BMC.A&A Collections.:.Collections Overview

Bryn Mawr College Art & Archaeology Collections

Brief history of the College's Collections

From the earliest years of the College, M. Carey Thomas, as Dean and President, and Mary Garrett, a Director and Benefactress of the College, began assembling a myriad of objects as educational and decorative resources for the College. They collected fine furniture, paintings, prints, and objects of diverse world cultures for the Deanery. Thomas and Garrett also provided documentary photographs, prints and plaster casts, which were displayed in the old Chapel, the hallways of Taylor Hall, the Thomas Library, and used in the art curriculum.

These items were supplemented by an assemblage of Greek, Roman, and Egyptian antiquities collected by the first faculty in Art and Archaeology in the early 20th century. By the 1940's, major gifts of prints, drawings, and paintings had been received from Prof. Emeritus Howard L. Gray, Roy R. Neuberger and various faculty and alumnae. The Ella Riegel Memorial Collection for Mediterranean archaeology was established circa 1940, and the ethnographic collections were established by Frederica de Laguna in the 1950's. Over the last five decades, faculty, alumnae, students, and friends of the College have continued to give generously. Today the College's Collections number over 50,000 objects that support programs in a number of departments.

Overview of Collections

The College's Collections are housed primarily in Thomas and Dalton Hall and can be seen throughout the campus environment. The Collections provide teaching aids for a variety of disciplines in the Bi-College community, such as History of Art, Fine Arts, Growth and Structure of Cities, Anthropology, Archaeology, Classics, Geology, History, English, and Modern Languages, and are a resource for research by faculty, students and other qualified scholars. Items are occasionally loaned to regional, national and international exhibitions.

Mission Statement

The College's Collections are intended to enhance the educational mission of Bryn Mawr College and to preserve its material heritage.

The College's Collections will collect and preserve fine art, ethnographic and archaeological artifacts, and objects pertinent to the history of Bryn Mawr College for the purposes of instruction, research and exhibition.

Code of Ethics {Top}

Bryn Mawr College will collect in accordance with established museum and institutional codes of ethics. (See Appendix)

College's Collections staff and Committee members are expected to uphold professional standards by striving to implement the Collections' mission. Specifically, no individual may use his or her position for personal gain or to benefit another, in contravention of the mission and the values of Bryn Mawr College community and professional code of ethics.

The College's Collections staff shall not purchase objects for the Collections from members of the Collections Committee or other staff members. Staff, committee members and consulting faculty may not take advantage of privileged information to compete with Collections for acquisitions.

No Collections staff member may offer formal written appraisals for objects that are under consideration for acquisition.

Collections Scope {Top}

The College collects in the following categories:

Fine Art :
-Prints
-Drawings
-Paintings
-Sculpture (including reproductions)

Photography (including vintage postcard photography)

Decorative & Applied Arts: Furniture, Instruments, and Architectural elements that are significant to the history of the College

Ethnographic Objects (African, Pacific, Oceanic, the Americas)

Archaeological Objects (emphasis on the Mediterranean, Old World Europe, the Americas)

Geological Objects: Minerals, Rocks, Paleontology

Limitations. The College does not collect in the following categories:
†Indicates items targeted for the divestment program

Jewelry †Honorary Medals
Costumes †"Collectibles"
Arms and Armor †Postcards
Memorabilia †Decorative & Applied Arts unrelated to the College's history
Numismatics
Stamps

N.B. If a donor wishes to donate an object outside the scope of this policy statement and if an object is appropriate for another collection, Collections staff will strive to refer a donor to a more appropriate educational institution.

Collecting Plan {Top}

Within the context of Bryn Mawr College's Collections, to collect means to accession new material that conforms to the following objectives:

-Collect within bounds of the Collections Mission.
-Collect within the six categories defined under "Collections Scope."
-Collect only what can be properly conserved, secured, and stored.
-Collect only objects that are in a condition suitable for teaching and research.
-Objects in unsatisfactory condition will be accessioned only if they are of intrinsic value to the College's instructional mission or to the College's history, and therefore worthy of restoration.

In the future, "collecting" may take on a more active connotation as we work to refine particular collections.

