The Amherst Toy Collection and Development Policy
Table of Contents
Access & Handling of Artifacts
Collaboration with Other Institutions
Restrictions on Access & Challenges to Materials
Purpose & Mission
This Amherst Antique Toy Special Collections is an addendum to the Amherst University’s Archives & Special Collections Collection Development Policy. The Toy Special Collection’s purpose is to collect toys, games, and primary sources relating to them for the benefit of Amherst students, faculty, curricular needs, and researchers more generally. An addition of toys generally supports the work of anthropologists, material cultural historians, educational and child development departments, and could be an interesting way to engage the community at large. By including toys, this collection creates an avenue by which the university can cater to non-students and create stronger ties with the local community and citizens of Massachusetts.
Additionally, the antique toy collection supports the Amherst repository’s mission “to acquire, preserve, and provide access to a wide range of primary research materials in their original formats, including books, manuscripts, archive, audio-visual materials, objects, realia, and other items in support of the educational and research activities of its various constituencies” (Collecting mission). Likewise, this archive collects information about toys in the above formats, including, the toys themselves. However, because we lack the resources to engage in extensive digital preservation, we generally avoid electronic games (nintendo consoles) and computer games.
As with the general Amherst collection mission statement, this archive encourages these items to be digitized and used in exhibition, including tours and classrooms.
Scope & Materials
Date: Because the toy collection especially tries to serve the curricular needs of a variety of academic disciplines, including sociology, anthropology, material culture history, and child development, the archive collects toys and games from prehistory to the end of the twentieth century. Each century might offer new insights to each discipline. As most toys within within the 21st century are usually easier to acquire for most researchers, they are collected by the archive on a discretionary basis, such as whether the toys have stopped being produced, or whether the addition supports the various academic departments. The archivist may work closely with professors and academic departments to make such determinations.
Geography: Because the toy archive tries to preserve local and state history, this archive will collect most toys discovered or produced in the state of Massachusetts. Nevertheless, as the mission of this archive is partly to serve the curricular needs of various academic departments, the archive also collects toys from around the world based on whether they serve the academic interests of the school. This may also be determined by collaborating with various academic departments.
Formats: The toy archive collects items in their original format, but may reformat them if deemed appropriate. The archive collects antique toys and any information relating to them, including books, newspapers, instructions, manufacturing information, diaries, photos, and the artifacts. Paintings containing toys may be shipped to the Amherst Library’s fine arts museum. However, due to insufficient resources, the archival repository generally avoids electronic and digital games.
Responsibility
The curator of this archive is responsible for selecting materials, managing, preserving, and weeding. The curator may also help in exhibiting the collections and incorporating them into community and academic activities.
Acquisitions & Deacquisitions
Because of limited funds, the Amherst archive primarily collects materials through gifts selected by the curator. Nevertheless, if the curator of the toy archive wishes to purchase an artifact or acquires an artifact that is expensive to maintain, they should appeal to a committee of Amherst curators and archivists to review the decision. The same applies to deacquisitions of materials.
Elements that may be considered include, but are not limited to:
· Age
· Rarity
· Copyright
· Historical context of item
· Monetary value
· Condition of item
· Types of materials
· Archives ability to store and preserve
· Creator
· Curricular value
· Connections to Amherst College, faculty, and community members
Limitations
Physical Condition of Acquisitions: Because of limited budgets and the costs of conservation, the Amherst archive usually collects materials “in the best possible physical condition” (Physical condition), unless they are rare. Thus, the toy archive may reject materials based on poor condition.
Duplicate copies: Because of limited storage space, the Amherst archive usually rejects duplicate materials unless the duplicate contains unique features. The Antique Toy Collection also tries to collect one of each toy.
Preservation & Storage
As toys are often bulky and contain a variety of materials that may be hazardous to other formats, toys may be stored separately from their fonds (see “Definitions” section). As toys are often made from multiple materials, they may also require unique storage conditions.
Access & Handling of Artifacts
Artifacts may be accessed via digitization of photographs and documents, microfilm, exhibition, and Encoded Archival Description (EAD) metadata standards. However, the curator may borrow from other metadata standards, such as the Categories for the Description of Works of Art (CDWA), if they are more appropriate to describing material artifacts. The curator shall determine whether toys are allowed to be handled during exhibitions, demonstrations, and by researchers, based on value, rarity, and the items’ condition. The curator bears responsibility for instructing patrons and audiences about the handling requirements, such as wearing gloves, playing gently, and so forth.
Collaboration with Other Institutions
There are times when the repository, through a council of Amherst archivists, may collaborate with other institutions to exhibit the toys and support distant researchers. Also, a council of researchers may determine whether some toys should belong in another institution because of elements like educational relevance, funding, and preservation or storage capacity. Likewise, the repository reserves the right to donate or lend toys to cooperating institutions. Nevertheless, the council of Amherst archivists, or the curator of this collection, must establish the lending conditions for each item.
Restrictions on Access & Challenges to Materials
The Amherst Special Collections often holds confidential, and sensitive materials. Likewise, following the Amherst Special Collections policy, the toy archive may place restrictions access for no more than 30 years.
Additionally, the special collections may also hold fragile, valuable, and controversial materials, and personal information that may affect the reputations of living individuals. Likewise, patrons may wish to challenge some material within the archive. The current archive has no published policy on dealing with challenges. Nevertheless, until a general policy is established for the Special Collections, the curator may follow the challenge policies of the Amherst library.
Definitions
Fond: The entire body of records of an organization, family, or individual that have been created and accumulated as the result of an organic process reflecting the function of the creator (www2.archivists.org/glossary/terms/f/fonds).
Created and Ratified by the Amherst Board of Directors March 09, 2017
The policy shall be reviewed by the curator and a committee of Amherst archivists either annually or upon request as concerns/ideas arise, or resources expand.
Bibliography
Collecting mission. (2017). Archives and Special Collections Collection and Development Policy. Retrieved from
https://www.amherst.edu/library/archives/collectiondevelopment
Society of American Archivists. (2017). Fonds. Retrieved from http://www2.archivists.org/glossary/terms/f/fonds
Physical condition. (2017). Archives and Special Collections Collection and Development Policy. Retrieved from
https://www.amherst.edu/library/archives/collectiondevelopment