This is a reposting of a message I sent out earlier.  I don't now what the
turnover is on this particular list.  My thanks to those who shared collections
policies, suggestions, and anecdotes already.
ALSO:
Does anyone have any comments/thoughts/anecdotes related to museums' policies
on notifying a donor or the general public about a deaccession?  (Or not
notifying as the case may be.)  I know this tends to be a bigger issue
in small community museums (which don't have access to e-mail!)
----------------------------Original message----------------------------
>I am writing a paper on deaccessioning practices in history museums in
>the United States for my Museum Methods class and was wondering whether
>anyone out there could respond to an informal survey:
 
>1) When did your museum first develop a written deaccessioning procedure?
>  What prompted it?
 
 [I've been looking for any correlation between the negative newspaper
publicity in the early 1970s of New York museums deaccessioning and history
museums adopting formal deaccessioning policies. Or any other reasons!]
 
>2) Would you be willing to send me a copy of your institution's policy on
>deaccessioning?
>
>3)  I have come across examples of state-run institutions that cannot dispose
>of objects by any means other than destruction because of restrictions on the
>sale or donation of state property.  Is this the case nationwide?  Do museums
>operated by the federal government have these restrictions?  (I know the
>Smithsonian does not.)
>
>4)  Would anyone be willing to share (anonymously or otherwise) examples of
>deaccessioning episodes that did not go well?  Alternatively, does anyone
>have examples of deaccessioning at its best?
>
>Any feedback will be appreciated!
>Replies requested by April 15, 1994.
>
>Carolyn M. Brady
>4823 F Covered Bridge RD
>Indianapolis, IN 46268
 (317) 297-3731
>|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|   CAROLYN M. BRADY
>| [log in to unmask] |   GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HISTORY
>|___________________________|   INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS
 
|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~|   CAROLYN M. BRADY
| [log in to unmask] |   GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HISTORY
|___________________________|   INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS