SAMPLE DOCUMENT Type of Document: Collections Management Policies Museum Name: Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Date: 2014 Type: Art Museum/Center/Sculpture Garden Budget Size: $1 million to $4.9 million Budget Year: 2014 Governance Type: Private, Nonprofit Organization Accredited: Yes Core Verified: Yes Notes on strengths or special features: The document contains the following required elements: Acquisitions/Accessioning Access and/or use of collections Care Deaccessioning/Disposal Inventories and/or documentation The document contains the following additional sections: Abandoned Property/Unclaimed Loans Appraisals Authority Categories of Collections Code of Ethics Cultural Property Insurance & Risk Management Glossary Housekeeping Scope of Collections Laws Mission Statement Objects Found in Collection Objects Left in Custody Loans incoming outgoing Use of proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned collections Other: Photography Rights & Reproduction Review USE STATEMENT & COPYRIGHT NOTICE The AAM Information Center has provided this sample document. It serves as an example of how one museum addresses a particular issue. Museums should compose original materials based on their unique circumstances. Any document produced by the recipient should not substantially use the contents of this sample as the basis. Materials in the AAM Information Center are provided "as is," without any guarantee or warranty of any kind, expressed or implied. NOTICE CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS Under certain conditions specified in the copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code), libraries and archives may furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. The photocopy or reproduction may not be used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship or research. If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of fair use, that user may be liable for copyright infringement.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy Cedarhurst Center for the Arts Mount Vernon, Illinois October 10, 2014
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 2 Table of Contents I. Introduction II. Statement of Purpose A. As Defined by By-Laws B. Area of Focus and Priorities for Acquisitions III. Ethics IV. Acquisitions Policy A. Criteria for Acquiring Objects for the Collection B. Composition of Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee C. Procedure for Purchases D. Procedure for Accepting Gifts E. Procedure for Accessioning V. Deaccessioning Policy A. Criteria for Deaccessioning B. Procedure for Deaccessioning C. Repatriation VI. VII. Loan Policy A. Outgoing Loans B. Incoming loans Care and Control of Collection A. Security B. Conservation, Preservation and Maintenance C. Documentation, Cataloguing, and Inventorying VIII. Access to Collections and Documents A. Access to Collections B. Access to Documents C. Photography of Permanent Collection IX. Valuation and Insurance A. Valuation B. Insurance
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 3 I. Introduction This extraordinary permanent collection of American paintings, works on paper, and sculpture has made Mt. Vernon, Illinois one of the most remarkable small towns in the United States. The collection was formed in the 1940s and 1950s by John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell, a prosperous Mt. Vernon couple who acquired prime examples by Thomas Eakins, Mary Cassatt, George Bellows, Childe Hassam, John Singer Sargent, Robert Henri, William Glackens, Maurice Prendergast, Arthur B. Davies, George Luks, and Julian Alden Weir. State Senator John J. Parish acquired such additional artists as George Inness and Andrew Wyeth. These artists are now recognized as some of the most crucial figures in the development of American painting. Museums who have borrowed paintings from this collection at Cedarhurst include the Philadelphia Museum (Eakins), the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC and the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City (Bellows), and The Fort Lauderdale Museum of Art (Glackens). The Mitchell Museum owns final portfolios editions by Paul Strand known as Portfolio Three and Portfolio Four. These 20 photographs, silver gelatin prints, overseen by Strand himself, represent a survey of his entire career, highlighted such seminal modernist works as The White Fence and Blind Woman. The Paul Strand Collection came to Cedarhurst in 1987 through the efforts of then Director Charles Butler. Butler was well-versed in the history of photography and was good friends with Michael Hoffman, who was a curator of photography at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and director of the Aperture Foundation. Hoffman knew Paul Strand personally and became the executor of the Strand estate. Butler persuaded Hoffman and Aperture to donate two of the editions of this now historic collection to our museum. The Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park opened in 1993. Today, in 2014, we are one of the premier destinations for outdoor sculpture in the Midwest, currently featuring 74 sculptures. Throughout the park s 90 acres, we feature artists of international stature and many regional artists. Among the most prominent artists are Fletcher Benton, Alexander Lieberman, Chakaia Booker, Dennis Oppenheim, Bob Emser, Deborah Masuoka, Harry Gordon, Patrick McDonald, and Josh Garber. There are approximately 560 objects in our permanent collection. II. Statement of Purpose A. As Defined by By-Laws 1. To present exhibitions and collect art highlighting the development of fine art trends in a variety of media, styles, and periods 2. To acquire through gifts, donations and when available, funds. 