DONATIONS AND GIFTS
NOTE:
The Logan County Museum
gratefully accepts donations offered for the museum
collection as long as the item fits into the collection as
stated below.
Briefly, if the item is from Logan County or has Logan
County connections and we do not already have one or are in
need of another, we will most likely accept your generosity.
Please be sure to call ahead (937-593-7557) to talk to the
Curator, Todd McCormick, before bringing the item in for
donation.
And THANKS for thinking of us, the Logan County Historical Society!
COLLECTIONS
MANAGEMENT POLICY
FOR THE
HISTORICAL MUSEUM OF LOGAN COUNTY, OHIO
I. INTRODUCTION
There are inherent difficulties in establishing the nature and scope of collecting because ideas on what is important change through time, the principal officers and curators change, thus bringing new dimensions to the collections, and the availability of items change. In addition, the immediate exhibit goals, funding, storage capabilities, etc. change in ways that are difficult to predict. It is wise, however, to have such a policy to act as a guide. By nature of the difficulties of such a statement, it must be flexible, and it must be understood as a guide and not as a rule.
II. PURPOSE OF THE MUSEUM
The purpose of the Historical Museum of Logan County is to collect, preserve, research, and interpret artifacts and archival materials relating to the history of Logan County. The museum will also endeavor to encourage and assist, when possible, amateur and professional research dealing with the history of the area.
III. SCOPE OF THE COLLECTIONS
The museum’s primary focus is on material which was specifically made, used in, or related to Logan County and the surrounding area.
Of secondary interest is material similar to items once used in Logan County which are needed because they fill gaps in the areas of primary interest. These artifacts should be of sufficient importance that they should be collected.
If an item does not fit or meet the two above interest areas but is still historically important, the museum may still accept such items for their preservation, although this is expected to be relatively infrequent, and only after careful consideration.
The purpose of the collections shall be to educate the public through exhibits and educational programs and to provide artifacts for research.
Criteria for not accepting items into the collection may include physical size, weight, condition of the item, whether the museum already owns similar items, and if the item does not relate or add to the goals of the museum for exhibits or research.
IV. TITLE TO MUSEUM ARTIFACTS
The title to all artifacts shall be owned or given outright by the Logan County Historical Society, the governing body of the Historical Museum of Logan County.
V. APPRAISALS AND DONOR TAX DEDUCTIONS
Donations to the museum are tax deductible as a charitable contribution for the value of property as determined by a qualified appraisal, receipt, or other valuable documentation. In order to avoid conflict of interest, staff members do not provide appraisals for donations. The donor should hire a professional appraiser and receive from him/her a written statement with a description of the items and the valuation; this must be received at the time of the donation. In place of a professional appraisal, if the donor has a valid receipt of purchase, the museum can provide a letter of acceptance from this information.
VI. UNITED STATES AND INTERNATIONAL REGULATIONS
The Historical Museum of Logan County and its staff abide by all U. S. and international laws and regulations concerning the transfer of ownership and transportation of objects across political boundaries. The museum will not accept any object that is illegally imported into or illegally collected in the U. S. or that is collected or recovered under circumstances that would support or encourage irresponsible damages to natural monuments or human burial places. However, the museum may accept objects that have been confiscated and offered to the museum by government authorities.
VII. EXTRAORDINARY ACQUISITIONS
Should a proposed acquisition have an extraordinarily high valuation, high cost maintenance, or restrictions on its uses, the Collection Committee may request a statement of opinion from the Board of Trustees to determine if the object should be collected.
VIII. PROCEDURE FOR ACCESSIONING
1. The Curator/Director shall determine if the object can be accepted according to the museum’s collections policy and statement of purpose. Guideline’s for determining the importance of artifacts to the Historical Museum of Logan County are:
a. The object’s consistency with the collection goals of the museum.
b. Historical, cultural, or social importance of the artifact to local history.
c. The uniqueness of the artifact and/or the existence of similar items in the collection.
d. Size or other physical restrictions.
e. Condition of artifact, if it can be cared for properly, and potential maintenance costs.
f. Restrictions or conditions on its use imposed by the donor or by the nature of the artifact itself.
g. Financial value.
h. Whether or not the artifact is a donation or for sale. Generally, it is the policy of the museum to try to accept only those artifacts offered as gifts unless the object or material is particularly desirable.
