SPECTRUM - The Permanent Collection
THE SPECTRUM SYSTEM – RAG ADOPTED POLICY
SPECTRUM is a standard created by and for the museum profession to promote good practice in museum (and gallery) documentation. It covers all those areas of activity that produce information, and is the result of contributions from documentation practitioners in museums throughout the UK. The link to the website is : http://www.collectionstrust.org.uk/spectrum
SPECTRUM defines 21 Procedures, which describe the process of documenting and managing objects in a collection, but section 4 of the Museum, Libraries and Archives (MLA) Accreditation Standard drawing on SPECTRUM as the basis for its documentation requirement, stipulates that the minimum record should include 8 Primary Procedures:
• Object entry
• Loans in
• Acquisition
• Location and movement control
• Cataloguing
• Object exit
• Loans out
• Retrospective documentation
The Accreditation Standard goes on to specify, in section 4.2.3, that the gallery must have an up-to-date Documentation Procedural Manual to guide the work of staff involved in documentation. It must be reviewed on a regular basis to maintain its currency. It is important because it,
• aids the Museum Accreditation process;
• enables information about documentation systems, both manual and computerised, to be passed onto all museum staff;
• ensures continuity of practice and standardisation of procedure;
• saves time - new staff will not waste time trying to work out how the documentation system works; training new staff will be quicker;
• provides a permanent written record of the documentation system;
• is one way for museums to measure present practice against national museum standards like SPECTRUM;
• is a central place for keeping published information about documentation, such as Collections Trust factsheets;
• is good for self-esteem, staff know that they are building a good explanatory record of their documentation system.
The Documentation Procedural Manual should contain,
1) A List of contents;
2) An Introduction:
• Definition of a procedural manual;
• Aims of your manual;
• Date of initial compiling, name of compiler;
• Name of person/persons with ultimate responsibility for documentation; changes to documentation procedures; amendments to manual.
3) A history of your documentation system, including example forms. This may be one of the most important sections of your manual, and may even include word of mouth information about your documentation system.
4) A summary of current practice (what the gallery does now). A way to describe present practice is by using SPECTRUM to list the eight SPECTRUM Primary Procedures (these cover all of the record types that have to be in place to meet Museum Accreditation requirements). They are:
• Object entry;
• Location and movement control;
• Acquisition;
• Cataloguing;
• Loans in;
• Loans out;
• Retrospective documentation;
• Object exit
5) Retrospective documentation, Loans in and Loans out if they are relevant to the Permanent Collection.
6) Under each procedure the following should be included:
• The SPECTRUM Definition of the procedure;
• The SPECTRUM Minimum Standard;
• An explanation of the process as it currently works in your museum. Include examples of current forms in use;
• Under Retrospective documentation, include any documentation plans you are currently working through;
• Under Cataloguing, include any terminology lists you use, or at least reference to which ones are in use. Also include an explanation as to how term lists are amended and by whom;
• Under Location and movement control include maps of locations, lists of location names;
7) Other procedures from SPECTRUM relevant to the Permanent Collection, with a definition, minimum standard and explanation of your process, such as:
• Labelling and Marking: This section provides a guide for the labelling and marking of items in the Permanent Collection: how and where different types of objects are marked; work plans.
• Policies: List all elevant policies, particularly those relating to the eight SPECTRUM Primary Procedures, such as Acquisition, Disposal, Loans policy; conservation, security on the website).
• Locations of documentation: Held in the cupboard in the left hand store?
• Review: A table shows when the manual should be reviewed (5 years), was last reviewed and updated, and by whom.
• Reference to standard collections management literature, which are held, such as: SPECTRUM: the UK Documentation Standard, MDA, 2005; Harrison, Margaret & McKenna, Gordon. Documentation: a practical guide, Collections Trust, 2008; Collections Trust factsheets, particular aspects of documentation, examples as below and enclosed?
Chair Rag Trust
Version 1 - Last updated Nov 09