3. To encourage, promote, and sponsor programs aimed to increase public interest, awareness, and understanding of the fine arts. 4. To establish, conduct, and maintain artistic, technical, and educational programs in the fine arts to further awareness and understanding.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 4 5. To equip and operate an art museum and art center necessary to provide an environment for these exhibitions and activities. 6. To promote in social and educational activities that emphasize and promote the collections and exhibitions and their educational programming. B. Areas of Focus and Priorities for Acquisitions 1. The focus of the collections assembled by John R. and Eleanor R. Mitchell and John Parish is late 19 th and early 20 th century American painting. The emphasis is on American art with a focus on realism and Impressionism. The favored subject matter is portraiture; landscapes were collected when outstanding or rare. The acquisition of paintings fitting to this collection is encouraged whether through gift, bequest, or purchase. The quality of such paintings, however, must be of the highest standard in keeping with the current collection. 2. To complement the above collection, the acquisition of late 19 th and early 20 th century American prints and drawings by artists represented in the above collection [as well as by artists connected to this group], shall be encouraged whether through purchase, gift, and/or bequest. The development of such a collection shall allow the museum to actively enhance the collection left by the Mitchells and to strengthen the educational potential of the collection. 3. The acquisition of contemporary art and contemporary craft art produced in the Midwest is encouraged whether through gift, bequest, or purchase. This art is to be of the highest museum quality by established professional artists originally from the Midwest, who were educated and developed skills in the Midwest, or currently working in the Midwest. This collection is not to include art produced by amateur artists. The development of such a collection is three-fold: to support and promote artists from the Midwest and the art produced in the Midwest; to build a collection unique to the Mitchell Museum and the region; and to allow for a high level of activity in and excitement for art acquisitions. 4. The governance of the Goldman-Kuenz Sculpture Park as a dynamic open-air gallery is encouraged whether through long-term loan, commission, gift, bequest, or purchase. Sculpture by Midwest, national and international artists is to be balanced by sculpture produced by upand-coming artists. Materials and styles must also balance to impart a clear understanding of the immense possibilities in sculpture. Thus, sculpture considered for the park may include works created from metal, stone, wood, fiberglass, etc. in styles ranging from abstract to figurative. III. Ethics Cedarhurst follows the Code of Ethics adopted by the American Alliance of Museums. Staff will not use the museum or its collection for personal profit or advancement of personal pursuits outside of the museum. Personal Collecting- Staff will not compete with the museum s collecting pursuits and will conduct their personal collecting activity in an ethical manner. IV. Acquisitions Policy A. Criteria for Acquiring Collection Objects
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 5 The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for creating a five-year acquisitions plan encompassing the four areas of collections focus. The plan is to be reviewed and revised on an annual basis by the Collections Management/Acquisitions committee. Collection objects are acquired by purchase, gift (including bequest), commission, and longterm loan, and funds when available. In determining whether any objects are to be recommended for acquisitions, the five-year acquisitions plan is to be consulted with consideration given to the following criteria: 1. The relevance of the object to the museum s area of focus and stated priorities for acquisition. 2. The object s significance to the collection in strengthening existing holdings or in developing those areas which lack representation. 3. The object s aesthetic merit and/or art historical significance. 4. The object s physical condition to better assess the effects of time and use and the resources required for future storage, preservation, and conservation. 5. The object s potential for exhibition and/or study. 6. The retention, by vendor, donor, or any other party, of copyright or any similar intellectual property which would impair the museum s use of the object for its fundamental purposes. 7. The object s provenance, to better assess authenticity and legal owner. And in the case of purchase, additional consideration is given to the following: 1. The fairness of the purchase price of the object in relationship to the prices of comparable work of art. 2. The possibility that a comparable object might be obtained by gift or long-term loan. 3. The terms of any restrictions that might apply to the purchase fund intended to be used. B. Composition and Duties of the Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee 1. The Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee is comprised of the following members: the Director of Visual Arts; one member of the Board of Trustees; and The Executive Director. 2. The Director of Visual Arts in concert with the Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee is responsible for determining the priorities for acquisitions of objects by the museum in accordance with the stated focuses of the collections and with the museum s Statement of Purpose as defined by the by-laws. 3. Should the Cedarhurst Collectors Club exist, their recommendations and funds may be used. C. Procedure for Purchase The Director of Visual Arts shall be responsible for screening all proposed acquisitions for quality, authenticity, market value, and suitability for the collection.