HomeMy WebLinkAboutCUL 010-001 Deaccession of Artifacts(ilk
DICKERING
Procedure
Procedure Title: Deaccession of Artifacts
Procedure Number
CUL 010-001
Reference
Collections Management and
Development Policy
ICOP Code of Ethics for
Museums
CAC Code of Ethics and
Guidance for Practice
CMA Ethics Guidelines
Date Originated (m/d/y)
Date Revised (mld/y)
December 2017
Pages
5
Approval: Chief Adm trati a
ficer
Point of Contact
Supervisor, Cultural Services
Procedure Objective
As per the Collections Management & Development Policy, core artifacts belonging to the
Pickering Museum Village (hereafter referred to as the "PMV") may be assessed and deemed to
no longer fit within the mandate of the PMV. After the initial assessment, those artifacts may be
deaccessioned following the procedures outlined in this document.
Index
01 Definitions
02 Compilation and Maintenance of a Deaccession List
03 Approval by PMV Collections Sub -Committee
04 Approval by PMV Advisory Committee
05 Approval by Mayor and Members of Council (City of Pickering)
06 Disposal Guidelines
07 Documentation Guidelines
01 Definitions
01.01 Accession Register - This is a bound (not loose leaf) book, containing the
official entry of every new accession into the PMV's collection. All entries are
made in ink and contain: catalogue/accession number, name and address of
donor (source), and the object name.
01.02 Artifact - An object created or produced by humans, that has cultural
significance to Pickering. It may be used in exhibition, explanation, or research
and is held in trust 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 Collections Sub -Committee - A sub -committee of the PMV Advisory
Committee.
01.04 Core Collection- Contains artifacts that have a specific association with (or in
some cases 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.
01.05 Deaccessioning -The process of permanently removing an artifact from the
core collection.
01.06 Disposal - The physical removal or reassignment of an object in the collection.
01.07 Education Collection — The PMV's collection of objects available for the
purpose of interactive displays and active demonstrations which could result in
deterioration or damage through use. These items have no specific
association with a person, place or event within Pickering.
01.08 Master File - A file folder that is created for each accession and contains all
collections management data (all registration information including
correspondence) and all curatorial information (such as photographs, research
by donor or PMV staff, letters, etc.).
02 Compilation and Maintenance of a Deaccession List
02.01 The Conservator will compile and maintain a list of artifacts to be approved by
the Coordinator, Museum Operations and then recommended for deaccession
to the Collections Sub -Committee.
02.02 The list will include the object accession number, object name, reason for
deaccession, location and donor information.
02.03 In addition to the information provided on the list, the Conservator will pull the
catalogue card, Master File and any other information pertaining to each
artifact on the list.
02.04 The Conservator will photograph each artifact on the list, and print two copies
of the photograph. One will be attached to the list, and the other will be placed
in the Master File.
02.05 Objects in the Education Collection may be removed by the Coordinator,
Museum Operations or the Conservator should the object become unsuitable
Procedure Title: Deaccession of Artifacts Page 2 of 5
Procedure Number: CUL 010-001
for program use or fall into a state of disrepair. Objects in the Education
Collection do not undergo a formal deaccession process, therefore staff will
follow the process outlined below:
I. All documentation, (including electronic records in the Past Perfect
database) will be updated with the date of disposal, the reason for disposal
and initialed by the Conservator.
II. The physical disposal of the object will be by whatever means staff deem
appropriate.
03 Approval by PMV Collections Sub -Committee
03.01 The Coordinator, Museum Operations, the Conservator and the Collections
Sub -Committee of the PMV Advisory Committee will meet to discuss artifacts
being recommended by staff for deaccession.
03.02 The Conservator will provide all information pertaining to each artifact on the
list as mentioned in 02.02 and 02.03, as well as the artifact photographs.
03.03 The Conservator shall make the artifacts in question available for the
Collections Sub -Committee for review if requested.
03.04 The Collections Sub -Committee shall consider all information pertaining to the
artifacts in order to make the most informed decision.
03.05 The Collections Sub -Committee, in partnership with the Conservator and the
Coordinator, Museum Operations, will decide for each artifact if the reasons
provided are strong enough to warrant a recommendation for deaccession.
