CIDOC Guidelines for Museum Object Information: Acquisition
Information Group
This page is part of the International Guidelines for Museum Object Information:
The CIDOC Information Categories: a description of the Information Categories
that can be used when developing records about the objects in museum collections.
For an outline of the Information Groups and Categories in the Guidelines,
turn to the introductory list.
Purpose:
Acquisition information supports
Security and Accountability. It is needed to provide evidence of the
legal status of the object as part of the museum's collections.
Information categories:
Acquisition
method
Acquisition date
Acquisition source
Examples:
Acquisition
method: gift
Acquisition date: 1985-01-01
Acquisition source:
The Smith Corporation, New York
Notes:
- Only record Acquisition information for those objects for which
title has been transferred to an institution, i.e., for those objects
owned by the institution.
- Acquisition information should not be repeated within an object
record as an object or specimen is normally only acquired once.
Alternate
names:
Acquisition type
Definition:
The method by which an object entered the collection.
Examples:
gift
purchase
exchange
bequest
unknown
field
collection
Notes:
- This Information Category is repeatable if an object was obtained
through more than one method or formal legal means.
- It is recommended that controlled terms are used for this Information Category.
Refer to the "Content and terminology control"
section in the Introduction for further guidance on sources of controlled
terminology.
Move to beginning of Acquisition
Definition:
The date the object entered the collection and title was transferred.
Examples:
1994-03-01
Notes:
- Always use the same format when recording dates.
- Always record all four digits for the year of a date, e.g., 1994,
not '94.
Move to beginning of Acquisition
Definition:
The name of the person or organization from whom the object was
acquired.
Examples:
Hapgood, Jane S.
Notes:
- The acquisition source is the person or organization from whom
formal title was transferred, rather than an agent.
- It is recommended that an authority file is used for this Information Category.
Refer to the "Content and terminology control"
section in the Introduction for further guidance on sources of controlled
terminology.
- In the case of archaeological or natural science field
collections, ownership may lie with the owner of the land. Confirm
ownership according to the appropriate national legislation before
transferring title to the institution.
- Where an object or specimen was acquired from more than one source
(e.g., when it was previously jointly owned) this Information Category
should be repeated.
Move to beginning of Acquisition
Move to outline of the Information Groups and Categories
or the next section of the Guidelines, Condition
file: guide.htm; author: CIDOC; updated June 1995