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 6 The Director of Visual Arts shall make recommendations regarding purchases to the Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee. Initial approval for purchases requires a majority vote by the Collections Management /Acquisitions Committee. If approved, the Director of Visual Arts and Executive Director will present to the full Board of Trustees for final approval. D. Procedure for Accepting Gifts Gifts may only be accepted that coincide with the three areas of collections focus: late 19 th and early 20 th century American art, contemporary art, or outdoor sculptures. When gifts are offered, the Director of Visual Arts shall prepare materials to be presented, along with the gift, to the Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee. The materials prepared will include artist, exact description of the work, insurance valuation, provenance, background material on the artist, and information on the donor. Gift offers shall be presented to the Collections Management/Acquisitions Committee for initial approval. If approved, the Director of Visual Arts and Executive Director will present to the full Board of Trustees for final approval. Following approval, a gift agreement will be prepared in duplicate by the Director of Visual Arts and sent to the donor for his/her signature. To be counter-signed by the Executive Director. E. Procedure for Accessioning The Director of Visual Arts is to be notified by the Secretary of the Board of Trustees of all actions taken by the Board with respect to acquisitions. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for relevant documents such as deeds of gift, loan agreements, purchase invoices, and/or any instruments evidencing such transactions. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for maintaining a record (accession/provenance file) of every work acquired as a collection object and assuring that each such object is appropriately identified and catalogued. In doing so, the Director of Visual Arts must implement the following procedures to assure the proper documentation: 1. Every work acquired as a collection object is given an accession number and entered into the accessions database. 2. An accession file is established by the Director of Visual Arts for each collection object. The accession file shall contain: an accession sheet outlining physical information about the object; the gift agreement, proof of purchase papers, or loan forms; documents evidencing the delivery of the object to the museum; and any relevant documents such as artist resume, photographs, exhibition history of the object, newspaper articles about the artist or the object, etc. 3. Accession files will exist in computer database, the original in accession file folders, and a backup copy off-site. V. Deaccessioning Policy
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 7 A. Criteria for Deaccessioning It is the policy of Cedarhurst to carefully select objects for the collections so that deaccessioning of objects will seldom be necessary. The museum recognizes the importance of periodic evaluation of the collections and that thoughtful use of deaccessioning may strengthen the quality of the museum s collections over time. In determining whether an object is to be deaccessioned, consideration is given to the following: 1. The museum s ability to continue properly to preserve or care for such an object. 2. The extent to which such an object may, in the context of the collection, be surplus, redundant, or a duplicate of inferior quality. 3. The extent to which the disposition of such an object may, whether by exchange or through the use of proceeds derived from its sale, permit the museum to upgrade and refine the collection and/or, 4. Whether such an object has been found to have been falsely documented, described, or attributed and/or forgery. B. Procedure for Deaccessioning The Board of Trustees has the sole authority to deaccession collection objects and to direct the disposition of any object so deaccessioned. Proposals to the Board of Trustees with respect to the deaccessioning of collection objects are initiated by the Director of Visual Arts in conjunction with the Acquisitions Committee and transmitted to the Board. No collection object that has been acquired for the collection with a restriction as to its retention may be deaccessioned while such a restriction remains in force. If a collection object was originally received as a gift from a still living donor, the museum will, as a matter of courtesy, notify such donor of any determination made by the Board of Trustees to deaccession the object. The manner in which a collection object which has been deaccessioned is to be disposed of shall be determined by the Board of Trustees. Except in the case of an object which has been found to be falsely documented, described, attributed and/or to be a forgery, no single method is considered preferable for every instance. Among the methods that may be considered are: 1. Exchange, with the artist, with another institution, with a dealer or collector; 2. Public auction; 3. Private sale. In determining the terms of any exchange or sale, the Board of Trustees will consider the fair market value of the object involved as ascertained, in the appropriate instances, from sources outside of the museum.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 8 In the case of an object which has been found to have been falsely documented, described, attributed and/or to be a forgery and which is subsequently deaccessioned, additional consideration must be given to the protection of the public s interest as well as that of the museum. Depending upon the manner in which the object was originally acquired and all pertinent circumstances, consideration must be given to: 1. Rescinding any purchase by which the object was acquired. 