Wanda,
We have a growing prop collection that we call our "Education
Collection" and recently found it necessary to distinguish between EDU
items and artifacts.  We now also differentiated between types of EDU
items, such as those donated or purchased to be used by staff (looms,
antique tools.) and those requiring more care (antique props or
reproductions of artifacts used in exhibits and not easily replaceable).
I created an Education Collection Policy with a ranking system that I
somewhat modeled after The Henry Ford's.  I'd be happy to email you a
copy off of the Listserve if you're interested.  I do not track EDU
items in our collections database, PastPerfect, but do apply EDU#s and
track them into MS Access.  The trick has been to get non-curatorial
staff to bring items to me before they get dispersed throughout the
Village and end up getting mixed into my artifact collections.  I try to
have copies of invoices, thank you letters, and/or deeds of gift for
every EDU item because donors show up every year to see their 'stuff' or
staff get confused about what the museum purchased and owns or what they
purchased and own.  I hope this helps.  Good luck!
-Jenna
 
Jennifer Carroll-Plante
Curator of Collections
Canterbury Shaker Village
Canterbury, New Hampshire 03224
www.shakers.org
603/783-9511 x 241
fax- 603/783-9152
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