Collections Management 100: Collection Development
In this course, participants will learn about the general principles underlying the idea of being a “collecting organization,” and how collections support the mission of a museum or history organization. Students will explore the purpose of a Collection Management Policy and how it relates to other core museum documents, create the Foundational Statements and Collection Development sections of their collections management policy and operationalize those components using example objects. (STEPS COL Standards 1-7, 9, 11)
Week 1: What is a Collection Management Policy?
Week 2: Ethics related to collecting, collections, and the public
Week 3: Mission and Scope of Collections
Week 4: Temporary Custody
Week 5: Accessions and cataloging
Week 6: Deaccession and Disposal
Week 7: Abandoned and undocumented property
Week 8: Sharing your knowledge
About the Collections Management series
This two-part course is intended to result in a complete Collections Management Policy draft. Participants can use the courses to develop a Policy from scratch, or significantly revise an existing Policy. During the course, students will operationalize their policies-in-development through a series of activities using sample objects, readings, asynchronous interactions with fellow participants, and Zoom meetings. Engaging in both of these courses will help STEPS participants meet all 12 Stewardship of Collections Standards in the STEPS program. This course works best if participants have access to a museum and its collection (either as a board member, staff person, or volunteer), but this is not required.
Course Logistics
COURSE DATES: October 21 - December 15, 2024
REGISTRATION DATES: August 20 - October 14, 2024
COST: $215 AASLH Members / $315 Nonmembers / 10% discount for STEPS participants with promo code found in the online STEPS Community or by emailing learn@aaslh.org
FORMAT: Online, Instructor-led, Weekly-paced course
LENGTH: 8 weeks
PARTICIPATION: Students should expect to spend approximately 5 hours per week on readings, video discussions text-based forum discussions, and assignments.
LIVE ZOOM DISCUSSIONS: We recommend downloading the Zoom mobile or desktop app for this course.
- A one-hour live Zoom discussion will be held biweekly
- Final dates/times will be determined by the instructor at the start of the course
- Zoom discussions are recorded in case a participant is unable to attend the live sessions
How to Register
Click here for instructions on how to register yourself or another user for this event.
Cancellation/Refunds for onsite workshops must be
submitted in writing via email to learn@aaslh.org
or mail to 2021 21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made
prior to the early-bird registration deadline date will receive a full refund.
Cancellations made between the early-bird deadline date and eight days prior to
the workshop will be subject to a $55 processing/materials charge. No
refunds will be given within seven days of the workshop date. AASLH is not
responsible for cancellations that were mailed or emailed but never received.
Cancellations/Refunds for online professional
development (webinars and online courses) must be submitted in writing via
email to learn@aaslh.org or mail to 2021
21st Ave S., Suite 320 Nashville, TN 37212. Cancellations made prior to the
start date for the online course or the day of the webinar will be given a full
refund. No refund will be given after the start date for the online course
or on/after the day of the webinar. Registrants may transfer their
registration to another person. Registrations cannot be transferred between
courses or course sessions. AASLH is not responsible for cancellations that
were mailed or emailed but never received.
If you have any questions, please contact AASLH Professional Development staff at learn@aaslh.org or 615-320-3203.
Key:
Complete
Next
Failed
Available
Locked
START HERE! Course Syllabus. Open this first to reveal additional course components!
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Course Messaging Instructions
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Instructions on how to set up your privacy and messaging settings for the course.
Sample Policies and Forms - Google Drive Folder
Select the "Open Google Drive Folder" button to begin.
Select the "Open Google Drive Folder" button to begin.
Note that one of the assignments in Week 1 is for participants to add an example CMP to the appropriate folder. The instructor also has example policies that will be added to the resources in Week 2.
WEEK 1 - What is a Collection Management Policy
Assignment: Introduce Yourself, Due Sunday, October 27
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Make 1 discussion post to continue.
Enter an introduction of yourself and the museum or cultural organization to which you are connected (if applicable).
Be sure to tell us:
Where you are located (with the time zone)
why you are working with this organization
what do you enjoy doing there.
