Collections Management Policy

Our Mission Statement: To support, maintain, and promote the educational, cultural, historical, and social benefits of the Tinker Farmstead to the Town of Henrietta. We will collect, preserve, and exhibit structures and artifacts representing the lifestyles of the turn of the 20th century farmstead as stipulated in the Aldridge Contract and the National Register Application. Our goal is to interpret the family history and social development of the Tinker Family. Finally, we will illustrate the history of agriculture in Western New York as practiced in the Town of Henrietta. -adopted 21 October 1998

Collections Management Policy

A. Criteria for acceptance to the collection

The museum may acquire artifacts through donations, gifts, bequest, exchange or purchase. The museum will not accept artifacts that are not intended for exhibit.

1. All artifacts are subject to the program director for approval before accession to the collection.
2. The artifact(s) must be relevant to the museum mission statement.

B. Procedure for acquiring artifacts

1. Approval by the program director
2. Donor must sign a museum donation form if artifact(s) is/are accepted. When the current owner signs the donation form, the following is assumed:
   • The person making the donation does, in fact, own the artifact
   • The artifact is free of any restrictions that would hamper its use or disposition
   • The museum will obtain all literary rights, property rights, copyrights, patents, or trademarks
   • The artifact is not hazardous in any way to the public or environment
   • The artifact has not been collected illegally in any fashion
3. The donor is informed on how the artifact(s) will be utilized by the museum
   • The donor is informed that the museum reserves the right to utilize the artifact(s) based on the needs of the museum
4. The donor is informed that once an artifact is accessioned, it may not be returned. In exceptional circumstances, a written submission by a donor requesting the return of a donated artifact will be reviewed by the curator. After review, the artifact may or may not be returned.
5. The donor is informed about the possibility of lending the artifact(s) to the museum instead of donating.
6. Donor is given a copy of the deaccessioning policy
7. Donor is given a copy of the executed donation form. The museum retains a copy for the donation file.
8. The museum and its officers are not responsible for appraising the artifact for any reason.

C. Deaccessioning Policy

1. The program director will decide what artifacts will be presented to the deaccession committee for consideration to deaccession from the collection.
2. The deaccession committee will determine if the artifact is deaccessioned.
3. The deaccession committee will be made of at least five individuals, no more than seven. The committee will not be a standing committee. It will be called into session when the need arises by the Curator. After a discussion on each particular artifact, a vote will be taken. A simple majority determines the fate of the artifact. If an artifact is to be deaccessioned, the members of the committee that voted must sign the deaccession worksheet. The committee can be drawn from the following groups of people:
   • The Program Director- the attendance of the program director is mandatory
   • The Henrietta Town Board
   • Members of the Advisory Committee
   • Museum Volunteers
   • Employees of the Town of Henrietta
4. The artifact must meet the deaccession criteria:
   • The artifact does not represent the mission statement of the museum
   • The artifact is, indeed, owned by the museum
   • The artifact is free from donor mandated restrictions
   • Any artifact may be deaccessioned because it has deteriorated beyond usefulness
5. If the artifact is on the Town of Henrietta inventory, then the following will occur:
   • The deaccession committee determines that the artifact will be deaccessioned.
   • The Henrietta Town Board must pass a resolution stating that the artifact(s) are a surplus. A resolution may be passed for one artifact or for several artifacts.
   • The Town Board can override the deaccession committee's decision.
   • Once the Henrietta Town Board passes a resolution, go to paragraph 6 under the deaccessioning policy.
6. Once it has been determined that an object will be deaccessioned, the following will occur:
   • The program director will attempt to contact the donor and ascertain if the donor wants to reclaim the artifact.
   • If the donor wants to reclaim the artifact, the artifact will be deaccessioned and returned to the donor at the donor's expense.
   • If the donor declines to reclaim, or the donor cannot be contacted, the artifact will be taken out of the collection.
7. The following is a list of priorities which will be utilized to determine the disposition of a deaccessioned artifact
   • Return to the original donor
   • Transfer to another museum or educational institution where the public will have access to the artifact
   • Private sales to an interested party
   • Disposition at the discretion of the curator
8. The program director is responsible for proper disposition of a deaccessioned artifact 
9. When the artifact is removed from the collection, the deaccession will be recorded on a deaccession worksheet. The accession worksheet, deaccession worksheet, and the donation form will be placed in the deaccession file.
10. Any money realized through the sale of the deaccessioned artifact is to be forwarded to the Town of Henrietta and added to the museum operating budget.

D. Procedure for Accepting an Artifact on Loan

1. The Program Director will determine if the artifact is consistent with the museum mission statement
   • It must be determined that the museum can cover the cost of exhibition, storage, transport, and damage.
2. The Program Director reserves the right to decline all offers of artifacts for loan.
3. If an artifact is accepted for loan, a loan form will be filled out and signed by both parties. It will then be recorded in the museum loan file.  A copy will be retained by both parties.
4. The Program Director will not accept artifacts that are not intended for use as an exhibit or study. (This alleviates the possibility that the museum be used as a temporary storage facility.)
5. The Program Director will determine how long an artifact will be allowed to remain in the museum collection before it is returned to the owner. The Program Director is responsible for the proper arrangements to return the artifact to the owner at the conclusion of the loan period.
6. When the artifact on loan is returned to the owner, the return will be recorded on the loan form. Both parties will sign, indicating the successful return of the artifact. The form will be returned to the museum loan file.

E. Public Access to the Collection

1. Regular guided tours are given to the public for all who come.
2. Artifacts may be loaned to museums and educational institutions at the discretion of the Program Director. Artifacts will not be made available to private individuals.
3. The following must be determined before any outgoing loans are considered:
   • Can the borrowing institution provide insurance for the value of the artifact as dictated by the museum?
   • Will the artifact withstand the stress of being moved and exhibited in the borrowing facility?
   • Will the borrowing institution bear the cost of transportation to and from the gaining institution?
   • Determine how long the item will be on loan.
4. The borrowing institution must agree to the following:
   • The artifact must not be altered in any way
   • Borrowed items on exhibit must be labeled, "Courtesy of the Tinker Homestead and Farm Museum."
   • The artifact must not be reproduced or utilized for commercial purposes without the consent of the museum
   • No borrowed artifact is to be transferred to a third party
   • The museum reserves the right to inspect the artifact at its leisure
   • Any damage to the artifact must be reported to the museum immediately
   • The artifact must be stored in a fashion which will not damage the artifact
5. Procedure for outgoing loan:
   • Borrowing institution must sign an outgoing loan form
   • A copy of this form is retained by both parties
   • The outgoing loan form and the accession sheet is placed in the outgoing loan file until returned
   • When the artifact is returned, ensure that it has not been damaged in any way
   • Place accession form back into accession file and place outgoing loan form into the returned loan file
6. Primary source material will be made available to anyone conducting research at the discretion of the Program Director.
   • Original primary source materials will not be made available, however, copies and transcripts of primary material will be made available.
   • Primary source materials must be utilized in the office of the Program Director, they may not be signed out of the museum.

F. Care of the Collection

1. The museum will take measures to prevent theft, vandalism, and destruction by the elements
   • The primary mode of defense against these circumstances is an up-to-date alarm system
   • The museum will remain locked at all times when staff is not present
2. The museum will make all attempts to create a suitable environment for all artifacts
3. The museum will have an efficient disaster plan instituted at all times
4. Artifacts will be treated in a fashion which is consistent with standard museum practice
5. Artifacts will receive professional conservation care when necessary

G. Records

1. The museum will retain records covering the following
   • Accession
   • Deaccession
   • Loans
   • Outgoing Loans