COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY
COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY
of the
Knox Historical Society (“the Society”)
Adopted August 7, 2018
1. INTRODUCTION
A Collections Management Policy is required of every New York State Historical Society that owns or holds collections, intends to own or hold collections, or has owning or holding collections as one of its charter purposes. Such a policy must address the following five major issues:
1.1 Acquisition: the criteria that are used for determining what items may be included in the collections and the procedures that are used by the historical society for accepting items for the collections.
1.2 Preservation: the policies and parameters to be used to ensure the adequate care of collections materials.
1.3 Access: the policies through which the materials in the collections will be made available to persons with legitimate reasons to access them.
1.4 Deaccession: the criteria that are used for determining what items may be removed from the collections and the procedures for removing those items and the use of any funds therefrom derived.
1.5 Loans: Loans are temporary physical transfers of specimens or artifacts without transfer of ownership.
2. Collections Committee
2.1 The Collections Committee shall consist of the accessionist, officers, and the Board of Trustees. The Collections Committee shall recommend items for accession to and deaccession from the collections of the Society. The Collections Committee shall include in its deliberations, whenever deemed necessary, the advice of professionals with the goal of making well-considered and timely recommendations to the membership. The final decision to accession, to acquire without accessioning, or to deaccession items to or from the collections of the Society shall rest with the membership.
3. ACQUISITION PROCESS
3.1 Scope of Collection of the Society
The Society collects printed and manuscript materials, maps, photographs, motion picture film, video and audio recordings, paintings, artifacts, oral and written histories, and other items which have been created or used in the local community and geographical area.
Items accepted for the collection should be related to the Town of Knox and to the people of Knox. Individual items should fit the physical confines of the rooms in the Saddlemire Homestead that has been provided by the Town Government of Knox. Those items too big or not directly related to the history of the town may be rejected.
3.2 Policies Governing Acquisitions
Acquisitions to the collection of the Society shall be by purchase, loan, gift, bequest, or other means in accordance with the following policies:
3.
6.Acquisitions approved for accessioning shall be promptly accessioned upon receipt and acceptance under the system as described in Section 3.3 below.
7.to accept or reject a gift for accessioning.
8.Acceptance of oral histories or interviews does not require approval by the membership. The Oral History/Interview forms, attached, are stored chronologically in a loose-leaf notebook in a locking file cabinet in the museum.
3.3 Procedures for Acceptance or Rejection of Donated Artifacts
STEP #1A: When a member of the Society becomes aware that someone wishes to donate a historical artifact to the Society, the Collections Committee will arrange for completion of the Accession Agreement form, attached.
STEP #1B: When a member of the community wishes to leave a historical artifact with a Society member, a Temporary Receipt form, attached, will be completed. Using the information on the Temporary Receipt form, the Collections Committee will complete the Accession Agreement form.
STEP #2: Using the information contained on the Accession Agreement form, the artifact is offered by the Collections Committee to the Society at the next regular meeting for acceptance or rejection.
STEP #3: The action of the Society regarding acceptance or rejection of the proposed artifact shall be recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
STEP #4: If the artifact is accepted by the membership, the data on the Accession Agreement form is entered on an Accession Record Master List, attached, and stored in a Master Notebook. The Master Notebook contains the chronological listing of donated items for each year on a separate page. Each artifact is briefly described and numbered. The number is applied to the object with permanent ink and placed in an inconspicuous location such as under chair seats, inside back covers of books, or in a drawer.
A number such as 73.1.1 tells us that it was donated in 1973, was the first donation of the year and was the first item of a multi- artifact donation. The second item would be 73.1.2. The next donor in 1973 would be listed as 73.2.1 and so on. Starting with the year 2010, items will be accessioned with a four-digit year number. Additional information on the Accession Record Master List includes the donor’s name, a description of the artifact and its condition, any history if known; also where the item was placed in the Museum such as the Reading Room, Front Room, Knox Cave Room.
There is also a column for value showing donor’s estimate and also any amount the Society paid if it was a purchased artifact.