2. The Curator/Director shall make the required review of the items to be donated within thirty days, and, if the prospective donation is refused, the Curator/Director may wish to refer the donor to another institution for which the gift would be more suited. Also, if the items have been physically deposited at the museum, arrangements shall be made for their return.
3. Upon acceptance of the donation, the donor must sign the gift certificate which is filled out in duplicate. The museum retains the original and the copy is given to the donor as his receipt.
The conditions of the gift certificate are as follows:
a. No gift may be accepted with the understanding that it is to be permanently exhibited.
b. No collection may be accepted with the understand-ing that it is to be kept intact.
c. The museum retains the right to dispose of gifts in order to bring about adjustments under changing conditions, in accordance with the Collections Management Policy as adopted by the Board of Trustees.
d. A gift to the museum may not be reclaimed by the donor or his heirs. All gifts to the museum become the property of the Logan County Historical Society
4. A certificate or other statement of appreciation is sent to the donor.
5. At the time of acquisition, the derivation and all available information on the artifact should be gathered. This is entered permanently on the accession sheet at the time of registration. The sheet also contains a full description of the items such as distinguishing marks, physical appearance, basic dimensions, materials, condition, date of acquisition, and name(s) of donors.
6. All artifacts are assigned an accession number consisting of three parts. The first part of the number are the digits of the year of acquisition. The second part begins with “01” each year and runs consecutively through the year. The third part is the individual object number if donation is in multiple parts.
7. The accession numbers are assigned using the accession ledger,
which also provides a
quick reference source. The columns of the accession ledger are as
follows: Accession
number, object name, classification term, short description, donor’s
name and address, date
received, and the date of registration and initials of staff member.
8. The accession number, which is entered on all records pertaining
to the accession, is
attached to the object.
9. All accession records shall be kept in the files at the museum, and as time permits, entered into the computer inventory.
10. Whether the paperwork for accessioning has been done or can be located, all artifacts, except those on loan to the museum, physically located in the museum for thirty days or more shall be considered the property of the museum and shall only be deaccessioned by action as outlined in IX below.
IX. DEACCESSIONING
Just as the museum has a procedure to acquire objects for its
collections, it also needs a
procedure to dispose of objects. Such a procedure requires a
particularly rigid examination
because when such action is taken, it is usually irrevocable.
All artifacts prepared for deaccessioning by the museum shall be disposed of in the following manner:
1. The Curator/Director and the Collections Committee shall recommend disposal to the Board of Trustees.
2. If the Board of Trustees approves the recommendation for disposal, one of the method’s described below shall be used to dispose of the item(s). If the Board approves of the disposal, a written list shall be placed in the accessions files and noted on each individual accession sheet. This shall show the date and means of disposal.
X. METHODS OF DISPOSAL
1. Donation - Scholarly, cultural and other non-profit organizations shall be preferred over private individuals or commercial entities.
2. Exchange or Trade - Artifacts may be exchanged or traded for other artifacts in kind, provided that the value of the artifact to be received shall be reasonably commensurate with the value of the artifact to be disposed of; or provided that the artifact to be received shall fulfill a particular need in the museum’s exhibit or education programs.
3. Sale - On utilizing the sale procedure, the order of preferences as to method of sale shall be:
a. Public Auction
b. Private Auction
c. Private Sale
d. Destruction - artifacts may be disposed of by destruction when deterioration or infestation is such that display is inappropriate, education potential is minimal, or contamination of other items in the collection is likely.
To determine whether an artifact shall be subject to deaccessioning, the guidelines used for determining the importance of artifacts found under the Procedure for Accessioning section should be used.
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