03.06 For ethical reasons, and to ensure the absence of bias, the decision to
recommend an artifact for deaccession cannot be made by one person,
therefore, consensus must be reached.
04 Approval by PMV Advisory Committee
04.01 The Collections Sub -Committee will submit, on behalf of staff, the list of
artifacts recommended for deaccession to the PMV Advisory Committee in the
form of a motion to deaccession at a formal meeting of the PMV Advisory
Committee.
04.02 The PMV Advisory Committee has the right to review all documentation
pertaining to the artifacts, may question the Coordinator, Museum Operations
on the reason for deaccession, and may request to view the artifacts.
04.03 The PMV Advisory Committee will vote on the proposed deaccession list and
the decision will be formally recorded in the minutes of that meeting.
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Procedure Number: CUL 010-001
05 Approval by Mayor and Members of Council (City of Pickering)
05.01 The Director, Community Services will submit a memo, requesting that Council
approve the endorsed motion to deaccession at the next possible meeting of
the Council of the City of Pickering.
05.02 The memo to Council will include the list of artifacts and accession numbers as
well as background information, and reasons for the deaccession request.
05.03 The memo to Council will include assurance that PMV staff will follow the
Deaccession Guidelines section 06 (outlined below).
05.04 Council will approve or decline the request to deaccession.
05.05 The Clerk will advise the Director, Community Services by memo, of Council's
decision; the Director will inform PMV staff.
05.06 Copies of the memo to Council and the Council Directive will be kept on file
with artifact records and deaccession records at the PMV. The Conservator
will compile and maintain a list of artifacts to be approved by the Coordinator,
Museum Operations and then recommended for deaccession to the Collections
Sub -Committee.
06 Disposal Guidelines
06.01 The object may be transferred to the Education Collection for use.
06.02 The object may be offered as a gift or transfer to another museum or public
institution.
06.03 Should the artifacts be undesired by other institutions for acquisition, the
Coordinator, Museum Operations and the Conservator will meet with the PMV
Collections Sub -Committee to determine another disposal method.
06.04 The object may be offered for sale to the public as per section 13.04 of the
Collections Management and Development Policy.
06.05 PMV will only make all reasonable efforts to inform the registered donor or
family (if donor is deceased) that the object is to be disposed of as requested
on the Deed of Gift and only if a tax receipt was not issued.
06.06 As per section 13.06 of the Collection Management and Development Policy,
and artifact may be destroyed providing it falls within the following criteria:
I. The object is hazardous and poses a threat to staff, public or the collection;
II. The object is damaged or deteriorated to the point where it does not serve a
definable purpose; and
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Procedure Number: CUL 010-001
III. If all reasonable efforts have been made to dispose of the object through
the methods listed above.
07 Documentation Guidelines
07.01 On the approved deaccession list, the Conservator will record the date the item
was disposed, the disposal method, and initial.
07.02 The Conservator will mark the catalogue record, Master File, Original
Catalogue Binder and Accession Register of each deaccessioned artifact with
the following information in red pen:
I. The word: Deaccessioned;
II. The date the artifact was disposed;
III. The disposal method; and
IV. The Conservator's initials.
07.03 The copies of the Report to Council and Council's Directive will be scanned
and saved in the J: Drive in the Deaccession Folder, as well as added to the
Past Perfect Database artifact record.
07.04 A hard copy of the above papers and the Deaccession List will be kept on file
at the PMV in the Deaccession file drawer of the Collections filing cabinet..
07.05 The Conservator will change the status of deaccessioned artifacts in the Past
Perfect 5.0 database to "Deaccessioned". The date of Approval by Mayor and
Council will be added in the "Notes and Legal" field of the record.
07.06 The Conservator will write a brief report including:
I. The Deaccession List;
II. The date approved by the Collections Sub -Committee;
III. The date approved by the PMV Advisory Committee;
IV. The date approved by the Mayor and Council;
V. The date of disposal;
VI. Disposal method; and,
VII. Name and address of receiving institution (in case of transfer).
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Procedure Number: CUL 010-001