Statement of purpose

AQuA

AQuA collects and preserves materials and information relevant to Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Gender Diverse, Sistergirl, Brotherboy, Intersex, and Queer (LGBTIQ+) people, organisations, and communities in Australia.

Purpose

The purpose of this document is to outline how AQuA deaccessions items from the collection. This Policy is linked to AQuA’s Donation Agreement form, with the Policy being subject to the terms stipulated in each item’s Donation Agreement.

Deaccessioning is the formal process of removing an accessioned collection or object from AQuA’s collection. AQuA may be required to deaccession archival material due to physical condition, duplication of the items, relevance, space limitations, or other factors impacting upon AQuA’s ability to care for an item.

Deaccession Policy

Assessment

The AQuA Committee, staff, and volunteers carefully consider deaccessioning decisions. When and where possible, these decisions are made in consultation with the original donors or nominees listed on the Donation Agreement. An item may be deaccessioned from the collection if it;

• Is a duplicate of other items in the collection in excess of the collection’s requirement for additional copies
• Is in a state of advanced deterioration or irreversible repair
• Is of poor quality relative to similar items within the collection
• Requires return to its owner and/or repatriation
• Is made redundant by subsequent new format copies, digitisation of the item, or new acquisition components
• No longer falls within AQuA’s collecting scope due to its content or format

Procedure

For donations with an associated Donation Agreement, the agreement guides the deaccession. Any correspondence with a donor about a donation will also be considered. If the donation has no Donation Agreement or the agreement does not stipulate deaccession conditions, then best efforts will be made to contact the donor to determine their wishes.

For items AQuA holds as part of Heritage Victoria, any proposed deaccession work shall be done in partnership with Heritage Victoria.

Should an item or object need to be deaccessioned from the collection, the following overview steps shall be taken;

• Return of Material: AQuA will offer the materials back to the donor: All reasonable attempts will be made to contact the donor to offer materials back.
• Transfer of Material to Other Institutions: All reasonable attempts will be made to transfer the items to an accredited archive, museum, or library.
• Withdrawal of Material: If the above procedures cannot take place, staff are permitted to discard the material with the approval of the Committee. This decision must be made in writing and be placed in the original case file for the donation and the online catalogue updated.
• Selling of Material: Once an item has been withdrawn, and if deemed appropriate, AQuA may sell the item to members of the public.
• Destruction of Material: if required, items that require destruction will be disposed of in a safe and secure manner

Definitions

Deaccession

The process that formally removes collection material from the collection. Following deaccession, the material may be disposed of by sale, gift, destruction, exchange, returned to its rightful owner, or transferred via restitution or repatriation.

Disposal

The action taken to remove collection material from AQuA’s ownership, control, or possession once it has been deaccessioned. This action may take the form of disposal by sale, gift, destruction, exchange, return to its rightful owner, transfer via restitution or repatriation.

Donor

A person, persons, or entity that makes a gift of a work of art or other material, either directly to AQuA or supports the acquisition by cash donation

Repatriation

The process whereby material in a museum collection is returned to lineal descendants and/or culturally affiliated communities, including countries of origin.