BACKUS-PAGE HOUSE - COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY
DATE CREATED: September 21, 2006
AUTHORITY: BOARD MOTION
REVISED: June 18, 2015
Objectives
The artifacts in the Backus-Page House Museum's collection are under the trusteeship of the
Board of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society and held and managed in the public trust. Collections
are a tangible representation of the community's heritage, and to retain their informational and
historical value they must be properly cared for and documented. The museum will demonstrate
its stewardship and facilitate access to collections and the information they hold by maintaining a
well organized, managed and documented collection.
1. Requirements
a. On a permanent and temporary basis collect objects, photographs and printed and
audiovisual material pertaining to the human and natural history of Tyrconnell
and area, in accordance with the Museum's statement of purpose. Such
collections are made for the purposes of documentation, preservation, research,
exhibition and interpretation.
b. The Museum collects according to the following order of priority:
i.
broad and representative sample of materials related to the lives and
time period of Andrew and Mary-Jane Backus, owners of the house
when it was constructed in 1850.
ii.
Materials related to the historic time period of the House during its
formative period of 1850-1860.
iii.
Materials related to the history of the Talbot Settlement founded by
Colonel Thomas Talbot, in the immediate area of the Municipality of
Dutton-Dunwich.
iv.
The Museum places a priority for its collecting activity on materials
that: constitute a representative sample of a previously
undocumented or inadequately recorded aspect of area history; are in
danger of loss or destruction; are directly relevant to current
research, exhibit or interpretation programs; are well-documented;
are in good condition.
c. The Museum will acquire collections only if it has adequate resources to
document, preserve, store, research, exhibit, and interpret those collections. The
Museum will not directly or indirectly acquire material: which has been collected,
sold or otherwise transferred in contravention of any provincial or national
statute; which has been collected, sold or otherwise transferred in contravention of
the 1970 UNESCO convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the
Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property (or any
similar statutes) as ratified by Canada June 28, 1978 or if, in addition to the
preceding, there is reason to believe that the object's recovery involved recent
unscientific or intentional destruction or damage of known archaeological sites or
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from illegal or clandestine excavations; which has a questionable, undetermined
or unethical history of ownership. In addition to the above considerations,
acquisition and de-accession of artifacts will be made in light of sensitivity
concerning the evolving nature of the relationship between First Peoples and
museums.
d. Collecting is defined as the acquisition by museum employees and board
members of an object similar or related to that which the Museum collects or
intends to acquire. All employees and board members are required to declare a
conflict of interest when such situations arise. Staff members are required to offer
the Museum the first opportunity to acquire objects considered or obtained for a
personal collection.
e. Meet municipal, provincial, and federal legislative requirements including: In
situations where copyright is of relevance, the Museum will respect the provisions
of the Copyright Act (1970, c.30; 1988 c.30, Bill C 32, 1997). The Museum will
also respect the provisions of the Ontario Heritage Act (1974 & 2004). Also, the
Museum respects the Freedom of Information Act as pursuant to the Municipal
Act, R.S.O., 1990 Chap. M 45, the Firearms Act (1995 C. 39), the Occupational
Health and Safety Act and the Wild Animals and Plant Protection Regulation of
the International and Interprovincial Trade Act (WAPPRITA), 1992.
2. Acquisitions
a. Objects are acquired by donation, purchase, bequest or exchange.
b. Decisions regarding acquisitions by donation are made by the Cultural Manager
except in the following cases:
i.) objects that the Cultural Manager feels unsure of with respect to meeting the
Collections Mandate or the Criteria for Collecting.
ii.) all firearms
iii.) culturally sensitive items
In these instances, the Cultural Manager and Board of Directors will meet to
decide to access or not to access the item(s) in question through a simple majority
vote of the Board members present.
c. The Cultural Manager reports all acquisitions to the Board via the Cultural
Manager’s report and to the public through the museum website.
d. All acquisitions involving transfer of ownership and/or responsibility must be
accompanied by a signed gift form or other proof of legal titles to the object, such
as a transfer of title form or bill of sale.
e. Acquisitions by purchases below $500 may be made by the Cultural Manager
from the available accessions funds.
Acquisitions by purchase exceeding $500 and below $1000 will be made from the
accessions funds available upon approval of a purchase order by the Cultural
Manager and President of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society.
Any acquisitions by purchase exceeding $1000 require the approval of the
Tyrconnell Heritage Society Board of Directors.
f. For purchases, the museum staff should receive a bill of sale, with the name,
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address and telephone number of the vendor clearly visible. Purchases should be
made in the name of the Tyrconnell Heritage Society.
g. If for any reason objects which are important to the purposes of the Museum
cannot be collected, the Museum will endeavour to make a complete documentary
record of those materials using printed, visual and audio media.
h. Bequests are considered for acceptance or rejection in the same manner as other
acquisitions by donation to the Museum.
i. No acquisition will be made where the conditions of acquisition may restrict the
use or disposition of that object in fulfilling the goals of the Museum. If
restrictions are attached to an acquisition, a reasonable date will be set for their
termination. However, if the Cultural Manager determines that the artifact is of
utmost importance to the collection and the potential donor insists on certain
conditions, the donation will be considered for approval by the Tyrconnell
heritage Society Board of Directors.
