Administrative Rules of Montana › Department 10 - EDUCATION › Chapter 10.121 - PROCEDURAL RULES (MONTANA HISTORICAL SOCIETY) › Subchapter 10.121.5 - Acquisitions Policy › Rule 10.121.501 - GENERAL GUIDELINES

Current through Register Vol. 13, July 5, 2024
(1) The acquisition
				of materials shall be the responsibility of the board of trustees and staff of
				the Montana historical society. The collection shall be systematically expanded
				and shall interpret the heritage of the Montana region for the benefit of the
				citizens of Montana and visitors to the state.
(2) Sole and final decisions on the
				acquisition of materials shall be made by the director in conjunction with the
				supervisor of the department where the acquisition is made. A list and detailed
				explanation of major acquisitions shall be submitted to the board of trustees
				quarterly or as required.
(3) If
				the origin, ownership or authenticity of an item should be in question, the
				director shall consult widely within the Montana historical society with
				available legal counsel and the board of trustees. If the item is deemed
				unacceptable, the director shall immediately contact the donor and proper
				authorities and remove the item from the collections.
(4) It shall be policy to acquire material of
				high and exceptional quality and reject the temptation to acquire items of
				secondary or tertiary significance. Items acquired shall not be limited to what
				is necessary for exhibit and display, they may also be acquired for study and
				conservation purposes.
(5) Items
				that may duplicate existing collections, or items of secondary importance or
				items unrelated to the heritage of Montana may be accepted provided that the
				donor fully understands and accepts in writing that the items may be disposed
				of to the best advantage of the society.
(6) All unrestricted monetary donations to
				the Montana historical society shall be restricted in use to the educa-tion
				program and for special projects approved by the board of trustees.
(7) An accession statement (deed of gift)
				outlining all details on the material acquired shall be signed by the donor and
				by the director and/or department head.
(8) Donations may be tax deductible; however,
				the mon-tana historical society assumes no responsibility for pro-viding an
				evaluation or appraisal of the material. All ap-praisals of the materials for
				donation to the society should be conducted by a disinterested third party
				expert in the field. The donor shall bear all costs incurred in seeking
				appraisals. Potential donors are advised to consult their attorney or tax
				accountant for a determination to claim a deduction.
(9) The documentary value of a museum,
				library and ar-chival collection is the principal criteria of excellence.
				Accession records shall be of the highest order of accuracy and completeness.
				Items in the collections shall have a provenance as completely documented as
				possible. Said pro-venance shall be a matter of public record.
(10) A permanent donor's register is
				maintained and available for public inspection.
Sec.
					 22-2-107 MCA;
					 IMP, Sec.
					 22-3-107
					 MCA;