If a historical artifact is left with the Society and the Membership determines that the item will not be accessioned, the Collections Committee will determine the disposition of the artifact pursuant to the conditions of the Temporary Receipt form.
STEP # 5. The Collections Committee shall store the original Accession Agreement forms and the Accession Record Master List notebook in a file cabinet in the Museum.
A duplicate hard copy of the Accession record Master List is maintained and stored in the file cabinet in the Homestead. In 2014 an Excel document that lists all KHS accessions was printed out in hard copy and on CD. The hard copy is in the Reading Room of the Homestead. One CD is stored in the Town Hall storage area. This Excel document is maintained on the accessionist’s home computer and is uploaded periodically to the website www.knoxhistoricalsociety.org
The Excel document allows for searching the collection by subject and donor.
An updated CD is burned periodically and stored in the Homestead file cabinet.
STEP # 6. A thank you letter will be sent to the donor signed by an officer of the Knox Historical Society or the accessionist.
3.4 Procedure for Loans
Outgoing Loans: Loans of KHS collections objects are made only to other institutions and never to individuals. The Society grants three basic types of outgoing loan requests: research, exhibition, and instructional.
STEP #1. Requests to borrow KHS specimens or artifacts should be made in writing to the Accessionist and include the following information: purpose of the loan, description of the material requested in as much detail as possible, quantity of objects needed, and where and under whose responsibility the specimens or artifacts will be housed while on loan. Although loans are made only to institutions, not individuals, a permanently employed representative of the institution (usually a curator, director, or department head) will be named as the responsible party for the loan. The request must state the specific objects to be borrowed, the title and nature of the exhibit, the exhibit dates, the location of the exhibit including all venues if traveling, and any other pertinent information.
STEP #2. Requests will be reviewed by the Collections Committee. The minutes of the KHS meeting will record the loan request.
STEP #3. The KHS Outgoing Loan form will be filled out by the borrowing institution.
STEP #4. Borrowers must agree in advance to cover the cost of insurance of the loaned item and the return, and to provide condition reports upon receipt and upon return. Restoring, conserving, or altering KHS material is not permitted without specific written permission. No pins, nails, tapes, glues, or other means of support may be used that mark or damage the material in any way.
Incoming Loans: The Society may request loans for the purpose of research, education, and exhibition.
STEP #1. A request to borrow specimens or artifacts is made in writing by the accessionist or exhibition planner to the institution owning the item.
STEP #2. Any conditions set on an incoming loan by that institution must be reviewed by the Collections Committee. All conditions set on the use, storage, or exhibition of specimens or artifacts by the lending institution must be achievable. Once accepted these restrictions are binding, and KHS will make every effort to adhere to these restrictions, as well as to return the borrowed items according to dates and protocols established by the lending institution. No portion of incoming loans may be transferred to a location or person that has not been previously approved in writing by the lending institution. KHS will not borrow specimens or artifacts which are known to have been collected or imported in violation of state, federal, foreign, or international restrictions, or which may otherwise place the Society in a compromising legal or ethical position. If such information becomes known after the loan has been received, the problem should be referred by the knowledgeable staff member to the Collections Committee for resolution.
STEP #3. The Incoming Loan agreement will be filled out. The minutes of the KHS meeting will record the incoming loan.
STEP #4. Specimens or artifacts which are damaged or lost while at KHS must be immediately documented in writing and the lending institution notified. Questions about insurance or other costs relating to damage or losses must be referred to the Collections Committee.
STEP #5. Insurance arrangements and shipping fees on incoming loans must be agreed to by both parties in writing in advance.
4. CARE AND PRESERVATION PROCESS
The Society fully realizes its obligation to protect its collections which are held in the public trust. Therefore, the organization shall act to the best of its ability, within the constraints of financial resources, to implement the following care and preservation policies:
4.1 A stable environment for items in storage or on display shall be maintained by protecting them from excessive light, heat, humidity, and dust.
4.2 The environmental storage needs of different materials will be considered.
4.3 All materials will be protected against theft, fire, and other disasters.
4.4 When possible, paper materials, including the Accession Record Master List, shall be photocopied on acid-free paper, transferred to digital files, or otherwise made redundant and stored in a separate location.