Tell us briefly about the organization’s focus and about the community in which it is located.
If possible do this by mid-week so we can learn about you.
Read the introductions from others in the course and reply or start a conversation with one of your fellow participants if you' like!
Create your own post by typing in the box and then click the green "submit comment" button.
Reply to others' posts by clicking "reply" under that post.
Developing a Collection Management Policy (American Alliance of Museums)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Collection Management Policies. Malaro & DeAngelis pp 45-56
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Policy, Plan, or Procedure?
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Instructions for Course Project
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Policy, Plan or Procedure? Due Monday, October 28
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
Course Project Comprehension Quiz. Due Monday, October 28.
8 Questions | 3 attempts | 8/8 points to pass
8 Questions | 3 attempts | 8/8 points to pass
Post a Collection Management Policy - early submission suggested - see instructions!. Due Monday, October 28
Passing Grade: B
Week 1 Zoom Meeting - MONDAY 10/28 1pm ET/10am PT
10/28/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT) | Recorded On: 10/28/2024 | 38 minutes
10/28/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT) | Recorded On: 10/28/2024 | 38 minutes
Week 2: Ethics related to collecting, collections, and the public
Momaya, Ten Principles for an Anti-Racist, Anti-Orientalist, Activist Approach to Collections
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Yerkovitch, Ethics for Registrars and Collections Managers (446-455)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
From Museum Registration Methods (6th edition)
Inventory Form - use to complete the Mini collection assignment
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
You can use this form to complete the Week 2 assignment related to your mini collection. You can also use an existing from your current museum, or a museum you have volunteered or worked at in the past.
Create your mini collection. Due Sunday, November 4.
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B
This course asks you to work with a three-item "mini-collection." This collection will help you to operationalize some of the policy concepts. For most weeks, there will be an assignment related to the mini collection and an assignment related to the Policy. For a few of the weeks, we'll only be working with one or the other.
Ethics of care with personal information, Due Sunday, November 4
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
CMP Component - Ethics. Due Sunday, November 4.
Passing Grade: B
Post an Ethics Policy. Early submission suggested - see instructions! Due November 4.
Passing Grade: B
Week 2 Zoom meeting
11/01/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT) | Recorded On: 11/01/2024 | 60 minutes
11/01/2024 at 1:00 PM (EDT) | Recorded On: 11/01/2024 | 60 minutes
Week 3: Mission and Scope of Collections
Building a Meaningful Collection
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Simmons, Categories of Collections
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
From:
Simmons, J. Things Great and Small: Collection Management Policies (2nd ed) 2018
Fahey and Deck, Responsibilities, realities and ranking ...
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Fahey, M. and Deck, C. Responsibilities, realities and ranking: How a collections tiering policy aids conservators in ethical decision making and judicious resource allocation at the Henry Ford Museum and Deerfield Village. in Objects Specialty Group Postprints, Volume Eight, 2001. pp 97-105
Collections Council of Australia, Significance 2.0 (specific sections)
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
For week 3, read Part 1 (page 1), Part 2 (pages 2-4), Part 3 (pages 10-14). The examples are also very helpful.
CMP components - Mission and Purpose, Scope of Collection, Collection Categories. Due Sunday, November 10
Passing Grade: B
Week 3 Zoom meeting
11/08/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
11/08/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | 60 minutes
Week 4: Temporary Custody
ASAE: Why Organizations Must Honor Donor Intent
Select the "Go to the article" button to begin.
Select the "Go to the article" button to begin.
Buck, Initial Custody and Documentation
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Simmons, Objects in Custody
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Mini collection Temporary Custody and relationship to mission. Due Sunday, November 17
Passing Grade: B
CMP Component - Temporary Custody. Due Sunday, November 17
Passing Grade: B
Week 4 Zoom meeting
11/15/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/15/2024 | 55 minutes
11/15/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/15/2024 | 55 minutes
Week 5: Accessions and Cataloging
A Guide to Deeds of Gift
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Simmons & Kiser, Acquisitions and Accessioning
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Simmons, Tables 6.2 and 6.3
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Controlled Vocabulary: Nomenclature for Museums
Select the "Open Link" button to begin.
