City of Sacramento
City Council - 2PM Report
915 I Street Sacramento, CA 95814
www.cityofsacramento.org
File ID: 2024-00913 4/30/2024 Consent Item 5.
Deaccession and Approval of the Sale of the Mining & Scientific Press Collection File ID: 2024-00913
Location: 551 Sequoia Pacific Blvd, District 4, Represented by Mayor Steinberg Recommendation: Pass a Motion authorizing the Center for Sacramento History (CSH) to deaccession and sell its collection of Mining & Scientific Press journals.
Contact: Marcia Eymann, City Historian (916) 808-5960, [email protected], Center for Sacramento History
Presenter: None.
Attachments:
1-Description/Analysis
2-Accession Record
3-Deaccession Paperwork
4-CSH Collections Management Policy
5-Collections Committee Agenda 9.28.2023
Description/Analysis:
Issue Detail: Mining & Scientific Press was a weekly periodical published from 1860 to 1922 in San Francisco. It covered mining and the mining industry, with a primary focus on California and North America, along with coverage of mining in other parts of the world.
The Mining & Scientific Press collection at CSH contains approximately 3,800 issues from 1862 to 1921. With an insurance value of $10 per issue, the collection’s estimated total value is $38,000. The collection will be sent to auction and the collection value may go up or down depending on the market at the time of sale.
The collection at CSH was acquired by the City in 1997 and purchased with funding donated by the Sacramento Trust for Historic Preservation, which was dissolved two years ago. Though purchased by CSH’s director in 1997, the periodical does not fall within CSH’s collecting scope and is being considered for deaccession and auction. CSH’s collecting scope, which is described in the Center’s Collection Policy and approved by City Council, reads as follows:
The Center collects archival materials and historical artifacts that capture the cultural and social history of the people of the City, County, and the greater metropolitan Sacramento area. These items document and interpret the past to facilitate a deeper understanding of Sacramento’s history by way of research, programs, and interpretative exhibitions. The Center seeks to be inclusive in its collection activities to reflect the pluralism and diversity of the region. The collections focus on domestic, economic, environmental, political, governmental, ethnic, and social history material, with
File ID: 2024-00913 4/30/2024 Consent Item 5.
strong connections to the area and the people, and their interaction with the larger national and international societies. The collections primarily focus on materials that date from the period of European settlement through the present.
Mining & Scientific Press is outside of CSH’s collecting scope, since its focus is not on the Sacramento area, but rather on mining in the California mining regions and throughout the country.
Additionally, a nearly full run of the periodical is already held by the California State Library, which they have digitized and made available online. This includes all issues currently held by CSH.
Policy Considerations: As per the Center for Sacramento History’s collecting policy:
Archival or Curatorial staff and Registrar will recommend a method of disposal to the Collections Committee for a vote, and the City historian will have the final approval. Collections Committee met on September 28th, 2023 and agreed that materials fell outside the scope of CSH’s collecting policy.
Collections Committee agreed to deaccession and authorize the sale of the materials. The City Historian will report to the City Council on the disposal methods for materials valued at $5,000 or more.
Appropriate methods of disposal include:
· Transfer to the Center’s Education Collection;
· Transfer to or exchange with another non-profit educational institution or cultural organization; · Public sale or auction; or
· Destruction due to condition or any hazard it poses.
Deaccessioned materials will not be given, sold, or otherwise transferred, publicly or privately, to any City employee or Sacramento History Alliance Board Member, or their immediate families or representatives, volunteers, interns, contract employees, or others associated with the Center.
Any permanent collections item sold will be offered anonymously at a public sale; special exceptions may be granted only with the approval of the City Historian. All proceeds resulting from the sale of items from the permanent collections are deposited with the City’s General Fund (Fund 1001), and in turn are credited toward the Center’s operating budget, thus supporting the Center’s mission of collections care.
Economic Impacts: Any funds received from the sale of the publication will go toward collection care.
Environmental Considerations:
California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA): The proposed activity is not a project pursuant to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4 and 5) and is not subject to CEQA [CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3)]. There is no physical impact on the environment.
Sustainability: Not applicable.
Commission/Committee Action: Not applicable.
File ID: 2024-00913 4/30/2024 Consent Item 5.
Rationale for Recommendation: Mining & Scientific Press is not relevant to CSH’s collection and outside of CSH’s collecting scope. This is a large collection that fills three pallets, and it is part of an overview process to prepare for a move to a new collections storage facility at McClellan Park.
Financial Considerations: There is no cost to the city except for transportation of the collection to Reno for auction at Holabird Western American Auctions. This will be an anonymous sale. All proceeds resulting from the sale of items from the permanent collections will be deposited in the Convention and Cultural Services Department’s General Fund (Fund 1001) revenue budget.
Local Business Enterprise (LBE): Not applicable.
Background: Founded in 1953, CSH is funded by the City and the County of Sacramento and is the official repository and research center for City and County historic collections. These collections are held in the public trust and reflect the many aspects of the social, political, geographic, and cultural history of the Sacramento region.
ACC. #
9'7 (38
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY
AND VISITOR SERVICES
I-IISTORY AND SCIENCE DIVISION
JAA4ES E. HENLEY
NIANAGER
CI'IY OF SACRAMENTO
CALIFORNIA
551 SEQUOIA PACIFIC
BOULEV ARD
SACRAMENTO CA
95814-0229
PH 916-264-7072
FAX 916-264-7582
RECEIPT SACI"AMENT0 ARCHIVES &
MUSEUM COLLECTION
The objects described below have been received by the History and Science Division subject to tlie conditions on tlie reverse of this fon'n.
CENTER
SACRAMENTO HISTORY
MUSEUM
SACRAMENTO SCIENCE
CENTER
Received from: OLD SACJ;tAMENTO
W ATERFRONT
Name John Gilchriese
,4ddy@55 1975 East Kleindale Road
City Tucson State AZ 2ip 85719
Receivedas: Gift Loan Purchase XX City/CorintyAcquisition The objects listed and described below are subject to tlie conditions printed on the reverse of this form.
Number ObjectandDescription Value
P4ininz and Scientific Press, 1862-1915
Purchased by Sacramento Trust for Historic Preservation and SAMCC's Giets to Share Fund.
Price: $16,000.00
smcc 1 1/97 rev.
OBJECTS LISTED ARE RECEIVED UNDER THE FOLLOWING CONDITIONS; I. Except as listed below, the History and Science Division will not be required to cariy insurance against loss or destruction of damages to such objects, or in other respects to exercise greater precautions for the care and safety of such objects than is exercised with respect to its own property of the same or similar nature.
2. In no event shall the Division be liable for the destruction of, or injury to such objects caused by act of civil commotions, warfare, natural disasters or other causes beyond its control.
WHEN OFFERED AS A GIFT;
3. The History and Science Division will consider the objects in this receipt as an unrestricted gift witliout limiting conditions. Tlie gift to be used in any manner which is deemed to be in the best interest of the History and Science Division. Acceptance of tliis gift does not imply that it will be on public display. This Temporary acknowledgment will be followed by a Deed of Gift.
