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HomeMy WebLinkAboutItem 8.1 MuseumArtifactPolicy CITY CLERK File # 910-10 AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: January 7, 2003 S[IBJECT: Policy for Acquisition/Acceptance of Heritage Center Museum Artifacts. Report Prepared by Theresa Yvonne, Heritage and Cultural Arts Supervisor and Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director. ATTACHMENTS: 1) Collections Management Policy and Procedures RECOMMENDATION:~.,~ ~ ~ 1) Receive presentation by Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director ¢~ .. f~ 2) Approve Collections Management Policy and Procedures FINANCIAL STATEMENT: None DESCRIPTION: The City of Dublin acquired the Dublin Heritage Center in 1993. The Heritage Center consists of the historically and architecturally significant Murray School House (1856), St. Raymond's Church (1859) and the Pioneer Cemetery (1859). In 1995, the City completed restoration and improvements to the center at a cost of $273,171. The City's Heritage Center Director oversees the operation of the Heritage Center and the Public Works Department maintains the buildings and grounds. A high priority objective of the City Council for Fiscal Year 2002-2003 is to "Develop plans for documentation, certification and cataloging of the City's collections." In order to implement this objective, in November 2001, the Heritage Center Director organized a committee to examine and draft a Collections Management Policy. The committee was made-up of a representative from the Dublin Historical Preservation Association (DHPA), two members of the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission, a local fourth grade schoolteacher, and two Interpretative Docents from the Dublin Heritage Center. The purpose of a Collections Management Policy is to define the collecting goals for the Heritage Center Museum within standard museum policy and procedural guidelines. The Proposed Collection Management Policy and Procedures (Attachment 1) is the product of a thorough examination of the issues by the Committee. The Proposed Policy defines the following: The mission of the Dublin Heritage Center Museum The purpose of its collection The governance of the collection · The scope of the collection COPIES TO: Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission DHPA President, Steve Lockhart ~ ITEM NO. G:\COUNCIL\Agenda Statements\2003\01-07-03 Policy for Heritage Center. DOC • Collections Policy • Criteria for acquiring artifacts • • Statement on unrestricted donations to permanent collection • Procedures related to short and long term loans • Procedures for accepting loans • - Procedures for deaccession and disposal of artifacts The permanent collection for the Heritage Center Museum is defined in the Scope of Collections Table on Pages 5 and 6 of the Proposed Policy. The table systematically details what artifacts are to be pursued. Criteria used for acquiring artifacts include: • Specimens that will help to interpret the museums theme by means of display i.e. they tell the museum story. • The object has an educational or communicative function. • The object is the best available example to accomplish the interpretive purpose. • An original object is almost always preferable to a facsimile. • The exception would be if exposure to light or other unavoidable display conditions would harm the original, or if the original is unique or extremely rare and would be better protected or be more useful elsewhere. • Specimens should be of the highest quality in terms of their particular interpretive function. Adoption of the proposed Collections Management Policy and Procedures will establish a foundation for developing permanent exhibits and progressing the Heritage Center Museum to a level of professionalism that is comparable to other museums. Adoption of these policies and procedures will authorize Staff to collect and manage the artifacts on display at the Heritage Center Museum. These policies will help to facilitate a successful and sustainable historic site to benefit the citizens of the community of Dublin. City Staff met with representatives from the Dublin Historical Preservation Association to review and discuss the proposed Collections Management Policy and Procedures. The DHPA Board then met to consider the policy and have verbally given their support of the Collections Management Policy and Procedures to City Staff. Representatives of the DHPA Board have also met with City Staff to view the model of the proposed new layout of the museum collection as well as view the storage building and storage methods. Based on this, DHPA has also indicated their intent to transfer the artifacts owned by DHPA to the City of Dublin. The Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission has reviewed the Collections Management Policy and Procedures and recommends approval by the City Council. It is the recommendation of Staff that the City Council receive the presentation from Elizabeth Isles, Heritage Center Director and approve the Collections Management Policy and Procedures. Page2of2 q-i 1D-5 Collections IVlanagement Policy And Procedures Dublin Heritage Center IVluseum Proposed January 2003 ATTACHMENT I CONTENT PAGE NUMBER Introduction 3 Mission Statement 3 Introduction to Collections Management 3 Governance of the Collection 4 The Purpose of the Collection 4 Introduction to The Scope of Collection 4 Scope of Collections Table 5, 6 Collections Policy 7 Criteria for acquiring artifacts 7 Donations to the permanent collection 7 Sample letter of receipt for donation 9 Short term loans 10 Long term loans 10 Procedure for accepting loans from agencies 10 Letter of receipt for Loans 10 Deaccession or disposal of