These are interesting questions, and ones that we're on the verge of
considering as well, as we re-develop our collections policy.

I agree that a certain amount of effort has to be put in to acquire the
pieces required to fill gaps in collections, etc., but personally,  the
idea of proactively collecting makes me think of the 19th C. when the
major museums of Europe were looting Egypt, or when American, Russian
and British rapidly denuded West Coast First Nations communities of
their cultural treasures.  I know no one is proposing a return to those
practices, but I do know there are families in my area that still pass
things down with the provision, "don't let the museum get their hands on
this" (more from the perception that the museum is out to gather up all
it can, rather than a reflection on our perceived level of collections
care; at least, that's what I hope!)

Another consideration I've found in my admittedly rather limited
experience with active collecting is that once a source knows a museum
is interested in something, they expect to be paid for it, or the item
becomes unavailable to the museum, either because the source figures if
a museum wants it, it must be worth holding on to, or it'll fetch better
prices on the collectors market.  Again, I know this isn't always the
case, and that there are many people who are very generous in wanting to
see their history preserved; I'm just speaking of my, again, limited
experience.

Another consideration is that of staff resources to process active
collecting.  In my 12 years in this field, I've only met one person who
didn't have a backlog of artifacts that needed to be catalogued.  I know
that's the situation I find myself in, and that's just dealing with the
artifacts that "come through the door" that fit our areas of collecting.
 Actively pursuing additional collections would increase that backlog,
not to mention requiring more of our ever-diminishing storage/exhibit
space.

One final point is that it can take a great deal of staff time to track
down specific items, then pursue the acquisition of them--pursuit that
won't always end in possession.  And even with that, you may never find
"the perfect thing" until it unexpectedly comes in through your front
door.

I guess to cut down on my rather long-winded post here, I can see the
point of proactive collecting, but because of the issues attached to it,
I wouldn't be too keen to focus on it.

Just my thoughts;





------------------------------------------------------------
Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery
1302 Bomford Crescent S.W.
Medicine Hat, AB   T1A 5E6
(403) 502-8587

>>> [log in to unmask] 08/22/02 04:38PM >>>
Dear ListServ,

At the Evanston Historical Society, we are trying to think out of the
box
regarding acquistions  Normally, we have donors approach us. We receive
a
nice sporadic stream of costumes, photographs, papers, 3-D objects. But
the
staff feels in this day and age with everything moving at a faster
pace, we
have to be more proactive about adding to our collections.  After all,
EBay
is quite popular with most folks especially when they would rather
have
cash for items. And,of course, the nearest landfill receives today's
ephemera. So far, we have thought of the obvious--brochures,
contacting
local estate agents, having a booth at local fairs/art festivals,
leaving "ads" in free publications such as the PTA's newsletter and
other
such organizations, and putting a message on our web site. All good
ideas,
but very traditional.

So I'm throwing this topic to out to everyone.  What are you doing at
your
museum? What is being covered in the museum studies classroom?  If
you're
not being proactive, why not? Do you have an acquisitions policy that
covers this topic?  Can you share it with the listserv? Is it possible
to
brainstorm on the listserv?  After all, I bet acquistions affects
almost
everyone on here.

I checked the archives for museum-l.  There is nothing on this
subject.
(And if there is, I'm apologize for being a bad researcher. BTW, using
the
archive search is pretty handy.  A couple of times, I thought 'no way
would
this be covered on the listserv.' Lo and behold, there was my answer.
I
never had to bother the listserv with a repetitive question.)

Kind regards (and happy posting)

Kim Olsen-Clark
Development Officer/Archivist
Evanston Historical Society
at the Charles Gates Dawes House,
A National Historic Landmark
Evanston, Illinois

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