WHEN OFFERED FOR PURCHASE;
4. Tlie History and Science Division shall be responsible for the safekeeping of objects entrusted to it at the Division's request to the extent of exercising such precaritions as are in force far the safekeeping and preservation of the property of tlie History and Science Division itself. :). TheDIViSiOnWlllaSStlnlenO;'eSp0nSlbiii5;t,"vhatSOelaer"0'!'ullSOilClTadinate.I'laileffinjheDlViSlO1]'SCllS;Od3/ and offered for purchase by the Division.
6. If the Division does net desire to purchase objects described in this receipt, such objects wiill be retui-ned to the owner or his/her legally authorized representative upon presentation of this receipt. 'IVHEN OFFERED ASaA LOAN;
7. After reasonable (not less t!iai'. 30 days) notiae, properly held by this Divisicn as listed or. this receipt. ;'riay be removed from the Division premises by the lender or by his /ner daly autliorized agent or legal representative iipon surrender of tl'iis recein.t or aelivery of the l=ndei'as viritteo ordar.
8. it is incumbent upon the lender to notifv the Division of History and Science of any changes of address. ln case of tlie deatii cf rhe lerider, the iegal representatisae is reqiested ta rioxify the Division O)" the deatli cf the lender m writing.
9. The History and Science Division may request tlie remova! of bonowed properh,t at any tim.e by written notice sem by registered mail to the lender at the address shown on the face of this receipt (or last change of address as notified by the lender). Failure of the lender to remove property within thirty days after the receipt of notice (as verified by tlie registered mail receipt) will pergit the Division to retarri such property to the lender by express collect, to deliver it to any tvarehouse coi'npanv to be storea for the lehder's account, or to otherwise dispose cf it in any rpiaxer the Division may elect. If objects loaned hnder the Division's agreement are hot removed fron'i tlie DiViSiOn ijurin," a period cf one )Tear arid one day arla nO r El-ieV,'al Of tl'ie loan agreemerit 15 ma('e bV [haj time. then said objects will be considered tc be an unrestricted gift and become the property of rhe Ciry of Sacramento, Histoi'y and Sciehce Divisioii.
10. The History and Science Division will exercise tlie same precautions in respect to loanea property as it does for the safekeeping of its own property, as weli as maintainiog irisurance not to exceed reasonable market valiie.
11. AttriL+utions, dated ana otl'ier information shown oo the face of this receipt ai-e as given by tlie lender. Any quotations of vague showri are as given by the lender.
12. The aforesaid ccnditions shall apply to all objects sent to the Division on loan and canno; be altered, changed, cr waived except by written consent of the Manager of tlie History arid Science Division. l baVe rea!! []le CO}Xll'LlOI'!S Sta{ed Ol'i tillS IOITTI ailCl agree tO ailV al-i& afl Of SalC' COndlTlOnS:
O"'fered bv:U".yerea 5v: Date
{,; €-74 €/i?
ORIGINAL ,'],9 9 7 / 0 6 8
CENTER,FOR
SACRAME
HISTORY
Deaccession
Proposal
Worksheet
ObjedlD# qgg-rtssloo4
Objed Name Mining & Scientific Press
Donor Name Gilchriese, John
Location SP SV 7:H:3-8, 7:1:2-7, 7:J:2-6
CURATOR/ ARCHMST TO COMPLETE
Description (including dimensions, materials):
27 newspaper boxes of issues of the Mining & Scientific Press from 1862-'1921.
Overall Condition:
[I]Excellent [aooa € Fair [I]Poor
Reason for removing the museum artifact and/or archival record from CSH's permanent collections:
[6rhe item does not pertaintothe Center's mission statemem, acquisition poticy, orcollecting plan.
The item for the folJowing reasons lacks historical value or usefulness:
€ lntegrity or heavily reconstructed g Identity
€ Provenance g May not be authentic
gPoor condition and will not benefit from conseniation treatment € cDeengtreeraesomfciossnisoen"staa't'oenmneencteosrstah'e'coosmtaot'nc'oa:nsehni'aot'io'nViaslu;ispofrompao'rteiro'anlast'es'to'ythoendva'ihueesoctOtpheeomffahteeriais aThe item pOSeS a threat to safety ofthe public, staff, or other collections materials The item is a duplicgte of other collerons items which are equally, or superior demonstrates an historical'theme
Justification:
The journal focuses on mining in California and North America. General mass-market publication not specific to our collecting focus. CA State Library has this journal in its collection (not inclusive) and full text online.
CURATOR/ ARCHMST TO COMPLETE-IF GIFT
Recommended method of disposal
€ Transfer to the Center's Education Collection
(6'rransfer to or exchange with another nonprofit educational institution Or cultqr,ili,organization [Zlpublic sale or auction
g0]Destruction due to condition or hazardous material No'es: Will send list of issues to CA State Library to see if we have any they are missing that we could give them. Any they do not need, suggest selling, donating, or throwing away.
Worksheet completed by:
5;gnatureKimHayden
Page I of 2
Date: '9/27/23
08/25/2022
Method of Acquisition:
Ocin or Bequest [g Purchase [] Transfer € Conversion [1 Collected By Staff € Exchange List any donor or other restrictions: B45d[,
Signed Deed of Gift 0 Yes [J No
If not, describe supporting documentation or due diligence of research on title:
€ Dedine vote#
€ Dedine vote#
Worksheet completed by:
Registrar Signature
Printed Name and title
CITY HiSTORIAN TO COMPLETE
Value if over SS,000:
Determined by:
Date:
Printed Name and title
Date presented to City Council if value is over 65,000
REGISTR-AR TO COMPLETE
Method of disposal
Documentation
08/25/2022
Collections Committee
09/28/2023
In attendance: Staci Cox, Marcia Eymann, Kim Hayden, Sabrina Holecko, Nicholas Piontek, Christopher Smith, Sam Suárez, Casey Wolfe.
Collections Committee: Staci Cox, Marcia Eymann, Kim Hayden, Sabrina Holecko, Nicholas Piontek, Christopher Smith, Sam Suárez.
A. Potential Donations:
1. Wittenbock (sp?): Family music box. The committee declined this potential donation.
2. Lutheran Church of The Master: Archival material, photographs, yearbooks, etc. Photographs could be accepted other material may have to be reviewed.
B. Donations:
1. TC#506 – Schaw (KH): scrapbook, prints and posters. Accepted: Theater scrapbook, Book Club of Sacramento Posters; Declined: Book Club of California Keepsake prints.
2. TC#510 – Storey (SH): ephemera, script, and brochures. Accepted.
3. TC#511 – Lawler (SH): MGW jacket. Accepted.
4. TC#513 – Dept. of Voter Registration and Elections (SH): 44 boxes of election materials. Accepted.
5. TC#514 – Sacramento Public Library (KH): maps. Accepted.
6. TC#520 – Perry (SH): 158 Alive & Kicking newspapers. Accepted.
7. TC#521 – Ward (SH): periodicals, prints and a plaque. Accepted: periodicals and prints; Declined:
Plaque – offer to State Parks?
