Post on 18-Jan-2015
description
New ques(ons and sustainability in Collec(ons Care
or
Websites, List-‐serves and groups:
h6p://museumpests.web.zaks.com/ -‐ This site is divided into four main sec@ons (preven@on, monitoring, iden@fica@on, treatment) expanding on the main elements listed above which are necessary in developing, implemen@ng and managing an IPM plan for your ins@tu@on – whatever your collec@on type.
h6p://www.nps.gov/museum/publica@ons/conserveogram/
cons_toc.html -‐ They are short, focused leaflets about caring for museum objects, published in loose-‐leaf format. New topics are added as needed and out-‐of-‐date issues are revised or deleted. Semiannual supplements will be issued for an indeterminate period.
h6p://www.spnhc.org/ -‐ Society for the preserva@on of Natural History Collec@ons (SPNHC) is an interna@onal organiza@on devoted to the preserva@on, conserva@on and management of natural history collec@ons.
h6p://www.aam-‐us.org/ -‐ "The American Associa@on of Museums’ mission is to strengthen museums through leadership, advocacy, collabora@on and service.”
***Other resources I use:
RCAAM, NHColl, Museumpest.net, Linkedln AAM discussion group, MCN-‐L, blogs, etc……..
Websites, list-‐serves and groups cont’d
h6p://www.minnesotamuseums.org/ -‐ Minnesota Associa@on of Museums (MAM) The Minnesota Associa@on of Museums provides a forum for individuals who work in and with museums throughout the state.
h6p://learning@mesevents.org/c2c/ -‐ The free Connec@ng to Collec@ons Webinar series featured six live online sessions. The Ins@tute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), in partnership with Heritage Preserva@on and the American Associa@on for State and Local History (AASLH), presented a webinar series based on the na@onal ini@a@ve Connec&ng to Collec&ons: A Call to Ac&on. These six webinars are free of charge to staff of museums, libraries, and archives who seek to enhance collec@ons care at their ins@tu@ons. This site runs the archived sessions!
h6p://www.midwestmuseums.org/ -‐ The Associa@on of Midwest Museums (AMM) is an organiza@on that provides resources to museums and cultural ins@tu@ons and services to museum professionals in an eight-‐state region in the Midwest, including Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Ohio, and Wisconsin.
Books that I think are helpful:
Fiduciary Responsibili@es In Prac@ce
What’s the difference between plans, policies, and procedures?
Plans Policies Procedures
• Specific goals • Rationale • How they will be achieved • Who will implement • When will it happen • What will it cost • Time-limited • Approved by governing
authority
• General guidelines to regulate activities
• Ethical and professional standards for exercising good judgment
• Delegate authority for implementation
• Not inherently time-limited • Approved by governing
authority
• Detailed methodology for performing activities
• Protocols to follow when implementing policy
• Succinct directions to accomplish a specific task
• Step-by-step “how to” • Approved at the staff level
1. Maintain the highest legal, ethical, and professional standards
2. Establish plans, policies, and procedures to guide opera@ons
3. Delegate authority through policy and procedure
What is Collec@ons Planning?
“Collec@ons planning is the process of crea@ng a plan that guides the content of the collec@ons and leads staff in a coordinated and uniform direc@on over a period of years to refine and expand the value of the collec@ons in a predetermined way. By crea@ng a plan, a museum seeks to gain intellectual control over collec@ons, ensure that the collec@ons support the mission of the museum, reinforce its interpreta@on and research ac@vi@es, and ensure adequate resources for collec@ons acquisi@on and care” (AAM web site).
Why Collec@ons Planning?
“The Accredita@on Commission has iden@fied a pa6ern of recurring problems connected to collec@ons stewardship and ins@tu@onal planning: insufficient resources to support collec@ons; collec@ons unrelated to the ins@tu@on’s mission; and a lack of integra@on between planning for collec@ons, interpreta@on, and facili@es” Gardner & Merri6 (2002) Museum News.
Collec@on Policy “A detailed wri9en statement that explains why a museum is in opera(on and how it goes about its business. The policy ar(culates the professional standards regarding objects leC in its care and serves as a guide for the staff and as a source of informa(on for the public.” Malaro (1998) A Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collec3ons.
Why Develop a Collec@on Policy?...besides fiduciary accountability
Covers broad range of collec@on related topics: scope of collec@ons, acquisi@on, accession, deaccession, intellectual control, preserva@on, security, use of collec@on, collec@on ethics, loan, insurance, rights and reproduc@on, abandoned property, and cultural sensi@vity and repatria@on.
Contents of a Collec@on Policy
• Abandoned Property • Care of Collec@ons • Repatria@on and Management of
Culturally Sensi@ve Material • Loans • Insurance • Authoriza@on
• Introduc@on • Standards of Conduct and Ethics • Scope of Collec@ons • Acquisi@ons and Accessions • Deaccessions • U@liza@on of Collec@ons
Note: SMM Collec@ons Policy sec@on on deaccessioning is a part of “Things GREAT and SMALL -‐ Collec@ons Management Policies” by John E. Simmons Chapter 8 pages 61-‐62
SMM collec@on policy on our website
Things that work for me…..
