I. INTRODUCTION
This document
establishes policies and guidelines for acquiring materials for the
collections of the Kenmore Heritage Society (“Society’), sets forth the
policies for the use of the collections, outlines the ethical and legal
responsibilities of the Society and its staff with respect to the
collections, and defines the circumstances and procedures by which
documents, books and other publications, photographs and
three-dimensional artifacts (including Native American artifacts
and natural history objects) shall be eliminated from the collections.
A. The Society is a private
not-for-profit 501(c)(3) organization. The organization is
governed by a President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer, and a
seven member Board of Trustees which is responsible for the
acquisition, deaccession, storage and care of the collections.
Besides its
governance function, the Board and the Society Membership are
responsible for the support of the Society; this includes duties to
solicit, receive and distribute funds, to conduct research, curate and
care for the collections, and to purchase and receive donations of
collection documents, books and other publications, photographs and
three-dimensional artifacts ( including Native American artifacts and
natural history objects) that are held in public trust. In
addition, the Board can create and manage various groups/committees
formed to support the Society.
All transactions
referred to in this document require approval within the Board of
Trustees.
B. For the purposes of this
document, all Board members, Society members and volunteers directly
involved in the management and care of the collections shall be
referred to as “staff.”
C. For the purposes of this
document, all documents, books and other publications, photographs and
three-dimensional artifacts (including Native American artifacts and
natural history objects) making up the collections shall be referred to
as “objects.”
II. MISSION
The mission of
the Kenmore Heritage Society is: To nurture an appreciation of the
history of our community. To collect, preserve and exhibit
historical memorabilia for present and future enjoyment. To build
a spirit of community by bringing together people of like interest for
the fun and adventure of historical study.
III. NATURE OF THE COLLECTIONS
A. The collections of the Kenmore
Heritage Society are defined as the documents, books and other
publications, photographs and three-dimensional artifacts (including
Native American artifacts and natural history objects) acquired and
conserved because of their historical, cultural and educational
values. The objects contained within the collections are
significant because:
1. All objects within
the collection are from the period before settlement up to the present
day. This represents 100+ years of history, heritage and culture;
2. Documents
include genealogical records of City founders, prominent citizens and
historical figures. Documents including the socioeconomic records
of local businesses, and the records of local schools and churches, are
also included in the collections;
3. All objects
are concerned with the history, heritage and culture of the City of
Kenmore plus surrounding areas;
4. Objects
should emphasize and illustrate the milestones of the community;
5. Before
accessioning an object, a determination should be made that that object
can be put to good use in furthering the mission of the Kenmore
Heritagel Society;
B. The collections are managed by a
Collections Committee, headed by a Board member. Other members of
the Committee may or may not be Board members, but all members are
committed to manage the collections and conserve the items contained
within them, including acquisition and disposal. The Collections
Committee is responsible for all aspects of curation and maintenance of
the collections, under the guidance of the Board. The Collections
Committee will work with other individuals and/or committees as
appropriate for the interpretation, exhibition, access, research and
publications based on the collections.
IV. CODE OF ETHICS
A. Activities that conflict with
staff responsibilities or cause staff members to favor outside
interests over those of the Society must be avoided. Because the
prime responsibilities of the Society are to nurture an appreciation of
the history of the community and to build a spirit of community by
bringing together people of like interest for the fun and adventure of
historical study by collecting, preserving and exhibiting historical
memorabilia for present and future enjoyment, the Society requires
staff:
1. To act ethically
and legally in collecting, acquiring, reproducing, lending, exhibiting,
and disposing of objects;
2. To discourage
unethical, illegal, and destructive practices with respect to
collecting, acquiring, storing, reproducing, displaying, transporting,
and trafficking in objects;
3. To refrain
from providing appraisals for any objects;
4. To refrain,
while serving on the Collections Committee or on the Board, from
amassing or adding to personal collections that overlap in scope with
those of the Society. Collections acquired through family
inheritance are exempt;
5. To provide
the Society with an inventory of any Society-related personal
collections at the time of service on the Collections Committee or the
Board, and to update this inventory to include any new acquisitions for
which an exemption to Rule 4 has been granted; and
6. To abide by
the Society’s Code of Ethics as adopted by the Board.
B. If an appraisal is supplied to
the Society by the donor, the value may be recorded with the accession
information. Recording this appraisal does not imply its
validation by the Society.