8. TC#522 – Scott (CS): tablecloths. Accepted.
9. TC#524 – Lavender Library ACE (SH): film reels of MGW newspapers. Accepted.
10. TC#525 – Graham (SH): MGW and Sacramento Star newspapers. Accepted.
11. TC#529 – Scott (CS): miscellany. Accepted.
12. TC#532 – Love (SH): Clayton family materials. Accepted.
13. TC#536 – Greve (SH): Exhibit binders, reports, and budgets for the American River Natural History Association. Accepted.
14. TC#544 – Hayden (KH): Home tour programs. Accepted.
15. TC#545 – Sgromo (KH): Master’s thesis. Declined: SSU has a copy on file.
16. TC#546 – Lavender Library ACE (SH): poster. Accepted.
17. TC#547 – Murray (KH): Family photos, slides, and letters. Accepted: family papers and photographs; Declined: Bill Lary Yosemite slides; Other: Offer Sutter’s Mill Bill Lary slides to State Parks.
C. Transfers: None.
D. Loans: None.
E. Deaccessions:
1. 1970/251/001 – Bates (KH): Gold Rush era letter. Accepted.
2. 1983/019 – Southern Pacific Company (SC): board-mounted photographs. Accepted.
3. 1985/047/147 – Hanson (SC): Pouch. Accepted.
4. 1997/068 – Gilchriese (KH): newspapers. Accepted.
F. Approaching TC deadlines: There are 77 open TCs, 61 are past due.
G. Other: Introduced the new TC tracking Log the ATC.
Collections Management Policy
Revised 12/19/16
I. Introduction
City of Sacramento staff and Sacramento History Alliance (SHA) staff (hereafter collectively referred to as “staff”1 of The Center for Sacramento History (Center)) developed this Collections Management Policy (CMP) to define the Center’s purpose and role in the community in order to further its mission through the activities of the collections owned or managed by the Center (see Mission statement below). Additionally, this CMP outlines and defines decision-making policies, staff responsibilities, administrative processes, anticipated timeframes, and required documentation. This policy is guided by the professional standards and codes of ethics established by the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and the Society of American Archivists (SAA).
A. Organizational History
Founded in 1953, the Center is funded by the City and County of Sacramento and is the repository and research center for the City and County historic collections. These collections are held in the public trust and reflect the many aspects of the social, political, geographic, and cultural history of the Sacramento region. Through a memorandum of understanding, the Center works with the nonprofit SHA to facilitate programming and exhibitions at the Sacramento History Museum (SHM).
B. Mission Statement
The Center educates and enriches the public by collecting, preserving, and making accessible the region’s vast cultural heritage.
C. Vision Statement
We envision a future where history inspires people to connect with one another, their community, and their environment.
The Center values:
The uniqueness and diversity of our community
Public service and civic pride
Lifelong learning and academic research
Welcoming learners of all backgrounds and experiences Partnerships and collaboration
D. Review and Revision of the Collections Management Policy As the governing document for day-to-day operations for collections, it is vital that the CMP remain up-to-date. Therefore, this document will be reviewed annually, by December 1 of each calendar year, by Center management and every five years by the entire staff.
1 Although the term “staff” is used throughout this CMP to refer to all individuals working for the Center, nothing in this CMP shall be construed to create any relationship of employer-employee between the City and individuals working for SHA, or any other individual working, interning or volunteering for the Center, for any purpose whatsoever. Unless specified in a separate employment agreement, no SHA or other individual working for the Center shall be entitled to any benefits payable to employees of the City of Sacramento.
Revised 12/19/16
The Registrar2 will review and recommend to the Archival and Curatorial staff any changes or additions prior to presenting the changes to the Collections Committee for a vote.
II. Authority and Governance
The Center is administered by the City of Sacramento through the Convention and Cultural Services Department, and is jointly funded by the City and County of Sacramento. The Sacramento City Council is the authority responsible for the supervision and direction of the Center’s collections. Upon approval, staff of the Center will uphold and be guided by this CMP in regard to its collection-related decisions.
The City Attorney’s Office is consulted regarding legal issues related to the Center as necessary, which may include the following: language on forms, including receipt of materials, incoming and outgoing loan agreements, deeds of gift, deaccession worksheets and correspondence, licensing, and rights and reproduction forms. The City’s Risk Manager is consulted on issues regarding the Center’s insurance policy and all other insurance issues.
The City Manager delegates authority for the management of the Center’s collections to the City Historian. The City Historian delegates responsibilities and duties to the Center’s professional staff and to the Collections Committee, as necessary and as described in this CMP.
The Collections Committee, consisting of the City Historian, Deputy City Historian, Archivist, Photographs Archivist, Curator of History, Associate Curator, Collections Assistant, and chaired by the Registrar, is tasked with oversight of the management of the Center’s collections. Duties of the Collections Committee include:
Monitoring, documenting, and reviewing staff recommendations and actions with respect to the Center’s collections, including acquisitions (see Section V for acquisition criteria), loans, management, care and access, and deaccessioning and repatriation; Ensuring compliance with relevant state and federal laws as well as internal policies relating to the Center’s collections;
Recommending to the City Council to deaccession items and other collections issues that require City Council approval.
The Collections Committee will meet at the beginning of each staff meeting, or at a minimum of once per month, and will evaluate and vote on proposed acquisitions, deaccessions, loans, and other decisions regarding the permanent collection as described in this CMP. A member of the Collections Committee may also call a meeting at any time if immediate action is required to approve or decline a proposed acquisition. A quorum is required to hold any meeting of the Collections Committee. A quorum shall be half the number of individuals on the Collections Committee plus one. A majority vote, consisting of a majority of the Committee members present, shall be required to take action on any item. In the event of a tie, the City Historian will have the deciding vote.
2 If no Registrar is on staff, duties assigned to the Registrar in this CMP are to be p erformed by the Curator of History, or a person designated by the City Historian.
Revised 12/19/16
The Center’s staff, under the supervision and direction of the City Historian, have charge of the work of the Center and of its collection. The respective duties of staff are determined by the City of Sacramento as it relates to the use of collections owned or managed by the Center.
Because the Center is owned by the City, Staff will follow City policies and uphold the codes of ethics established by professional associations—including the American Alliance of Museums (AAM), the International Council of Museums (ICOM), and the Society of American Archivists (SAA).
Upon beginning work for the Center, staff must disclose in writing to the City Historian all areas of personal collecting and agree to refrain from any collecting activities in competition with the Center.
III. Key Collections Management Documents
A. Collections Management Policy (CMP)
This document sets forth the principles governing collections activities, practices, and operations. It supports the fundamental policy statements of the institution, such as the mission, and vision.
B. Collections Procedures
These procedures uphold the CMP and guide staff in their day-to-day management of the collections. These procedures also provide mechanisms for ensuring intellectual and physical control over collections.