artifacts 11 Collections Management Policy and Procedures Page 2 of 11 Dublin Heritage Center Museum TNTRODUCTTON The Dublin Heritage Center is owned and administered by the City of Dublin. The policies and procedures herein are intended to establish a permanent collection at the Dublin Heritage Center Museum. The policies and procedures authorize staff to accept gifts and loans on behalf of the City of Dublin. Upon acceptance, the items would be numbered and catalogued in accordance with professional museum standards and accessioned into the permanent collection. The permanent collection will then be made available to the public through exhibits and limited study at the Dublin Heritage Center Museum. MISSION STATEMENT It is the mission of the Dublin Heritage Center IVluseum to collect, preserve and interpret the material culture of Dublin to provide an historical and cultural focal point that will enrich the community. The mission shall be accomplished by using the permanent collection, the Original Murray School House, Old Saint Raymond's Church and the Pioneer Cemetery. The mission shall further'be accomplished through temporary exhibits that reflect a broad scope of topics, programs that relate to Dublin and its history, and by encouraging the preservation of other historic sites in Dublin. INTRODUCTION TO COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT A Collections Management Policy is the most basic document used in administering collections. The policy is often required for grant applications, accreditation with the American Association for State and Local History, and may be requested by potential donors. This document explains, in exacting detail, the purpose of the museum, its collecting goals, its procedures for acquiring and disposing of artifacts and the handling of incoming and outgoing specimens on loan. Collections ?,-~ar~gen'~e~st Poiicy asnd ?Pocedu~es Page 3 of i ], Dublin ~,!e~itage Cen(~e~' ~.q~se~m GOVERNANCE OF COLLECT:~ON The primary responsibility for governance, institutional policies, financial stability, and legal accountability rests with the City of Dublin. Operational responsibility rests with City Staff. THE PURPOSE OF THE PERI~IANENT COLLECTTON 1. To preserve objects which provide the public with a truer understanding and deeper appreciation of historic Dublin. 2. To strengthen and enrich the exhibits of the Dublin Heritage Center Museum. 3. To provide resources for limited studies of Dublin. ]:NTRODUCT:~ON TO THE SCOPE OF THE COLLECT]:ON The Permanent Collection for the Dublin Herita§e Center Museum is defined in the Scope of Collection Table. The table systematically details what artifacts are to be pursued. The artifacts are appropriate to the mission of the museum and in harmony with the museum collection policy. Coilec?.ions Han~s~gen~ent Policy Dublin Herita'~ge Center DUBLI'N HERZTAGE CENTER MUSEUM SCOPE OF COLLECTI'ONS TABLE Native American · Early Illustrations Panels From Dublin vicinity Artifacts · Maps Originals or, Prehistoric- Z826 · Charts Exact facsimile or, See NAGPRA~ reproduction · Maps showing Panels Amador Founding Dublin migration routes Drawings of Spain/Mexico World History · Photos of New Amador's Original artifacts brought 1826- 1946 York, Ellis Island adobe brick by immigrant families to · Artifacts and house Dublin before 1900- personal items Ireland taken from Denmark country of origin Germany to Dublin Any original Period Dougherty (1861) Ireland Dublin's Early Kitchen Bonde (1895) Denmark Settlers · Personal Display Green (1856) Ireland Local History furnishing Tehan (1846) Ireland 1846-1920 · Household Donlon (1859) Ireland furnishing Flannagan (1868) Ireland · Kitchen furnishing Graham, Edwin Horan, Local History · Laundry supplies Knapp · Clothing Cronin (1915) · Textiles- quilts, Kolb, Koopman, handwork, lace Moiler · Toys Niedt (1906) · Recipes Rasmussen (1871) · Journals And other original settlers · Diaries pre-1900 as research reveals, Archival · Church Records Materials · School Records Dublin pre- 1960 Local History · Cemetery Records · City Directories · Newspapers · Photographs z NAGPRA - November 1990- statute provides repatriation of cu/tura/items in possess/on of museums (excluding the Smithsonian) NAGPRA instructs museums to inventory Native American cultura/ items and contact the tribe of origin. Upon request of the tribe, the items must be repatriated, hCuseum may retain objects of cu/tural patrimony only if they can trace their tit/e back to a vo/untary transfer by the culturally affi/iated Indian tribe. ~' "', "~e~''''~--';'''~ Center WW! IAWWlI · Ration books 1914- 1919 Home front · Signs · Posters 1939-1945 Transportation in · Carriage Original to the town of Dublin · Signs for Stage Dublin only · BUS · Age of the Auto · Hwy 50 · Garage · Gas Pump Dublin as a Small · Hotels 1850's- 1940's Town · Fire Dept · Dentist/Doctor · Pharmacy · Bars/Restaurants · Racetrack · Telephone Co. · Garage Green Store · Anything that Originals and facsimiles Library would have been Dublin PO sold at Green Store, original counters/fixtures COLLECTI'ONS POL:ECY FOR THE DUBLi'N HERI'TAGE CENTER I~IUSEUI~I 1. CRi'TER:EA FOR AC(~U:ERI'NG ART:EFACTS The Staff of the Dublin Heritage Center IVluseum is authorized to collect specimens that are defined within the Scope of Collection and that meet at least one of the following criteria: · Specimens that will help to interpret the museums theme by means of display i.e. they tell the museum story. · The object has an educational or communicative function. · The object is the best available example to accomplish the interpretive purpose. · An original object is almost always preferable to a facsimile. · The exceptions would be if exposure to light or other unavoidable display conditions would harm the original, or if the original is unique or extremely rare and would be better protected or be more useful elsewhere. · Specimens should be of highest quality in terms of their particular interpretive function. 