2. Depositing the object on a long-term basis in an educational collection. 3. Except in the case of forgery, and only if any error in the object s documentation, description, or attribution will not thereby be perpetuated, public auction or private sale. The details of the manner in which any deaccessioned collection object has been disposed of shall be a matter of public record. The proceeds received from the disposition of deaccessioned collection objects by public auction or private sale shall be used solely for the acquisition of additional works of art to be accessioned into the collection. Such proceeds, until expensed, are to be maintained as a fund separate and apart from other funds of the Mitchell Museum at Cedarhurst. Whenever collection objects that were originally received as gifts are deaccessioned and disposed of by public auction or private sale, to the extent practical, the works of art acquired with the funds received from such transactions shall be credited in the museum s record as gifts of the original donors. A similar procedure will be followed in the case of exchanges. Under no circumstance shall the ownership of any collection object that has been deaccessioned be transferred by the museum to any employee, officer, or Trustee of the Foundation except in the case of a sale or exchange on terms and conditions approved in advance by the Board of Trustees as being of substantial benefit to the museum and not, in fact, compromising the integrity of those involved. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for maintaining records with respect to all deaccessioned collection objects. The Director of Visual Arts is to be notified promptly by the Secretary to the Board of Trustees with respect to the deaccessioning of such objects. Each such object is deaccessioned as of the date of the Board s decision. The accession number and all information concerning such object are updated from the accession database and the accession number is not reassigned to any future acquisition. All original accession papers and documentation as to the object, including a photograph and outside appraisals will, however, be retained and placed in the deaccession file. C. Repatriation Should the museum acquire an object which can be conclusively demonstrated to have been illegally exported from its country of origin or from the country where it was last legally owned, the museum will, if legally free to do so and given adequate compensation, take reasonable steps in the return of the object to the country establishing the clearest claim on the object.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 9 Cedarhurst recognizes its responsibility to comply with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), passed by Congress in 1990. Under this law, museums are obligated to inventory all human remains, and associated funerary objects, unassociated funerary objects, sacred objects and cultural patrimony. If such objects are held by a museum, the museum is required to return the objects to the appropriate tribe, if indeed the tribe desires their return. Should Cedarhurst be the recipient of a gift of a protected object in the future, it shall comply with all requirements of disclosure, consultation with Native American groups, and if necessary, repatriation. VI. Loan Policy A. Outgoing Loans The museum may lend collection objects to qualified museums and institutions as a means of carrying out the museum s mission as stated in the by-laws, i.e., to encourage, promote, and sponsor exhibitions and activities aimed to increase public interest, awareness, and understanding of the fine arts. It also makes loans for the purpose of making collection objects accessible to a wider public than may be able to view such objects in the museum itself. In general, collection objects are lent only to similar not-for-profit institutions and for the purpose of public exhibition. There may, however, be circumstances in which the Director of Visual Arts determines that an exception to this policy might be justified. The Director of Visual Arts has the authority to negotiate and conclude the temporary loan of collection objects having an individual value of up to $100,000 using the following criteria: 1. The value to the museum of the work to be loaned; 2. The condition of the work; 3. The duration of the loan; 4. The purpose of the loan; 5. The arrangements for transportation; 6. The identity of the borrowing institution; 7. The identity of the borrowing institution to safeguard the work; 8. The adequacy of the borrowing institution s insurance; and 9. The impact of such a loan on the museum s ability to properly show its permanent collection. The Board of Trustees must approve the loan of all objects with a value of $100,000 or more. Determining the possibility of any loan, and if so, the need for any special handling or methods of display, is the responsibility of the Director of Visual Arts. To assist in making such determinations, an approved AAM General Facility Report shall be required from the borrowing institution (including, in the case of collections objects borrowed for touring exhibitions, all participants in the tour thereof). The museum shall not lend collection objects to borrowers that do not employ a professional staff qualified to undertake responsibility for their care.