welcome to collections management workshop. workshop topics collection policy acquisition process...
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to Collections Management Workshop
Workshop topics Collection policy Acquisition process Accession numbers Cataloguing Object handling Storage and care of collections
Collection policy
Collection management policy defines the scope and limits of museum’s collection and establishes standards and guidelines for its acquisition, deaccession, documentation, preservation, loans, security and management.
Museums, archives, libraries Based on the institutional mission statement Relationships with key stakeholders
Acquisition policy Formal statement outlining the scope of material that a
museum will acquire for its permanent collection
Establishes the criteria for acquisitions – In addition to the scope of collecting additional criteria:legal title, significance, provenance, condition, duplication, storage requirements, use in exhibitions and education, legal and ethical considerations
Procedure for acquisition of collection items
Decision making authority
Deaccession policy Deaccessioning – the formal procedure involved
when a decision has been made to remove an item from the museum collection
Criteria for deaccessioning
Procedure for deaccessioning and disposal
Decision making authority
Would you accept or reject for your collection ? The wedding suit of your town’s first mayor ?
The wedding suit of your current mayor ?
The wedding suit of an ordinary person of your country of
– A hundred years ago ?– Twenty five years ago ?– Last week ?
Would you accept for your collection ? A left shoe of the present day ?
A pair of shoes with both heels missing ?
A valuable antique chair used in an other part of the country and brought to your town by newcomers last year ?
Would you accept for your collection ? A painting by a great artist who has no
connection with your locality ?
A painting of poor quality of a local scene ?
A magnificent, mounted deer head ?
Would you accept for your collection ? An old piano used for many years by local
piano teacher ?
A miscellaneous collection made over the years by a prominent citizen of your community from his travels around the world ?
Would you accept for your collection ? Old bottles ?
A family Bible ?
The donor’s great-great grandmother’s wedding dress ?
A refrigerator ?
Benefits of having collection policy Sets the focus and criteria for collecting
Directed collecting vs. passive accumulation Collections that the museum has resources to care for Collections that museum has use for
Procedure for acquisitions – Avoid ownership disputes in the future
Criteria and procedures for deaccessioning
Justify decisions to public, your staff, the community
Well defined procedures bring consistency to collection management tasks
– Cataloguing, preservation, loans, access, security
How to develop collections policy? Starting point is your mission statement Knowledge of your collections Consult other museums in your area Obtain copies of collection policies
Te Papa National Services Resource Guide
“Acquisition and Deaccession Policies”
Acquisition methods
GiftPurchaseBequestExchange/ transferField collection
Acquisition decisions are the most important decisions !
Guiding principles
Collection policy– Scope of collecting– Criteria to consider
Legal and ethical considerations Obtaining legal title Provenance Significance Condition of object Storage requirements Duplication Usefulness for exhibitions, education, research Price
Acquisition Process Proposal / Significance assessment
– Help work out reasons why an object should be collected– Good resource for significance assessment at – Collections Australia Website
www.collectionsaustralia.net
Approval – who has authority to approve ? Obtaining legal title
Keep all documentation of the acquisition process including correspondence, invoices, receipts, deposit records, gift agreements, copies of bequest, permissions
Compliance to legislation and international conventions Protected Objects Act (Previously Antiquities Act) 1975
– Administered by The Ministry of Culture and Heritage– Regulates
The export of protected New Zealand objects The illegal export and import of protected New Zealand and
foreign objects The sale, trade and ownership of taonga tuturu
– Also incorporates UNESCO Convention and UNDROIT Convention
Historic Places Act CITES convention Wildlife Act Firearms license
Obtaining legal title Museum gets the actual title and possession of the
object
Person transferring the object to the museum by selling, gifting or by exchange must have free and unrestricted title to the object and right to transfer the object to the museum
The museum should ensure that there are not other family members who have a vested interest
Make sure all parties understand the finality of transfer of title !
Purchases Receipt from the sale is proof of ownership Makes sure the vendor has the right to sell Ensure all documentation is kept together and is
numbered with the objects accession number
Gift offer - Do you want it? Check against the criteria on your
collection/acquisition policy Give as much consideration as for a purchase In accepting a gifts the museum is under
obligation to care and preserve the objects and keep the associated stories intact
If you don’t want it – how to decline a gift ? Be open about the decision and explain the decision
based on your collection/acquisition policy Acceptance of gifts is on approval by the
board/director/acquisitions committee – joint responsibility
Suggest other institutions for the gift How do you return it? The importance of the incoming receipt / deposit record
– Shows proof of ownership and if the donor doesn’t want the object back what to do with it
Procedure for accepting gifts Obtain a signed Deed of Gift Use a standard form
Must include a statement of the right to transfer the item Description of the object Any terms and conditions Credit line used in acknowledging the gift Signature of the donor and date Signature of the museum representative and date
Sample forms
Importance of signatures
Procedure for accepting gifts continued...
