Open Forum

The Alliance has released Direct Care of Collections: Ethics, Guidelines and Recommendations. http://aam-us.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/direct-care Developed by a cross-disciplinary task force, the white paper provides field-wide guidance on the use of proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned objects. It focuses specifically on direct care, a phrase that has caused confusion since it was first used in the AAM Code of Ethics for Museums in 1993.

We encourage you to share the white paper broadly—with members of your discipline-specific, state and regional associations, through social media and other networks you think may find it useful. Learn more at sessions planned at several conferences this year, including two sessions at the AAM Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. 

Please use this thread to provide feedback and to discuss how you will apply the guidelines and recommendations in your museum. 

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Janet Vaughan
Vice President, Membership & Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
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Hello Janet,

Thank you for your dedication to this project. The document will be an excellent resource for registrars and collections managers. Looking forward to opportunities for live and in-person discussions at the upcoming AAM meeting.

Suzanne

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Suzanne Hale
Registrar/Collections Manager
University Art Museum, Colorado State University
Fort Collins CO

Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2016 11:16 AM
From: Janet Vaughan
Subject: Direct Care of Collections

The Alliance has released Direct Care of Collections: Ethics, Guidelines and Recommendations. http://aam-us.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/direct-care Developed by a cross-disciplinary task force, the white paper provides field-wide guidance on the use of proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned objects. It focuses specifically on direct care, a phrase that has caused confusion since it was first used in the AAM Code of Ethics for Museums in 1993.

We encourage you to share the white paper broadly—with members of your discipline-specific, state and regional associations, through social media and other networks you think may find it useful. Learn more at sessions planned at several conferences this year, including two sessions at the AAM Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. 

Please use this thread to provide feedback and to discuss how you will apply the guidelines and recommendations in your museum. 

------------------------------
Janet Vaughan
Vice President, Membership & Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Dear Janet,

Enjoyed reading the White Paper regarding "Direct Care." The report was clear and we appreciate the task force spending so much time on detailing all of this information for us. I spoke with my executive director and registrar and we do have a question in relation to "Direct Care" and art museums. I understand from the report that we can use funds from the sale of deaccessioned items for acquisitions or the "Direct Care" of collections, but this should be delineated in our museum collections management policy.

This was all very clear until I read the blue box with information pertaining explicitly to art museums, which quotes the Association of Art Museum Directors' Professional Practices in Art Museums: “Funds received from the disposal of a deaccessioned work shall not be used for operations or capital expenses. Such funds, including any earnings and appreciation thereon, may be used only for the acquisition of works of art in a manner consistent with the museum’s policy on the use of restricted acquisition funds.” I take this to mean that in art museums (as opposed to the other types of institutions discussed in the report), we should only use these funds for permanent collection acquisitions. Please clarify and correct me if I am wrong. We want to be sure we understand this clearly, and if it is possible to use these funds for "Direct Care" of our permanent collection, that we update our collections management policy and adhere to AAM guidelines. 

Thank you!

------------------------------
Sarah Beth Wilson, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont

Original Message:
Sent: 04-05-2016 11:16 AM
From: Janet Vaughan
Subject: Direct Care of Collections

The Alliance has released Direct Care of Collections: Ethics, Guidelines and Recommendations. http://aam-us.org/resources/ethics-standards-and-best-practices/direct-care Developed by a cross-disciplinary task force, the white paper provides field-wide guidance on the use of proceeds from the sale of deaccessioned objects. It focuses specifically on direct care, a phrase that has caused confusion since it was first used in the AAM Code of Ethics for Museums in 1993.

We encourage you to share the white paper broadly—with members of your discipline-specific, state and regional associations, through social media and other networks you think may find it useful. Learn more at sessions planned at several conferences this year, including two sessions at the AAM Annual Meeting and Museum Expo. 

Please use this thread to provide feedback and to discuss how you will apply the guidelines and recommendations in your museum. 

------------------------------
Janet Vaughan
Vice President, Membership & Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA
------------------------------

Dear Sarah,

Thanks for the careful read of the direct care white paper. You raise a frequently asked question about the application of the guidelines in art museums.

Your museum will be in line with the AAM Code of Ethics for Museums, and expectations for AAM excellence programs including accreditation, if you choose to allow funds to be used for direct care as well as acquisition. Some museums not affiliated with AAMD, however, voluntarily choose to follow AAMD’s Professional Practices in Art Museums and limit use of funds to acquisition. Your institution should determine which standard to abide by based on its own situation, collections and mission and in consultation with your legal and financial counsel.

AAM staff is available to discuss the guidelines further at any time.

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Julie Hart
Senior Director, Standards & Excellence Programs
American Alliance of Museums
Arlington VA

Original Message:
Sent: 04-20-2016 02:55 PM
From: Lynn Castle
Subject: Direct Care of Collections

Dear Janet,

Enjoyed reading the White Paper regarding "Direct Care." The report was clear and we appreciate the task force spending so much time on detailing all of this information for us. I spoke with my executive director and registrar and we do have a question in relation to "Direct Care" and art museums. I understand from the report that we can use funds from the sale of deaccessioned items for acquisitions or the "Direct Care" of collections, but this should be delineated in our museum collections management policy.

This was all very clear until I read the blue box with information pertaining explicitly to art museums, which quotes the Association of Art Museum Directors' Professional Practices in Art Museums: “Funds received from the disposal of a deaccessioned work shall not be used for operations or capital expenses. Such funds, including any earnings and appreciation thereon, may be used only for the acquisition of works of art in a manner consistent with the museum’s policy on the use of restricted acquisition funds.” I take this to mean that in art museums (as opposed to the other types of institutions discussed in the report), we should only use these funds for permanent collection acquisitions. Please clarify and correct me if I am wrong. We want to be sure we understand this clearly, and if it is possible to use these funds for "Direct Care" of our permanent collection, that we update our collections management policy and adhere to AAM guidelines. 

Thank you!

------------------------------
Sarah Beth Wilson, Curator of Exhibitions and Collections at the Art Museum of Southeast Texas, Beaumont