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 10 Loan shall be made in response to a written request of the borrowing institution 12 months in advance of requested loan period and, except in unusual circumstances, on a form of agreement prepared by the borrowing institution. All loans shall be made for a specified period of time and shall not be renewed without an intervening inspection as to their condition. Whether any loan will be renewed is a separate determination and not a condition of the original loan. The borrowers of collection objects are required to maintain insurance at their own expense for both the transit of the objects and for the period during which the objects are on their premises or under their control. Such insurance is to be at current fair market value as determined by the museum and in a form satisfactory to the museum. The initial determination of the insurance is made by the Director of Visual Arts. If the insurance is determined to be inadequate, the loan shall be insured by the Mitchell Museum s Permanent Collection policy and the borrower shall be required to reimburse the museum for the relevant premium charges. The expense of packing and shipping collection objects lent by the museum shall be borne by the borrowing institution. Once the Director of Visual Arts, with the prior concurrence of the board of Trustees, has agreed to loan collection objects, the Director of Visual Arts has the primary responsibility for completing all necessary loan arrangements, for monitoring compliance with terms of the loan, for inspecting and making condition reports on outgoing loans upon both the dispatch and return, and for assuring that outgoing loans are properly packed, shipped, and returned when due. The Director of Visual Arts maintains all documentation generated by the loan procedure. Under special circumstances, the museum may require that an outgoing loan be accompanied on either or both of its dispatch and return by a staff member acting as a courier and/or that a staff member be present at the dispersal of an exhibition in which the borrowed collection object was displayed. In such instances, the related costs of travel and subsistence are to be borne by the borrowing institution. Except for the differences in the documents that may be used, the policies set forth above apply equally to the loan of individual collection objects and to the loan of an entire exhibition drawn from the collection and circulated by the museum itself. B. Incoming Loans In furthering its basic purpose, the museum borrows works of art and other materials for inclusion in special loan exhibitions or otherwise to supplement the collection. Under special circumstances, subject to the approval of the Executive Director, objects received at the museum in anticipation of possible acquisition may also be placed on loan status. Loans not intended for inclusion in a special loan exhibition or consisting of an immediate pending acquisition will generally not be accepted except in the case of works of art whose owners have previously promised that such works will ultimately be offered to the museum as gifts or works of art whose owners may reasonably be expected to so offer them at some future time.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 11 The museum will not accept any loan as to which: 1. Reasonable doubt exists whether the subject of the loan can withstand travel, climate changes, and/or the circumstances of exhibition. 2. The conclusion of the loan might appear to give rise to commercial exploitation and/or bring discredit upon the museum. 3. The loan is subject to special or unusual restrictions which it would be unreasonable for the museum to accept. 4. The provenance of the loan is deemed unsatisfactory according to the considerations for acquisition of collection objects outlined in the Collections Management/Acquisition Policy. The museum shall not accept works of art or any other materials as indefinite or permanent loans. Every loan must be for a specified period of time with an agreed-on termination date. Individual loans are normally made on the museum s own Loan Agreement form and are subject to the conditions set forth therein. Unless a lender elects to maintain his own insurance, the museum will insure at its own expense all individual borrowed works of art and other materials. Such insurance shall cover both the transit of such loans and the period during which such loans are on the museum s premises or under its control. Such insurance shall be for a fair value specified for the lender. If the museum and the lender cannot agree upon a fair value, the loan may not be accepted. The expenses of packing and shipping individual borrowed works of art and other material are normally borne by the borrowing museum. Loans of an entire exhibition organized by another institution and received by the museum as part of a tour are normally made in accordance with the terms of a special contract negotiated between the museum and the organizing institution. Such contracts typically provide that the organizing institution will maintain insurance and be responsible for the packing and shipping. The organizing institution will, in turn, be reimbursed for such expenses as insurance, packing, and shipping by the museum s payment of a fee. All such contracts shall be submitted to the Executive Director for review. Special loan exhibitions generally include a number of works of art and typically focus on a particular artist, time, region, group, movement, medium, process, style, subject matter or historical association. Such exhibitions may be organized by another institution and received by the museum as part of a tour. Special loan exhibitions organized by the museum itself may be toured to other institutions. In such cases, the arrangements for such a tour are made through a special contract negotiated between the museum and each recipient institution with terms similar to those employed when the museum is the recipient of a touring exhibition. All such contracts shall be submitted to the Executive Director for review. In the case of special loan exhibitions organized by the museum itself, the selection of the works of art to be borrowed is initially made by the Director of Visual Arts and is subject to the approval of the Executive Director.