Variations on Heather-Marie's story I have seen happen many times.

I'm happy to hear at least one person get away from the bashing and the
assumptions of bad things and talk about appropriate ways to pass on an
artifact to a better 'home'. Let's focus on the good intent of the unknown
museum person who tried to get something to the place that it is significant
to.... (The recipient did say that the item was significant to his area). 

Granted the lack of communication wasn't appropriate, and the mold and the
bugs were a nasty surprise (but probably unintentional) and might lead the
recipient museum to decide not to keep it, but at least someone put out the
effort to get something historically significant to the right place instead
of letting it go to a dumpster or thrift shop.  Somehow I thought that it's
part of our responsibility as heritage resource managers.... to think not
only of the good of one's own institution, but to try to do right by the
historic resources of our whole country. 

I would hate to have this spate of negative reaction from Museum-Lers lead
one of you listening to assume that helping get items you don't want to an
appropriate museum is a bad thing to do and thus send to the dump something
that should be saved.

But, let's hear it for doing it right: the importance of contacting the
potential recipient museum ahead, not send infected things, and providing as
much information as possible. Certainly if it were a deaccession it involves
additional paperwork, but my experience is that these things more often turn
up in the course of a donation that the museum isn't going to accept.  And
the would-be donors are, indeed, as grateful as Heather-Marie has stated. It
is very good way to make your constituents feel good about your museum even
when you have to reject their proffered donations.


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf
Of Heather-Marie Wells
Sent: Wednesday, February 02, 2005 2:04 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Don't Bug Me?

I have to say this makes me feel less guilty about interrupting other 
collection workers' days with "hey we have someone who wants to donate such 
and such but it doesn't fall into our mission statement; would your 
organization be interested?"

Every museum I've worked at I've always, always contact the organization 
that might be interested and wait for them to reply.  It's common courtesy 
and the way I would want to be treated. Then ownership details were worked 
out, sometimes the donor asked for the forms to be sent to them through us 
because they know us.  Sometimes the donor says I just want to sign forms 
from you so then we take ownership, do all the paper work to donate to 
another organization and sign the donor forms they send us.

There was one time the donor asked if she could send the item herself.  She 
was just tickled pink to think that a museum she never heard of was 
interested in her belongs.  I asked her if she would mind to bring it to us 
so we could help pack it correctly, make sure documentation was included, 
and it was cleaned.  When I explained why all these things were important 
she was fascinated at learning about museum practices that most of the 
public aren't aware of.  And she decided to volunteer for us!!!

In any case everywhere I've worked has always tried to make sure that things

are clean and packed correctly AND that the organization wants the item and 
is expecting the item.

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