2. DONAT~'ONS TO PERI4ANENT COLLECT:EON SHALL BE UNRESTR:ECTED Legal title to the donated object must pass from the donor to the City without restriction or conditions. Restrictive gifts are detrimental to sound museum development and they should be courteously declined. Staff may point out that the Heritage Center Museum subscribes to the resolution unanimously adopted by the Council of the American Association of IVluseums: Whereas, museums have common/)/received co//ect/ons through gifts and bequests made with conditions requiring the material to be kept separate, exhibited in one wa)/ or another for/ong terms of years or in perpetuity, or otherwise specia//? administered; and Whereas, museums have suffered great/)/in their management and work as a resu/t of such restrictions; and Whereas,/imit/ng terms of gift and bequest are not consonant with the best po#c/es and a/ms of museum, but tend rather to warp or retard their development and to inhibit change. Co~lec~io~"~s ~a~x~s~gement Policy ~snd P~'ocedu~es Pa~}ie ~x o,~ i~.'/~ Dub!ia ~"~exit~ge Cente~ Buseul'n So be it resolved that the American Association o£ I~useums recommends to museums that they accept no gifts or bequests o£ exhibition material upon which any conditions are attached. ,(7olJections ~'4a}vsa~geme~st Policy and ?Poceduxes Page Dublin Heritage Cente~~ >1,,.,lseum DUBLIN HERITAGE CENTER MUSEUM 6600 Do.on Way, Dublin, California Mailing address: 100 Civic Plaza, Dublin, California 94568 925-803-4128 Dear ' On behalf of the City of Dublin I wish to acknowledge and accept your generous gift of This gift will be a significant and welcome addition to our museum collections. Please check with your accountant as some gifts to the City of Dublin are tax deductible. In connection with all gifts, the City of Dublin requires a signed statement from the donor giving such items without any restrictions. In accepting gifts, the City of Dublin commits itself only to provide these articles the same care and protection accorded other such valuable material. Accordingly, we are not bound by any agreement regarding care, display or disposal of said property. In order to complete the gift, you are requested to countersign both copies of this letter on the line marked "donor" below, retain one for your own records, and return the other to us. A return self-addressed envelope is enclosed for your convenience. It is through public-spirited actions, such as yours, that the Dublin Heritage Center Museum may better interpret local history to its many visitors. Thank you for your generosity and cooperation. Sincerely yours, Elizabeth Isles Heritage. Center Director I hereby release to the City of Dublin the article or articles listed above as an unconditional gift. Donor's Name Date tO f~\ 3. SHORT TERM LOANS The Dublin Heritage Center Museum may borrow, on its own initiative, specimens from other museum agencies and individuals. Short-term loans are always for a specific use and a predetermined period, such as a temporary exhibit. 4. LONG TERM LOANS The Dublin Heritage Center Museum does not accept unsolicited loans from individuals. The Dublin Heritage Center Museum will accept long-term loans only to fill in a gap in the permanent exhibit until it can acquire a similar one of its own. Artifacts that are on indefinite loan shall have an expiration or renewal date defined. 5. PROCEDURE FOR ACCEPTTNG LOANS FROM AGENCTES · The museum agency requesting a loan (Heritage Center) completes a facilities report, which includes details concerning the museum's security, climate control systems, insurance and methods of transport and handling. · A loan agreed upon, the curator/director from the lending agency completes a Loan Form listing the borrower's responsibilities and prepares a Condition Report disclosing the condition of the object before it leaves the facility. The borrowing agency issues a Certificate of Insurance to the agency prior to the artifact being released. · Upon receipt of the object, the borrowing agency checks the condition report and reports any changes that might have occurred in transit. 6. LETTER OF RECEIPT FOR LOANS The Dublin Heritage Center Museum will provide the lender with a letter of receipt. This letter expresses appreciation. · It must also identify the object clearly · Define the period of time for the loan · Remind the lender that, while the Dublin Heritage Center Museum will assuredly care for the specimen as if it belonged to the museum, responsibility cannot be assumed for any loss or damage. 7. DEACCESSTON AND DTSPOSAL OF ARTTFACTS When a museum specimen ceases to have value, keeping it in the collection wastes space, staff time and money. Good management requires its disposal. · Determine beyond a reasonable doubt that the specimen has no further use to the museum. · Means of disposal · Transfer or Exchange with another museum · Exchange with dealers or collectors. Barter for more appropriate specimen. · Sell to dealers or collectors. · Gift to responsible public or private institution, organization or agency. · Destruction. A few objects have no historical, aesthetic or educational value. · Clearing House Services such as the National Park Service. · Return to previous owner. Prior to disposal, by any of the above means, the Heritage Center Director will bring the matter of each object before the Heritage and Cultural Arts Commission for approval. Coiiections i'flan~}gen}ent Policy and Procedu~'es Page ~! of ~.;~ Dublin Herit~ge Center Iv!usetm'~