Deaccession and Disposition:

The Museum recognizes that the best deaccession policy is a carefully crafted collections policy. However, objects which do not contribute to the purpose and goals of the Museum are liabilities and may therefore be subject to removal from the permanent collections.

To improve existing collections, make maximum use of available space, and best serve the public interest, the appropriate Curator may propose an item be removed from the permanent collections only if certain conditions are met. The Curator must demonstrate one of the following conditions: 1. The item poses a direct or indirect threat to the health and safety of staff and visitors. 2. The item is duplicated in the collection beyond the amount allotted in the Collections Policy. 3. The item is outside of the collection scope of the museum where it is stored. 4. The item is deteriorated or damaged beyond repair.

Materials will be considered for deaccession only when a title search conducted by the Curator of Collections and Archives verifies that the Museum owns the item and that ownership is unrestricted so that the Museum can dispose of it. Community Use items are considered expendable and therefore are not required to meet the deaccession standards imposed on the permanent collections. If an item is determined to be eligible for deaccession by the title search, it will be presented to the Deaccession Committee. The Deaccession committee will have the opportunity to see the item, if safe to do so, or a photograph of the item if it is not safe and will go over the paperwork presented by the curator suggesting deaccession. If the artifact is approved for deaccession by the Deaccession Committee, a form which includes the accession information, reason for deaccession, suggested disposition, and signatures of the committee members is submitted to the Executive Director. The Executive Director signs the deaccession form thereby approving the deaccession. If the material is of great financial value (over $500.00) or intrinsic value, the Executive Director will refer the matter to the Board of Directors. The committee makes its recommendations to the full Board, and if approved, a Board representative records approval by signing the deaccession form previously completed by the Executive Director and Deaccession Committee. Deaccessioned items may be disposed of in one of four ways: 1. transferred to the Community Use collection. This is the preferred choice. 2. Traded, and/or conveyed to other museums and educational institutions. 3. Items that are unwanted by other museums may be sold only with specific approval of the Board. Funds raised from deaccessions will be used exclusively for the purchase, preservation, and conservation of Museum collections. 4. If the items is beyond repair or hazardous, it can be destroyed.

None shall, in any way or at any time, be conveyed to any Museum Board members, Staff, Volunteers, or to any of their representatives.

All records pertaining to deaccessioned items will be maintained by the Curator of Collections and Archives in the PastPerfect Database and in the Deaccession Log. Should material be transferred to another institution, a complete copy of all Museum records will accompany the transaction.

Museum policy does not require that donors or the general public be notified about deaccessions. The deaccession policy is printed on the reverse of the gift agreement form and deaccession procedures are documented.

Responsibility/Staffing: It is each curator’s responsibility to identify items for deaccessioning for their area of responsibility and to isolate them from the rest of the collection. The Curator of Collections & Archives will be responsible for research artifacts after a list has been submitted to them complete with item description and accession number from the curators. Volunteer help may be needed to assist with research. The Curator of Collections & Archives is also responsible for photographing items for deaccessioning but assistance from curators is required. The Curators will present all items selected for deaccessioning to the Deaccession Committee. If necessary, the Executive Director will present possible deaccessions to the Board of Directors. Each curator must decide, with the approval of the Deaccession Committee, the Executive Director and Board of Directors, the matter of disposal and ensure that it is carried out in accordance with AAM standards.