Collections Committee {Top}

Decisions that affect Collections and Collections policy are the responsibility of the Collections Committee. The President of Bryn Mawr College appoints members of the Collections Committee and selects a chair for the Committee. Members will serve renewable three-year terms. Faculty nominations will be suggested by the Anthropology, Archaeology and History of Art Departments. The current committee consists of one board member, three faculty members with expertise in museum management or who benefit directly from use of the collection, a representative of the Alumnae Association, a representative of Resources, an alumnae in the museum field, and the Collections staff. The Committee will report Collections policy changes to the full board at their regularly scheduled meetings or in an annual report. Final decisions on policy changes and major changes to Collections will rest with the Board of Trustees of Bryn Mawr College.

The committee works by consensus for proposed accessions while deaccessions will require unanimous approval. Formal minutes of these meetings are part of the curatorial record.

Outside advice or expertise may be called upon for consultation, but such persons do not have standing in committee decisions.

Acquisitions {Top}

All acquisitions will heed cultural property, burial, copyright, and other pertinent laws and policies-international and domestic. In particular, Bryn Mawr College will collect in compliance with the UNESCO Convention on Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property of November 1970; the Cultural Property Implementation Act (Public Law 97-446) of January 1983; and The Native American Grave Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA, Public Law 101-601). (See Appendix)

All objects proposed for acquisition will be considered: a) in light of the laws in place in their country of origin in 1970 and b) the time of their documented appearance in the United States. Questions surrounding the legality of importation will be referred to the appropriate country of origin's Department of Antiquities for acceptable conduct regarding the object(s).

Definitions:
Acquisition means the acceptance of an object or group of objects that may or may not be accessioned. The College's Collections acquires objects for two purposes: to accession as part of the College's Collections or for sale at auction in order to raise funds for the Collections. (See tax ramifications for non-accessioned gifts below.)

Accessioning is the formal process by which objects are accepted and recorded as property of the College's Collections.

A collection object is an object that has formally become part of the College's Collections.

The Resources Office will accept all other gifts, not intended for the benefit of the College's Collections, for use at the College. (See Appendix: "Making a Gift-In-Kind to Bryn Mawr College")

All acquisitions for the College's Collections must be accompanied by clear title that has been presented by the donor or seller or her/his authorized agent. Title to an object is established by Deed of Gift, receipts and other documentation. Upon acquiring an object, the Registrar of the College's Collections shall produce a Deed of Gift for the donor's signature as a receipt.

Statement on Appraisals and Tax Credits
Bryn Mawr College collections staff may not give appraisals for any reason. Appraisals for gifts or bequests must be made by an independent person or agency, as required by regulations of the Internal Revenue Service. The donor is responsible for the cost of the appraisal.

The College's Collections will not hold any objects for any length of time solely for a donor to attain tax status for his/her gift. (See Appendix: "Making a Gift-In-Kind to Bryn Mawr College")

Accessions {Top}

The College will accession objects within the scope of the collecting plan. The decision to accept an object into the College's Collections will be made by recommendation of the Curator and approval of the Collections Committee.

As a rule, Bryn Mawr College only accepts unrestricted gifts. In the event that the Collections Committee decides to accept a restricted gift, Bryn Mawr College shall manage that gift accordingly and will only seek court relief when circumstance clearly makes adherence to the restrictions impractical. Acceptance of a restricted gift must have the unanimous approval of the Collections Committee.

Types of Accessions:
Gift-From one or more individuals or an institution; may be "anonymous"
Bequest-Directly willed to the College's Collections or Bryn Mawr College at large
Transfer-Transferred from an academic department within the College
Purchase-Purchased for the College's Collections with College funds
Exchange-Acquired in exchange with another educational institution

Documentation, Handling and Care {Top}

" For each new accession, an accession file and a donor file will be created. All documentation, including correspondence concerning the object and its acquisition will be held in the object files.
" Each object will be recorded following standardized format, which includes: description, measurements, materials, condition, history of conservation if known, provenance and provenience, and a photograph.
" Each object will be assigned an accession number.
" Maintenance of records will be provided by the Registrar in consultation with the Curator.

Collections care and control will be provided by the Registrar of the College's Collections in consultation with the Curator of the College's Collections. The College's Collections records will have originals of all documentation pertaining to collection objects. The Registrar of the College's Collections will accept copies of documentation only when the articles are already accessioned into a recognized archive, such as the College's Archives. Archival material relating exclusively to Collection objects currently held in other offices must be transferred to the College's Collections and filed in the object files. The Registrar will provide copies of the materials to those other offices.