IV. Descriptions of Collections
During the Gold Rush era, Sacramento emerged as a leading commercial center and transportation hub, the capital of California, and a cultural and entertainment metropolis for the Mother Lode mining region. The area continued to develop through the post-World War II boom years, where it saw a large-scale expansion of state government and federal military installations. In short, the region’s growth mirrors the general patterns of western historical development, yet remains distinctive in detail.
The Center collects archival materials and historical artifacts that capture the cultural and social history of the people of the City, County, and the greater metropolitan Sacramento area.
These items document and interpret the past to facilitate a deeper understanding of Sacramento’s history by way of research, programs, and interpretative exhibitions. The Center seeks to be inclusive in its collection activities to reflect the pluralism and diversity of the region. The collections focus on domestic, economic, environmental, political, governmental, ethnic, and social history material, with strong connections to the area and the people, and their interaction with the larger national and international societies. The collections primarily focus on materials that date from the period of European settlement through the present.
The Center’s materials fall into one of the two following collection types:
Permanent Collections: Accessioned materials given the highest level of care and documentation, further defined as part of the Artifact or Archive Collections. Non-Accessioned Collections: Materials categorized as the Educational Collection, Exhibit Props and Furniture, and the Reference Library.
Revised 12/19/16
The Center does not, and will not, knowingly acquire any materials in violation of the laws and conventions of the United States, including but not limited to the following:
Native Graves Protection and Repatriation Act of 1990 (NAGPRA). Archaeological Resources Protection Act of 1979 (ARPA). o Archaeological specimens may be accepted when obtained from California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) approved City and County sites; including those submerged and underwater.
UNESCO Convention of the Mean of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export, and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property of 1970. Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES).
Any applicable intellectual property laws or regulations. Materials considered to be obtained through unethical or unprofessional practices as set forth by existing professional organizations.
Material documenting post-secondary education, railroadiana, and fine art is not often considered for acquisition by the Center, as there are other Sacramento institutions dedicated to their preservation and interpretation. The Center does not collect pre-contact Native American items including human remains, burial, religious, or sacred artifacts.
A. Permanent Collections
The permanent collections held at the Center include both museum artifacts and archival records and collections (public documents, manuscripts, and personal papers) documenting all historical aspects of Sacramento City and County. The Center’s holdings primarily date from the period of European settlement through the present.
1. Artifact Collection
The Artifact Collection has approximately 30,000 material culture artifacts that are typical and representative of the inhabitants of the region. The following categories represent current and future collection areas:
a. Life in the Sacramento area: This includes demographics, domestic life, family, community, neighborhoods, local history, religious life, sports, recreation, leisure, crime, and education.
b. Work in the Sacramento area: This includes the changing economic base of the City, business, military, manufacturing, labor, transportation, and scientific and technological development.
c. Governance in the Sacramento area: This includes electoral politics, citizen action movements, urban planning, and education.
d. Built environment in the Sacramento area: This includes architecture in its broadest social and economic context.
Revised 12/19/16
2. Archival Collection
The Center cares for public records created by the City of Sacramento and County of Sacramento, including the Superior Court of Sacramento County, and collects manuscripts and personal papers. Thus, it serves as a “total archive.” The records come in all forms, genres, and formats (prints, manuscripts, electronic, aural, and graphic); are primarily from the County of Sacramento, secondarily northern California (Amador, El Dorado, Placer, San Joaquin, Solano, and Yolo Counties); and are predominately in the English language with some German, Japanese, and Spanish.
a. Public Records
The Center is the repository for public documents of enduring value created, received, and accumulated by the City and County. These public documents date from 1849 and provide users with the most complete set of local public documents in California. Through record retention schedules, non-current records are transferred to the Center on an ongoing basis.
The Center preserves the institutional records and documentation of its own products and activities, including but not limited to departmental records, correspondence, financial and personnel information, meeting minutes, publicity material, and documentation of programming in various formats. The Center’s staff is responsible for reviewing, organizing, and preparing their files according to the City’s record retention policy, and the Archival staff collects, organizes, stores, and maintains the Center’s records.
b. Manuscripts and Personal Papers
These records date from 1839 and are donated by individuals, families, businesses, organizations, and community groups. The Center only collects original material that reflects the life of the Sacramento region and is in the best possible physical condition. The collecting areas include the following:
i. Architects
These collections document the built environment of the region and its structures, churches, schools, and residences, along with the various architectural styles preferred by these regional artists.
ii. Businesses and Co-operatives
Since its settlement, commerce has been the key to the region’s development. These entrepreneurial efforts include mining, agriculture, transportation, shipping, manufacturing, and industry. The Center seeks records that document businesses with Sacramento roots from small enterprises to international corporations.
iii. Individual and Families
Representing both prominent families and interesting individuals, these holdings document the cultural, social, and familial life of the region.
Revised 12/19/16
iv. K-12 Education
These collections date from the 1850s and supplement the Sacramento County Board of Education records. They document the activities of school boards, superintendents, principals, teachers, and organizations such as PTA.
v. Mass Media and Advertisement
With millions of photographic images, thousands of hours of moving images, and hundreds of printed publications, the television, radio, and newspaper collections at the Center provide information about Sacramento. These materials span from Gold Rush era newspapers to contemporary media, such as television commercials.
vi. Military and Aerospace
Sacramento was home to three military installations and one of the leading companies that flourished in the nation’s aerospace industry.
vii. Organizations and Community Groups
These collections represent a wide diversity of civic, cultural, ethnic, and religious communities in Sacramento and include membership rosters, minute books, scrapbooks, photographs, and oral histories.
viii. Unions and Labor Activism
As the state capitol, Sacramento has seen numerous events and campaigns to argue for labor rights.
B. Non-Accessioned Collections
Some materials will be held in non-accessioned collections, separate from the Permanent Collection, for purposes such as education or research, and will not be accessioned.
These materials will be used in support of permanent collections and loaned materials, and can be disposed of when no longer required.
1. Education Collection
This collection includes non-accessioned items that are utilized by the Center, the Sacramento History Museum, and the Old Sacramento Visitors Center in educational hands-on programming and teaching. The Education Collection is composed of donated items directed to the collection through Curatorial recommendation, accessioned material transferred through the deaccession process, and items purchased for the express intent of inclusion in the Education Collection. The material in this collection is marked as separate from the Center’s permanent collections and managed by Curatorial and Museum staff.
2. Exhibit Prop and Furniture Collection
Unauthentic support materials used solely for exhibit enhancement will be designated as non-accessioned exhibit props or furniture. These materials may be contemporary in nature or a contemporary reproduction of an authentic historic artifact purchased, altered, or created for exhibit use. The Registrar will track these materials while on exhibit. After an exhibit closes, these materials will either be disposed of or saved for
Revised 12/19/16
future use by Museum or Curatorial staff. The material in this collection is marked as separate from the Center’s permanent collections and managed by Curatorial and Museum staff.
3. Reference Library
The Center maintains a non-circulating reference library composed of non- accessioned reference materials primarily used for the development of programs, exhibitions, collections documentation, and staff research. The material in this collection is marked as separate from the Center’s permanent collections and managed by the Archival staff. The reference library is accessible to the general public for on-site use during reference hours.
