Editing Collections Management Policy (section)

===Procedure for Accessioning Collections===

''Proper accessioning is essential for museum operations, and there must be a standard method for doing so.''

Upon acceptance of the donation, the Donor shall be given a Deed of Gift form, which shall be completed in duplicate and signed by the Donor and the Curator or Curator’s representative. The museum shall retain an original copy.

* A formal letter of appreciation or other statement of gratitude shall be sent by the Curator to the Donor as soon as possible.
* At the time of the donation, provenance and all available information concerning the object(s) shall be obtained.
* The object(s) shall be assigned an accession number from the Collections Register, following the standard system of year.lot.item (e.g., 1996.9.4 is the 9th lot added to the collection in 1996, and this item is number 4 in the lot) or year.lot.group.item.
* The object(s) shall be marked, cataloged, and otherwise recorded in the records of the Museum per accepted procedures.

'''Confidentiality'''

Confidential information regarding donors, negotiations, and private collections shall be held in trust by the Board of Trustees, employees, and volunteers.


=====Loans=====

''The more professional we become in our operations, the more likely we will be asked to loan objects or to request loans from other museums or individuals.''

'''Outgoing Loans'''

Museum artifacts or archival materials are available for loan to other similar educational and cultural institutions, not to individuals, for the purpose of public exhibit, research, and scanning or copying.
* The Curator is responsible for making the decision to loan artifacts or archival materials.
* The Curator is responsible for all due diligence regarding safety in handling, transportation, storage, and display.
* The borrowing institution is expected to bear all costs related to the loan.
* No loan may occur without an established date of return.
* An Outgoing Loan form must be completed by the borrowing institution.

'''Incoming Loans'''

The museum will accept loans from individuals, groups, and institutions for the purpose of copying, photographing, scanning, exhibition, and/or research. The Curator is responsible for making the decision to borrow artifacts or archival materials. A Temporary Loan form must be completed by the Museum and the loaning party.

'''Insurance'''

In some cases, additional insurance for incoming loans may be acquired by the Museum to protect the lender. For outgoing loans, borrowers may be required to purchase and show proof of additional insurance for the object(s) before taking custody. The determination of the need for insurance will be made by the Curator, Director, and/or Board.



====Deaccessioning====

''There will be occasions when GHM needs to remove objects from the collection, which is often emotional and comes with legal complications.''

'''Restrictions on Deaccessioning'''

* An object in the Collection shall not be returned to the original donor. Such action constitutes improper return of a public asset to private hands.
* No donated object shall be deaccessioned for three (3) years after the date of its accession. (U.S. Tax Reform Act of 1984 and I.R.S. Regulations.)

'''Guidelines for Deaccessioning Objects'''

The Curator shall consider the following guidelines to determine whether an object should be deaccessioned.

* The object’s relevancy to the purpose and activities of the Museum.
* Whether there is a real danger the object cannot be adequately preserved in the storage facilities available to the Museum.
* Whether the condition of the object poses a danger to the Museum or its Collection.
* Whether the object has deteriorated beyond any usefulness.
* Whether the object can be used in the foreseeable future.
* Whether there is a need to improve another area of the collections in order to further the goals of the Museum.
* Whether the Museum has a clear and unrestricted title to the object.
* Whether the possession of the object is objectionable to the community, people, or culture it represents.

'''Deaccessioning Objects Without Clear Title'''

There are additional factors to consider when dealing with objects in the Museum Collections for which there are no clear titles:

* The value of the object. This could indicate the extent of potential liability. It may also indicate whether an individual would come forth to make a claim.
* The object’s distinction. The more common an artifact, the more difficult it will be for an individual to establish ownership.
* Whether the object has ever been displayed publicly as property of the Museum. If so, this may be the basis for establishing title.
* The proposed method of disposal, sale, or donation.
* Urgency of the need to dispose of it.
* Whether the room is needed for something else.
Whether its presence poses a threat to the rest of the Collection.
* If the Loaner is identified or the object is considered Abandoned, and whether efforts have been made to contact the Loaner in compliance with South Carolina law on Abandoned and Loaned Cultural Property, Section 25: 45.

'''Procedure for Deaccessioning Objects from the Collection'''

The Curator shall recommend the deaccessioning of objects to the Director and/or Board of Trustees.
Upon approval, a deaccessioned object shall be disposed of in one of the following ways:
* Donation to a scholarly, cultural, or other non-profit organization.
* Exchange or trade with a scholarly, cultural or other non-profit institution provided the value of the object to be received is reasonably commensurate with the value of the object to be disposed of, or that the object to be received will fulfill a particular need in the Museum programs.
* Objects may be disposed of by destruction when deterioration or infestation is such that display or exhibition is inappropriate and/or educational potential is minimal.
* After all reasonable attempts to donate, exchange or trade a deaccessioned object have been made, a deaccessioned object may be offered for sale. They shall be given for sale at advertised public auction or to the public market in a manner that will best protect the objectives and legal status of the Museum.
* A Deaccession Record describing complete details of the transaction shall be placed in the permanent collections records.
* Following the deaccessioning of an artifact, appropriate notations shall be made in the Museum Collection Records and all records will be retained in a deaccession file.

'''Disposition of Deaccessioned Objects'''

Deaccessioned objects shall not be given, sold or otherwise transferred privately to GHM employees, volunteer staff, their immediate families or representatives, nor to a member of the Board of Trustees, as this would constitute a conflict of interest.

'''Proceeds from Sale of Deaccessioned Objects'''

Any proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned objects shall be used for the development and/or maintenance of the Museum collections and not for general operating revenue.