Contents

CONTENTS

LIST OF FIGURES

LIST OF SAMPLE COLLECTION FORMS

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

LETTER FROM THE CHAIR OF THE COLLECTIONS STEWARDSHIP PROFESSIONAL NETWORK OF THE AMERICAN ALLIANCE OF MUSEUMS AND THE PRESIDENT OF THE ASSOCIATION OF REGISTRARS AND COLLECTIONS SPECIALISTS

Danielle Hall Bennett and Sebastián E. Encina

PREFACE John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

PART 1 THE PROFESSION

1A A Very Brief History of the Profession John E. Simmons

1B The Straw That Stirs the Drink—The Role of the Registrar in the Museum World Erin McKeen

1C Resources for Registrars and Collections Managers Compiled by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

1D Caring for the Nation’s Treasures—The National Park Service Museum Program Joan Bacharach

PART 2 COLLECTION MANAGEMENT POLICIES

2 Collection Management Policies John E. Simmons

PART 3 THE BASICS

3A Initial Custody and Documentation Rebecca Buck (updated and revised by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

3B Acquisitions and Accessioning John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

3C Repositories Elise V. LeCompte

3D Provenance Research in Museums—An Overview Karen Daly

3E Documenting Contemporary Art Mark B. Schlemmer

3F Living and Natural History Collections Registration Laura A. Morse

3G Managing Digital Art Grace T. Weiss

3H Old Loans and Museum Property Laws Ildiko Pogany DeAngelis (updated and edited by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

3I Deaccessioning and Disposal Antonia Moser

3J Found in Collection Rebecca A. Buck (edited and updated by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

3K Loans Rose Wood and Andrea Gardner

3L Organizing Loan and Traveling Exhibitions Julie Bakke

3M Displays from Within—Considerations for Collections-Based Exhibitions Mark Ryan

PART 4 RECORDS MANAGEMENT

4A Types of Records and Files John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

4B Manual Systems John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

4C Computer Systems and Data Management Suzanne Quigley (updated and expanded by Cristina Linclau)

4D Digital Asset Management Systems Olivia Arnone (updated and expanded by Susan Wamsley)

4E Basic Components of Institutional Archives Sarah Rice

PART 5 COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT

5A Numbering John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser

5B Object Handling Dixie Neilson

5C Digitization Toni M. Kiser

5D Measuring Holly Young (revised by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

5E Condition Reporting Marie Demeroukas

5F Marking Nora S. Lockshin (updated and expanded from previous versions by Tamara Johnston, Robin Meador-Woodruff, and Terry Segal)

5G Barcodes and RFID Tags Marie-Page Phelps

5H Photography Justyna Badach and Amanda Shields

5I Preventive Care Robin Bauer Kilgo

5J Storage Beth J. Parker Miller

5K Inventory Angela Kipp

5L Preparation Claudia Jacobson

5M Moving and Rigging Safety David Ryan (updated and edited by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

5N Packing and Crating Brent Powell with John Molini and T. Ashley McGrew(edited and updated by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser)

5O Shipping by Land, Air, and Sea Irene Taurins

5P Import and Export: Guidelines for International Shipping Racine Berkow

5Q Couriering Cherie Summers and Anne Mersmann

5R Off-Site Storage John E. Simmons

PART 6 RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT

6A Risk Management Overview Paisley S. Cato

6B Emergencies—Prepare, Respond, Recover Paisley S. Cato

6C Security Systems and Fire Protection Systems Paisley S. Cato

6D Insurance Adrienne Reid

6E Integrated Pest Management Gretchen Anderson

6F Registrars and Sustainability Lea Foster Warden and Sara Franz (updated and edited by Toni M. Kiser)

PART 7 ETHICAL AND LEGAL ISSUES

7A Ethics for Registrars and Collections Managers Sally Yerkovich

7B The Care of Culturally Sensitive and Sacred Objects Kate Macuen

7C Copyright Melissa Levine and Christine Steiner

7D Rights and Reproductions Anne M. Young

7E Appraisal Lela Hersh

7F Implementing NAGPRA Melanie O’Brien and Anne Amati

7G Biological Materials—Fish, Wildlife, and Plants William G. Thompkins, Elaine I. Johnson, and Julie L. Haifley (edited and updated by John E. Simmons)

PART 8 USE OF COLLECTIONS

8A Hosting Traveling Exhibits Toni M. Kiser

8B Research John E. Simmons

FOR YOUR CONSIDERATION

ABOUT THE EDITORS AND CONTRIBUTORS

APPENDIX COLLECTION FORMS

9.1 Incoming Agreement for Temporary Custody with Conditions Governing Temporary Custody (see also CHAPTER 3A, “Initial Custody and Documentation”).

9.2 Dealer Provenance Questionnaire (see also CHAPTER 3B, “Acquisitions and Accessioning”)

9.3 Donor Questionnaire with Warranty and Indemnification (see also CHAPTER 3B, “Acquisitions and Accessioning”)

9.4 Confirmation of Gift Sample Letter (see also CHAPTER 3B, “Acquisitions and Accessioning”)

9.5 Deed of Gift (see also CHAPTER 3B, “Acquisitions and Accessioning”)

9.6 Twenty Categories of Object and Provenance Information (see also CHAPTER 3D, “Provenance Research)

9.7 Outgoing Loan Agreement with Outgoing Loan Conditions (see also CHAPTER 3K, “Loans”)

9.8 Incoming Loan Agreement with Conditions Governing Incoming Loans (see also CHAPTER 3K, “Loans”)

9.9 Traveling Exhibition Contract (see also CHAPTER 3L, “Organizing Loan and Traveling Exhibitions” and CHAPTER 8A, “Hosting Traveling Exhibits)

9.10 Exhibition Fee Work Sheet (see also CHAPTER 3L, “Organizing Loan and Traveling Exhibitions”)

9.11 Condition Report for Paintings, Drawings, Prints, and Other Works on Paper (see also chapter 5E, “Condition Reporting”)

9.12 Museum Incident Report (see also CHAPTER 6C, “Security Systems and Fire Protection Systems”)