Introduction to Collections Management for Researchers
What is Collection Management?
Collection Management encompasses all activities related to the care of a collection, from the time a physical or digital object or document is acquired to its eventual disposal. The competing demands of providing both high levels of care for cultural heritage and access to it, require a balanced approach to ensure its sustainable, long-term preservation. Effective and efficient management of collections uses the diverse skills and knowledge of curators, cataloguers, conservators, exhibition designers, facilities managers and many others. Practitioners also act as advocates for the needs of the collections when working on projects involving other professions, such as architects, engineers and designers, whose work will have an impact on the wider collection environment.
The diversity of collections and the ways different institutions have developed mean that the Collections Management work falls under a variety of job titles. The introduction of the post of Collections Manager in museums is a relatively recent innovation, but is well established in the library world.
In summary, the key areas of collections management cover:
- Acquisition
- Deaccession, disposal and dispersal
- Collection information (documentation, cataloguing, records management, audit and inventory control, Intellectual Property Rights)
- Conservation
- Preparation and technical examination
- Housing the collection (the building. storage, display and during transport)
- Protection from the environment (gaseous and particulate pollutants, pests, light, relative humidity and temperature)
- Protection from loss (theft, vandalism, fire, flood etc emergency preparedness, and Insurance and Indemnity)
- Access, education and use of collections (exhibitions, loans, research, operating or playing objects, surrogates)
- People and collections (training and staff development, health and safety)
Specific standards will apply to particular types of collections and any Collections Management plan should incorporate them.