Numbering, accessions and paper product: keep it simple but complete and legible!
Using volunteers with collec@ons work: it usually is a good thing
Collec@ons Plan – even a rough drao is a good idea for SO many reasons
Priori@es – how to decide or can you?
Caring for collec@ons now and for the future – think farther out
Electronic material coming in to support collec@ons – ACK!!!!!
Your best defense is a good offense – by that I mean taking the @me to have policies and procedures in place
Thanks for listening………
Good Enough
Constraints
• Large lobby windows
• Basement collec(on storage area
• Limited collec(on space
• Limited staff & budget
Large Lobby Windows
• Installed UV filters
• We try not to display sensi(ve materials
Center Hall Gallery – Light spills from lobby windows into galleries
• Closely monitor light levels
• Rotate items on display
• Use facsimiles when possible Purchased light meter through a grant from MN Valley Electric Coopera3ve
For exhibits, we… • create body forms out of ethafoam, poly & stockine9e, • paint/prime exposed wood • adjust light cans (using a light meter)
• Secure collec(on items, in cases, encapsulate
• monitor items and rotate as needed…
Collec3on Storage Area
Florescent Lights
Damp wall
Overhead water pipes
Furnace vent
Wood Flooring
Cramped shelving
Four HVAC furnaces
Sump pump
Ethafoam buffer
Organized – in PastPerfect
Raised 4” off cement floor
Dehumidifier
Landscaped to mi(gate water infiltera(on
Locked collec(on cages
Curator’s Office
-‐ Store sensi(ve collec(on items including paper items, nega(ves, photographs…
-‐ House collec(on paperwork files
Limited Collec3on Space
• Organize limited space
• Hang items
• Use stairwell
Volunteers – Go8a LOVE ‘em
• Inventory boxes • Repack items
• Sew muslin bags for oversized tex(les
• Sew in labels, …
• Work on specific projects in depth
(ex: digi3ze oral history tapes, enter informa3on into PastPerfect, organize deed of giGs & related paperwork)
Limited Staff & Budget
We write grants, and seek sponsorships and dona@ons to purchase archival supplies, light meter, hobos and various other items related to collec@ons care.
Execu@ve Director: Kathleen Klehr
Curator: Theresa Norman
952-‐445-‐0378
info@sco6countyhistory.org
www.sco6countyhistory.org
Conserva@on Supply Sources Acid-‐free @ssue paper: • Conserva@on Resources, 4432 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22151, 800-‐634-‐6932,
www.conserva@onresources.com
• Light Impressions, PO Box 787, Brea, CA 92822-‐0787, 800-‐828-‐6216, www.ligh@mpressionsdirect.com
• Talas, 20 West 20th Street, 5th Floor, New York, NY 10011, 212-‐219-‐0770, www.talas-‐nyc.com
• University Products, 517 Main St., PO Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041-‐0101, 800-‐628-‐1912, www.universityproducts.com
Unbleached, unsized muslin: • TestFabrics, Inc., 415 Delaware Ave., Po Box 26, West Pi6ston, PA 18643, 570-‐603-‐0432,
www.tesxabrics.com
Acid-‐free tex@le storage boxes: • Conserva@on Resources, 4432 Port Royal Rd., Springfield, VA 22151, 800-‐634-‐6932,
www.conserva@onresources.com
• Light Impressions, PO Box 787, Brea, CA 92822-‐0787, 800-‐828-‐6216, www.ligh@mpressionsdirect.com
• MuseuM Services Corpora@on, 385 Bridgepoint Drive, South Saint Paul, MN 55075, 800-‐672-‐8954, 651-‐450-‐8954, www.museumservicescorpora@on.com
• University Products, 517 Main St., PO Box 101, Holyoke, MA 01041-‐0101, 800-‐628-‐1912, www.universityproducts.com
Tex@le and Conserva@on Related Websites:
• www.conserva@on-‐us.org -‐ American Ins@tute for Conserva@on of Historic & Ar@s@c Works
• www.americanquilter.com -‐ American Quilter’s Society
• www.cci-‐icc.gc.ca -‐ Canadian Conserva@on Ins@tute
• www.preserva@on.gc.ca -‐ Canadian Conserva@on Ins@tute, Preserving My Heritage
• www.nps.gov/hfc -‐ Harpers Ferry Center
• Midwest Regional Conserva@on Guild
• www.seregistrars.org/Tools.html -‐ Southeastern Registrars Associa@on
Tex@le Care Bibliography
• Alig, D. and H. Mailand, Preserving Tex&le: a guide for the nonspecialist. Indianapolis, IN: Indianapolis Museum of Art, 1999.
• Emery, I. The Primary Structure of Fabrics: an illustrated classifica&on. London, Thames & Hudson, 1994
• Perry, D., et al. Iden&fica&on of Tex&le Materials. Manchester, UK: The Tex@le Ins@tute, 1985.
• Sullivan, Brigid. Guidelines for Furnishings Maintenance and Protec&on. Harpers Ferry Center: U.S. Department of the Interior, 1991.
Thanks for coming and listening…
Ques@ons or comments?