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Office of the
Vice President

Collections Management Policies

Article I. Mission Statement

The Mari Sandoz High Plains Heritage Center will celebrate the life and literature of Mari Sandoz and the culture of the High Plains. Through the acquisition, preservation, display and interpretation of archival materials, records, documents, books, specimens and artifacts of this region, the Center honors the culture and the legacy of Mari Sandoz and the heritage and history of the High Plains. The Center's collections constitute the physical inventory of the resources necessary to sustain the people and the environment of the High Plains and man's interaction with the natural world.

Article II. Purpose of the Collections

The Center collections support the multiple functions of the College in terms of teaching, research, and service. Special emphasis is given to the educational needs of the public by utilizing the collection in lectures, seminars, demonstrations, field trips and interpretive exhibits. These collections have global and North American aspects but emphasize the literary, cultural, historical, geological, and botanical record of the High Plains. The collections form a basis for the continuing appraisal of the past, the present, and the future of the High Plains' region.

Article III. Center's Collections Goals

The Center has obligations to support the academic community through facilitating service, research, and educational activities, and the public through education. The Center's prioritized collecting goals shall be to concentrate on:

3.1 Collections which add to and strengthen the comparative base of established
collections

3.2 Collections which pertain to the Center's mission and purpose

3.3 Collections which may become available and require the Center to establish
new areas of interest. Collections of this type must be judged on merit and
take into consideration the long range goals and objectives of the Center

Article IV. Acquisition Policy

The Center may acquire objects by purchase, gift, bequest, exchange, excavation, field collection, or any other appropriate means. The Center will acquire only those objects for which it can provide proper care, conservation, and storage. The Center Director is responsible for the acquisition and the deaccessioning of all collections housed in the Center. The Director will seek the advice of any advisory committee representing a collection housed within the Center. The Director shall report regularly to each advisory committee regarding acquisitions.

All approved acquisitions will be documented by an accession form which transfers ownership or provides permanent loan agreement through the Chadron State Foundation to the Center. Through transfer, the owner agrees that items may be integrated into existing collections or used as appropriate.

Only under special circumstances will the Center accept items which have stipulations regarding use or disposition. The Center will not guarantee that items donated or received on permanent loan will be placed on permanent long term exhibit, stored intact, or exhibited intact as collection.

No member of the Center's staff is authorized to make appraisals of items offered to the Center. Center personnel may assist donors in locating qualified appraisers. Donors desiring to take an income tax deduction may have an independent appraisal made on the value of the gifts.

Article V. Definitions, Scope, Registration, Procedure and Practices, Catalogs

5.1 Definitions
a) Object: A research specimen of historical, anthropological, biological,
geological, or paleontalogical value or major gift or permanent loan of library or
archival materials.

b) Accession: A permanent collection or collection object acquired from a single source at one time; it may refer to one object or to a number of miscellaneous and diverse objects.

c) Accessioning: The act of recording and/or processing an addition to the
permanent collection. Accessioning commits the Center to the responsibility
for proper care and use of the object. An accession record includes among
other data all accession numbers, date, nature of acquisition, (i.e., gifts,
purchase, bequest, excavation, permanent loan, etc.), source, brief
identification and description, condition, purveyance, value, and the name(s) of
the staff member(s) recording the accession.

d) Deaccessioning: The removal of an accessioned object or group of objects
by a standardized procedure from a permanent collection.

e) Loaning/Borrowing: The process of contracting for the borrowing or
lending of objects, for temporary or extended periods between the Center and
other responsible institutions for individuals. Loaning/borrowing is undertaken
under the terms of a loan agreement which:

1) Forms a contract between lender and borrower; and

2) Specifies terms and conditions of the loan, including the respective
responsibilities of each party.

f) Cataloging: The creation of a full record in complete descriptive detail of all
information about an object, assembly, or lot, cross-referenced to other records
and files, and often containing a photograph or sketch. Catalog data are usually in the form of cards, sheets, or automated data.

5.2 Scope - The Center's collections are comprised of:

a) Permanent Collections: Objects to which the Center has acquired legal title and thus owns, either with or without restriction.

b) Permanent loans: Objects placed permanently in the Center's collections by a donor who retains title.

c) Temporary Collections: Objects which are on temporary deposit with the
Center, e.g. on loan for special exhibitions, on loan for study, on deposit for consideration for possible acquisition, on deposit for special purposes.

5.3 Registration: The registration of objects involves completing and maintaining a cumulative inventory of all items in the Center's custody, both permanent and temporary. This includes providing an immediate, brief, and permanent means of identifying each object and recording its source, status, and disposition. The Phases of Registration consist of accessioning, deaccessioning, and loaning/borrowing of objects (see Definitions: article 5.1, subsections c, d, and e).

5.4 Procedures and Practices
Accessioning:

5.4.1 As soon as an object is accepted as part of the Center's permanent
collection, it will be accessioned by the Collections Manager through standard accession forms. Accession numbers will be assigned to the individual collection. Upon completion, accession forms are to be filed with individual collections, with copies maintained in the Director's office.

