Description
Book SynopsisMuseums have moved beyond exclusively collections-based missions, and the economics of museums have tightened considerably. As a result, the tenor of the discussion around the practice of deaccessioning and use of its proceeds has become livelier, if not strident. While the professional associations continue to expect adherence to their standards, Boards of Trustees are looking at museum collections as assets that can potentially be monetized to support the museum's mission or ensure its survival. As museum professionals and trustees engage in these discussions and make critical decisions for their institutions, they will benefit from a deeper understanding of the complex and nuanced aspects of deaccessioning, which this book presents anew.Is It Okay to Sell the Monet? provides background on deaccessioning and disposal of deaccessioned objects and a context for changes in the field brought about by expanding missions and contracting resources. It includes an important discussion on how
Trade ReviewWhile deaccessioning is an acceptable collection management option for most museums, it also has the potential to cause enormous public controversy. "Is it Okay to Sell the Monet?" brings together thoughtful essays presenting various perspectives on the practice. It is a valued, reasoned, and welcome addition to discussion of this often highly volatile topic. -- Steven Miller, Adjunct Professor, ret., Seton Hall University MA Program in Museum Professions, Seton Hall University, South Orange, NJ. Author of Deaccessioning Today: Theory and Practice
This timely collection of essays should be mandatory reading for all museum professionals. It offers fresh perspectives on the legal, ethical, historical and political complexities of deaccessioning in the 21st-century museum world where no single approach works for all. -- Cynthia Robinson, Director of Museum Studies, Tufts University
Table of ContentsTable of Contents Introduction: Can We Save the Art and the Museum? – Julia Courtney Part 1: The Context of the Debate Chapter 1: Two Cheers for Deaccessioning - Bernard Fishman Chapter 2: Museums Can Change—Will they? Michael O’Hare Part 2: The Mechanics of Disposal Chapter 3: Keeping Objects in the Public Domain: Legal and Practical Issues –Stephanie Jandl/Mark Gold) Chapter 4: When Out of the Book Won’t Do: Next Steps in Resolving Deaccession Conundrums –Darlene A. Bialowski Chapter 5: Are You Sure that was a Copy? Deaccessioning Mistakes—Chris Robinson Part 3: The Use of Proceeds: Ethics and the Role of Professional Associations Chapter 6: Use of Funds from the Sale of Deaccessioned Objects: It’s a Matter of Ethics -Sally Yerkovich Chapter 7: Making the Case: FASB's Accounting Standards Should be Re-aligned with AAM's Long-Standing Guidance on the Use of Sale Proceeds - Lori Breslauer and Sara Eber Chapter 8: Monetizing the Collection: The Intersection of Law, Ethic, and Trustee Prerogative - Mark Gold Chapter 9: Flying Under the Radar: What Does Direct Care of the Collection Really Mean? -Ashley Downing Part 4: Case Studies Chapter 10: Building a Legacy for the Liberal Arts: Deaccesioning the Newell Bequest, Wheaton College – Leah Niedertadt Chapter 11: Digital Deaccessioning: An Exploration of the Life Cycle of Digital Works in Museum Collections – Katherine E. Lewis Chapter 12: Higgins Armory Museum and the Worcester Art Museum: A Case Study in Combining and Transforming Mature Cultural Institutions - James C. Donnelly, Jr. and Catherine M. Colinvaux Chapter 13: Taking the Barbershop out of the Berkshires: How the Berkshire Museum Case May Set New Precedent- Julia Courtney