V. Acquisitions / Accessioning
“Accessioning” is the formal process used to accept and record an item as part of the permanent collections and retain for the foreseeable future. Archival and Curatorial staff will propose items for acquisition, described as artifacts or archival materials physically transferred to the Center by a means other than formal loan. Proposed acquisitions are received by means of gift, bequest, purchased, collected by staff, transfer of City and County records, exchange, conversions, or are considered materials in custody. Acquisitions may be integrated and held in non-accessioned collections, for research or educational use. These items are not considered accessioned into the permanent collection.
Archival and Curatorial staff are responsible for reviewing and researching proposed acquisitions and, based on their subject matter expertise and knowledge of the Center’s collections, presenting a recommendation for the disposition to the Collections Committee.
When offered a gift, the Center considers its mission and those of other institutions specializing in interpreting and caring for like materials to ensure the best place for the materials. Collections offered without clear title, identification, and ownership provenance, as well as those with serious preservation issues, are not accepted. When accepting new acquisitions, the Center considers the following criteria:
The item or material:
Relates to the Center’s mission;
Fits the Center’s previously identified collecting areas; Retains its historical value and integrity; or
Is not a duplicate of other collections items which are equal or superior in demonstrating a historical theme.
A. Methods of Acquisition
1. Gifts and Bequests
The Center is under no obligation to accept items offered as a gift or bequeathed to the Center. All gift and bequests will undergo standard review process by the Archival and Curatorial staff as possible acquisitions for potential acceptance into either the permanent or non-accessioned collections to ensure that items accepted meet the Center’s collecting criteria. Any conflicts of interest arising from the offered
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donation of materials from staff members will be evaluated before taking custody of the materials. When materials are offered for donation by staff or their families, said staff members must excuse themselves from all decisions in regard to whether or not such materials are accepted into the collections and how those materials may be used.
The Center will only accept gift and bequests with a free and clear title. Restrictions will only be accepted if there is specific and compelling reason and the usefulness of the offered material outweighs the restrictions placed upon it. Any restrictions accepted by the Center will be fully documented in all conveyance paperwork and noted in all permanent files. The Center seeks to secure non-exclusive copyright license on all acquisitions for which title is transferred.
The Center will not make, arrange, or pay for appraisals of gifts, but may provide information to donors on finding appropriate appraisers. The Center will provide reasonable access to the donated materials as necessary for appraisal to be completed. The Center will not give advice or guidance to donors concerning legal or tax issues.
Materials offered to the Center through gift or bequest, but not accepted into the permanent collections, with permission of the donor or estate representatives on the temporary custody receipt, may be sold and proceeds added to the Center’s general operations fund. In all cases, items must go through the standard review process by the Archival and Curatorial staff to ensure they should not be included in the collections. Donors will be encouraged to consult with their tax professional on all donations.
2. Purchase
Materials may be acquired through purchase. The Collections Committee approves materials considered for purchase. The Center will follow all applicable federal, state, and local laws and conventions when purchasing items for the collections. The Center will evaluate all potential conflicts of interest in accordance with its Ethics Policy before purchases are made.
3. Exchange
The Center may send collections materials to another non-profit cultural institution in exchange for gaining collections from that institution. All materials to be exchanged must first be removed from the Center’s collections in accordance with the standard deaccession or removal of non-accessioned collections policies and procedures.
Exchanges will not be made with individuals or for-profit organizations.
4. Conversion
Items found in the collections without documentation may be converted to an acquisition or disposed of by the Center if thorough research and documentation is unable to determine title is owned by another entity. Old loans may also be acquired by the Center as a conversion as allowed by the California statute on loans to museums (California Civil Code sections 1899-1899.11).
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5. Collected by Staff
This acquisition method refers to materials collected by any of the Center’s staff as part of their official duties, while representing the Center or while on the Center’s time. In most cases this consists of publicly free and/or ubiquitous material and are not considered purchases or donations.
6. Transfer and Replevin
The Center is the repository for the City and County of Sacramento. These materials are accepted into the collections and include records recovered through replevin law, as stated in California Government Code sections 6204-6204.4.
B. Categories of Acquisitions
Archival and Curatorial staff are responsible for reviewing and researching potential and proposed acquisitions and presenting a recommendation to the Collections Committee.
Their recommendation may be to accept the material in any of the categories defined below, or not to accept materials.
1. Temporary Custody
The Center will often have items in its physical custody for which it is responsible, but that it does not own; these materials may eventually be proposed for accession or they may be materials for which the Center will never acquire title.
Materials in Temporary Custody will be documented using appropriate temporary numbering and tracking systems as outlined in the Center’s Registration Procedures.
Materials in Temporary Custody are covered by the Center’s fine arts insurance policy unless otherwise noted in writing.
2. Accessioned Collections
The Center subscribes to a policy of selectively accepting offered gifts. It is neither feasible nor desirable for the Center to allow indiscriminate growth of its collections.
Decisions concerning acquisitions will be made in a timely manner and all phases of the review and acceptance process will be documented in writing and kept on file.
3. Items “Found in Collections”
Some materials in the Center’s collections may be found with no accession number, donor information, or identifying documentation. This situation is often the result of past mistakes in collections management or recordkeeping. The Center will mark these materials as “Found in Collections” (FIC). FIC materials will be treated as accessioned items, and will follow a specific numbering system to differentiate FIC materials from other materials in the permanent collection. See the section on Conversion (Section V.A.4) for more information on this process.
C. Acquisition Process
All items acquired by the Center for inclusion in the permanent collections are to be recommended by Archival or Curatorial staff, approved by the Collections Committee, and processed following Registration Acquisition Procedures. The acquisition procedure will be followed in a timely fashion, ensuring proper legal transfer and documentation of the
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acquisition. It is the responsibility of the Registrar to oversee this processing documentation.
VI. Collections Documentation
Collections documentation provides information on the identification, use, significance, and intrinsic and monetary value of materials in the collections. Data created by registration activities, such as temporary custody, proposed acquisition, accepted acquisition, and accessioning into the permanent collections provides information on the acquisition process.
Activity information includes donor information, condition, conservation treatments, exhibit and loan use, and location tracking; it consists in both physical and digital formats. The timely, accurate, and complete recording of this combination of intrinsic and management documentation is vital for the Center to exercise proper intellectual and physical control over its collections. Proper control over the collections additionally increases access and research opportunities while enabling the Center to better care for and preserve its collections.
It is the Center’s goal to have copies of the collections documentation stored offsite, or at minimum scanned copies linked to the accession record in the collections management database maintained by the City at an offsite location.
A. Permanent Files
The Registrar will maintain permanent files for all collections and collection materials; these files are considered the permanent files for information regarding the collections.
These files will consist of original documentation and forms related to acquisition and accession, such as the Receipt of Materials, Deed of Gift, correspondence, purchase documents, transfer documents, copies of wills, etc. The permanent file is also the repository for any Archival or Curatorial staff research or original documents relating to a collection’s history, provenance, or other important contextual information. Any and all documents relating to materials that are to be retained indefinitely should be included in these files.