4.5 Conservation of materials shall be undertaken with the advice of a trained conservator when deemed necessary.
4. Records shall be kept using appropriate forms for documentation including but not limited to Temporary Receipt form, Accession Agreement form, Loan and Return Agreement form, relevant correspondence, conservation reports, and deaccession records (noted on Accession Record Master List).
4.7 Inventories and location records shall be kept up-to-date to facilitate public access and to prevent loss. To confirm each accessioned item’s physical condition and location, spot-check inspections of the collection will be conducted to provide an active accounting of the KHS collection. The hard copy of the Excel document housed in the Homestead will be noted to show that the item was located, the date it was located, and its location.
5. PUBLIC ACCESS
The membership of the Society is committed, within financial constraints, to bring to the public the information culled from its documents, photographs, artifacts, and oral histories by presenting public programs; creating exhibits including display binders; publishing newsletters, pamphlets, checklists, and guides to the collections; and making research materials available to legitimate researchers according to the following:
5.1 Inventories, relevant files, and the assistance of a trained volunteer member of the Society may be available to users.
5.2 A Researcher Registration form listing rules for usage and notice of copyright restrictions shall be read, filled out, and signed by all researchers.
5.3 The Society may limit the use of fragile or unusually valuable materials.
5.4 Hours of operation may be by designated hours or by appointment, depending on the availability of volunteers.
5.5 Photographic and xerographic reproduction requested by users may be accommodated if volunteers are available to handle the request subject to the following policies:
1.Copyright Law, Title 17)
5.7 The Society may refuse access to an individual researcher who has demonstrated such carelessness or deliberate destructiveness as to endanger the safety of the materials.
6. DEACCESSION PROCESS
No accessioned object or collection shall be removed from the Society's auspices except in conformity with the following policies:
6.1 A deaccession recommendation shall be prepared by the Collections Committee and approved by the membership and recorded in the minutes and recorded on the Accession Record Master List. Whenever deemed necessary, professional advice shall be sought before an item is deaccessioned.
6.2 The decision to deaccession should be cautious and deliberate and follow generally accepted museological standards. One of the following criteria must be met:
1. The item is inconsistent with the mission of the institution as set forth in its mission statement;
2. The item has failed to retain its identity;
3. The item is redundant;
4. The item’s preservation and conservation needs are beyond the capacity of the institution to provide;
5. The item is deaccessioned to accomplish refinement of collections;
6. It has been established that the item is inauthentic;
7. The institution is repatriating the item or returning the item to its rightful owner;
8. The institution is returning the item to the donor, or the donor’s heirs or assigns, to fulfill donor restrictions relating to the item which the institution is no longer able to meet;
9. The item presents a hazard to people or other collection items; and/ or
10. The item has been lost or stolen and has not been recovered.
6.3 No donated material shall be deaccessioned for two years after the date of its acquisition. (See U.S. Tax Reform Act of 1984 and Internal Revenue Service regulations relating to the act.)
6.4 Ensure that collections or any individual part thereof and the proceeds derived there from shall not be used as collateral for a loan;
6.5 Ensure that collections shall not be capitalized;
6.6 A complete record of deaccessions shall be kept. A copy of this record shall be retained permanently.
6.7 Proceeds derived from the deaccessioning of any property from the collection of the Corporation shall be placed either in a temporarily restricted fund to be used only for the acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections, or in a permanently restricted fund the earnings of which shall be used only for the acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections. In no event shall proceeds be used for operating expenses or for any purpose other than acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections.
6.8 Disposal may be by exchange, donation or public sale with scholarly or cultural organizations as the preferred recipients.
8. AMENDMENT
8.1 The Collections Management Policy may be amended at any regular meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present, providing that content of the proposed amendment and notice were given at the previous meeting.
COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY
of the
Knox Historical Society (“the Society”)
Adopted August 7, 2018
1. INTRODUCTION
A Collections Management Policy is required of every New York State Historical Society that owns or holds collections, intends to own or hold collections, or has owning or holding collections as one of its charter purposes. Such a policy must address the following five major issues:
1.1 Acquisition: the criteria that are used for determining what items may be included in the collections and the procedures that are used by the historical society for accepting items for the collections.
