| (11) The curatorial facility will cooperate fully with
the Commission in its efforts to monitor the state-associated collections.
(h) Conservation.
(1) Decisions regarding the conservation of state-associated
collections are the legal responsibility of the Commission.
(2) Even under the best-managed conditions, deterioration
or damage may occur to state-associated collection objects, documentation,
and historical items. Conservation is a continuing responsibility
and is focused on the object, documentation, or historical item. Conservation
is an intervention measure designed to return a deteriorated or damaged
object, documentation, or historical item to stability through reversible
and minimally intrusive methods.
(3) The curatorial facility must adopt the conservation
philosophy of minimal chemical and physical trauma to the object,
documentation, or historical item, use of sympathetic materials, the
principle of reversibility, and the keeping of complete and accurate
records of the conservation process. Conservation survey and monitoring
of object, documentation, or historical item condition shall be part
of the curatorial facility's management plan for state-associated
collections.
(4) Conservation work is to be undertaken within national
ethics, principles, and practices by reputable, trained conservators.
No work shall commence without Commission approval of the written
treatment plan. Objects, documentation, or historical items are not
to be treated as experimental pieces in conservation work without
written Commission approval. Conservation work with an outside conservator
must be conducted under a well-defined, comprehensive agreement with
the Commission as a party to the agreement.
(5) Conservation by a designated curatorial facility.
For collections or historical items placed at a designated curatorial
facility, the following requirements apply:
(A) Authority to deal with the conservation of approved
categories of objects, documentation, and historical items from state-associated
held-in-trust collections is delegated to a curatorial facility certified
by the Commission to hold state-associated collections through a contractual
agreement between the curatorial facility and the Commission.
(i) Annual reports will be submitted to the Commission
on these conservation actions.
(ii) If the Commission determines that the curatorial
facility is not in compliance with the agreement and this chapter,
the agreement may be terminated. Following termination, the Commission
will review and decide on all conservation actions of that curatorial
facility concerning state-associated held-in-trust objects, documentation,
and historical items. A new agreement may be executed at such time
as the Commission determines that the curatorial facility has come
into compliance with this chapter. During the period the agreement
is terminated, the curatorial facility may not accept new state-associated
collections.
(B) Curatorial facilities not certified by the Commission
shall submit written conservation requests for objects, documentation,
and historical items from state-associated collections to the Commission.
(C) It is the responsibility of the curatorial facility
to monitor the conservation process whether conducted in-house or
on loan to an outside conservator, to assure the correct use and safety
of the object, documentation, or historical item, and to note the
returned stabilized materials in the records.
(i) Collections Access.
(1) The security and safety of state-associated collections
is of utmost importance. Controlled access to state-associated collections
by employees, researchers, and the public limits the opportunities
for theft and destruction to objects, samples, documentation, and
historical items. Strict collections access aids in the control of
human traffic in storage areas. Storage areas should be in locked,
secured locations with restricted access and controlled entry. State-associated
collections are not open to the general public on a walk-in basis.
The information on the location and nature of archaeological sites
on land or under waters belonging to the State of Texas or any political
subdivision of the State is not available to the general public.
(2) Research on state-associated collections is for
the benefit of the people of Texas and the discipline to which the
research is related. Requests for access to state-associated collections
should go to the curatorial facility. Research access should be controlled,
with research conducted under an approved research design. Access
may be denied based on endangerment to the state-associated collection
or objects, samples, documentation, or historical items or their unavailability
due to not being accessioned or cataloged, out on loan, or inadequate
research design. Access may be denied or limited on state-associated
collections for a period of time after placement in a curatorial facility.
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