It is the Museum's policy to maintain a record of all collections-related objects entering and leaving the Museum when those objects are physically in the possession of the Museum for more than one business day. Objects that are of a type consistent with objects in the Museum's Artifact, Documentary Multimedia, Teaching, Library, and Props and Furnishings collections submitted to the Museum by individuals, organizations or other campus units, whether for review as potential gifts, loans or purchases, for curatorial examination, for photography or for any other purpose are subject to this policy and its procedures. The policy and associated procedures provide accountability and protection for the legal owners of such property, as well as the Museum and its staff.
Receipt of Objects Procedure
- The Registrar, Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions, or Assistant Registrar for Collections are notified in advance when objects are to be received by the Museum. In the case of packed shipments or if the Registration Section cannot house the objects temporarily in room 011 due to size, quantity, value, or other security concerns, the Collections Manager or Assistant Collections Manager is also notified. If advance notice cannot be given, they are notified as soon as possible.
- A Record of Receipt is to be prepared by the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions. If the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions is not available, the Registrar or the Assistant
Registrar for Collections prepares the Record of Receipt. The Record of Receipt is signed by the depositor (whether legal owner of the objects or representative of the legal owner)
and by the Registration staff or other pre-designated Museum staff member. Record of Receipt Forms can be produced from Word document templates or in the Registration Database. A
photocopy or dual copy is given to the depositor at time of physical transfer or as soon after as possible. The depositor is to be informed either verbally or in writing of Museum
policy about receiving objects, procedures for processing the objects depending on the purpose of an object's presence in the Museum, and an expected time frame for final
disposition of the objects.
In the case of an exchange with another Museum or institution, a standard Record of Receipt produced by the other institution that appropriately documents the physical transfer of objects and is approved by the Registrar or Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions can be substituted for the Museum's own Record of Receipt.
Originals or copies of purchase receipts and shipping receipts will serve as Records of Receipt for purchases. The Museum's Administration Section will process purchase receipts according to University accounting procedures. Copies of purchase receipts and shipping receipts for objects for the Artifact Collection are kept in the Source/Donor Files.
- The Collections Management Section is responsible for receiving and unpacking all objects intended for the Artifact Collection, incoming loans that arrive as packed shipments, and for any shipments regardless of their content that due to their place of origin may contain infested materials; see Packing and Shipping Policy, Part B, #5.
- The Collections Management Section is responsible for inspecting objects for infestation and potential hazards; see Integrated Pest Management Policy, Part B, #3. The Registration Section is responsible for either inspecting or forwarding any objects received directly by them to the Collections Management Section for inspection.
- The Registrar, Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions, or Assistant Registrar for Collections assigns an incoming number and creates an incoming record for each object in the Incoming Database. Basic information about each incoming object such as name of depositor and/or legal owner, name of object, current location, purpose of transaction, provenance and other information provided by the depositor and/or owner is recorded in the Incoming Database.
- After the Collections Management Section has declared that the objects are free of infestation and safe for handling, the Registrar, Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions, or Assistant Registrar for Collections labels the objects with the appropriate temporary labels. Paper tag labels are used for most items. No permanent markings are made on the objects at this time. The objects are catalogued and information regarding their physical nature is recorded, including a photographic image of the object, visual description, weight, and measurements.
- The Collections Management Section creates a condition report on every incoming loan object, returned loan object and any object intended for the Artifact Collection as soon as possible after receipt either by direct entry into the Condition Database or via hard copy to be entered into the Condition Database at a later date; see the Condition and Conservation Database Manual maintained by the Collections Manager. The Collections Management Section does not create a condition report for objects intended for the Documentary Multimedia Collection, Teaching Collection, Props and Furnishings Collection, or Library Collection unless there is a specific need to do so as identified by the Collections Manager, Registrar, Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions, or Assistant Registrar for Collections, Director of Education, or Director.
- For gifts, loans and purchases of objects for Museum collections, the Registrar or Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions creates a record for each group of objects in the Registration Database. Basic information is recorded at this time: including name of donor, lender, or seller, contact information, incoming numbers of individual objects, description of objects, intended Museum collection, type of acquisition, status and notes on steps in processing.
- The Registrar or Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions informs the depositor and/or legal owner as soon as possible if any changes in the status and condition of the objects are identified; see Insurance of Collections and Loans, Part A, #10.
- At the time an object is returned the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions creates a Return Record of Receipt. If the Assistant
Registrar for Acquisitions is not available, the Registrar or the Assistant Registrar for Collections creates a Return Record of Receipt. It
is signed by the depositor, whether legal owner of the objects or representative for the legal owner, and by the Registration staff or pre-designated Museum staff performing
the return transfer. Return Record of Receipt Forms can be produced from Word document templates or from the Registration Database. In the case of
an exchange with another Museum or institution, Return Record of Receipt Forms produced by the other institution that appropriately
document the physical transfer of objects and are approved by the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions under the direction of the Registrar can be substituted for the
Museum's own Return Record of Receipt Forms.
If Museum staff does not recognize or is not familiar with an individual presenting himself or herself as the legal owner, depositor or representative of the owner or depositor requesting the return of objects, the Museum will require verification prior to the return of any objects. The individual may provide the Record of Receipt Form as verification. In the case of a representative of the owner who does not have the Record of Receipt, the Registrar, or the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions or the Assistant Registrar for Collections with approval from the Registrar, may elect to confirm the intentions of the owner through direct correspondence with the owner.
If the ownership of objects has passed by sale, bequest, or gift to a different individual during the period that the Museum is caring for the objects, the new owner is to establish his or her authority to receive the objects in advance of the return. Such proof must be sufficient to satisfy the Director and/or the Museum's legal counsel.
- Upon receiving the Record of Receipt or Return Record of Receipt the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions will complete all appropriate documentation of the delivery or the return in the appropriate databases as specified in the: Acquisitions Policy Part A, #3; Outgoing Loans Policy, Part A, #4; Incoming Loans Policy, Part A, #5; Deaccessions Policy, Part A, #8; and Collections Documentation and Institutional History Records Policy, Part D. Receipts will be kept in the Source/Donor Files or, if not applicable, in the Declined Files; see Collections Documentation and Institutional History Records Policy, Part D. The Registrar and the Assistant Registrar for Collections may also complete part or all documentation of specific returns in coordination with the Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions as necessary.