Collections Care and Stewardship

Collections Care and Stewardship: Innovative Approaches for Museumsconsiders best practices and innovations related to documenting collections with regard to movement and safe handling of items for transport, display, photography, and treatment; collections storage; and information-sharing within and beyond the museum.

The case studies in this volume examine best practices and innovations related to collections with regard to display, interpretation, engagement, storage, conservation treatment, and preservation. Several chapters address undergraduate and graduate coursework and internship experiences in a variety of contexts to offer best practices as well as evaluation of such training opportunities. All of these case studies ask us to think about the responsibilities that we have, as museum professionals, to be stewardsa challenge for all of us in terms of the obligations and responsibilities therein, but also in terms of the challenge to frame our collections as having the capacity to reflect as well as inspire.

TheInnovative Approaches for Museumsseries offers case studies, written by scholars and practitioners from museums, galleries, and other institutions, that showcase the original, transformative, and sometimes wholly re-invented methods, techniques, systems, theories, and actions that demonstrate innovative work being done in the museum and cultural sector throughout the world. The authors come from a variety of institutionsin size, type, budget, audience, mission, and collection scope. Each volume offers ideas and support to those working in museums while serving as a resource and primer, as much as inspiration, for students and the museum staff and faculty training future professionals who will further develop future innovative approaches.

Contributions by:Jennifer Schwarz Ballard, Terry A. Barnhart, Rebecca E. Bria, Marlena Cannon de Mendez, Robert P. Connolly, Mary Coughlin, Elizabeth K. Cruzado Carranza, Katherine A. Johnson, Michael Jones, Allison McCloskey, Nicolette B. Meister, Carrie Wieners Meyer, Eileen Prendergast, Marjorie Schwarzer, Glori Simmons, Shari Stout, and Kelly Tomajko

Juilee Deckeris an associate professor of Museum Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) where she teaches courses focusing on museums and technology so as to bring theory and praxis together in the classroom environment. Decker earned her Ph.D. from Case Western Reserve University. Her research interests and curation include the construction of public and private collections as well as the subjects of public art, commemoration, and memory. Deckers recent curatorial activity includes A Passionate Pursuit: The Milward Collection, an exhibition addressing the formation of a private collection of more than 1000 works of art (2012); Reflections on a Louisville Landmark, a juried show and an exhibition of historic maps, photographs, and texts for the Louisville Visual Art Association; and Virginia Woolf and the Natural World, an international exhibition to coincide with the 20th annual Wolf conference (2010). She has worked as a public art consultant and advisor for more than 15 years and has managed several public and private collections of public art. Since 2008, she has served as editor ofCollections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals, a peer-reviewed journal published by Rowman and Littlefield.

Introduction by Juilee Decker

Chapter 1: An Outdoor Museum Perspective on Education and Audience Engagement
Katherine A. Johnson, Eileen Prendergast, and Jennifer Schwarz Ballard, Chicago Botanic Garden
Chapter 2: Collection Preservation Facilities: One Approach to Sustainable Design, Construction, and Operations
Kelly Tomajko, Denver Museum of Nature& Science
Chapter 3: A Window on the Work: PreVIEW at the Denver Art Museum
Allison McCloskey, Denver Art Museum
Chapter 4: The Increase& Diffusion of Collections Care Knowledge: A Partnership
Mary Coughlin and Shari Stout, The George Washington University and the National Museum of American History
Chapter 5: Contextualizing Collections Management in Academic Museums
Nicolette B. Meister, Logan Museum of Anthropology, Beloit College
Chapter 6: Collection Curriculum: Caring for Objects, Educating Students
Carrie Wieners Meyer, The Durham Museum
Chapter 7: Divergent Agendas andDobles Vidas: A Folk Art Curating Partnership between University of San Francisco& The Mexican Museum
Marjorie Schwarzer with Glori Simmons and Marlena Cannon de Mendez, University of San Francisco& The Mexican Museum
Chapter 8: Co-Creation& Sustainable Community Engagement
Robert P. Connolly, Rebecca E. Bria, Elizabeth K. Cruzado Carranza, C. H. Nash Museum and PIARA (Proyecto de Investigación Arqueológico Regional Ancash)
Chapter 9: Common Cause: Challenges in Museum Studies& Public History
Terry A. Barnhart, Eastern Illinois University
Chapter 10: Joining the Dots: Building Connections within GLAM Organizations
Michael Jones, The University of Melbourne

Index
About the Contributors
About the Editor