B. Digital Collections Documentation
Digital files are a main tenet of collections documentation and in some cases the only recorded format of information regarding materials. Timely creation of digital files is necessary in order to properly manage collections and to make them available to staff and for research.
Relational databases specific to archive and museum collections management will be utilized to manage overall collections data, donor data, and material data from the collections. These digital database files will be managed and maintained by the Registrar with exception of catalog records for the Archival Collection, which will be created and maintained by the Archive staff. All digital records are backed up off-site by the City IT staff and database providers.
The Registrar is responsible for creating and maintaining digital donor and collections records for accessioned items including assigning and recording accession or tracking numbers for all accessioned and non-accessioned collections.
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Archival and Curatorial staff are responsible for cataloguing accessioned collections materials. They will complete digital catalogue records to record all descriptive and provenance information available and will conduct any necessary research to ensure the information is complete and accurate.
VII. Collections Care
The Center has legal, ethical, and professional obligations to provide proper physical care for its collections held in the public trust; it will provide necessary care for materials both accessioned and borrowed as set by accepted professional standards in the Archival and Museum fields. The Center will share its information and knowledge on the proper care of its collections with staff and patrons through educational programming and training opportunities.
The Center’s holdings are open for research and available for loan to nonprofit educational and governmental institutions that adhere to the Center’s mission, provide public education opportunities, and represent the material in a positive fashion. Those agencies seeking to borrow collections must also meet security and environmental requirements guided by the AAM. Access and use of the collection will not outweigh the Center’s obligation to care for its collection.
Permanent collections materials are housed in limited-access, climate controlled, and alarmed storage areas when not on exhibition or in use by researches, volunteers, or interns. The Center utilizes two main storage areas for permanent collections materials. These storage areas are:
Center for Sacramento History Storage Vault
The Vault is an alarmed room with access limited to those with key cards. This room is only accessible to staff, interns, and volunteers who are trained to handle archival and artifact collections.
Off-Site Storage
The Center has been given access to three large, alarmed areas in the northern portion of Sacramento County.
Awareness of proper care of the collections will be incorporated into all institutional activities.
It is the responsibility of all staff to ensure the best preservation practices are followed.
A. Collections Environment
Environmental conditions will be monitored and managed for the collections while in storage and on display, with the goal to obtain and maintain the professional standard of environmental conditions. While facility and budget limitations must be taken into account, all means available to maintain proper environmental conditions will be utilized.
An integrated pest management (IPM) plan will be used at all of the Center’s facilities to provide all staff appropriate means by which to prevent pest infestations as well as the ability to treat active infestations. Regular monitoring for pests and pest activity will be an active part of the IPM plan that is managed by the Registrar.
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B. Access and Handling
Archival and Curatorial staff, in consultation with the Registrar, are responsible for creating, maintaining, and enforcing collections access procedures for each of the collections storage and exhibit areas, including signing out key cards and signing the visitors’ book in the storage area. The Volunteer Coordinator will be responsible for maintaining a log of those entering and exiting the Center’s Vault.
With the exception of items for research use through the Center’s Reading Room, only the Center’s staff, volunteers, and interns, who are trained to handle archival and artifact collections, may handle collections materials. Archival and Curatorial staff, in consultation with the Registrar, are responsible for collections handling training.
Archival staff members are responsible for reference images, including images created for publication use and patron orders. Appropriate fees for reproduction and use are established by City Council and administered by the Archival staff.
C. Transportation
The City’s fine arts insurance policy covers the Center’s collections and the City’s fine arts insurance policy requires local transportation of collections be transported by a City employee in a City vehicle or their personal vehicle as required.
D. Conservation
As the Center does not employ a professional conservator, trained staff will only provide preventative conservation as their skills and training allow. Most treatments will require the use of trained conservation professionals. In cases where individual artifacts require treatment, decisions to stabilize, repair, or conserve materials are made by the Archival or Curatorial staff in consultation with the Registrar. When staff is unable to agree on conservation treatments, the Collections Committee will vote on the treatment. In all cases, treatment will be fully documented, with before and after treatment reports and photographs detailing the treatment completed.
Permanent collections materials on display at the Sacramento History Museum will be cared for and monitored by the Museum’s Associate Curator and Collections Assistant on a bi-weekly, or at minimum monthly, basis or as approved by the Collections Committee.
Permanent collections materials in storage in the Center’s Vault and at the Off-Site Storage will be cleaned on a scheduled basis or as approved by the Collections Committee.
VIII. Collections Use
A. Public Access/Research Use
The Center allows use of its collections by staff and the public for limited commercial and noncommercial purposes. This includes both physical and intellectual access for use in research, exhibition, reproduction, or publication. Access to, and use of, collections materials will never outweigh the Center’s obligation to care for these materials.
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The Center provides access to, and use of, its collections through the online databases and in the Reading Room. Access to the Reading Room is by appointment during public research hours and users will register and agree to staff supervision. Collections availability is at the discretion of the Archival and Curatorial staff and Registrar due to limitations, care requirements, confidentially, or other considerations. Appropriate fees for reproduction and use are established by the City Council.
B. Exhibitions
Exhibitions are a major interpretative function of the Center, and collections are a primary resource for facilitating and disseminating our mission. Collections may be included in both temporary and permanent exhibitions, with rotations of sensitive materials due to light exposure.
The Center primarily exhibits its collections at the Center, the Sacramento History Museum, the Old Sacramento Visitors’ Center, and other property owned by the City of Sacramento.
As the primary contact for intellectual access to the collections, Archival and Curatorial staff will work with the Registrar to encourage and foster the use of collections in exhibitions. Exhibit process and procedures will provide the timeline for incorporating collections into exhibits. All proposed permanent collections materials for exhibition are recommended by Archival and Curatorial staff, and then presented to the Collections Committee.
The Registrar, with assistance from the Archival and Curatorial staff, is responsible for coordinating physical access to collections, location tracking, and exhibition preparation task including: photography, labeling, and, cataloging. When the Center’s materials are on exhibit at any of the above-mentioned locations, the Center’s City staff will be responsible for transporting materials. Center staff will also be responsible for installing all materials.
The Registrar is responsible for ensuring the safety of the collections while on exhibit including consulting and approving case and construction materials, environmental controls, lighting, mounts, rotation schedules, and conservation needs. Materials on exhibition at the Sacramento History Museum are managed and cared for by the Associate Curator and Collections Assistant.
C. Loans
The Registrar is responsible for documenting, tracking, administering, and monitoring all incoming, outgoing, and non-exhibit loans and is the primary point of contact between the Center and lending or borrowing institutions once the loan is initiated. The Registrar will negotiate loan agreements and logistics, document the loan process through the collections management database, and maintain permanent hardcopy loan files. In addition, the Registrar will ensure all requirements and paperwork are agreed upon and finalized prior to materials being released from or received into the Center’s custody, including signed loan contracts, certificates of insurance, condition reports, and requirements stipulated by the Center’s staff or the lender.