1.2 Preservation: the policies and parameters to be used to ensure the adequate care of collections materials.
1.3 Access: the policies through which the materials in the collections will be made available to persons with legitimate reasons to access them.
1.4 Deaccession: the criteria that are used for determining what items may be removed from the collections and the procedures for removing those items and the use of any funds therefrom derived.
1.5 Loans: Loans are temporary physical transfers of specimens or artifacts without transfer of ownership.
2. Collections Committee
2.1 The Collections Committee shall consist of the accessionist, officers, and the Board of Trustees. The Collections Committee shall recommend items for accession to and deaccession from the collections of the Society. The Collections Committee shall include in its deliberations, whenever deemed necessary, the advice of professionals with the goal of making well-considered and timely recommendations to the membership. The final decision to accession, to acquire without accessioning, or to deaccession items to or from the collections of the Society shall rest with the membership.
3. ACQUISITION PROCESS
3.1 Scope of Collection of the Society
The Society collects printed and manuscript materials, maps, photographs, motion picture film, video and audio recordings, paintings, artifacts, oral and written histories, and other items which have been created or used in the local community and geographical area.
Items accepted for the collection should be related to the Town of Knox and to the people of Knox. Individual items should fit the physical confines of the rooms in the Saddlemire Homestead that has been provided by the Town Government of Knox. Those items too big or not directly related to the history of the town may be rejected.
3.2 Policies Governing Acquisitions
Acquisitions to the collection of the Society shall be by purchase, loan, gift, bequest, or other means in accordance with the following policies:
- The owner must have clear title and must sign an Accession Agreement form transferring ownership to the Society. In the case of a bequest, the donor must also have had clear title.
3.
- No acquisition shall be appraised by a member of the Society or any other person closely associated with a member of the Society. See U.S. Tax Reform Act of 1984 and Internal Revenue Service regulations relating to the act.
6.Acquisitions approved for accessioning shall be promptly accessioned upon receipt and acceptance under the system as described in Section 3.3 below.
7.to accept or reject a gift for accessioning.
8.Acceptance of oral histories or interviews does not require approval by the membership. The Oral History/Interview forms, attached, are stored chronologically in a loose-leaf notebook in a locking file cabinet in the museum.
3.3 Procedures for Acceptance or Rejection of Donated Artifacts
STEP #1A: When a member of the Society becomes aware that someone wishes to donate a historical artifact to the Society, the Collections Committee will arrange for completion of the Accession Agreement form, attached.
STEP #1B: When a member of the community wishes to leave a historical artifact with a Society member, a Temporary Receipt form, attached, will be completed. Using the information on the Temporary Receipt form, the Collections Committee will complete the Accession Agreement form.
STEP #2: Using the information contained on the Accession Agreement form, the artifact is offered by the Collections Committee to the Society at the next regular meeting for acceptance or rejection.
STEP #3: The action of the Society regarding acceptance or rejection of the proposed artifact shall be recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
STEP #4: If the artifact is accepted by the membership, the data on the Accession Agreement form is entered on an Accession Record Master List, attached, and stored in a Master Notebook. The Master Notebook contains the chronological listing of donated items for each year on a separate page. Each artifact is briefly described and numbered. The number is applied to the object with permanent ink and placed in an inconspicuous location such as under chair seats, inside back covers of books, or in a drawer.
A number such as 73.1.1 tells us that it was donated in 1973, was the first donation of the year and was the first item of a multi- artifact donation. The second item would be 73.1.2. The next donor in 1973 would be listed as 73.2.1 and so on. Starting with the year 2010, items will be accessioned with a four-digit year number. Additional information on the Accession Record Master List includes the donor’s name, a description of the artifact and its condition, any history if known; also where the item was placed in the Museum such as the Reading Room, Front Room, Knox Cave Room.
There is also a column for value showing donor’s estimate and also any amount the Society paid if it was a purchased artifact.
If a historical artifact is left with the Society and the Membership determines that the item will not be accessioned, the Collections Committee will determine the disposition of the artifact pursuant to the conditions of the Temporary Receipt form.
