HomeMy WebLinkAboutCUL 030 PMV Research PolicyCdy
DICKERING
Policy
Procedure Title: PMV Research Policy
Policy Number
CUL 030
Reference
Council Resolution #373/17
Date Originated (mldly)
December 11, 2017
Date Revised (mldly)
Pages
5
Approval: Chief Admin' - rative Offi 6 r
Point of Contact
Supervisor, Cultural Services
Policy Objective
The City of Pickering recognizes the importance of research in the development and
maintenance of sound museum collections, conservation, communication, exhibit, and education
and interpretive practices and activities. Accurate documentation of information will be ensured,
in compliance with the Pickering Museum Village (hereinafter referred to as the "PMV") Vision,
Mission, Mandate, Statement of Purpose, and Values.
This policy outlines the kinds of ongoing research undertaken internally in support of PMV
activities, responsibilities to be adhered to when conducting research, and how research will be
facilitated for, and shared with, members of the public.
Index Page
01 Definitions 1-2'
02 Commitment to Research 2
03 Types of Research Activities 3
04 Access to the Collection 3
05 Ethical and Legal Responsibilities 3-5
01 Definitions
01.01 Acquisitions Objects that the PMV has legal ownership and control over and
are generally madeby acceptance of donation, purchase, or field collecting
01.02 Artifact — An object created or produced by humans, that has cultural
significance to Pickering. It may be used for exhibition, explanation, or
research, and is held in trust for the public for future generations to appreciate
and learn from. An artifact may be a building, an object including furniture,
tools, vehicles, household or personal items, textiles, books or paper records.
01.03 Core Collection — The PMV's collection of artifacts that have a specific
association with (or in some cases were typically used by) a person, place or
event within Pickering Township pertaining to the history of Pickering up to 40
years prior to the present date. Artifacts in this collection are reserved for
research and display under controlled conditions.
01.04 Education Collection — The PMV's collection of objects available for the
purpose of interactive displays and active demonstrations which could result in
deterioration and damage through use. These items have no specific
association with a person, place or event within Pickering.
01.05 Material Culture — The physical objects created by a culture; the buildings,
tools, and other artifacts created by the members of a society.
01.06 Research — An investigation of a specific subject that involves formulating
problems, gathering and critically analyzing evidence, recording observations,
and developing conclusions.
02 Commitment to Research
02.01 PMV has a responsibility to encourage, and contribute to the research,
development of, sharing of, and housing of knowledge and resources about the
community's past and its material culture, as identified in the PMV's governing
statements.
02,02 Space and a library of resource material will be maintained, and will be
continually developed to support research.
02.03 Budgetary support may be provided by the City of Pickering to support research
by the annual allocation of funds for materials, equipment, space, and staff
resources.
02.04 Staff and volunteers will undertake research as necessary to support PMV
activities.
02.05 Priorities for research will be determined based on PMV goals and objectives as
set out in current approved strategic, business, or master plans, and that
research will align with and support the PMV's current Comprehensive.
Interpretive Plan.
Policy Title: Research Policy Page 2 of 5
Policy Number: CUL 030
03 Types of Research Activities
03.01 Research will be conducted in the following ways and areas:
The research of artifacts accepted into the PMV's collections (both Core and
Education Collections) is necessary to understand artifact significance and
value to the community, uniqueness and rarity of the objects, and to enhance
understanding of the collections overall;
ii. Research in support of PMV event, program and exhibition planning and
development is necessary to ensure accuracy of information shared with the
public, and to build a greater knowledge base for the PMV's resource library;
and
iii. Research is necessary to support PMV function and will include, but is not
limited to, artifact care, conservation treatment, interpretation trends and
development strategies, education sector changes (e.g. common curriculum),
marketing and promotional strategies, strategic, master and business plan
strategies, survey and evaluation development and analysis, training and
other professional development techniques and methods, use and application
of technology, and public engagement strategies.
03.02 Research related to the community and its history will be conducted and/or
facilitated to support public and City interdepartmental requests.
04 Access to the Collection
04.01 Request for access to the artifact collection (Core or Education Collections) and
the PMV library resource material will be granted to the public by appointment.
04.02 When access is granted to the collections, a trained staff member will provide
orientation and remain present.
04.03 Public and internal inquiries and appointments will be recorded and tracked as a
user and public service statistic.
04.04 Requests from the public for staff to conduct research will be reviewed on a
case-by-case basis; the PMV may apply research fees to cover the cost of staff
wages, and as approved annually in the City's user fees and charges.
05 Ethical and Legal Responsibilities
05.01 Only staff and volunteers with proven historical research skills and/or
background will be selected to conduct research.
05.02 Staff and volunteers conducting research on collections will be trained in Artifact
Care and Handling before beginning a research project.
Policy Title: Research Policy Page 3 of 5
Policy Number: CUL 030
05.03 Research will be as accurate, detailed, and objective as access to reference
material and resources will allow. Off-site research at archives and libraries will
be encouraged where possible and necessary, and as resources allow.
05.04 All research conducted by staff and volunteers to support PMV activities will:
Be fully and properly documented, with sources accurately cited;
ii. Be kept on file along with primary sources collected; and,
iii. Ensure future researchers will be able to review data collected, along with the
researcher's theories and conclusions.
05.05 All PMV staff and volunteers will understand and follow standards of ethical
behaviour in research (e.g. confidentiality of records, publication guidelines,
credit, etc.), and will uphold municipal, provincial, and federal legislative
requirements (e.g. copyright legislation, Municipal Freedom of Information and
Protection of Privacy Act) when preparing research for publication or sharing.
05.06 When collecting information from a person (visitor surveys, oral history,
interviews), participants will be informed of their right to withdraw, their privacy
will be protected, and written consent must be attained if the PMV intends to use
the information. The PMV will not share information that the participant has
identified as confidential.
05.07 All research conducted by staff or volunteers to support public programs,
events, and exhibits will be shared with the public (except for information
identified as private or confidential) through interpretative methods and
techniques (e.g. exhibition text panels, interactive verbal interpretation and
storytelling, blogs and publications).
05.08 Excluding information declared as private or confidential, the results of research
conducted in support of PMV operational functions will be shared with the public
and/or City staff solely for the purpose it was intended (e.g. data analysis,
reports).
05.09 When research is conducted by the public through access to the PMV's
resources and/or collections, the user will be requested to provide a copy of the
final work to be included in the PMV's resource library, and the PMV credited
and/or cited in their final work. All restrictions on public access regarding
confidentiality and privacy will be honoured.
05.10 Relevant Senior Museum staff (Coordinator, Museum Operations, Event &
Volunteer Programmer, Conservator) will review and evaluate research
conducted by volunteers and program staff, to ensure research objectives and
recognized ethical and legal standards are met.
05.11 All research conducted for the PMV by staff and volunteers will be the property
of the City of Pickering.
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Policy Number: CUL 030
05.12 All forms that collect personal information will contain a notation that includes
the reasons the information is being collected and what it is being used for, in
accordance with the Municipal Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy
Act.
06 Policy Review
06.01 This policy will be reviewed a minimum of every three years, by the Coordinator,
Museum Operations.
06.02 Changes to this policy will be approved by the PMV Advisory Committee prior to
going forward for City approval.
Please refer to all associated Procedures and Standard Operating Procedures, if applicable, for
detailed processes regarding this Policy.
Policy Title: Research Policy Page 5 of 5
Policy Number: CUL 030