Select the "Open Link" button to begin.
Nomenclature for Museums - formerly Chenhall's Nomenclature - is now available FOR FREE on the web.
Controlled Vocabulary: Getty Art and Architecture Thesaurus
Recorded 11/30/-0001
Cataloguing Worksheet components
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
CMP component - Accession criteria. Due Sunday, Oct 1
Passing Grade: B
Passing Grade: B
Accession and Acquisition are sometimes used with different definitions and other times the words are used synonymously. They do, technically, mean different things in the museum context, and usually that difference is more important the bigger the museum. For this assignment, and in the context of this course, Accession and Acquisition both mean "officially accepting something into the collection."
Mini collection - Deed of Gift, donor questionnaires, accession and cataloging worksheets. Due Sunday, November 24
Passing Grade: B
Accession and Cataloging, Due Sunday, November 24
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
4 Questions | 3 attempts | 3/4 points to pass
Week 5 Zoom meeting
11/22/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/22/2024
11/22/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/22/2024
Week 6: Deaccession and Disposal
Video: Collections Rationalisation
Recorded 12/30/2021
Richardson, Does the Museum Need a Single Wagon Wheel without Provenance?
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Valuing History Collections
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Direct Care of Collections Ethics Guidelines and Recommendations
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Simmons: Tables 7.1 and 7.2
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Deaccession and Disposal, Due Sunday December 1
8 Questions | 3 attempts | 6/8 points to pass
8 Questions | 3 attempts | 6/8 points to pass
CMP components: deaccession and disposal. Due Sunday, December 1
Passing Grade: B
CMP Component - review and rewrite your Accession Criteria, Due Sunday December 1
Passing Grade: B
Week 6 Zoom meeting
11/26/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/26/2024 | 60 minutes
11/26/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 11/26/2024 | 60 minutes
Week 7: Abandoned and Undocumented Property
Video: Doorstep Donations and Unclaimed Loans
Open to view video.
Arcs Museum Property and Old Loan Legislation
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Note! This resource was last updated in 2018. If you do not see a law associated with your state, check your state laws, or inquire with your state museum services organization to find out if a law has recently been passed.
Summarize your state's museum property law. Due Monday, December 9
Passing Grade: B
CMP Component - Abandoned and Undocumented property, Due Monday December 8
Passing Grade: B
Invite a colleague to participate next week, Due Sunday December 8
3 Questions
3 Questions
Next week, you'll be asked to practice talking about what you learned with colleagues. The assignment in Week 7 is to:
1) Find a colleague
2) set up a 30 minute meeting time with them for next week
3) Invite them to participate in the final Zoom call of the course on Friday, December
This survey provides spaces to enter that information to indicate completion of the assignment
Week 7 Zoom meeting
12/09/2024 at 2:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 12/09/2024 | 60 minutes
12/09/2024 at 2:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 12/09/2024 | 60 minutes
Week 8: Share your Knowledge
Agenda for 30-minute Colleague Conversation
Open to download resource.
Open to download resource.
Week 8 Zoom meeting
12/13/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 12/13/2024 | 60 minutes
12/13/2024 at 1:00 PM (EST) | Recorded On: 12/13/2024 | 60 minutes
Final Assignment. Due Sunday, December 15
Passing Grade: B
Course Survey and Certificate of Completion
Course Survey
13 Questions
13 Questions
Please note the survey must be completed and a passing grade must be achieved before the Certificate of Completion is available.
Certificate of Completion
1 Small Museum Pro! Certificate Credit credit | Certificate available
1 Small Museum Pro! Certificate Credit credit | Certificate available
Successful completion of this course (80% or higher) will earn one credit toward the Small Museum Pro! certificate from AASLH.
| Access Date |
Quiz Result |
Score |
Actions |
