| (a) Acquisition of Collections.
(1) Acquisition of state associated collections is
the process of acquiring a collection or historical item owned by
the State of Texas through designation of a curatorial facility by
the Commission. Collections or historical items usually are acquired
through field work or research, donation, bequest, or purchase. Although
exchange with or transfer from another curatorial facility normally
is not practiced, it is not excluded. Acquisition does not imply accessioning,
but is a necessary prerequisite for accessions. Acquired collections
or historical items placed at a designated curatorial facility are
recommended for accessioning through the process governed by the written
Collections Management Policy of the curatorial facility.
(2) Responsibility for the physical safety of the collection
or historical item begins with acquisition. While the Commission has
oversight, physical safety responsibility is delegated to the permittee
during recovery and analysis of permitted collections, and the designated
curatorial facility upon receiving a state-associated collection.
(b) Accessions.
(1) Accessioning by the curatorial facility is the
procedure that registers state-associated collections as held-in-trust
for the State of Texas at the designated curatorial facility.
(A) Title will remain with the State and under the
custody of the Commission.
(B) The curatorial facility will execute a held-in-trust
agreement for each state-associated collection and forward it to the
Commission. Stewardship and held-in-trust status are conferred when
the Commission receives the signed held-in-trust agreement.
(C) State-associated collections placed at designated
curatorial facilities are not incorporated into the holdings of a
designated curatorial facility until they are accessioned by that
institution.
(D) Upon accessioning of state-associated collections
placed at the curatorial facility, the facility assumes the obligation
of proper daily management and protection of those collections. The
Commission retains oversight of the placed state-associated collections.
(E) Accessioning provides an inventory of collections
and historical items owned by the State of Texas under the authority
of the Commission. Accession numbers document curatorial facility
stewardship and are an inventory control device.
(2) For collections or historical items placed at a
designated curatorial facility, the following requirements apply:
(A) All collections or historical items will be accessioned
and accessioned in a timely manner by the designated curatorial facility.
Stewardship but not ownership is transferred to the designated curatorial
facility.
(B) The curatorial facility will use a consistent accession
system that readily identifies or distinguishes an accession of that
curatorial facility from accessions of other curatorial facilities
holding state-associated collections.
(C) A signed held-in-trust agreement must be executed
for each accession with copies retained by the Commission and designated
curatorial facility. Each held-in-trust agreement is accompanied by
an accessions inventory.
(D) Accession records must be maintained by the designated
curatorial facility, including the copy of the signed held-in-trust
agreement, accessions inventory, and as appropriate, the housing agreement
between the curatorial facility and cultural resource management firm
or researcher for permitted collections.
(E) Copies of correspondence and transactions involving
state-associated collections donated to or purchased by the Commission
will be provided to the designated curatorial facility as part of
their accession records.
(c) Deaccession.
(1) The decision to deaccession state-associated held-in-trust
objects or collections is ultimately the responsibility of the Commission.
Deaccessioning may affect a range of objects from a single object
to an entire collection. The curatorial facility will deaccession
state-associated collections only in accordance with Commission requirements.
(2) If deaccessioning is for the purpose of transfer
or exchange, the State retains title to the object or collection.
A new held-in-trust agreement will be executed between the curatorial
facility and the Commission. If deaccessioning is due to theft or
loss, the State will retain title to the object or collection in case
it is ever recovered, but the curatorial facility will no longer be
responsible for the object or collection. If deaccessioning is due
to deterioration or damage beyond repair or stabilization, the State
relinquishes title to the object or collection and the object or collection
must be divested in a suitable manner.
(3) Authority to deal with deaccessioning of approved
categories of objects and samples from state-associated held-in-trust
collections is delegated to a curatorial facility certified by the
Commission through an agreement between the Commission and the curatorial
facility.
(A) Annual reports will be submitted to the Commission
on these deaccessioning actions.
(B) If the Commission determines that the curatorial
facility is not in compliance with the agreement and this chapter,
the agreement may be terminated. If the agreement is terminated, the
Commission will review and decide on all deaccession actions of that
curatorial facility concerning state-associated held-in-trust objects
and samples. 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.
(4) Curatorial facilities not certified by the Commission
shall submit written deaccession requests of objects and samples from
held-in-trust collections to the Commission.
(5) Requests to deaccession a state-associated collection
in its entirety must be submitted to the Commission.
(6) Under no circumstances will state-associated collections
be deaccessioned through sale.
(d) Inventory.
(1) Purpose of inventories.
(A) An inventory is an important practice for the curatorial
facility.
(B) Inventories will be conducted to provide a measure
of accountability.
(C) An inventory updates collection records and documentation;
gives the opportunity to check the condition of the collections; and
aids in maintaining the security of the collections.
(D) Inventories allow the curatorial facilities to
examine, evaluate, and provide appropriate conditions for the state-associated
collections.
(E) The curatorial facility fulfills, in part, its
legal and ethical responsibilities by conducting inventories that
account for the objects, samples, documentation, or historical items
within state-associated collections.
(2) Inventories by a Curatorial Facility. For collections
or historical items placed at a designated curatorial facility, the
following requirements apply. Inventories for state-associated collections
include the following:
(A) An accessions inventory is conducted at the time
of accessioning when a collection or historical item is placed at
the designated curatorial facility. This baseline inventory is comprised
of the categories represented in the collection, quantities, and linear
feet of documentation as appropriate.
(B) A spot-check inventory is conducted to monitor
collection activity, check the accuracy of records, and assess the
condition of the most valuable or significant material in a collection.
This type of inventory should be conducted on a periodic basis according
to the collections management policy of the designated curatorial
facility.
(C) A relocation inventory is conducted at any time
an object, collection, or historical item experiences movement. This
movement may occur in the form of incoming or outgoing loans, in-house
research, exhibit installation, conservation, or deaccessions.
(3) The Director of the curatorial facility is responsible
for maintaining the inventory of the state-associated held-in-trust
collections and for seeing that appropriate and timely inventories
are conducted. The types and frequency of inventories must be outlined
in the curatorial facility's collections management policy. Accessions
inventories must be conducted and included as part of the held-in-trust
agreement. A relocation inventory must be conducted and included as
part of the loan agreement of state-associated held-in-trust collections.
Spot check inventory must be conducted as a part of collection management
activities. Other types of inventories should be conducted to provide
tracking and security information as necessary.
(4) An accurate listing of all state associated held-in-trust
collections and the sites they represent, must be conducted and updated
and a copy sent to the Commission.
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