complex issues will serve as a touchstone for all nonprofit organizations that wish to heed the hard lessons learned from The New-York Historical Society's many struggles.

"Kevin Guthrie's book makes for compelling reading. With exceptional lucidity, he tells the complicated history of an important cultural institution, and draws conclusions that will be important for all of us responsible for managing the affairs of our nation's private libraries and museums." Paul LeClerc, President, The New York Public Library

1996. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Inc., Publishers. ISBN: 0787901873