I really like the idea of having a "donor form" of sorts still for reproduced items - at least they can be tracked and it is clear as to what may be done with them.  

We too, have had many people wanting us to basically give them free storage which, really is not our mission.  A few years back we had a local person drop off their ancestor's research/genealogy files and under directions from the then Educator, all of those documents and photographs were scanned and organized.  Then when it came time to use them in a book, the "owner" pitched a fit.  Big waste of time on the part of the scanning.  

So - here's what is rattling around in my head for a policy/plan.

Original photographs (items such as cdv's, tintypes, photographic prints) are accessioned into the museum's permanent artifact collection.  If the actual item is not being offered for donation, then we request that the owner sign a donation form allowing the museum to scan the item(s) and reproduce the digital files as needed. 

I would think that the above paragraph could apply to poor copies (xerox copies if you will) as well - the item may be scanned for use, but not actually accessioned.  Then, if an original photograph were to ever come into the collection, that would be kept and accessioned.  


Any thoughts on the documents?  Do these same ideas above apply?  

Thank you all so much for the suggestions!


Sylvia Bruner
Assistant Director / Registrar
JC Jim Gatchell Memorial Museum 
PO Box 596
100 Fort Street
Buffalo, WY 82834
307-684-9331
www.jimgatchell.com

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