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 12 Once agreement has been reached on the terms of an individual loan or a contract with another institution, the Director of Visual Arts has the primary responsibility for completing all necessary loan arrangements and complying with the terms of any loan agreement or contract. The Director of Visual Arts records all incoming loans and differentiates between the types of loans for the records. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for inspecting and making condition reports on incoming loans upon both their receipt and dispatch, for their safekeeping prior to and following their exhibition and for assuring that loans are properly packed, shipped, and returned when due. The Director of Visual Arts maintains all documentation generated by the loan procedure. VII. Care and Control of the Collection A. Security The proper care of the collection is one of the museum s fundamental purposes. It is also essential to the carrying out of other fundamental purposes. Control of the collection is the critical element of its proper care. While the Director of Visual Arts has primary responsibility for the day-to-day care and control of the collection, a concern for its preservation, security, protection, and accurate documentation must necessarily be shared by every other member of the staff. The Director of Visual Arts shall conduct a daily gallery check to inspect all works of art currently on display. The Executive Director shall be notified promptly as to any work of art noted during an inspection as damaged or missing from a gallery. Gallery checks are also an on-going responsibility of the Operations Department. Any instances of damaged or missing works of art noted by the Operations Department are to be reported promptly to the Director of Visual Arts. The Director of Operations has responsibility for the security and fire protection of the collection. He maintains daily supervision and consults with the Director of Visual Arts on all matters affecting the security and protection of the collections. The Executive Director is responsible for notifying the Director of Operations in advance of any situations such as planned alterations or renovations that may require special security arrangements. The Director of Operations has daily oversight responsibilities for all electronic and fire protection devices on the museum s premises. A work of art shall not be removed from its assigned storage area or display space unless the Director of Visual Arts has been previously notified and a written record is made of the move. In appropriate cases, the removal of a work of art from a display space must be noted in that space by a Artwork Temporarily Removed label. B. Preservation and Maintenance
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 13 Works of art found to be damaged are to be removed promptly from display and taken to the Director of Visual Art s office for inspection. The damage shall be assessed and appropriate measures taken for repair. The Director of Visual Arts has the responsibility for determining works of art in need of conservation. The priority for treating such works of art is established by the Board of Trustees. The Director of Operations has the on-going responsibility for monitoring all environmental conditions within the museum that may affect works of art. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for insuring proper storage methods and procedures, and for conducting a comprehensive review of the collection on a periodic basis. The Director of Visual Arts has the responsibility for assuring that all two-dimensional works of art on display are securely and appropriately framed and, where necessary, properly glazed, that all works of art are securely attached to the walls while on display, and that all threedimensional works of art requiring pedestals for display are secure while on display. All works of art not on public display or otherwise on loan shall be housed in secure, temperature and humidity controlled storage areas. The Director of Visual Arts is responsible for monitoring all areas where art is displayed and stored for adequacy and security. C. Documentation, Cataloguing, and Inventory The Director of Visual Arts maintains a location record listing the current location of every collection object. The movement of any object must be immediately noted in that record. The Director of Visual Arts has responsibility for the adequate packing and shipping of all works of art entering and leaving the museum, for controlling and recording each movement, and for preparing all condition reports in connection with each movement. An accession file is established for each collection object by the Director of Visual Arts at the time of its accessioning. This file, which the Director of Visual Arts is responsible for maintaining on a current basis, includes an accession number, identifying description of the object, a condition report, information regarding its acquisition, and any other pertinent documentation. The accession files shall be located in the Director of Visual Art s office and safeguarded in the same manner as collection objects. A duplicate of this file should be created and kept off-site, and up-dated on an annual basis. There must be a minimum of two staff members with access to the off-site records. To be appointed by the Executive Director. The museum shall have complete photographic documentation of all collection objects. The museum shall have procedures to assist further in safeguarding the collection in the event of a fire or natural disaster.