January 20, 2023

Museum Legal Issues

Happy Lunar New Year: The Year of the Rabbit

APPRAISALS AND DONATIONS

Excerpt from MS266 Legal Issues in Collections Management Created By John Simmons

An appraisal is a judgment by someone of what something is worth. Appraisals may be necessary for establishing insurance value, determining loss, establishing value for sale or purchase, or for allowing a donor to take a tax deduction for an object donated to a museum. Most museum codes of ethics, and more importantly the Tax Reform Act of 1984, prohibit museum staff members from providing appraisals of tax-deductible donations to the donors because it creates an obvious conflict-of-interests. Museum staff should be prohibited from not making, arranging for, or paying for appraisals of donations (even recommending an appraiser to a donor can be a conflict of interest in the eyes of the law). Although the museum may have an internal appraisal of a donation prepared, the appraisal must not be shared with the donor.

In addition to not making appraisals of objects, museum staff are not allowed by law to advise donors concerning tax deductions or tax liabilities. Donors must take the appropriate steps to determine the value for objects they wish to donate. The IRS website offers good advice on this subject (see http://www.irs.gov/publications/p526/ar02.html). Potential donors should be encouraged to check with the IRS and to work with a professional appraiser (but remember that the museum staff should not recommend an appraiser as this would constitute a conflict-of-interest).

For a donor to receive the full value of a tax deduction, the receiving museum must retain the donation for a minimum of three years from date of receipt before deaccessioning it. Should the museum decide to deaccession a donation before the three-year time limit is up, the museum must file a Form 8282 Donee Information Return with the Internal Revenue Service. To avoid such complications, deaccession policies normally specify that objects or specimens be retained for a full three years after receipt before being deaccessioned

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To learn more about Museum Legal Issues join instructor Sarah Kapellusch for MS266 Legal Issues In collections Management starting February 6, 2023

Early Bird Discounts Available for Full Length Courses

An Early Bird Discount is available for anyone who signs up for a full length course from museumclasses.org 30 days prior to the start of that course. 

Sign up for a full length course up to 30 days prior to its start and save $100.00!

For our course list or to sign up: http://www.collectioncare.org/course-list

To take advantage of this discount, you must enter coupon code EARLYBIRD at checkout at collectioncare.org

Earlybird Discount Deadline for March 2023 Courses is February 4, 2023

Earlybird Discount Deadline for April 2023 Courses is March 4, 2023

Course Rescheduled! New Dates: April 1 to 28, 2023!

Thinking about using interpretive panels for your institutional grounds, historic site, or zoo? Need information and guidance on the best practices for creating these panels and finding the best product and companies to make them? This course will walk you through the process of creating the best and most informative panels possible.

MS 270: Planning and Designing Interpretive Panels

April 3 - 28, 2023 NEW DATES

Instructor: John Veverka

Description:

The Planning, design and text copy development for interpretive panels is a practical “how to do it” course to develop updated or new interpretive panels for heritage sites, historic homes, natural areas, zoos, and other related sites. Panels are the most widely use interpretive media, world-wide, to quickly present a message or story to site visitors in a memorable fashion. We will look at the interpretive planning process, interpretive design concerns, interpretive text writing for panels, panel fabrication materials, panel pre-testing evaluation, and even how to write a RFP (request for proposal) to have your panels fabricated. This is an important course for any interpretive staff member, planner, designer or manager.

The course includes an e-copy of John’s Interpretive Planning Textbook, and a e-copy of John’s new The Interpretive Trails Book.

February 2023 Courses

MS008: Buy In: Getting All Staff to Support Preservation

February 6 to 10, 2023 

Instructor: Samantha Hunt-Duran

Description:

To get anything done in your museum, you often need to get other staff to support the idea. All too often, preservation is left to one or two staff members and others believe it doesn't apply to them. For example, it is hard to successfully implement a pest management plan without full staff support. Everyone must buy into the notion of preservation. But how? Readings will introduce some ideas and participants in this course will brainstorm with the instructor about what works, what might work - and what doesn't.

MS104: Introduction to Collections Preservation

February 6 to March 10, 2023  

Instructor: Laura Elliff Cruz

Description:

Every museum professional needs a solid foundation in preservation principles and techniques. Introduction to Collections Preservation provides an overview of current preservation issues from environmental monitoring to collection cleaning, exhibit mounts and storage furniture. Participants learn about every aspect of the modern museum and how the building, staff and fixtures affect preservation. Subjects include the agents of deterioration, risk management, object handling and transport, object labeling, exhibit lighting, security, emergency preparedness, materials for storage and display, storage and exhibit philosophies, and condition assessments.

