5H-24.003. Accessioning Procedures

After the Museum has acquired an artifact, the Museum accessions it into the Museum’s permanent collections. To accomplish this, the acquired artifact is assigned a unique accession number and listed in an accessions register. The artifact is moved into the appropriate collections storage area of the Museum.

(1) In all cases, the accession number assigned to an acquired artifact consists of three elements. These elements indicate the year of acquisition, the group number, and the individual artifact number within the group. The group number refers to a specific group of artifacts acquired by the Museum from a single source on a specific date. (Example: In the number “1999.5.3,” “1999” refers to the year 1999, “5” to the fifth group of objects acquired during that calendar year, and “3” to the third discrete artifact in a group of several artifacts.)

(2) The staff that administer the Museum’s permanent collections maintain electronic data bases and files of paper records to document accessioned artifact.

(a) The electronic data bases contain the following information about each Department owned artifact.

1. An accession number;

2. The date of acquisition;

3. The method of acquisition;

4. A brief description of the artifact; and

5. The name of the source of acquisition.

6. In addition, the electronic data bases may include the following information:

a. The site number;

b. The name of the person or persons who collected the artifact;

c. The storage location; and

d. Catalog information concerning the artifact including, but not limited to, subject headings, information about associations with persons or places, condition, and information about the materials and techniques of manufacture.

(b) Paper records may contain the following information concerning Department or Museum-owned artifacts:

1. An accessions register that documents the date of accession, the source of the artifact, the method of acquisition, and a short description of the artifact; and

2. The following distinct files:

a. Reference cards, filed by source name, that duplicate the information listed in the accessions register;

b. Completed copies of the Evaluation Log;

c. Reference information about the artifact, filed by accession number, including transfers of title and related correspondence; a completed copy of the Examination Receipt; a completed copy of the Deaccession and Disposal Worksheet; information about the artifact’s condition and provenance; and if applicable, a completed copy of the Missing Artifact Report;

d. Object cards and worksheets that describe the artifact and its location in detail;

e. Research materials related to artifacts;

f. Photographic records of artifacts;

g. Subject cards, used by Museum staff members, that function as a subject catalog;

h. Completed copies of the Deaccession and Disposal Worksheet and the Receipt for Deaccessioned Artifacts, and other information concerning deaccessioned artifacts;

i. Records of previous inventories; and

j. A copy of catalog information generated from paper records or the electronic data base.

(3) At the end of each fiscal year, the staff reports to the Museum director information concerning artifacts acquired for the Museum’s permanent collections during the year. This shall include the information maintained in accordance with sub-paragraphs 5H-24 .003(2)(a)1.-5., F.A.C.

Rulemaking Authority 570.903(8) FS. Law Implemented 570.903(8) FS. History–New 12-9-99.