ABSTRACT

Keeping documentation on museum objects is vital to good museum management. Important polices such as the Collection Management Policy that enumerates what and how the museum will collect objects, and the museum's code of ethics that defines acceptable behavior of staff, boards of directors, and volunteers provide the framework for long-term museum management. Records of accession and deaccession procedures contain specific information on the objects, their donors, and the reasons for their inclusion in, or removal from, the museum collection. Documentary files contain sections on appraisals, condition reports, correspondence, deed of gift or purchase information, notes, and shipping records. Records of loans to and from the museum are important historical documents and contain details of condition reports, photography, loan agreements, shipping details, and correspondence between parties. All files should be kept in perpetuity and preserved through the safeguards of backup documentation, protection from hazards, and deterioration and destruction.