[NHCOLL-L:2724] FW: Registrar vs. Collections Manager vs. Curator of Collections

[Diane Gutenkauf]

This thread is being discussed on the Registrars Committee list. Seems
Michigan isn't the only place struggling with job descriptions. 
 
If there's interest, I'll forward any other applicable notes. 
 

Regards, 
Diane Gutenkauf
dgutenkauf at exhibitworks.com

  _____  

From: Registrars Committee of the AAM [mailto:RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU]
On Behalf Of Rebecca Buck
Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 1:48 PM
To: RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU
Subject: Re: Registrar vs. Collections Manager vs. Curator of
Collections


Since this seems to be my favorite area ....
 
Registrar
Collections Manager
Curator of Collections
 
Use of titiles depends on discipline and size of the museum; job
descriptions depend to some extent on discipline and size, and to a
great degree on culture and history of the institution.
Responsibilities can be interchangeable or quite separate. 
 
Registrars are almost certain to deal with acquisitions, deaccessions,
loans and exhibitions. They may also be collection managers and do some
curatorial work.  Often, in larger museums,  there are registrars for
exhibitions, for loans, for shipping, for permanent collections, for
traveling exhibitions.
 
Collections managers are almost certain to deal with storage issues
(environment, upgrades, off-site configurations), object moves, and
basic object maintenance.  They may also be registrars.  
 
Curator of collections -- I think this can be either truly curatorial or
a combination curator/registrar/collections manager. It's a term more
often used by history than by art museums.  There's a funky (for USA)
title at UPenn, Keeper, which also fits with this.
 
Other areas of responsibility sometimes picked up by registrars,
collections manangers and curators of collection: rights and
reproductions, pest control, security liaison (or in a small museum
security head), photography, conservation coordination.  They often
devleop policies and work with lawyers to do legal forms, they do
inventory and computerization of collections documentation.
 
And there's a ton of administration work involved.
 
Rebecca
 
Rebecca A. Buck, Chief Registrar 
The Newark Museum 
49 Washington Street 
Newark, NJ 07101 
ph: 973-596-6667 
fx:  973-596-6666 
rbuck at newarkmuseum.org 

 ...snip... 
  _____  


	From: Registrars Committee of the AAM
[mailto:RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU] On Behalf Of Pamela Elbe
	Sent: Wednesday, June 22, 2005 12:45 PM
	To: RCAAM at SI-LISTSERV.SI.EDU
	Subject: Registrar vs. Collections Manager vs. Curator of
Collections

	 

	I have a pretty basic question for everyone out there.

	 

	What is the difference (duties-wise) between a registrar,
collections manager, and curator of collections?  We've gone through
some staff changes recently and will be updating some museum policies
soon and I want to be certain that my title appropriately reflects what
I do.

	 

	Thanks in advance for your assistance!

	 

	 

	Pamela Elbe

	Collections Manager and Archivist

	National Museum of American Jewish Military History

	1811 R St. NW, Washington DC  20009

	p: 202.265.6280 x201 

	f: 202.462.3192

	http://www.nmajmh.org <http://www.nmajmh.org/> 

	 

	Don't miss our new exhibition, Reconnaissance and Recollection:
Military and Civilian Photographs from World War II-the photographs of
Sy Weinstein.

	 

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