MS266: Legal Issues in Collections Management

February 6 to March 3, 2023 

Instructor: Sarah Kapellusch

Description:

In this course we will examine the most significant laws and regulations that affect collections management, including the legal organization of museums, responsibilities of governing boards, collections care, loans and gifts, international regulations, intellectual property, cultural appropriation, and freedom of expression.

March 2023 Courses

MS 101: Introduction to Museums

March 6 to 31, 2023  

Instructor: Samantha Hunt-Duran

Description:

The United States has more than 17,000 museums, we can only guess at the world's total. While most people think of a museum as a well-staffed, professionally run institution, the vast majority of museums are started and run by people with little or no basic training in museum studies or preservation. Introduction to Museums is designed to change that. The course introduces basic concepts, terminology and the role of various staff members, including curators, registrars and directors. Introduction to Museums is aimed at staff members, board members, interns, volunteers, as well as anyone interested in becoming a museum professional or learning more about the profession.

MS 223: Care of Metals 

March 6 to April 7, 2023  

Instructor: Diana Komejan

Description:

Outdoor sculpture, silver tea service, gold jewelry, axe head, wheel rim - metals are found in most museum collections and may be stored or displayed indoor or outdoors depending on the object. Learn how to identify different types of metal and their alloys. Gain an understanding of how and why metals deteriorate and methods for preventing deterioration from occurring or continuing. The pros and cons of different popular treatments will be covered along with recommendations for the least damaging approach to treatment. Care of Metals provides a simplified explanation of the chemistry and structure of metals, explaining the importance of the galvanic series and electrochemistry in care strategies. Starting with an overview of the history and function of metals and how they are made, the course will cover guidelines for handling, labeling, exhibiting and storing metals. An overview of treatments, including cleaning, used on metals and how appropriate they are for the long-term preservation of the metal object will help students make care decisions when consulting with conservators.

MS 269: Visitor Motivations for Selecting Programs

March 6 to 31, 2023  

Instructor: John Veverka

Description:

A visitor-centered course on how to increase your visitor program participation numbers (attendance) in interpretive programs and experiences. John Veverka researched why visitors select and attend interpretive programs for 2 years while working as a seasonal naturalist with Ohio State Parks and completing his MS in interpretation from the Ohio State University. The results of this research was groundbreaking for program planning. Employing research results increased program attendance the following year by over 30%. This course teaches how to do your own research into what motivates your visitors. The results may help you increase your visitor numbers and their satisfaction with the experience you offered.

April 2023 Courses

MS010: Condition Assessments

April 17 to 28, 2023

Instructor: Elizabeth Burton

Description:

Whenever an object leaves or enters your museum, it should have a dated condition report completed. A condition report is so much more than "good" or "poor." Learn about different types of condition reports, what is essential and what is optional information in each, the function of a condition report, and how to use an online condition assessment tool.

MS 202: Museum Storage Facilities and Furniture

April 3 to 28, 2023 

Instructor: Laura Elliff Cruz

Description:

If you are building a new storage facility or retrofitting an old one, this course provides the blueprint for how to approach architects and engineers as well as redesigning your facility yourself. The course covers the philosophy of storage, the construction requirements, security, fire and water prevention, types of furniture, and how to plan for collections growth.

The course will start with a refresher on the agents of deterioration and environmental issues to assure that the students have a common base to begin.

After this introduction, topics include determining storage and defining space, architectural design considerations and issues such as lighting, security and planning. We will discuss general information about storage furniture types and storage materials, how to modify existing cabinets and information on homemade storage systems. The last section includes specific information from a variety of vendors, specifics on writing a Request for Proposal (RFP), and what to consider when making a decision on a furniture type and vendor.

The instructor will add readings and other information depending upon the students and their individual institutional problems and concerns.

MS 214: Collections Management Databases

April 3 to 28, 2023 

Instructor: Sarah Kapellusch

Description:

A collection database is a necessary tool for accurate and efficient collections management. In Collection Management Databases you will learn what characteristics distinguish one database system from another; how a database can be used to manage inventory, conservation, pest management, and other aspects of collections management; as well as how to prepare your collection and documentation for entry into a database.

MS 259: The Volunteer Handbook  

April 3 to May 12, 2023  

Instructor: Karin Hostetter

Description:

Volunteers should be considered unpaid staff and, like a staff handbook, a strong volunteer organization should have a volunteer handbook. This course goes beyond understanding various aspects of a volunteer program to putting the volunteer program to paper. Create an outline and some draft text for a handbook providing consistency within the volunteers as well a legal support if ever needed.

Conferences and Meetings

Double check each organization's website for more information.