5.4.2 The Collection Manager is responsible for assuring that all accessions are properly cataloged. Managers of specific collections will catalog objects/ specimens with an internally consistent system within that collection and in accordance with accepted professional standards for that discipline. Catalog records should provide complete information about an object as well as its current location.
Deaccessioning:

5.4.3 Objectives: The Center holds its collections in trust for present and
future generations. Therefore, deaccessioning must be done with great
care and consideration. A Center deaccessioning form must be used in all cases. After the deaccession procedure is complete, one copy of the deaccession form will remain on file in the respective collection, and one copy will be kept on file in the Center Director's office.

5.4.4 Standards to guide deaccessioning decisions:

Objects will have permanency in the collections as long as:

a) They retain their physical integrity,
b) They retain their identity,
c) They retain their authenticity,
d) They continue to be relevant and useful to the Center's purpose and activities,
e) They can be properly stored, maintained, and used, and
f) They do not present a health hazard.

5.4.5 Restrictions: The Center may deaccession any particular object unless there are specific written restrictions to the contrary. Before any object is deaccessioned, reasonable efforts will be made to ascertain that the Center is free to do so. Where restrictions to the disposition of the object are found, the Center will seek the advice of legal counsel.

5.4.6 Procedure: The Collections Manager of a specific collection may recommend deaccessioning of an object if in his or her best judgment the object fails to meet one or more of the standards for permanency in the collection.

Once a decision has been made to deaccession an object the Director will prepare a deaccession form which details:
a) The history of the object
b) The reason for deaccessioning, and
c) The means of disposal.

Complete and accurate records on all deaccessioned objects will be maintained. These records will include all accession and catalog records with notations that the object has been deaccessioned and the date, method, and authority for deaccession. Records pertaining to deaccessioned objects are available for public review (See Article IV).

5.4.7 Priorities of Transfer/Disposal: Priority Summary

The Center will observe the following priorities in transferring or disposing of deaccessioned items:

a) Priority I. Exchange or gift to another educational or scientific
non-profit institution.

b) Priority 2. Sale of items where it is consistent with discipline standards.

c) Priority 3. Destruction.

5.4.8 Methods of Transfer/Disposal

a) Priority I.

1) Exchanges. The formal reciprocal transfer of objectives or
specimens of comparatively equal value between two or more institutions serves to advance the research, educational, or exhibition programs of each organization. Such exchanges increase the probability of preserving materials for the future benefit of society. The use of materials for appropriate exchanges is preferred over transfer through sales.

2) Gifts. In some cases where exchange of material may be unfeasible or impractical, the Center may give or grant deaccessioned specimens to other museums, educational, or scientific non-profit institutions. Such gifts are limited to legitimate nonprofit institutions as recognized by state or federal government.

Institutions in the State of Nebraska will have priority in receiving such gifts. Gifts will be for the purpose of promoting research, education, or exhibition, and must be for the public good.

3) Transfer. Objects or specimens that are duplicates, without provenance, or otherwise of little exhibition or scientific value, and that meet the requirements for deaccessioning may, after deaccession, be given to other museums, educational, or nonprofit institutions.

4) Specimen Retention. The study, naming, or reporting on reference collection specimens by a scientist adds to the scientific value of that material. In recognition of this fact, and to increase mutually the value of reference collections for society, it is customary in some disciplines for scientists who borrow biological or paleontological specimens to retain some duplicate examples for the collections of their institutions. All
such transactions shall be in keeping with the traditions of the academic discipline involved and fully documented through deaccession procedures.

b) Priority 2.

1) Sales. Sale of items may occur when it is consistent with discipline standards. If objects are offered for sale, primary consideration will be given for sale at advertised public auction or the public marketplace in a manner that will best protect the objective, purpose, activities, and legal status of the Center. Sealed bidding or open bidding over a period of time are acceptable options, provided that the availability of such material for sale has been given publicity aimed at the appropriate audience of potential purchasers. In all cases of items offered for sale, a reserve price may be established in advance, or all offers rejected if the staff of the Center determines that such action is advisable. The purchase price of each item or collection shall be available upon request, together with a summary of other bids or offers received. Private sales are forbidden.

Although the goal of the sale is to bring the best possible price for the item, if substantially equivalent offers are received for a specimen or a collection, then the Director is authorized to complete the sale to the
bidder who appears most likely to provide the highest and most stable degree of care for and make the most appropriate research, educational, or exhibition use of the material(s). Objects will not be given or sold directly or indirectly to Center Staff.

Proceeds realized from the sale of objects removed from collections shall be placed in an earmarked account and will be allocated to support collection acquisition and conservation. Preference in such disposition of proceeds shall be given to the collection involved in the disposition.

If a deaccessioned item that has been sold was a gift from an identified donor, a subsequent purchase for the collection using the proceeds from the sale will be considered and identified as a gift from that donor.

c) Priority 3.

Destruction. Destruction is defined as the obliteration of an object or specimen by physical or mechanical means. Deaccessioned items designated for destruction must in fact be destroyed.

