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You should have a policy on why and how you receive objects and other material such as associated archives. This could either be a standalone document or part of a wider collections management policy. Either way, in deciding your policy you will most likely need to consider these questions:
- In what circumstances will you accept objects into your care?
- Who is authorised to do this?
- What are your terms and conditions for accepting deposited objects?
- How long, and in what form, is enquiry information held?
You should also have a written procedure that explains the steps to follow when objects arrive at your museum. Spectrum’s suggested procedure is a useful starting point, but however you do it, your own procedure should meet the following minimum requirements:
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Minimum requirement |
Why this is important |
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You can account for all objects left in your care. |
You do not lose track of objects left with you for a short time as enquiries. |
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You have clear terms and conditions for accepting objects into your care. |
You do not end up being responsible for unwanted objects. |
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You record why objects have been left with you. |
You do not wrongly process a loan as an acquisition. |
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You schedule the default return of objects to the owner if they are not to be acquired or loaned. |
You can plan for the return of objects. You do not end up looking after objects whose status is unclear. |
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You record who legally owns objects left with you. |
You can deal with the right person if you want to acquire an object and obtain legal title to it. |
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You assess and mitigate any potential risks to people or other objects from incoming objects. |
You can quarantine items potentially infested with pests that could damage your existing collections. |
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You record as much significant information about newly-arrived objects as you can, to be added to in the future. |
You do not lose the opportunity to find out about provenance or likely copyright holders while their owner is in your museum and ready to talk. |
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Both you and owners know your liability for loss or damage while objects are in your care. |
Owners are aware of the limits of any claim they may make if anything goes wrong. You do not take on liabilities that might create financial risks. |
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You provide a receipt for owners and get a signature to show they accept your terms and conditions. |
It is clear to owners that you have accepted care of objects they have left with you. Owners cannot later claim they did not accept your terms and conditions. |
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You can uniquely identify newly-arrived objects. |
You do not mix up objects that look similar. |
