COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT

COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT

Policy Development and Objectives

Lighthouse tower and boat house under construction (ca 1912)

As the managers and stewards of a significant National Heritage Lighthouse site it is to be expected that, over time, the Society will – and should – acquire numerous documents, artifacts, photographs and other materials that are pertinent to the Lighthouse and its history, and that help us tell its story.  We are committed to being good stewards of this material and, although it is anticipated the Society will remain predominantly a volunteer-based organization – and will always have to contend with limited resources– we will strive to maintain these archival and artifact collections in as professional a manner as possible.

To govern how we will assess, take on responsibility for, manage and, if necessary, dispose of historic materials and artifacts, the Society adopted an Archives and Collections Management Policy .  This policy sets out procedures for each of these steps.  While it is anticipated that the Sheringham Point Lighthouse Preservation Society will remain a volunteer run and operated organization – and will always have to contend with limited resources – the policy strives to achieve a high level of professionalism and standards in our collections management procedures and activities.

TO VIEW OUR ARCHIVES AND COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICY, PLEASE CLICK HERE.

Scope of the Collections

The Society will focus on the conservation of information, records and objects of educational, historical and cultural value that relate to or enhance the understanding and appreciation of Sheringham Point Lighthouse.

This will include:  paper documents; photographs and other images (in all media); films and videos (in all media); paintings and drawings; music and other sound recordings; and electronic files with pertinent content.  It will also include physical objects, equipment and materials.

Our focus will be primarily on materials and objects with direct provenance and/or pertinence to Sheringham Point Lighthouse, its history and operations. However, we will also consider materials and objects of pertinence to the local community, or to other Lighthouses in Canada or elsewhere, that provide context for a better understanding and appreciation of Sheringham Point Lighthouse.

Management and Care of the Collections

Artifacts and archival materials will be cared for by trained Society volunteers supported by professional archivists, conservators and/or heritage specialists as required.  Where appropriate, materials and artifacts will be displayed at the Lighthouse.  Other physical materials (in particular, paper materials) will be maintained off-site, in storage, where necessary climate-control measures can be taken, and where the condition of the materials can be regularly monitored.

However, given the limitations on resources, the Society will focus (particularly with respect to its archives) on collecting and maintaining a database of digitized materials, rather than paper-based or other physical materials.  Our priority is to build an information base that can be used – by ourselves and others – to help tell the story and further the understanding of Sheringham Point Lighthouse, in particular, and of maritime history in the local area, across Canada and elsewhere.

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