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 14 VIII. Access to Collections and Documents A. Access to Collections Public access to collection objects currently on display and to current special loan exhibitions shall be subject only to such reasonable regulation as the museum may establish from time to time. The museum shall have such architectural modifications to the premises as are necessary to provide handicapped individuals with barrier-free access to collection objects currently on display and to current loan exhibitions. The museum conducts programs and activities relative to the collection and to special loan exhibitions in a manner that no otherwise qualified handicapped individual is, solely by reason of his/her handicap, excluded from participation therein or otherwise denied benefits thereof. Reasonable public access to collection objects not currently on display, to the museum s curatorial files, and to its general archives are all consistent with its fundamental purposes. In considering requests for such access, the museum must balance competing considerations as the need to safeguard the collection, the confidentiality of certain records, and other demands on the available time of the staff. Members of the public may have access to collection objects housed in storage or office areas only during normal working hours and only if accompanied by an authorized member of the staff. Requests to view stored collection objects are processed by and approved or disapproved by the Director of Visual Arts. While every effort is given to accommodate all reasonable requests, preference is given to scholars, students, artists, and the professional staff member of other art institutions. B. Access to Documents Public access is by appointment only with advance notice of at least one day and pending schedule availability and approval of the Director of Visual Arts. The museum s unrestricted records concerning collection objects are accessible to members of the public engaged in relevant research. Requests for such access are processed through the Director of Visual Art s office. Curatorial records may be consulted only under the supervision of the Director of Visual Arts when he/she is available to assist researchers in examining the unrestricted records in such files. Records routinely considered restricted include those listing the names and anonymous donors, the addresses of all donors and the location of the objects. The museum shall not divulge the price at which it has acquired objects by purchase with other than public funds, or where applicable, the prices at which the founding donors acquired by purchase any objects subsequently give to the museum. Exceptions with respect to the purchase prices of collection objects may be made in the cases of legitimate public need or when the Director of Visual Arts determines that such an exception would be justified.
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 15 The Director of Visual Arts shall make photographs of collection objects available to the public for sale (in the case of black and white photographs or 35mm slides) or loan (in the case of large color transparencies). In the case of sales, there may be a nominal charge reflective of the cost to the museum. In the cases of both sales and loans, a charge may also be imposed for labor in those instances in which original color photography is required. The museum shall not charge any fee for granting permission to reproduce collection objects in books, journals, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, dissertations, and similar scholarly or general publications. All such reproductions are, however, to be fully credited. The museum does reserve the right both to refuse to furnish photographs intended for reproduction and, to the extent it may be entitled to do so, to deny permission for such reproduction, if the attribution of the collection object involved is questionable or the circumstances of the reproduction would be such as to demean, alter the appearance of or otherwise misrepresent the collection object involved and/or bring discredit upon the museum. Requests to reproduce collection objects other than in books, journals, newspapers, catalogues, magazines, dissertations, and similar scholarly or general publications must be addressed to the Director of Visual Arts. When the proposed use is intended to be primarily commercial, the museum reserves the right to charge a fee or royalty for granting permission to make such a reproduction. No such contract for the reproduction of any collection object may be concluded without the Director of Visual Art s approval. In any instance in which the museum believes that the right to reproduce a collection object may be held, by another person or organization, the museum will so notify any potential user of a photograph of such an object and advise such user that the museum undertakes no responsibility for determining the nature of such right or for obtaining whatever permission may be necessary to reproduce such object. C. Photography of Permanent Collection Members of the public may take hand-held, available light (no flash) photographs of works of art currently on display, except in the case of works of art on loan to the museum.. IX. Valuation and Insurance A. Valuation The valuation of select works for the collection shall be reviewed on a periodic basis by the Director of Visual Arts to determine the appropriateness of re-evaluation by a certified art appraiser. B. Insurance
Collections Management and Acquisitions Policy 16 The Executive Director and Director of Visual Arts shall review the collection insurance every three to four years to determine the method and amount of insurance satisfactory for the collection. END