Museum Registration Methods

by John E. Simmons (Editor), Toni M. Kiser (Editor)

Overview

The sixth edition of Museum Registration Methods is a comprehensive guide to registration and collections management of museum collections, from acquisition, use, and deaccessioning.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781538113110
Publisher:	American Alliance Of Museums
Publication date:	06/08/2020
Series:	American Alliance of Museums
Edition description:	Sixth Edition
Pages:	604
Sales rank:	628,905
Product dimensions:	8.54(w) x 10.76(h) x 1.44(d)
Age Range:	18 Years

About the Author

John E. Simmons has been a zookeeper, collections manager, field collector, university lecturer, editor, writer, and consultant. He currently teaches workshops and museum studies classes in the United States and internationally and serves as Associate Curator of Collections for the Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery at Penn State University. Toni Kiser is the Assistant Director for Collections Management at The National WWII Museum. She oversees all aspects of registration and collection management and has worked on various projects including large exhibition installations, digitization projects, storage moves, artifact re-housing, and cataloging and nomenclature standards.

Table of Contents

Table of Contents List of Figures List of Tables List of Sample Collection Forms Acknowledgements Letter from the Collections Stewardship Chairperson Letter from the ARCS Chairperson Preface Part I—The Profession Chapter 1A. A Very Brief History of the Profession Chapter 1B. The Straw that Stirs the Drink―The Role of the Registrar in the Museum World Chapter 1C. Resources for Registrars and Collections Managers Chapter 1D. Caring for the Nation’s Treasures―The National Park Service Museum Program Part 2—Collection Management Policies Chapter 2. Collection Management Policies Part 3—The Basics Chapter 3A. Initial Custody and Documentation Chapter 3B. Acquisitions and Accessioning Chapter 3C. Repositories Chapter 3D. Provenance Research in Museums—An Overview Chapter 3E. Documenting Contemporary Art Chapter 3F. Living and Natural History Collections Registration Chapter 3G. Managing Digital Art Chapter 3H. Old Loans and Museum Property Laws Chapter 3I. Deaccessioning and Disposal Chapter 3J. Found in Collection Chapter 3K. Loans Chapter 3L. Organizing Loan and Traveling Exhibits Chapter 3M. Displays from Within—Considerations for Collections-Based Exhibits Part 4—Records Management Chapter 4A. Types of Records and Files Chapter 4B. Manual Systems Chapter 4C. Computer Systems and Data Management Chapter 4D. Digital Asset Management Systems Chapter 4E. Basic Components of Institutional Archives Part 5—Collections Management Chapter 5A. Numbering Chapter 5B. Object Handling Chapter 5C—Digitization Chapter 5D. Measuring Chapter 5E. Condition Reporting Chapter 5F. Marking Chapter 5G. Bar Codes and RFID Tags Chapter 5H. Photography Chapter 5I. Preventive Care Chapter 5J. Storage Chapter 5K. Inventory Chapter 5L. Preparation Chapter 5M. Moving and Rigging Safely Chapter 5N, Packing and Crating Chapter 5O, Shipping by Land, Air, and Sea Chapter 5P. Import and Export: Guidelines for International Shipping Chapter 5Q. Couriering Chapter 5R. Off-site Storage Part 6—Risk Assessment and Management Chapter 6A. Risk Management Overview Chapter 6B. Emergencies―Prepare, Respond, Recover Chapter 6C. Security Systems and Fire Protection Systems Chapter 6D. Insurance Chapter 6E. Integrated Pest Management Chapter 6F. Registrars and Sustainability Part 7—Ethical and Legal Issues Chapter 7A. Ethics for Registrars and Collections Managers Chapter 7B. The Care of Sacred and Culturally Sensitive Objects Chapter 7C. Copyright Chapter 7D. Rights and reproductions Chapter 7E. Appraisal Chapter 7F. Implementing NAGPRA Chapter 7G. Biological Materials—Fish, Wildlife, and Plants Part 8—Use of Collections Chapter 8A. Hosting Traveling Exhibitions Chapter 8B. Research For Your Consideration Glossary About the Editors and Contributors Appendix Collection Forms Index

Editorial Reviews

As strong as ever, this edition benefits all kinds of museums--from art to natural history--and all sizes of museums--from large to small. Its structure is straightforward and useful, good for seasoned professionals as well as those newer to the practice. The edition nicely blends extensive updating where necessary (e.g. sections on digital practices) while remaining strong in other more foundational areas (e.g. manual records systems, still used in many museums). No wonder it is referred to as the 'bible' of museum registration!

Museum Registration Methods has been, for many years, one of the most authoritative, dependable, and detailed books in the collections management and registrarial domain. MRM6, edited by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser, builds on the MRM heritage and takes it to a new level of expert and professional greatness. The 6^th edition has been thoroughly updated, expanded, and deepened in its scope and breadth of museum collections knowledge, written with a keen awareness of the demands of this field in the 21^st century. It is as useful for the newcomer as it is for the veteran collections professional, is relevant to all collections areas of specialization and scholarship, and manages to convey an enormous amount of information at a highly readable and accessible level. Simmons and Kiser have overseen a magnificent update of this classic reference handbook. It should be on the working bookshelves of every museum collection.

From the Publisher

As strong as ever, this edition benefits all kinds of museums—from art to natural history—and all sizes of museums—from large to small. Its structure is straightforward and useful, good for seasoned professionals as well as those newer to the practice. The edition nicely blends extensive updating where necessary (e.g. sections on digital practices) while remaining strong in other more foundational areas (e.g. manual records systems, still used in many museums). No wonder it is referred to as the 'bible' of museum registration!

Kiersten F. Latham

Museum Registration Methods has been, for many years, one of the most authoritative, dependable, and detailed books in the collections management and registrarial domain. MRM6, edited by John E. Simmons and Toni M. Kiser, builds on the MRM heritage and takes it to a new level of expert and professional greatness. The 6th edition has been thoroughly updated, expanded, and deepened in its scope and breadth of museum collections knowledge, written with a keen awareness of the demands of this field in the 21st century. It is as useful for the newcomer as it is for the veteran collections professional, is relevant to all collections areas of specialization and scholarship, and manages to convey an enormous amount of information at a highly readable and accessible level. Simmons and Kiser have overseen a magnificent update of this classic reference handbook. It should be on the working bookshelves of every museum collection.

Sally Shelton