Susan,

You must remember, too, that many museums have various titles for Collection Managment and the Registrar.  You have Curators, which could be a Curator of Collections, of art or of exhibits or education.

It also depends on the size or simply job or title/job classification the "museum" uses.  However, IMHO, a "registrar" is far different from a "curator" since the first deals mainly with tracking and bookwork, while a collection manager works more with the collection itself (as does a curator).  Too, the smaller the organization the "more hats" a position and title assumes, and a curator or collection manager could be the registrar and (oh me!!!!) even the Executive Director!

Best,

John Martinson
Curator of Collections
This Is The Place Heritage Park

sAnne Lane <[log in to unmask]> wrote:

>At 03:54 PM 8/8/2001, you wrote:
>>I work in a very small museum as the collections manager. However I feel
>>that I do the work of both the collections manager and the
>>registrar.  What is the difference between the two?  In a small museum is
>>there any difference?  What about the job title collections manager/registrar.
>>
>>Any input would be helpful.
>
>Susan, there is a lot of confusion and overlap between these terms. In some
>museums, the registrar handles both the physical care of the collections
>and the record-keeping; in other museums the collections manager handles
>both; and in still others, it is split up in various ways. Here at the CHC
>I am the collections manager. I am responsible for the physical care of the
>collections, including monitoring and controlling conditions in storage
>areas and exhibit areas; proper housing, storage and exhibition of the
>collections; proper handling and condition reporting of both owned and
>loaned objects - in short, I take care of the stuff. The registrar, alas
>only a part-time position, works for me. She keeps track of the stuff. She
>maintains the permanent files, updates the collections management database,
>processes paperwork on acquisitions, loans in and out, deaccessions, etc.
>We work together often, blurring the line between our jobs, and we all come
>out to help the exhibits department and curators when a big exhibition is
>being mounted or taken down. We both work with the database but the buck
>stops on my desk.
>
>I hope this is helpful. I'm sure you will get a pile of different answers
>to help you make up your mind - or lose it!
>Anne
>
>Anne T. Lane, Collections Manager
>York County Culture & Heritage Commission
>4621 Mount Gallant Road
>Rock Hill SC 29732-8666
>803-329-2121, ext. 104
>Fax 803-329-5249
>[log in to unmask]
>

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