STEP # 5. The Collections Committee shall store the original Accession Agreement forms and the Accession Record Master List notebook in a file cabinet in the Museum.
A duplicate hard copy of the Accession record Master List is maintained and stored in the file cabinet in the Homestead. In 2014 an Excel document that lists all KHS accessions was printed out in hard copy and on CD. The hard copy is in the Reading Room of the Homestead. One CD is stored in the Town Hall storage area. This Excel document is maintained on the accessionist’s home computer and is uploaded periodically to the website www.knoxhistoricalsociety.org
The Excel document allows for searching the collection by subject and donor.
An updated CD is burned periodically and stored in the Homestead file cabinet.
STEP # 6. A thank you letter will be sent to the donor signed by an officer of the Knox Historical Society or the accessionist.
3.4 Procedure for Loans
Outgoing Loans: Loans of KHS collections objects are made only to other institutions and never to individuals. The Society grants three basic types of outgoing loan requests: research, exhibition, and instructional.
STEP #1. Requests to borrow KHS specimens or artifacts should be made in writing to the Accessionist and include the following information: purpose of the loan, description of the material requested in as much detail as possible, quantity of objects needed, and where and under whose responsibility the specimens or artifacts will be housed while on loan. Although loans are made only to institutions, not individuals, a permanently employed representative of the institution (usually a curator, director, or department head) will be named as the responsible party for the loan. The request must state the specific objects to be borrowed, the title and nature of the exhibit, the exhibit dates, the location of the exhibit including all venues if traveling, and any other pertinent information.
STEP #2. Requests will be reviewed by the Collections Committee. The minutes of the KHS meeting will record the loan request.
STEP #3. The KHS Outgoing Loan form will be filled out by the borrowing institution.
STEP #4. Borrowers must agree in advance to cover the cost of insurance of the loaned item and the return, and to provide condition reports upon receipt and upon return. Restoring, conserving, or altering KHS material is not permitted without specific written permission. No pins, nails, tapes, glues, or other means of support may be used that mark or damage the material in any way.
Incoming Loans: The Society may request loans for the purpose of research, education, and exhibition.
STEP #1. A request to borrow specimens or artifacts is made in writing by the accessionist or exhibition planner to the institution owning the item.
STEP #2. Any conditions set on an incoming loan by that institution must be reviewed by the Collections Committee. All conditions set on the use, storage, or exhibition of specimens or artifacts by the lending institution must be achievable. Once accepted these restrictions are binding, and KHS will make every effort to adhere to these restrictions, as well as to return the borrowed items according to dates and protocols established by the lending institution. No portion of incoming loans may be transferred to a location or person that has not been previously approved in writing by the lending institution. KHS will not borrow specimens or artifacts which are known to have been collected or imported in violation of state, federal, foreign, or international restrictions, or which may otherwise place the Society in a compromising legal or ethical position. If such information becomes known after the loan has been received, the problem should be referred by the knowledgeable staff member to the Collections Committee for resolution.
STEP #3. The Incoming Loan agreement will be filled out. The minutes of the KHS meeting will record the incoming loan.
STEP #4. Specimens or artifacts which are damaged or lost while at KHS must be immediately documented in writing and the lending institution notified. Questions about insurance or other costs relating to damage or losses must be referred to the Collections Committee.
STEP #5. Insurance arrangements and shipping fees on incoming loans must be agreed to by both parties in writing in advance.
4. CARE AND PRESERVATION PROCESS
The Society fully realizes its obligation to protect its collections which are held in the public trust. Therefore, the organization shall act to the best of its ability, within the constraints of financial resources, to implement the following care and preservation policies:
4.1 A stable environment for items in storage or on display shall be maintained by protecting them from excessive light, heat, humidity, and dust.
4.2 The environmental storage needs of different materials will be considered.
4.3 All materials will be protected against theft, fire, and other disasters.
4.4 When possible, paper materials, including the Accession Record Master List, shall be photocopied on acid-free paper, transferred to digital files, or otherwise made redundant and stored in a separate location.