The Center strives to maintain all museum standards and best practices when accepting and sending borrowed materials to other lending/borrowing institutions. To this end, the
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Center will only initiate incoming loans from, and send outgoing loans to, appropriate institutions.
1. Incoming Loans
When the Center borrows materials for purposes such as exhibition or research, such loan will be documented as an incoming loan. Archival and Curatorial staff will initiate request for incoming loans from appropriate institutions and individuals including the use, length of time, and location of materials. The Center is responsible for both incoming loans to the Center and loans to the Sacramento History Museum (as per City Agreement 2012-0977).
Archival and Curatorial staff are responsible for requesting and approving items to bring in on loan a minimum of sixty days prior to the date they are to arrive. For all loans, the Center will follow and make lenders aware of the California statute on loans to museums (California Civil Code sections 1899-1899.11). Materials accepted as offered gifts are not considered incoming loans.
2. Outgoing Loans of Permanent Collections
Permanent collections materials are loaned to either non-profit cultural or educational institutions that display artifacts in a public venue, or governmental organizations.
a. Non-Profit Cultural and Educational Institutions
These institutions must provide adequate security and care for each item and meet all other requirements listed in the Terms and Conditions for Outgoing Loans. Requests for materials must be made in writing a minimum of forty-five days prior to the desired shipping date. Archival and Curatorial staff, in consultation with the Registrar, will recommend materials for loan to the Collections Committee for a vote.
b. Government Organizations
The Center frequently receives requests from City, County, and State officials for loans from the Center’s permanent collections. All requests must meet all professional standards and criteria, even if the request is made by the office from which the materials originated. If the request is for an archival or photographic image, in most cases, the Center is able to facilitate these requests by providing digital photographic reproductions. Appropriate fees for reproduction and use are established by the City Council and administered by Archival staff.
D. Loans of Non-Accessioned Exhibition Materials
The Center will loan non-accessioned exhibitions materials, including panel exhibitions of reproduced photos from its permanent collections. Archival and Curatorial staff, in consultation with the Registrar, will recommend panel exhibitions for loan and stipulate in writing any special requirements in regard to display, shipping, installation, acknowledgements, conservation, or other concerns. All paperwork, including signed loan contracts and certificates of insurance, along with any other requirements stipulated by the Center’s staff, must be in place and approved before loan materials are released from the Center’s custody.
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E. Non-Exhibit Loans
All collections materials being sent out of the Center’s custody for any purpose other than exhibition must be documented with a “Non-Exhibition Outgoing Loan Agreement” form.
Examples include, but are not limited to: photography, conservation, copying or scanning, exhibition mounting or framing by contractors, research, appraisal, or identification. This allows for accurate tracking of loans and use. This tracking should occur whether or not the objects are accompanied by a staff member. In order to allow for proper documentation, all non-exhibit loans must be requested a minimum of fourteen days in advance, except when applicable laws require more immediate action.
F. Publications/Web/Digital Media Access
Images of the Center’s permanent collections are commonly used in research, exhibits, publications, programming, and publicity purposes, representing the material in an unaltered and positive fashion and are subject to the Center’s Social Media Policy.
All image requests and use of the collections must be accompanied by the appropriate credit information including accession/catalog number, donor or collection information, and the Center’s credit line: “Courtesy of the Center for Sacramento History.” When reproducing images owned by the Center, the credit line must also include the image’s appropriate collection name and accession number. Appropriate fees for reproduction and use are established by the City Council and administered by Archival staff.
IX. Risk Management
The Center recognizes that the most effective risk management is to identify and mitigate or eliminate potential threats to the collection, including theft or vandalism, natural disasters, mechanical or operation system failure, human error or neglect, pest activity, damage caused by environmental changes, and other building hazards. Each of the Center’s facilities will be periodically evaluated by Archival and Curatorial staff for risks to the collections. Policies and procedures for each location, developed by the Registrar and approved by the Center’s staff, will address potential risks by determining collections access, security, environment, pest management, and collections insurance coverage.
A. Security
At all times, the doors to collections storage areas, including off-site storage, will remain locked. All contract employees, interns, and volunteers will temporarily check out on a daily basis card keys from the Volunteer Coordinator, and return them at the end of the day. Guests in storage are required to sign the visitor’s book, and must be accompanied by staff as described in the Center’s Access to Collections Procedures.
On occasion the Center will allow group access to the permanent collections storage as part of public programming. These groups will be monitored by Center staff, volunteers, or contract security personnel.
B. Inventory
Accurate inventory control of collections is vital to identifying and reducing risks to collections from human causes. The Center will maintain current inventories and continue any ongoing inventories at all of its facilities, both in storage and on exhibit. A total
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inventory of the entire collection will be performed once every ten years. Following these total inventories, selected areas of storage will be inventoried on an annual basis, as determined by the Collections Committee. Materials on view at the Sacramento History Museum will be inventoried annually by the Registrar, Associate Curator, and/or Collections Assistant.
C. Location Changes
All staff will ensure that all collections, once inventoried or surveyed, continue to have accessible, accurate, and current location information. The Registrar will be alerted when materials are brought into or removed from the Center’s facilities. All location changes will be subject to registration procedures for proper documentation including receipts and creation of a digital database record.
D. Loss or Damage
Loss or damage of materials in the Center’s care, including temporary custody items, permanent collections, or borrowed materials will be reported immediately to the Registrar who will alert Archival and Curatorial Staff. All instances of loss or damage to the Center’s materials will also be discussed at the Collections Committee. The Registrar is responsible for documenting the incident. In the case of loss or damage to borrowed materials, the Registrar will contact the lender and if an insurance claim should be filed, the Registrar shall contact the Center’s insurance provider. The Registrar shall process all documentation necessary in filing the claim, and maintain the necessary documentation.
E. Insurance
The Center will retain a wall-to-wall fine arts insurance policy through the City of Sacramento covering its collections at all of its facilities. All incoming and outgoing loans will be insured at all times for full value as determined by the lender. High-value incoming exhibitions may require additional insurance beyond the existing policy.
F. Emergency Response Plan and Disaster Preparedness Plan The Center has the responsibility to develop, implement, and regularly update an Emergency Response Plan (ERP) and a Disaster Preparedness Plan (DPP) for all of its facilities. ERPs and DPPs will be developed by staff, led by the Curator of History, and approved by the Collections Committee. All staff must be trained in, and must embrace the details and workings of, emergency and disaster plans in order for these plans to be functional and viable as risk management tools. All such ERPs and DPPs for the Center’s facilities will be reviewed and updated annually, and whenever changes occur to buildings, building systems, or collections use that necessitate an update.
X. Removal of Materials from the Permanent Collections
A. Deaccessioning
Deaccessioning is the process to permanently remove materials from the permanent collections and is an active collections management tool that allows the Center to refine, focus, and improve its collections. All deaccession decisions will comply with legal and ethical standards and will reflect the Center’s role as a trustee of the City’s collections for the benefit of the public, particularly for the people of Sacramento and the nearby region.
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Permanent collections materials transferred to a Non-Accessioned Collection are considered deaccessioned. However, when permanent collections materials with a previously unknown donor or “Found in Collections” status are identified as accessioned materials and assigned the appropriate accession and catalog numbers, these items are not considered deaccessions.
