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The Evolving Museum: Going Green in Collections Management Practice and Policy

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The Evolving Museum: Going Green in Collections Management Practice and Policy THE EVOLVING MUSEUM: GOING GREEN IN COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND POLICY A thesis submitted to the faculty of San Francisco State University In partial fulfillment of 3 C the requirements for the Degree TA\) s s t Master of Arts In Museum Studies by Ashley Marie Reclite San Francisco, California May 2016 Copyright by Ashley Marie Reclite 2016 CERTIFICATION OF APPROVAL I certify that I have read The Evolving Museum: Going Green in Collections Management Practice and Policy by Ashley Marie Reclite, and that in my opinion this work meets the criteria for approving a thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirement for the degree Master of Arts: Museum Studies at San Francisco State University. idward Luby, Ph.D. Professor of Museum Studies Victoria Lyall, Ph.D. Associate Professor of Museum Studies THE EVOLVING MUSEUM: GOING GREEN IN COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT PRACTICE AND POLICY Ashley Marie Reclite San Francisco, California 2016 Over the past decade, the Green Trend, defined as the general population demanding environmentally-friendly products and practices, has become a prominent aspect of society. Museums, as cultural institutions tied to their communities, recognize the importance of protecting the environment, and have steadily transitioned into “going green” on a holistic level. In this thesis, the Green Trend and “going green” in museums is examined by assessing how this transition has impacted how museums care for collections. A literature review and survey of museums in the western United States was conducted. Key themes of strong leadership, the development of sustainability plans, and institution-specific practices are identified and discussed, and conclusions and recommendations are presented. It is concluded that museums must continue to make environmentally-friendly adjustments to collections care practices in order to ensure that they continue to care for objects and serve their communities for generations to come. I certify that the abstract is a correct representation of the content of this thesis. Date ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS I would like to thank my thesis committee, Dr. Edward Luby and Dr. Victoria Lyall, for their continued support and guidance through this process. Your feedback has enabled me to become a stronger, more confident writer. Thanks are also owed to my fellow Museum Studies graduate students who have been a great support system throughout this process. Finally, I would like to thank my family and friends for their unwavering love and support. v TABLE OF CONTENTS List of Table of Contents................................................................................................... vi List of Figures.................................................................................................................... ix List of Appendices...............................................................................................................x Chapter 1: Introduction........................................................................................................ 1 Chapter 2: The Green Trend................................................................................................6 Global Warming and Climate Change.....................................................................6 Sustainability............................................................................................................9 Green Trend...........................................................................................................12 Green Trend and Museums....................................................................................14 Sustainability Plans and Policies...............................................................17 Organizations and Groups..........................................................................22 Conclusion.............................................................................................................25 Chapter 3: Going Green in Museum Practices................................................................. 26 General Green Practices.........................................................................................26 Green Buildings.........................................................................................28 Recycling and Energy Audits....................................................................31 Green Practices in Collections Care......................................................................35 Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) Systems................ 37 Lighting Systems...................................................................................... 40 Repurposing Packing Materials.................................................................41 Purchasing Green Products........................................................................42 Multi-Purpose Practices.............................................................................44 Conclusion.............................................................................................................46 Chapter 4: Green Practices and Collections Policy...........................................................48 History of the Collections Management Profession..............................................48 Collections Management Policy............................................................................50 Green Practices and Policy....................................................................................51 Conclusion.............................................................................................................54 Chapter 5: Methods............................................................................................................55 Research Topic.......................................................................................................55 Literature Review...................................................................................................56 Survey....................................................................................................................56 Chapter 6: Survey Results..................................................................................................63 Part I: Demographic Information..................... 63 Part II: Institutional Green Practices......................................................................68 Part III: Green Practices and Collections Care......................................................71 vii Part IV: Final Questions.........................................................................................81 Conclusion.............................................................................................................82 Chapter 7: Discussion........................................................................................................84 Part I: Demographic Information...........................................................................84 Part II: Institutional Green Practices......................................................................85 Part III: Green Practices and Collections Care......................................................85 Part IV: Final Questions.........................................................................................86 Survey Challenges.................................................................................................87 Conclusion.............................................................................................................88 Chapter 8: Conclusions......................................................................................................89 Green Leadership...................................................................................................89 Sustainability and Mission.....................................................................................91 A Progressive Process............................................................................................93 Development of a Plan and Policy and Inclusion in Existing Policy....................94 Tailoring Green Practices......................................................................................96 Recommendations to the Field...............................................................................97 Provide Education and Training on Green and Sustainable Practices 97 Share Knowledge and Experience.............................................................99 Concluding Thoughts...........................................................................................100 Works Cited.....................................................................................................................102 LIST OF FIGURES Figure Page 1. Responses to Type of Museum...............................................................................64 2. Responses to Staff Size...........................................................................................65 3. Responses to Annual Budget for the Museum........................................................67 4. Responses to Annual Budget for Collections Care.................................................68 5. Responses to Green Practices and Mission, Vision, Goals.....................................69 6. Responses to Presence of a Sustainability Plan......................................................70 7. Responses to Green vs. Sustainable Practices.........................................................72 8. Responses to Purchasing
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