LISTSERV - MUSEUM-L Archives - HOME.EASE.LSOFT.COM

Hi Diane,

I'd suggest a different approach, one that could build a more productive relationship in the future; think of it as a teaching moment. Since he is likely to continue to send you stuff unbidden, you ought to take advantage of it, but it will require a little time, but it may well be worth it in time saved in the future.

Make a list of what he's sent that you accessioned and highlight the ones that you consider gems; make a parallel list of his most recent batch and highlight the pieces you're not interested in. If you have a collections policy, look at whatever it says about the scope of your collections. If your CP addresses this, look at what have been identified as gaps in the collection. If it doesn't, spend a half hour de-briefing yourself: this is the story we're trying to tell--what's missing that would allow us to tell it better? What are our limits: what's outside the mission or beyond our capacity to manage it or whatever the other selective criteria you apply? Have him in for coffee and talk him through this. Make him an ally and a scout for you.

It's maybe worth thinking about whether others in your community would benefit from and welcome an opportunity to learn about what you collect and why and the range of issues you are evaluating as part of that process. They're not just your audience; they're your support group and they'll be more supportive if they understand you better.

My two cents.

Ken

KEN YELLIS
Project Development Services
21 Gibbs Lane
Portsmouth, RI 02871
Office: 401-619-4524 o Cell: 401-662-7769 o [log in to unmask]

In a message dated 2/15/2017 4:26:39 P.M. Eastern Standard Time, [log in to unmask] writes:

Diane,

Basically what Marc said but if I think the items may have value to another institution, if I can, I supply the general contact information of other institutions that may be interested. If it’s something that I think has significant value or has significant value to a specific institution but doesn’t fit our mandate I may contact another institution and see if they’re interested. If they are I’ll either let the donor know or offer the donor to transfer the items to the other institution (with some sort of written proof of the donor’s wishes).

William Shepherd

Collections Officer

Swift Current Museum

44 Robert Street West

Swift Current, Saskatchewan

S9H 4M9

Phone: 306-778-4815

Fax: 306-778-4818

From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Marc A Williams
Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2017 3:06 PM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: [MUSEUM-L] Rejecting Donation Letter

"Thank you so much for your kind donation. We appreciate it very much. The items in this box do not fit within the mission of our institution. We very much appreciate your thoughtfulness, but feel that another institution may be better able to utilize them. Best regards." So something to that effect.

Marc

From: Diane Hall

Sent: Wednesday, February 15, 2017 3:59 PM

To: [log in to unmask]

Subject: [MUSEUM-L] Rejecting Donation Letter

Hello Museun-L.

Does anyone have a templet for rejecting objects a person has mailed you to donate to your museum?

Background:

There is a gentleman who every few months sends several items to the museum to donate. He never calls to ask if we want said items, just mails them with a nice note that he is donating them. So far, most of these items we have been able to accept into the collection. However, the most recent box he sent contained four objects, two that just are not a good enough fit. I want to return these to him but do not want to alienate him in any way.

Diane Hall

Collections Manager

AMA Motorcycle Hall of Fame

13515 Yarmouth Dr.

Pickertington, OH

1 (800) AMA-JOIN

1 (614) 856-1900, ext. 1210

To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1

To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1

To unsubscribe from the MUSEUM-L list, click the following link:
http://home.ease.lsoft.com/scripts/wa-HOME.exe?SUBED1=MUSEUM-L&A=1