3. Collection Use and Integrity
a. The Museum will encourage maximum use of its collection to the extent that the
integrity of the collection is not compromised and the use remains consistent
with the overall goals and ethics of the Museum. It is recognized that
deterioration and destruction of some objects may occur within the course of
normal museum operation. The Museum may acquire objects for its educational
and interpretation collection that do not become a part of the permanent
collection and are not subject to its provisions.
b. To ensure the integrity of the permanent collection, the Museum collects and
manages objects separate from the permanent collection to be used for the
purpose of enhancing the learning experience during a museum visit, school
program, travelling exhibition or living history event. Priorities for an education
and interpretation collection are described in the Education and Interpretation
Policy. The permanent and education collections are made available to the
public for research purposes.
4. Deaccessioning
refers to the permanent removal of collection materials which have been acquired on a
permanent basis. In order to maintain a growing collection in accordance with the goals
and priorities of this Collections Management Policy, it may be necessary, from time to
time, to deaccession materials. The decision to deaccession material must be
recommended by the Cultural Manager and approved by the Board of the Tyrconnell
Heritage Society. In deaccessioning material from the permanent collection, the Museum
will adhere to the following standards:
i. The Museum will not acquire materials with the definite intention of
eventual deaccession.
ii. Collections which have been expended through use or which have minimal
value or significance to the Museum may be intentionally deaccessioned.
Other criteria for deaccessioning include poor quality, poor condition,
duplication and the possibility of upgrading the collection by exchange or
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other transaction.
iii. Collections may be deaccessioned for the purpose of exchange, or gift to
another tax exempt, non-profit, educational institution dedicated to the
preservation of cultural heritage. Second consideration will be given to
disposal through online sales (eg. Kijiji.ca) or public auction advertised in the
appropriate media. Of objects not sold, third consideration will be given to
disposal through a dealer.
iv. The Museum will deaccession collections for the purpose of repatriation,
when it can be shown that another body or government has a right to the
material.
v. In the event of accidental loss or destruction, a report in writing to the
Board will be made by the Cultural Manager.
vi. The Museum will do its utmost to insure that deaccessioned collections
which are significant to the cultural heritage of Ontario and Canada are
retained in Canada.
vii. The Museum will do its utmost to insure that deaccessioned collections
remain in the public trust.
viii. Deaccessions will adhere to the applicable provincial and Canadian laws
and international agreements and treaties.
ix. Prior to deaccessioning, the materials will be thoroughly researched and
documented (except as prohibited by accidental loss or destruction), on
standardized forms. These records will be maintained by the Cultural Manager
as a permanent public record.
x. Where the deaccession involves the transfer of ownership or responsibility,
appropriate documents or records will be used.
xi. Prior to deaccession through intentional discard, sale, trade or exchange or
gift, the fair market value of the object shall be determined, if necessary, by an
independent appraisal.
xii. Funds resulting from a deaccession (i.e. proceeds from a sale, funds from
an insurance claim) shall be retained for collections acquisition or
conservation.
5. Loans
a. All loans must have a signed incoming or outgoing loan agreement.
b. All loan agreements must have an expiry date listed.
c. All loaned or borrowed material is covered by a special insurance rider, from the
moment of arrival on site to the time of its departure from the site.
d. All borrowed material is handled and cared for according to current museum
standards.
e. The Cultural Manager informs the owner(s) of a borrowed artifact, in writing, of
any damage or suspected damage as soon as it is noticed.
f. The Museum does not repair, alter or modify any borrowed material without the
written permission of the owner(s).
g. The Museum returns all borrowed material at the conclusion of the time period
stipulated on the signed loan agreement. If the Museum wishes to extend the
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terms, a new loan agreement is negotiated prior to the conclusion of the original
loan agreement.
h. The museum loans materials for exhibition, research, or education purposes at the
discretion of the Cultural Manager.
6. Appraisals
The Museum will not provide appraisals for tax-deduction or other external purposes.
Where objects are being offered for the permanent collection, the museum may assist
donors in obtaining appraisals for tax-deduction purposes, but will not pay for the cost of
the appraisal unless approved by the Tyrconnell Heritage Society Board of Directors.
7. Collection Records
a. Staff and volunteer are trained on current conservation standards in the labelling,
care and handling of artifacts
b. The Cultural Manager assumes the overall responsibility for the management of
the collections with the assistance of staff and volunteers.
c. Adequate time, workspace and funding for collections management activities is
provided.
d. A budget line is provided in the annual operating budget for the acquisition of
objects, their cataloguing, storage and care.
e. The museum uses an effective collection documentation system and shall adhere
to the standard recognized 3-part numbering systems for the permanent and
education collections. An accession register, a master catalogue file, and signed
donor and loan forms are utilized.
f. The Cultural Manager is responsible for keeping a periodically updated paper or
electronic copy of the collection records off-site in a secure location.
g. The museum's collection records are kept current by the Cultural Manager or
designate.
h. The Museum will cooperate with other museums, institutions and agencies,
especially those located in Elgin County.
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