Dear Marguerite,

 

Well, if you didn’t accession it, then you don’t need to deaccession it.  The easiest answer would be to decline that portion of the donation and return it to the donor.  Even if you did accession it, I would just follow your normal deaccession procedures and then return it to the donor. 

 

There also might be legal and ethical issues that should be discussed with the state archaeologist (for example, is this a previously unknown cemetery that needs documentation or protection?  Are there human remains there that need to be addressed?). 

 

Depending on the circumstances of how it was found, the donor may not have had the right to offer it in the first place.  I wouldn’t send it off unless you’re completely sure the donor has rightful ownership. 

 

Sincerely,

 

Kris Zickuhr

Registrar

Wisconsin Veterans Museum

 

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marguerite Radhakrishnan
Sent: Saturday, November 29, 2008 10:23 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Tombstones

 

Dear list members,

 

We received a hundred-year-old tombstone along with a collection of documents.  While we do want the documents, we are not interested in the tombstone -- there is no information about its background (we were told that someone found it while gardening, and we do not know the date or the address where it was found), and the name does not show up in city directories for the relevant dates, so we have no knowledge of the person.  It does not fit with our collecting policy and is also very heavy -- in short, we don't want it.  The question is: how does one go about properly deaccessioning a tombstone?  Does anyone have any suggestions for what type of facility might be interested in a tombstone with just a name, a date, and a general location for its unearthing?  If no one wants it, what is the right way to divest oneself of an unwanted tombstone? 

 

Thank you,

Marguerite Radhakrishnan, Archivist I

Houston Metropolitan Research Center

500 McKinney

Houston, TX 77002

832.393.1654

 Marguerite.Radhakrishnan@cityofhouston.net

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 This email contains the thoughts and opinions of Marguerite Radhakrishnan and does not necessarily represent official Houston Public Library policy.

 

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