Schedule for inventory will be set by the Registrar of the College's Collections in consultation with the Curator. After a base inventory is completed, a verification inventory will be conducted for each collection every three to five years.

Preservation Standards: The College's Collections is working to achieve professional standards of preservation. Standards for storage and conservation will be established and a schedule will be set for environmental improvements in order to meet minimal professional standards of preservation. In general, the Collections staff will work towards secure, climate controlled and monitored environments (i.e. hygrothermographs in each space) complete with fire alarm systems, security systems, an integrated pest management program and staff to manage the objects.

Security will be provided in accordance with accepted museum practices whenever possible. Collection storage spaces, including storage cabinets, will be kept locked at all times when not attended by Collections staff. Exhibition cases must be kept in secure environments, locked at all times, and monitored regularly.

Conditions of Object Use: The Curator, the Registrar and other trained staff will handle the Collections. Researchers, faculty and students will be permitted to handle objects under controlled circumstances, when instructed on proper care, and only when the objects are in stable condition.

Rights and Reproductions: Requests for reproduction of objects and images from the College's Collections and the right to reproduce those images must be made in writing to the Registrar of the College's Collections. Fees may be charged for commercial purposes.

Permission for rights and reproduction for advertising, promotional materials, commercial product or for television/films/filmstrips or multi-media formats will be given on a case by case basis according to use, quantity, and distribution.

BMC faculty, staff, and students are exempt from rights and reproduction fees for non-commercial use.

The College's Collections staff will provide photographic services or will contract an outside photographer on a work-for-hire basis. All photographs of Collection objects are the property of Bryn Mawr College. Permission to photograph Collection objects will be given to individuals for research (non-publishable) photography and in special instances when the College might not be able to provide this service with its own staff. In such instances, photography is to be supervised by College's Collections staff. Objects/works of art may only be handled by the College Collections staff. Any damage or loss to the objects themselves, the buildings, facilities, personnel, visitors, and/or equipment, that is caused or attributable to the photography project or filming, is the responsibility of the applicant, who will be required by separate agreement to indemnify the College.

Details on fees and terms of the College's Collections Rights and Reproduction Policy can be found on the Rights and Reproduction Form. (Appendix: Rights and Reproduction Form)

Process for dealing with objects "found in Collection"
"Found in Collection" refers to objects which have been found at the College and deposited in Collections without any identification or objects without any identification found in storage with accessioned objects. An object found in the Collection will be accessioned and processed if: a) it is clear that the object belongs with the other objects in the collection or b) it is surmised that the object once was part of Collections or intended for Collections and the object fits within the current parameters for accessioning.

Access to Collections {Top}

The College's Collections are open to students, faculty and staff during normal working hours (Monday through Friday 9:30 AM - 4:30 PM). The Collections are also available to qualified outside researchers. Researchers will be considered "qualified" if they are working towards an academic degree, a publication, exhibition or similar scholarly pursuit. All researchers should request an appointment with the Curator or Registrar as far in advance as possible.

Objects from the Collections may not be taken from their assigned facility except when accompanied by the Curator or Registrar. Researchers working with objects will be accompanied at all times by the Curator, Registrar, or other trained Collections staff.

Loans {Top}

Incoming Loans

Items will be accepted as incoming loans for the purposes of:
" Exhibition
" Possible acquisition

Processing and renewal of loans will be the responsibility of the Registrar. Objects will be accepted for a period of two-three years, renewable but not to exceed a total of six years.

Criteria for an Incoming Loan:
" Ability of the object to enhance the College's Collections in exhibition or classroom instruction
" Ability of the object to be kept on display or accessible for a substantial portion of the loan period
" Availability of appropriate exhibition or storage space for the loan item
" The object to be loaned is in good condition and able to withstand handling, packing, transport
" The lender is willing to agree to the terms of our incoming loan form
" The objects to be loaned do not have the potential to bring discredit upon the College
" The loan might aid in eventual acquisition of the object(s) through gift or bequest
" The loan has no unreasonable restrictions
" The loan has satisfactory documentation of provenance and title
" The loan is not primarily for reasons of storage

Incoming loans will be approved by the Curator and the Registrar of the College's Collections.

Objects left on Deposit:
These are objects that are temporarily in the Collections' custody but not covered by an incoming loan agreement or lack transfer of legal title. These may be objects left by an intended donor without the appropriate paperwork. These objects will be monitored in the same manner as Collections' objects while they are investigated.

