A Community Attic No More

Last fall, a small neighborhood historical society approached Backlog for collection guidance. They had lost their long-time director, and the frustrated board now faced an unruly, overwhelming collection. Some wanted to throw much of it away, while others wanted to keep everything. They asked, “We have become the neighborhood attic; how do we deal with all of this?”

This organization is not alone in trying to balance the preservation and representation of its local history with the realities of space, time, and significance. Let’s begin by stating that throwing everything away is not the solution! Transforming your community attic entails two major initiatives, both of which are achievable for organizations of any size or scope. Consider the first step as preventative: gently reclaiming control of your collection moving forward. The second step encompasses a thoughtful reassessment of the collection and deaccessioning. This blog focuses on the first step.

Historical Societies often end up acting as the community’s attic. However, a strong institution needs a solid collection policy that clearly defines what can and cannot be accepted. This is crucial, for example, when a long-time member offers you 2,000 salt and pepper shakers. How do you say “no” without losing their support? A well-crafted collection policy enforced by a resourceful collection committee provides the answer. In this way, the “no” feels neither personal nor arbitrary. An effective collection policy outlines the criteria for collecting and explains why these criteria are important. So, how do you get started? Gather three or four individuals interested in the collections, including staff, board members, or volunteers, who are willing to rethink your policies.

Start by comparing your collection policy with your mission statement; they should inform each other. Many institutions copy a statement from another source but fail to tailor it to their specific context and focus. Updating a mission statement may not appear to be the most urgent issue for the board to address and, therefore, seems esoteric, but it isn’t. A strong mission statement should guide crucial decisions regarding funding, resource allocation, and collection priorities. The practicalities of creating and effectively implementing an efficient mission statement warrant another blog (or two). Perhaps developing a collection policy is a good way to start appreciating the significance of the mission statement.

Next, consider issues that should be included in an effective Collection Policy. Consider the offer of 200 salt and pepper shakers. What trepidations does your committee raise?

Storage realities - Where can we store all those shakers? Most museums struggle to provide adequate storage for their collections. As a good steward, don’t accept a collection for which you cannot provide suitable accommodations, especially if it affects your current artifacts.

Care Considerations—Can we care for so many fragile, breakable objects? Many salt and pepper shakers are made of porcelain, which requires special care that you might not want or be able to provide. Textiles often fall into this category as well. Declining to accept artifacts that are already very fragile or damaged is often the right choice.

Duplicate Artifacts – “Don’t we already have dozens of salt and pepper shakers in the collection?” Museums don’t need that many salt and pepper shakers, wedding dresses, old tools, or china plates. Duplicated collections impact storage, processing time, and care.

Provenance – “We don’t know the story behind these salt and pepper shakers or where they’re from.” Artifacts that are separated from their narratives limit the history they convey and their usefulness in research and exhibits.

Subject Matter – “How do salt and pepper shakers relate to the core focus of our institution, they aren’t even from around here?” This question about how this collection supports the focus or mission should be the first one a collection committee asks. It goes back to the mission statement, which defines the collection. Consider whether an offered collection expands the understanding of the institution’s focus or premise.

A strong collection policy includes these parameters to ensure the institution acts in good faith as a community steward. Other issues involve accepting items on long-term loans. In most cases, the answer should be a firm no and clearly stated. On a positive note, list the types of materials the institution is interested in acquiring. Reflect on what community stories your collection cannot tell. Often, people don’t realize that what they have is valuable to the museum.

Once the board approves the new Collection Policy, make sure to update your collection management forms to have the policy printed on the back. From that point on, follow your policy as you evaluate each potential donation. With clear guidelines and an engaged collection committee, your decision to decline the 200 salt and pepper shakers will be much easier to justify. To ease the rejection, recommend other places that might value the collection, such as the salt and pepper museums in Tennessee, Iowa, and Oklahoma.

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