For income tax
purposes, the staff person(s) serving as Registrar for the Society will
confirm receipt of donations by signing IRS forms after the appraisal
section has been completed and signed by the donor’s appraiser.
V. ACQUISITION OF OBJECTS FOR SOCIETY
COLLECTIONS
A. Documents, books and other
publications, photographs and three-dimensional artifacts, including
native American artifacts and natural history objects (all collections
materials, for purposes of this document, shall henceforth be referred
to as “objects”) shall not be accepted or acquired for Society
collections unless the following conditions are met:
1. The objects are
relevant to and consistent with the purposes and activities of the
Society. This implies that each object acquired will:
a. Represent the
period before settlement up to the present day. This represents
100+ years of history, heritage and culture;
b. Include
genealogical records of City founders, prominent citizens and
historical figures. Documents including the socioeconomic records
of local businesses, and the records of local schools and churches, are
also included in the collections;
c. Be concerned
with the history, heritage and culture of the City of Kenmore plus
surrounding areas;
d. Emphasize and
illustrate the milestones of the community;
e. Be able to be
put to good use in furthering the mission of the Kenmore Historical
Society;
2. The Society can
provide storage, protection and preservation of the objects under
conditions that assure their availability for Society purposes and
comply with the accepted professional standards;
3. The objects
have a demonstrated authenticity, established provenance, and a clear
proof of title;
4. The objects
should have proven both legal and ethical integrity; if there is a
suspicion that the objects have been illegally obtained, they should
not be accepted into the collections; and
5. The objects
are either in a condition which provides for their use and/or display,
or a condition which the Society has the resources to restore and
maintain. High quality of an object, although desireable, may be
excused if the object is the only one of its kind available.
It is intended
for all acquired objects to have permanency in the collection, unless
otherwise designated in the acquisition record or decided after
acquisition for the benefit of the collections, their quality and
consistency.
Acquisitions
shall be accepted as public trust property in the care of the Kenmore
Heritage Society. Accurate records of the collections shall be
maintained by the Society. Inventory reconciliation shall be
conducted at the end of each budget year.
B. When considering receipt of a
gift or purchase, the circumstances of the transaction, the reputation
of the seller or donor, and the available knowledge of the object’s
origin shall leave no doubt that valid and legal title can be
transferred to the Society. In complying with these provisions,
staff should consult with colleagues within the Society and other
relevant organizations to the degree advisable, based on the
significance of the acquisition and the circumstances of the
transaction. In doubtful cases, legal advise should be sought.
C. All objects acquired for the
collections shall be documented using standards that are normal to
pertinent collections. These records shall include the evidence
that has been gathered to establish the appropriateness of the
acquisition within the context noted above.
D. Copies or reproductions of
original materials acquired for display or research purposes shall not
be acquired or reproduced without the permission of the organization in
which the original material is housed.
E. On occasion, the Society may wish
to acquire objects for research, exhibit or education purposes which
the Society does not intend to hold in its collection
indefinitely. The assumption is made that the objects will
deteriorate through use and become unsuitable for continued
stewardship. The Society may accept any such object without
accessioning it into the permanent collections, provided that
appropriate documentation is prepared by the staff formally accepting
the object on behalf of the Society.
F. When such a non-accessioned
object is no longer useful to the Society, staff shall recommend to the
Board the appropriate disposition, with the documentation
retained. The non-accessioned materials must be disposed of in
the same manner as is permitted for accessioned artifacts.
G. Library material that is not
unusually rare or valuable (either economically or for the long-term
purposes of the Society) may be accepted by the Society without
accession into the collections. Such library materials may be
disposed of in accordance with standard library practices, provided
that complete records are kept of all transactions. Unusually
rare, valuable or useful library material will be accessioned into the
Society’s collections in the same manner as other objects.
VI. DEACCESSION AND DISPOSAL OF OBJECTS FROM
THE COLLECTIONS
A. Accessioned objects in the
collections will be retained permanently if they continue to be
relevant and useful to the mission, purposes and activities of the
Society and if they can be properly stored, preserved and
utilized. Deaccessioning of objects may be considered when these
conditions no longer prevail.
B. Accessioned objects in the
collections may be deaccesioned only with the approval of the Board of
the Society.
C. When disposing of deaccessioned
objects, the Society shall ensure that the manner of disposition is in
the best interests of the Society, the public it serves, and the public
trust it represents in maintaining the collections.
1. Consideration will
be given to returning to the community or organization objects that are
part of the historical, cultural or scientific heritage of that
community or organization.