When the intended donor is known, a loan form will be processed and forwarded. Unwanted or unsolicited objects will be disposed of expediently by one of two methods: returned to the owner (if owner is known); sold at auction after failed attempts to find the owner. (Failed attempts will end in public advertising in the Alumnae Bulletin, the College newspapers, and at least one major newspaper.) Items intended for the College's Collections will be processed in the same manner as an accession.

Outgoing Loans

Criteria for an outgoing loan:
" The object will be loaned for educational and scholarly purposes
" The object will not be loaned for decorative purposes outside the College environment
" The object will not be used in a commercial gallery or enterprise
" The object is in good condition and able to withstand the ordinary strains of packing and transportation
" The proposed loan will not bring discredit upon the College

Process:
All loan requests must be in writing from the borrowing institution, including Haverford and Swarthmore Colleges. Requests must outline the reason for the request (exhibition or otherwise), dates of the proposed loan and schedule of tour (when applicable), proposed packing, travel and insurance arrangements. Bryn Mawr College requires the borrowing institution to submit a Standard Facility Report detailing environmental conditions and will require proof of insurance and indemnification as detailed in the Loan Agreement form.

The Registrar with the assistance of the Curator is accountable for monitoring loans. Before an object leaves the College an outgoing condition report, photography, and in-house appraisal will be accomplished. Outgoing loans must be approved by the Registrar and the Curator and will be reported to the Collections Committee.

Deaccessioning {Top}

The Collections Committee will determine what items are appropriate for deaccessioning from the College's Collections, following the recommendation of the Curator of the College's Collections.

Criteria for deaccessioning:

Is the object no longer relevant to the mission and scope of Collections?

Is the object subject to NAGPRA and being repatriated according to the law?

Is the object subject to international repatriation?

Is the College no longer able to preserve the object properly?

Has the object deteriorated beyond usefulness?

Is the object a fake, forgery or reproduction and not useful for instruction purposes?

Is the object a duplicate?

Will this deaccession provide the means for improving or strengthening Collections in order to further the goals of the College's Collections?

Is the object intended for exchange with another object from another educational facility?

Deaccessioned objects that have educational value or historical significance will be deaccessioned only after an appropriate institution can be found to accept the object.

Process for deaccessioning
-The College will follow ethical practices in deaccessioning. Items from the College's Collections may not be deaccessioned with the intent to give the items as gifts to employees, trustees, or students.
-The Registrar and Curator will review application of all international, federal and state laws governing collections such as UNESCO Convention, NAGPRA, ARPA, Antiquities Act, Visual Artists Rights Act. The Registrar and Curator will certify that there are no restrictions on the object(s) that preclude deaccessioning.
-Proceeds from the sale of collection objects should be deposited in a Collections acquisition fund.
-The Committee must make a unanimous decision for deaccessioning. Outside opinions may be solicited before reaching a decision.

Documentation for an object to be deaccessioned will consist of findings of the Registrar's and Curator's research, the Collections Committee's recommendations, official receipts, correspondence, and final disposition of the object. All documentation will be filed with the registration records of the object.

Disposal {Top}

The College will occasionally dispose of Collection items that have been deaccessioned by the Collections Committee. Objects will be disposed of when the College no longer has a need for an object or can no longer properly care for it.

Order of Actions for Disposal:
-If the object was a gift, intended specifically for the College's Collections, then the Collections staff will seek to return the object to the original donor, informing the original donor of applicable IRS regulations.
-If the item has educational or historical value, the Collections staff will arrange to donate it to another educational institution.
-If none of the above apply, the object may be sold to another collecting agency or at public auction.

Proceeds of items sold at auction will be used to purchase Collection items that would further the mission of the College's Collections or for preservation of the Collections. The only exception to this policy will potentially occur in an acquisition preceding the formulation of this policy in 1999. In such a case, an item may have been given to the College with the stipulation that proceeds from the sale of said item would go to a specific department, fund, etc.

Under no circumstances will ownership be transferred to any employee of Collections nor any member of the Collections Committee. Deaccessioned Collection items will not be given as gifts to employees, trustees, or students.

Rights & Reproduction Policy {Top}

Click here to download the Rights & Reproduction Policy (MS Word doc).

Gifts in Kind to Bryn Mawr {Top}

Click here to download information about giving to Bryn Mawr College's A&A Collections (MS Word doc).

Bryn Mawr College Art & Archaeology Collections.

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