National Occupational Standards in
Archaeological Practice

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AG1 Develop strategies for the maintenance and use of an archaeological collection

AG1.2 Plan the acquisition and disposal of items and collections

Performance Required

This will involve:

1. Reviewing regularly the acquisition and disposal policies of the organisation and providing guidance on acquisitions and disposals
2. Identifying the acquisition and disposal activities of other relevant organisations
3. Assessing fully the effects of new acquisitions and disposals on the organisation
4. Identifying the resources available for acquisitions and establish priorities according to the organisation's policies
5. Identifying potential acquisitions and disposals

Occupational Context

1. Acquisition and disposal policies
   • criteria used
   • impact on the organisation
   • impact on the funding bodies supporting the organisation
   • impact on the users of the collections
2. Relevant organisations
   • museums
   • universities
   • other educational institutions
   • commercial organisations
3. Resources available for acquisitions
   • grants
   • organisation's own funds
   • bequests

Knowledge Requirements

You need to know and understand how to:

• Evaluate the effectiveness of policies and procedures
• Generate resources for acquisitions or disposals

You need to know about:

• The acquisition and disposal policies of the organisation
• National guidelines on the selection, retention and dispersal of collections
• What other cultural heritage organisations are doing in relation to acquisition and disposal
• The previous and likely effects of acquisitions or disposals on the organisation
• The resources that are likely to be needed for acquisitions or disposals
• The consequences of the different types of acquisition, e.g. gift, bequest, purchase
• The ethical considerations in relation to acquisitions and disposals
• The insurance requirements of the collection
• The types of acquisitions that could be seen as unethical and why
• The types of disposals that could be seen as unethical and why
• The sources of information on potential acquisitions or disposals
• Who should be informed of potential acquisitions or disposals
• Why it is important to have a plan for acquisitions and disposals

Required Skills

You should demonstrate:

• How to review acquisition and disposal policies and effects
• How to assess the effects of new acquisitions and disposals

Evidence Required

You should provide evidence that you can plan the acquisition and disposal of items and collections

The candidate should be questioned, based upon the documentation provided, to explore how they:

• plan the acquisition and disposal of items and collections.

You must account for the history of acquisition and disposal of items, and provide a clear plan for the items and collections in the future.

Evidence Rules

The candidate must have been involved in developing a loan policy on at least one occasion.

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Today's date: 4/2/2012
This page last updated: 27/7/2007 15:16