Collections Management Policy

Definition: A detailed written statement that explains why a repository/museum is in operation and how it goes about its business. It articulates the repository/museum's professional standards regarding objects left in its care.

One of my favorite motivational career statements is, "Be careful what you get good at."

This is what I used to say to Van all the time when we were painting all summer. A couple weeks ago we the Board of Directors of the Museum voted to approve the Collections Management Policy that I wrote. I am sure my OHS friend and colleague Cheryl would be laughing at what my life has become. Me? Writing a Collections Management Policy?

In my first two weeks at OHS I took a tour of the collections facility. I was in the accessions room and picked up a glass jar to look at it.

Cliff was giving me a tour. He says, "One of the key elements in collections management is that you never touch something without a really good reason. Idol curiosity is not a good reason."

This made me really mad. I can still see the moment in my mind.

I have probably said that statement a dozen time or more since that day. In a house museum when the Foundation director picked up one of the President's books off of the bookshelf. In the lab on Grand Turk talking about the preservation of copper maritime artifacts. The other day giving a long lecture to the two archaeology interns who have been working for the BLM for the last nine months.

We had a volunteer day at the Desert Museum a couple weeks ago. The Chairman of the board sat down at one of the tables with drink.

One of the archaeologists said, "I don't think we are supposed to have drinks at the table."

I said something like, "Dude, didn't we all just read the Collections Management Policy like a dozen times in the last month."

Well, I probably said something like that anyway. And yes we did. And yes its on page 8.