Hi Lisa
A follow up....
----- Forwarded by Jyue Tyan LOW/NHB/SINGOV on 07/02/2005 09:19 -----
Jyue Tyan
LOW/NHB/SINGOV To: Eng Eng TEH/NHB/SINGOV@SINGOV
cc:
03/01/2005 12:55 Subject: Re: Stock-taking in Museums
----- Forwarded by Jyue Tyan LOW/NHB/SINGOV on 03/01/2005 12:54 -----
dkennard
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Sent by: Museum Subject: Re: Stock-taking in Museums
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03/01/2005 12:49
Please respond to
Museum discussion
list
Low Jyne Tyan: My first approach would be to measure the time taken to
"find* say 10 artefacts in each category. This would give you an indication
of how long the task might take. Working in pairs is essential, one person
to find and one to record or at least to check against an existing record.
If each category averages, say, one hour to locate 10 items, then you will
have 10,800 of work ahead of you. If one person works 1645 hours per year
(47 weeks @ 35 hours per week), you will need approximately 7 teams of two
to complete the task in one year. Now this is only a rough estimate, but it
is a basis for making your own calculation, depending on hours of work,
public holidays, special leave and recreation leave.
Personally, I would aim for a three-year cycle, but avoid requiring the
teams to do the task continuously. They are likely to benefit from a change
of work from time to time. There is another issue to be considered: if you
operate a separate artefact store, there will be a question of
accessibility, that you would need to take into account. I have seen well
run stores where everything can be easily found and unfortunately I have
personally experienced the other type where artefacts have been simply
'dumped' in aisles or even left in packing cases, after delivery.
I hope that this is of some help.
Desmond Kennard
Museum/heritage consultant
Museums in the making
Desmond Kennard
SUBSCRIBE MUSEUM-L Anonymous wrote:
>Dear Desmond
>
>Thanks for your valuable inputs.
>
>We house a very varied and diverse collection of 108,000 artefacts. These
>include antiquities, modern art forms, paintings, social history
collection
>etc.
>Based on your expereince, what would be a reasonable percentage to stock
>take per year?
>
>Thanks!
>
>
>
>
> dkennard
> <[log in to unmask] To:
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> Sent by: Museum Subject: Re:
Stock-taking in Museums
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> <[log in to unmask]
> .LSOFT.COM>
>
>
> 03/01/2005 11:58
> Please respond to
> Museum discussion
> list
>
>
>
>
>
>Low Jyne Tyan: This is an issue that is not uncommon in museums,
>particularly with large collections and very much depends on resources.
>A small museum could perhaps audit its collection within a twelve
>months' period, but based on my experiences in large museums, such a
>target would have been impossible. Knowledgeable people (curators) need
>to carry out audits perhaps with an independent person.
>
>Recently when giving advice to a small museum in my then role as the
>Regional Museums Adviser, I found it necessary to define carefully the
>assets for the annual report to the local government authority.
>
>I recommended that the collection should include:
>
> * Catalogued artefacts - I believe a valuation of a collection is a
> fairly pointless exercise, although some government auditors
> believe this is necessary. A record of the initial cost of
> acquisition and the costs associated with acquiring the artefact
> should naturally be recorded. This should include transport. The
> cost of cataloguing and any conservation work could be recorded as
> hours of work, should it be impractical to record the actual costs.
> * Uncatalogued artefacts - for which as a minimum there should be a
> receipt.
> * Deaccessioned items awaiting disposal.
> * NB By default an auditor is almost certain to require a list of
> those items that have been lost, stolen or strayed. There should
> also be a report prepared on what action was taken after a loss
> was discovered.
>
>The aim should be for the museum to demonstrate its ability to manage
>and maintain its collections in a safe and secure way. What I have
>covered may sound rather bureaucratic, but a museum without an adequate
>recording system is failing in its duty to donors and to those who fund
>its operations. It would be preferable to work systematically, by
>department or theme.
>
>There are other assets that should appear in an annual report. These
>include:
>
> * Fixed items such as special light fittings, computers, projection
> and sound equipment, and movable items such as display cases.
> Again there is a need for a record of disposal or loss.
> * Museum store stock - in some cases these might be deaccessioned
> items awaiting sale.
> * NB The question of depreciation will depend on local policies, but
> should not be forgotten.
>
>Quite apart from the above definitions there may be items that do not
>fit precisely within a category, eg posters from earlier exhibitions
>that in time might be accessioned, but at the stage of initial audit
>just constitute stock. It may be necessary to adopt local definitions
>for the classification of photographs, charts and models prepared for an
>exhibition and even exhibition props.
>
>This may not be the precise answer you are seeking, but I thought my
>response might generate some discussion.
>
>Regards to the List
>from
>Desmond Kennard
>Museum/heritage consultant
>Museums in the making
>
>
>
>
>
>>Dear All
>>
>>Hope everyone had a good Christmas and New Year.
>>
>>Is there anyone who can enlighten me on any policy or standards regarding
>>inventory/stock taking in museums?
>>We are conducting a stock-take this year and need to find out more on
>>'universally acceptable' standards to follow i.e. how many % to be
>>completed annually.
>>is it dependant on the size of the collection? etc?
>>
>>Thanks.
>>
>>Low Jyue Tyan
>>Asst Registrar
>>Heritage Conservation Centre
>>www.nhb.gov.sg/hcc/home
>>
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