Andrew - we do have these - and similar words in our donation / entry 
documentation. Have worked in two museums which also had tiers - largely 
at my instigation. I will answer below for the museum I now work for. 
When I was still at the University of Witwatersrand Bleloch Museum of 
Geoplogy we had the following:

    Type collection

    Research collections -  sets of specimens specific to and 
illustrative of specific theses / papers (may inclide types)

    Reference collection - illustrative of specific stratigraphies, 
building materials, mines, etc.

    Teaching collection - for useage but not destruction

    Disposable material - used for destructive teaching purposes (mostly 
easily recollectable), preparing teaching sets for schools - sets were 
donated to schools and never seen again :-)

The contents of research collections were very specifically spelled out 
in a policy and were examined by me as curator as a part of the 
requirements for awarding of a degree.

See below for NCHM

Andrew Goldstein wrote:

> Hi everyone,
>
> I'm interested in hearing from museums that have tiered collections, 
> i.e., official designations for the permitted usage of their 
> collections.  Our museum has a collection of about 17,000 artifacts 
> and 37,000 items in our archive and I am looking for ways to refine 
> our collection and address some concerns about their use. 
>
> At the moment we are looking at transferring some items in our 
> collection to an education collection, which will be under the 
> supervision of our education department.  I have also been considering 
> creating a third tier for our few artifacts that are used in a 
> hands-on way: for example, we have a collection of multiple church 
> pews from the same church and I have been asked if we can permit one 
> or two of them to be used for seating.  This would alleviate problems 
> with both seating capability in the museum and storage space issues, 
> although it obviously raises some concerns about the usage 
> of collections.  Another option I have considered is the 
> deaccessioning of certain similar objects that lack an appropriate 
> provenance and documentation, but retaining those objects for museum 
> use outside of the Collections department.
>
> I am of course revising our donation form to reflect the possibility 
> that artifacts may be used for educational outreach and/or hands-on 
> usage, making the donor aware of these options and allowing for their 
> refusal (I'm thinking check-boxes for Tiers 1,2, and 3, as many as apply).
>
> What I would like to know is:
>
> 1. Does your museum have multiple tiers within your collection?

          YES

>
> 2. If so, how many?  What are the categories you utilize?

          Three - the permanent collection, replicas and educational 
material (can be used and ultimately written off - has duplicate 
objects, objects without provenance, etc. and material specifically 
manufactured for the purpose) and material specifically collected for 
use - i.e. in restoration, making replicas,etc.

>
> 3. Is this reflected in your collection policy?  If so, how?  How are 
> deaccessions

          Yes - replica and use material  do not have to go through a 
formal de-accession process - however, degrading from permanet to either 
of the other two requires normal de-accession process.

>
> 4. Are items in all categories accessioned?  Do you use the same 
> accessioning system for each category?

          Yes - but in separate registers with different collection codes

>
> 5. Another option being considered is the acquisition of objects with 
> the intent of putting them to use, but not accessioning them into the 
> collection (treating them more as prop than artifact).  Documentation 
> would still be kept on the objects, essentially resulting in the same 
> effect as a third tier but outside of our accessioned collection.

          I think I have covered this above.

Hope this helps

Glyn

-- 

 Glyn Balkwill
 Collections Manager
 National Cultural History Museum
 PO Box 28088
 SUNNYSIDE
 0132  RSA
 Tel(w):27 (0)12 324-6082; Tel(h): 27 (0)12 664-1973; Cell: 27 (0)82 770-7826
 Fax   :27 (0)12 328-5173; Email : [log in to unmask]

 Any opinions expressed are strictly my own

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