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Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017 The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University of Florida

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Page 1: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives

SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017

The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University of Florida

Page 2: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

“The Path Between the Seas”

The Panama Canal is a shipping lane, connecting the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans.

Page 3: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

The Zone became like any American town, with families, businesses, schools, churches, & social groups, stabilizing the workforce.

Making a Life in the Canal Zone

Page 4: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Transferring Control to Panama

1979 – 1999 Transitional PeriodDecember 31, 1999 Transfer Ceremony

Page 5: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

The Panama Canal Museum

1998 – 2012

Page 6: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Transfer to UF

Panama Canal Museum Collection, 20122012 – 2015 IMLS Grant

Page 7: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

IMLS Grant

Processing for exhibits and digitization, the 2014 Centennial, and community engagement,

Page 8: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Transition & Processing Plan

IMLS --> SASCwhat’s all this stuff?

how much time & money do we need to process it?

Page 9: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Collections Survey

(all numbers approximate)

archival documents: 6.98 linear feetprints/artwork/maps: 211 items

assorted artifacts: 3,737 items

Page 10: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Collections Survey

(all numbers approximate)

archival documents: 42 hoursprints/artwork/maps: ?

assorted artifacts: ?

Page 11: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Collections Survey

(all numbers approximate)

archival documents: 42 hoursprints/artwork/maps: 35 hours??

assorted artifacts: 633 hours??

Page 12: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

“Artifacts in the Archives”

how do archivists plan for incoming projects or track processing of these hybrid collections?

Page 13: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

“Artifacts in the Archives”

accessioningprocessingcataloging

inventorying

Page 14: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Initial Response

people institutions15 archivists 12 academic

9 managers/heads 7 museums3 curators 6 public library/nonprofit/church

1 exhibits curator 3 federal/municipal1 registrar 2 corporate

Page 15: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Final participation

people institutions3 archivists 3 academic

2 managers/heads 1 museum2 curators 1 public library/nonprofit/church

2 federal/municipal

Page 16: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Artifact Categories

category description1 archaeological objects, natural specimens2 clothing, costumes, masks

3 larger objects (furniture, equipment, architectural materials, etc.)

4 sculpture (busts, metalwork, stone, trophies, plaques, etc.)5 smaller objects (ceramics, glassware, medals, jewelry, etc.)6 small/flat textiles, textile art7 technology, musical instruments8 toys, games9 works on paper (drawings, prints, paintings, etc.)

Page 17: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Categorized Processing

category average processing times (minutes per item)minimal processing full processing

1 13.33 null2 26.25 37.193 27.00 142.504 39.19 30.715 20.29 22.666 6.43 13.237 5.00 8.578 null 22.879 3.51 20.53

Page 18: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Categorized Processing

category average processing times (minutes per item)minimal processing full processing

1 13.33 null2 26.25 37.193 27.00 142.504 39.19 30.715 20.29 22.666 6.43 13.237 5.00 8.578 null 22.879 3.51 20.53

Page 19: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Averaged Processing

type average processing times (minutes per item)

average minimal processing (categorized) 8.07average full processing (categorized) 21.93

average of all processing (categorized) 19.05

Page 20: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Averaged Processing

type average processing times (minutes per item)

average minimal processing (categorized) 8.07average full processing (categorized) 21.93

average of all processing (categorized) 19.05overall average (all data) 19.40

Page 21: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

More more more

all data can be found online @ osf.io/9bp5w

want to add your data?

[email protected]@archivesteve503-494-0186

Page 22: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Thanks.

Illinois State Archaeological Survey Maritime Research Center (National Park Service)

Mooresville (NC) Public LibraryNational September 11 Memorial & Museum

The Ohio State University Orange County (CA) Archives

University of Florida

Page 23: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

2016 - Present

Archival controlProcessing

New acquisitions

Page 24: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Collection Policy

Defining scopeCommittee

Accessioning & Deaccessioning

Page 25: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

PCMC Labor

Justifying laborStaff + students

Page 26: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Processing Decisions

Rearranging / Re-housingReduce item level

Page 27: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Re-Housing

Accessions/Donors vs.Format/Subject

Page 28: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

Future Activities

Re-appraisal for deaccessionMetadata review

Targeted collecting

Page 29: Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives · Managing Museum Artifacts in an Archives. SAA Annual Meeting, Portland, Oregon, July 2017. The Panama Canal Museum Collection at the University

uflib.ufl.edu/pcmcJohn Nemmers

Associate Chair, Special & Area Studies Collections, University of [email protected]

Steve DuckworthUniversity Archivist, Oregon Health & Science University

(former Processing Archivist for UF)[email protected]

Thank you!