4.5 Conservation of materials shall be undertaken with the advice of a trained conservator when deemed necessary.
4. Records shall be kept using appropriate forms for documentation including but not limited to Temporary Receipt form, Accession Agreement form, Loan and Return Agreement form, relevant correspondence, conservation reports, and deaccession records (noted on Accession Record Master List).
4.7 Inventories and location records shall be kept up-to-date to facilitate public access and to prevent loss. To confirm each accessioned item’s physical condition and location, spot-check inspections of the collection will be conducted to provide an active accounting of the KHS collection. The hard copy of the Excel document housed in the Homestead will be noted to show that the item was located, the date it was located, and its location.
5. PUBLIC ACCESS
The membership of the Society is committed, within financial constraints, to bring to the public the information culled from its documents, photographs, artifacts, and oral histories by presenting public programs; creating exhibits including display binders; publishing newsletters, pamphlets, checklists, and guides to the collections; and making research materials available to legitimate researchers according to the following:
5.1 Inventories, relevant files, and the assistance of a trained volunteer member of the Society may be available to users.
5.2 A Researcher Registration form listing rules for usage and notice of copyright restrictions shall be read, filled out, and signed by all researchers.
5.3 The Society may limit the use of fragile or unusually valuable materials.
5.4 Hours of operation may be by designated hours or by appointment, depending on the availability of volunteers.
5.5 Photographic and xerographic reproduction requested by users may be accommodated if volunteers are available to handle the request subject to the following policies:
1.Copyright Law, Title 17)
- Reproduction by the Society in no way transfers either copyright or property rights, nor does it constitute permission to publish or to display materials.
- All prices for copying shall be determined by the membership.
- In some cases, the Society may refuse to allow copies to be made because of the physical condition of the materials, restrictions imposed by the donor, copyright law, or right-to-privacy statutes.
5.7 The Society may refuse access to an individual researcher who has demonstrated such carelessness or deliberate destructiveness as to endanger the safety of the materials.
6. DEACCESSION PROCESS
No accessioned object or collection shall be removed from the Society's auspices except in conformity with the following policies:
6.1 A deaccession recommendation shall be prepared by the Collections Committee and approved by the membership and recorded in the minutes and recorded on the Accession Record Master List. Whenever deemed necessary, professional advice shall be sought before an item is deaccessioned.
6.2 The decision to deaccession should be cautious and deliberate and follow generally accepted museological standards. One of the following criteria must be met:
1. The item is inconsistent with the mission of the institution as set forth in its mission statement;
2. The item has failed to retain its identity;
3. The item is redundant;
4. The item’s preservation and conservation needs are beyond the capacity of the institution to provide;
5. The item is deaccessioned to accomplish refinement of collections;
6. It has been established that the item is inauthentic;
7. The institution is repatriating the item or returning the item to its rightful owner;
8. The institution is returning the item to the donor, or the donor’s heirs or assigns, to fulfill donor restrictions relating to the item which the institution is no longer able to meet;
9. The item presents a hazard to people or other collection items; and/ or
10. The item has been lost or stolen and has not been recovered.
6.3 No donated material shall be deaccessioned for two years after the date of its acquisition. (See U.S. Tax Reform Act of 1984 and Internal Revenue Service regulations relating to the act.)
6.4 Ensure that collections or any individual part thereof and the proceeds derived there from shall not be used as collateral for a loan;
6.5 Ensure that collections shall not be capitalized;
6.6 A complete record of deaccessions shall be kept. A copy of this record shall be retained permanently.
6.7 Proceeds derived from the deaccessioning of any property from the collection of the Corporation shall be placed either in a temporarily restricted fund to be used only for the acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections, or in a permanently restricted fund the earnings of which shall be used only for the acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections. In no event shall proceeds be used for operating expenses or for any purpose other than acquisition, preservation, protection or care of collections.
6.8 Disposal may be by exchange, donation or public sale with scholarly or cultural organizations as the preferred recipients.
8. AMENDMENT
8.1 The Collections Management Policy may be amended at any regular meeting of the Society by a two-thirds vote of the voting members present, providing that content of the proposed amendment and notice were given at the previous meeting.