Holly,
I would tend to agree with your sense of unease. There's a really  
good discussion of this exact dilemma in Marie Malaro's "A Legal  
Primer on Managing Museum Collections" (2nd ed). on pp. 230-233. I  
think that most people follow AAM's 1994 revised code of ethics that  
contains the following statement: "[D]isposal of collections through  
sale, trade, or research activities is solely for the advancement of  
the museum's mission. Proceeds from the sale of nonliving collections  
are to be used consistent with the established standards of the  
museum's discipline, but in no event shall they be used for anything  
other than acquisition or direct care of collections." This comes  
from the AAM "Code of Ethics for Museums" (1994), which can be found  
in full at: http://www.aam-us.org/museumresources/ethics/coe.cfm

I would bet that if you present this document to your board, with the  
above passage highlighted, they would reconsider this action. They  
need to find another funding source for this capital expense.

Good luck!
Angela Linn

On May 4, 2005, at 12:37 PM, Holly Wilhelm wrote:

> My board wants me to deaccession unused items that do not fit our  
> collection policy (a lot of stuff was acquired before they had a  
> formal policy) to be sold at our yard sale/auction.  My  
> understanding is that sale of deaccessioned items can only be used  
> for purchase of new items for the collections or for conservation  
> and storage of the collections.  In the past, yard sale funds were  
> used for our general operating expenses but this year the proceeds  
> are going to be used for the building of a new "annex/multipurpose  
> facility."
>
> The annex is needed because several directors ago the museum  
> accepted a wagon that is still being stored outside (we are in  
> building that was a private residence but in 1907 there were no  
> garages…).  Over the years it has begun to deteriorate and the  
> donors have said that they would like it to be returned if the  
> museum if the museum doesn't shelter it.
>
> Hence the new "annex."
>
> I'm not really comfortable with deaccession sales being used for  
> this.  True it is for preservation and exhibition of a wagon, but  
> it still strikes me as a capital building project.
>
>
> Suggestions?  Am I missing something?
>
>
> Holly
>


Angela J. Linn
Collections Manager, Ethnology & History
University of Alaska Museum of the North
907 Yukon Drive
P.O. Box 756960
Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960
TEL: (907) 474-1828
FAX: (907) 474-5469
www.uaf.edu/museum

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