Two copies – donor & museum All documentation of the gift kept together and
numbered with the objects accession number Receipt Acknowledgement of the gift - letter You might also list gifts in your newsletter and
display them - publicity
Bequests No obligation to accept a bequest Obtain a copy of the will Be wary of conditions Negotiate with the executor if conditions are too
onerous Receipt Ensure all documentation is kept together and
numbered with the objects accession number
Collection in the Field and Exchanges Need the relevant permits or letters of
permission before collecting takes place
Need to be able to establish you have full ownership title of the object you are going to exchange before the exchange takes place
Museum should acquire these rights The right to display the object as suits its exhibition
programme
The right to break up collections and dispose of objects as it sees fit and according to its policies
Right to reproduce for internal documentation, research, non-commercial purposes – standard copyright clearance form
– Copyright might not belong to the donor
Important to document all rights acquired
Easiest to acquire at acquisition As much information of the collected object as possible
– Who made it - where and when and how ?– Who owned/used it - where, when & how ?– What was the significance of the object ?
These connect the object to an individual, family, community, wider region
Acquisition form, interviews, newspaper clippings, letters, photographs relating to the object
Discussion, share your experiences
Accessioning – the formal process of registering an object as part of the museum’s permanent collection
The object and legal title have been transferred to the museum
Unique accession number is assigned to the object
Accession number links the object to all the information held about it
Acquisition register Primary document, listing key information about each object in museum’s collection
Acquisition register Is proof of museums ownership of its collections
together with acquisition documents
A sturdy well bound book / computer file / function of your collection management software
Write in permanent ink/pen
Take good care of the register / file / database
Each entry should have this information Source name and contact details Receipt number and date Object name, maker and brief description Acquisition method Acquisition reason and authority Acquisition date Price paid Accession number
Purpose of the accession number Unique accession number for each object
Marked on the object and written on all relating documents
– receipts – deed of gift, copy of bequest, copyright clearance form – correspondence– photographs, condition reports, loan agreements etc.
Accession number identifies the object
Accession number is a link between the object and all the information about the object. Never break this link !
Numbering systems Single number systems
– Number only 1 .... 100340– Prefix GH1 ....GH 5200
Two part system– 2004.1 ... 2004.2
Three part system– 2004.20.1
Parts of an object
For parts of an object a suffix can be used
Rose medallion teapot in a basket with two extra cups 2003.8.1.1- 6
Teapot 2003.8.1.1
Lid 2003.8.1.2
Cups 2003.8.1.3
2003.8.1.4
2003.8.1.5
Basket 2003.8.1.6
http://www.chinesecol.com/
If you have an existing numbering system and it works stick with it
Renumbering a collection is not generally recommended – danger of breaking the link between object and
documentation– time and resource consuming
Think VERY carefully of pros and cons if you decide to change the system !
Marking objects with accession numbers Marking should not damage the object Reversible – can be removed Clearly visible and legible Unobtrusive when on display Should not obscure makers marks, signature
etc. No not apply on damaged or fragile areas Be consistent and mark similar objects in the
same place
Where and how would you mark or label ?Ceramic teapot ? A glass bottle ? A metal iron ?
Photographic print ? Postcard ?
Embroidery sampler ? Dress ?
Pair of shoes ? Pair of gloves ?
Piupiu ? Kete ? Kakahu ?
Framed oil painting ? Unstretched canvas ?
A telephone ?
Mounted bird ?
Machinery kept in a shed ?
Materials and techniques B 72 and permanent ink - metal, stone, ceramic, glass
Japanese tissue attached with methyl cellulose or wheat starch - leather, fibre, tapa cloth
2B pencil - paper, photographic prints, books
Cotton/linen tape and textile pen – costumes, textiles, basketry
Swing tags - some textiles, plastic, rubber
If in doubt use a swing tag or label the support or the enclosure !!!!
Applying numbers Do not use B72 for
– plastic– rubber – vax– laquer surface
Instead use swing tags or mark the support or container
Do not use pressure sensitive tape, correction liquid, pen on paper objects !
Numbering kit with all required materials
Mark accession numbers on documentation Mark accession number on any documentation
relating to the object in pencil
File in an accessions file organised by year and number sequence or object file depending on what is practical for your museum
Questions & share experiences
Numbering exercise B 72 and ink
Try numbering pebbles, sea shells and small ceramic objects
Cotton tape and marking pen Try making a cotton tape label