1. Deaccession Criteria
The Center will evaluate all deaccession proposals on a case-by-case basis and in accordance with the statutory provisions (California Civil Code sections 1899 – 1899.11) quoted above. Each item being considered for deaccession must meet at least one of the following criteria:
The item does not pertain to the Center’s mission statement, acquisition policy, or collection plan.
The item, for the following reasons, lacks historical value or usefulness:
o Diminished integrity or heavily reconstructed
o Ambiguous or unknown identity
o Disputed or unknown provenance
o Poor condition that will not benefit from conservation treatment o May not be authentic
The degree of conservation work necessary to maintain historic value of the materials is beyond the scope of the Center’s mission statement or the cost of conservation is disproportionate to the value of the materials. The item poses a threat to the safety of the public, staff, or other collections materials.
The item is a duplicate of other collections items which are equal or superior in demonstrating a historical theme.
2. Deaccession Process
Archival and Curatorial staff will make recommendations for the deaccession and disposal methods of materials from the permanent collections to the Collections Committee for a vote. Recommendations to deaccession materials valued less $5,000 are presented to the Collections Committee for approval, and materials valued at $5,000 or more are submitted to the City Council for final approval. Staff must excuse themselves from voting on the proposed deaccession of materials that they have donated or transferred to the Center.
Archival and Curatorial staff, and the Registrar, will create written recommendations for the deaccession of any materials from the permanent collections.
Recommendations will include:
Proof of title or proof of due diligence of research on title ownership (when every endeavor is made to establish the facts and source of ownership), information on any donor or other restrictions placed on the materials, complete catalog and photographic documentation of the materials, and any other donation or legal paperwork that could assist in evaluating the material’s potential deaccession.
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In cases where conditions or restrictions regarding use or disposition of the materials under question are found to apply, mandatory conditions or restrictions placed on donations will be observed strictly and imposed on subsequent owners. Deviation from the terms must be authorized by a court of competent jurisdiction or received in writing by the donor or his/her heirs and assigns.
Consideration will also be given to the possibility that the donor received a tax deduction as a result of this donation, in which case the Center may be obligated to retain the material(s) for a minimum period of time or complete Internal Revenue Service Form 8282 and provide a copy of said form to the donor. If there is a requirement for clarification or interpretation of conditions or restrictions, the Center will seek the advice of the City Attorney’s Office.
All deaccession decisions will be fully documented in the permanent collection files, both on paper and in the collections database. Accession, catalog, or other unique identifications numbers assigned by the Center and associated with the deaccession material(s) will not be reused but will remain as a record of the deaccessioned material(s). The physical marking of materials as having belonged to the Center will be removed. If removal is not feasible, the item will be marked as having been withdrawn from the collections of the Center.
3. Methods of Disposal
Archival or Curatorial staff and Registrar will recommend a method of disposal to the Collections Committee for a vote, and the City historian will have the final approval.
The City Historian will report to the City Council the disposal methods for materials valued at $5,000 or more.
Appropriate methods of disposal include:
Transfer to the Center’s Education Collection
Transfer to or exchange with another non-profit educational institution or cultural organization
Public sale or auction
Destruction due to condition or any hazard it poses
Deaccessioned materials will not be given, sold, or otherwise transferred, publicly or privately, to any City employee or Sacramento History Alliance Board Member, or their immediate families or representatives, volunteers, interns, contract employees, or others associated with the Center.
Any permanent collections item sold will be offered anonymously at a public sale; special exceptions may be granted only with the approval of the City Historian. All proceeds resulting from the sale of items from the permanent collections are deposited with the City, and in turn are credited toward the Center’s general budget, thus supporting the Center’s mission of collections care.
4. Disposition of Non-Accessioned Collections
Removal of non-accessioned items is recommended and approved by either Archival or Curatorial staff. Non-accessioned items removed from the Center’s holdings may
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also be disposed of in any of the methods used for disposing of deaccessioned material, including anonymous sale. All proceeds resulting from the sale are added to the Center’s general budget to support the mission of the Center and care of its collections.
Collections Committee
09/28/2023
In attendance: Staci Cox, Marcia Eymann, Kim Hayden, Sabrina Holecko, Nicholas Piontek, Christopher Smith, Sam Suárez, Casey Wolfe.
Collections Committee: Staci Cox, Marcia Eymann, Kim Hayden, Sabrina Holecko, Nicholas Piontek, Christopher Smith, Sam Suárez.
A. Potential Donations:
1. Wittenbock (sp?): Family music box. The committee declined this potential donation.
2. Lutheran Church of The Master: Archival material, photographs, yearbooks, etc. Photographs could be accepted other material may have to be reviewed.
B. Donations:
1. TC#506 – Schaw (KH): scrapbook, prints and posters. Accepted: Theater scrapbook, Book Club of Sacramento Posters; Declined: Book Club of California Keepsake prints.
2. TC#510 – Storey (SH): ephemera, script, and brochures. Accepted.
3. TC#511 – Lawler (SH): MGW jacket. Accepted.
4. TC#513 – Dept. of Voter Registration and Elections (SH): 44 boxes of election materials. Accepted.
5. TC#514 – Sacramento Public Library (KH): maps. Accepted.
6. TC#520 – Perry (SH): 158 Alive & Kicking newspapers. Accepted.
7. TC#521 – Ward (SH): periodicals, prints and a plaque. Accepted: periodicals and prints; Declined:
Plaque – offer to State Parks?
8. TC#522 – Scott (CS): tablecloths. Accepted.
9. TC#524 – Lavender Library ACE (SH): film reels of MGW newspapers. Accepted.
10. TC#525 – Graham (SH): MGW and Sacramento Star newspapers. Accepted.
11. TC#529 – Scott (CS): miscellany. Accepted.
12. TC#532 – Love (SH): Clayton family materials. Accepted.
13. TC#536 – Greve (SH): Exhibit binders, reports, and budgets for the American River Natural History Association. Accepted.
14. TC#544 – Hayden (KH): Home tour programs. Accepted.
15. TC#545 – Sgromo (KH): Master’s thesis. Declined: SSU has a copy on file.
16. TC#546 – Lavender Library ACE (SH): poster. Accepted.
17. TC#547 – Murray (KH): Family photos, slides, and letters. Accepted: family papers and photographs; Declined: Bill Lary Yosemite slides; Other: Offer Sutter’s Mill Bill Lary slides to State Parks.
C. Transfers: None.
D. Loans: None.
E. Deaccessions:
1. 1970/251/001 – Bates (KH): Gold Rush era letter. Accepted.
2. 1983/019 – Southern Pacific Company (SC): board-mounted photographs. Accepted.
3. 1985/047/147 – Hanson (SC): Pouch. Accepted.
4. 1997/068 – Gilchriese (KH): newspapers. Accepted.
F. Approaching TC deadlines: There are 77 open TCs, 61 are past due.
G. Other: Introduced the new TC tracking Log the ATC.