This is a reposting of a message I sent out earlier. I don't now what the turnover is on this particular list. My thanks to those who shared collections policies, suggestions, and anecdotes already. ALSO: Does anyone have any comments/thoughts/anecdotes related to museums' policies on notifying a donor or the general public about a deaccession? (Or not notifying as the case may be.) I know this tends to be a bigger issue in small community museums (which don't have access to e-mail!) ----------------------------Original message---------------------------- >I am writing a paper on deaccessioning practices in history museums in >the United States for my Museum Methods class and was wondering whether >anyone out there could respond to an informal survey: >1) When did your museum first develop a written deaccessioning procedure? > What prompted it? [I've been looking for any correlation between the negative newspaper publicity in the early 1970s of New York museums deaccessioning and history museums adopting formal deaccessioning policies. Or any other reasons!] >2) Would you be willing to send me a copy of your institution's policy on >deaccessioning? > >3) I have come across examples of state-run institutions that cannot dispose >of objects by any means other than destruction because of restrictions on the >sale or donation of state property. Is this the case nationwide? Do museums >operated by the federal government have these restrictions? (I know the >Smithsonian does not.) > >4) Would anyone be willing to share (anonymously or otherwise) examples of >deaccessioning episodes that did not go well? Alternatively, does anyone >have examples of deaccessioning at its best? > >Any feedback will be appreciated! >Replies requested by April 15, 1994. > >Carolyn M. Brady >4823 F Covered Bridge RD >Indianapolis, IN 46268 (317) 297-3731 >|~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| CAROLYN M. BRADY >| [log in to unmask] | GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HISTORY >|___________________________| INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS |~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| CAROLYN M. BRADY | [log in to unmask] | GRADUATE PROGRAM IN PUBLIC HISTORY |___________________________| INDIANA UNIVERSITY AT INDIANAPOLIS