5.5 Catalogs

Cataloging involves identifying and classifying objects systematically. Catalogs record all significant facts and data regarding the physical appearance and history of objects accepted for addition to the permanent collection.

Cataloging requires specialized knowledge and is the Collection Manager's responsibility. The Center's objective is to provide a catalog record for each accession. Collection Manager in charge of each collection is responsible for assuring that all accessions to collections are cataloged. Managers of specific collections will catalog objects/specimens with a system internally consistent within that collection and in accordance with accepted professional standards for that discipline. Catalog records should provide complete information about an object as well as its current location.

Article VI. Loans

6.1 General

Loans are temporary physical transfers of specimens or objects from one institution or individual to another where there is no transfer of ownership. The Center makes or receives loans for the purpose of research, exhibition, or instruction. Loaning or borrowing is undertaken only under the terms of a loan agreement which: (1) forms a contract between lender and borrower, and (2) specifies terms and conditions of the loan, including the respective responsibilities of each party.

The Center may lend items to other responsible institutions. The Center may also accept objects on temporary loan from other institutions or individuals and will exercise accepted professional standards regarding its care.

6.2 Loaning of Type Specimens

In those collections where type specimens are loaned, safety of the specimen is a special consideration. Borrowers must return the specimens in the same condition in which they were sent unless otherwise agreed upon. Length of loan of type specimens shall generally not exceed one year. All other procedures for loans (listed below) apply to the loaning of type specimens as well.

6.3 Conditions of Outgoing Inter-Institutional Loan of Material

a) Loans are made for the period of time indicated on the loan form, usually not exceeding one year. Extensions may be granted upon receipt of a written request.

b) While in the borrower's possession, care of objects must conform with the
standards of the discipline. Borrowers must provide proof of insurance for at
least current appraised value. Responsibility for appraisals belong to the borrower and are subject to the approval of the Center Director.

c) Alteration of specimens by preparation, molding, repair, partial removal of material, fumigation, or any other treatments requires prior written consent of the Center.

d) No part of loaned material can be sent to a third or subsequent party without the written permission of the Center.

e) The Center shall be notified in writing of any changes of address or location of material borrowed.

f) Loans should be returned in the same manner and for the same amount of insurance as was sent from the Center, or in a mutually agreed upon manner.

g) Borrowers are urged to return items promptly following examination or display.

h) When recording the material in publication, the identification of Chadron State College is required.

i) Authors are required to provide to the Center Director at least one copy of any publications concerning or resulting from the use or study of loaned materials.

6.4 Incoming Inter-Institutional Loans

All material borrowed by researchers at the Center are the responsibility of the
institution. Care shall be taken to house the specimens properly. All documentation
(loan form, appraisal correspondence, etc.) shall be kept in a clearly marked file so that the specimens can be returned should the lendee be unable to do so. No modifications or treatments to any borrowed specimen will be performed without written permission of the lender.

6.5 Restrictions on Loans

a) The Center will not lend items when significant risk to the safety of the object or specimen exists.

b) The Center will not lend items if there exists a reasonable doubt about the item's physical ability to withstand transportation, climatic changes, circumstances of exhibition, or storage.

c) The Center will not loan items to institutions, organizations or individuals that do not demonstrate ability to properly handle and care for items on loan.

d) The Director is responsible for assuring that all objects being considered for loan are under no restrictions prohibiting such loan.

6.6 Duration of Loans

The Center will set the initial term of a loan at a period not to exceed one year; exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis.

The receipt of "indefinite" (i.e., no time limit) loans is discouraged. If an indefinite loan is accepted, terms of acceptance will be agreed upon by both parties.

The Center may recall a loan for any reason with thirty (30) days written notification. Immediate action will be taken if care and exhibition of items fail to meet the conditions of the loan.

6.7 Costs Associated with Loans

Shipping costs for outgoing loans are usually paid for by the Center. Mailing
costs for incoming material are usually paid for by the sender. In most cases,
institutions borrowing items from the Center must pay packing, shipping, and related
transportation costs as requested by the Center. All loan materials will
have insurance coverage paid by the borrowing institution at a value specified by the
Center. The borrower may be asked to deposit with the Center a certificate of
insurance as proof of adequate, agreed upon coverage.

Article VII. Specimen Records and Database Management Systems

Collections of the Center shall be catalogued in such a manner as to facilitate information retrieval by College faculty and students and members of the larger scientific community who are undertaking scholarly research. Database design should take into consideration software reliability and long-term support, ease of operation by non-technical users, and adaptability to a wide range of specimen and data types. The design should pay heed to the needs and standard practices of the particular museum or collection type, and be able to supply reports and labels corresponding to special and ad hoc research needs.

Article VIII. Collection Management Review

The Director will review the Collection Management Policy periodically to ensure that its requirements meet or exceed accepted practices and standards, and that the policies accurately reflect the purpose, missions, and goals of the Center.

Individuals may recommend changes to the Collections Management Policy, Recommendations should be submitted in a written communication to the Center Director and should explain the rationale for and beneficial results expected from the change.