It was explained to me by our Registrar this way:

Objects "accessioned" into the collection receive the highest amount of
care and tracking.  This would account the majority of objects in the
collection.  Once they are accessioned (recorded in a log book and our
computer, numbered,
have signed deed or bill of sale)  they become a permanent part of the
collection.  They only can get "deaccessioned" by a lengthy review process
and then have to be approved by our Board of Trustees.  There are also
restrictions on
how we can dispose of deaccessioned objects.

"Non-accessioned" are not treated the same and don't have as many
restrictions on them.  Things in the non-accessioned collection are modern
reproductions (props) or objects meant to be used (like the cider press in
our gardens dept.).

David L. Starmer
Thomas Jefferson Memorial Foundation, Inc.
http://www.monticello.org


-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]]On
Behalf Of Andrew Watkins
Sent: Wednesday, February 17, 1999 3:53 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: accessioning and other jargon


Hi Listers
In return for my list of Internet acronyms perhaps the good folk here
could let me in on the museum industry jargon.

e.g accessioning ?