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Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.

Collections Manager

The role of a collections manager within cultural institutions is involved with the acquisition, care, display and disposal of objects. Organizations such as

historical societies
may utilize a collections manager to care for the objects in their collections. The collections manager may be involved with:

  • developing policies and standards in relation to a collections management policy
  • inventory and record keeping: keeping object records up to date with all information pertaining to the location, condition, loan contracts, insurance, exhibit schedule etc.
  • Managing, ordering supplies for, and upgrades to object storage; maintenance,care, and preventive conservation of collections[1].
  • ensuring adequate insurance for objects
  • providing information in response to requests for loans, research, and artifact inquiries
  • assisting in exhibition creation, and object display

Another collections care professional that works closely with a collections manager is a

registrar
. The size of the cultural institution will often determine the roles of registrars and collections managers. Small organizations may combine the two roles and have only a collections manager, or a large organization may need collections managers and multiple registrars to work within different departments.

example of collections storage and work space


Collections managers should work within guidelines called "best practices" by the professional organization American Alliance of Museums. The guidelines are put forth to give the museum professional a set of ethical standards to guide their behavior and bring focus to the job at hand. The collections manager is part of a team who are stewards over collections in the public's trust. Stewardship is the careful, sound and responsible management of that which is entrusted to a museum’s care[2].

Resources

AASLH
American Alliance of Museums
Association of Academic Museums and Galleries
Connecting to Collections
Canadian Conservation Institute
Smithsonian Museum Conservation Institute


References

  1. ^ Museums Association
  2. ^ American Alliance of Museums