2. Consideration
will be given to placing the objects, through transfer or exchange, in
another organization wherein they may serve the purpose for which they
were initially acquired.
3. No gifts
shall be made of property or objects held in the public trust.
4. No transfers
or exchanges shall be made with an individual.
5. No private
sales shall be made to individuals. Any objects from the
collections to be sold must be advertised and sold in a manner that
will best protect the interests, objectives and legal status of the
Society. Objects will not be given or sold privately to
staff, members or Board members of the Society, or to their
representatives.
6. Proceeds of
all sales of objects shall be used only to obtain additional objects,
or for the conservation of existing objects in the collections.
Proceeds cannot be used to subsidize the operation of the Society.
D. Before disposing of any objects
from the collections, reasonable effort will be made to ascertain that
the Society is free to do so. Where restrictions as to the use or
disposition of the objects under question are found to apply, the
Society shall act as follows:
1. Mandatory
restrictions shall be strictly observed unless deviation from their
terms is authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction; and
2. If there is
any question as to the intent or force of restrictions, the Society
shall seek the advice of legal counsel.
E. A record of the conditions and
circumstances under which objects are deaccessioned and disposed of
shall be made and retained as part of the Society’s permanent register.
VII. LOANS
A. Incoming Loans
Incoming loans
shall be accepted only for purposes of exhibition or research.
Indefinite or long-term loans shall be accepted only when recommended
by the staff and approved by the Board. Those loans must involve
objects that would otherwise be subject to loss or are required for
Society programs. The Society cannot store, on behalf of others,
materials that are not required for exhibition, for ongoing research,
or for promised donation. Objects lent to the Society on the
understanding that they will ultimately be donated to the collections
must be accompanied by a written binding declaration of the lender’s
intent to this effect. Paragraphs 1, 2, and 5 in Section V(A)
above regarding legal and ethical acquisition policies shall apply to
all incoming loans.
B. Outgoing Loans
The Society
lends objects to qualified organizations for research and exhibition
subject to policies and practices as follows:
1. Objects shall not
be lent to individuals except under special circumstances and with the
approval of the Board. Before lending to individuals, the staff
in charge, with the Board’s permission, must make every effort to seek
an organizational affiliation or endorsement for the individual.
If it is not possible to establish an affiliation or endorsement, then
written reasons must be stated with the loan form.
2. Loaned
objects will not be transferred by the borrower to any other
organization or individual without prior approval.
3. The maximum
duration of a loan shall be one year, but shall be subject to
renewal. Longer term loans may be approved by the Board at the
recommendation of staff or the Collections Committee.
4. If the
Society deems it desirable and/or necessary, objects placed on loan by
the Society shall be assigned an insurance value prior to
shipment. The borrower shall pay for the appraisal to assign the
insurance value.
VIII. USE OF COLLECTIONS
A. Access to Collections
The collections
shall be accessible for research and study by responsible
investigators, subject to procedures necessary to safeguard the
objects, and to restrictions imposed by limitations of exhibition
requirements, availability of study space and facilities, and
availability of appropriate staff as determined by the staff or
Collections Committee in charge of the collection.
Access to
collections or collection records can be denied if such access may
create a substantial risk of harm, theft, or destruction of such
objects or of the area or place where the objects originated.
B. Exhibitions
Original,
reconstructed and/or duplicated objects from the collections may be
used in exhibitions designed for public display. These objects remain
the responsibility of the Society and will be treated in a manner
consistent with the policies stated above. Board approval is
required for all objects to be used in public displays.
C. Educational Use of Objects
With approval
from the Board, objects from the collections may be made available for
educational presentations, movies, film strips, electronic media or
still photography for educational publications.
D. Commercial Use of Objects
With approval
from the Board, objects or their images may be made available for
reproduction or replication for commercial use. Staff, the
Collections Committee and/or the Board shall be the judge(s) of quality
control, selection and marketing with the approval of the Board.
Such commercial use shall be for the benefit of the Society and its
collections, and consistent with this collection policy. Copyright for
reproduction of objects from the Society’s collections will remain the
property of the Society.
IX. PUBLIC DOMAIN
This policy
shall be reviewed periodically by Society staff as required so as to
maintain an effective Collection Policy. Changes must be approved
by the Board.
These written
statements of the Collection Policy of the Kenmore Heritage Society,
which have been approved and adopted by the Board of Trustees, can be
made available to donors, users of the collections, and other
appropriate persons.
