223—13.5(303) Acquisition.

1. 13.5(1)  General policy. The following general policies apply to all areas of the collections. More specific policies for the state archives are noted in subrule 13.5(2).

   1. a. The society may acquire materials by gift, bequest, transfer, or purchase.
   2. b. The staff of the society shall evaluate potential acquisitions for their relevance to the collections, research, exhibit, educational, intrinsic, historical, or scientific importance, physical condition, relationship to the annual collecting priorities established by the collections committee, and impact upon the operations of the society.
   3. c. Title to all donations shall be outright. Certain restrictions on access may be considered by the collections committee. The society shall make no commitments as to the exhibition, attribution, or use of the gift.
   4. d. A deed of gift documenting the legal transfer of the gift to the society and the acceptance of that gift shall be signed by the legal owner or the owner’s authorized agent and the appropriate authorized agent of the society.

   5. e. Materials left anonymously in the custody of the society shall be evaluated for possible accession into the collections.

      If the materials are to be accessioned into the collections, the materials shall be documented by the appropriate authorized agent of the society. The documentation shall describe the circumstances pertaining to the acquisition.

      If the materials are not to be accessioned into the collections, disposition of the materials shall be determined by the collections committee upon the recommendation of the appropriate bureau.

   6. f. Bequests of which the society has not been apprised shall be considered as unsolicited materials and evaluated in the same manner as any other unsolicited gift.
   7. g. Title to undocumented collections in the possession of the society or unclaimed loans in the possession of the society shall be handled in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 305B.
   8. h. The staff of the society shall not appraise collections for financial value. The society shall not pay for nor reimburse a donor for such appraisal costs.
2. 13.5(2)  State archives. Records of state agencies shall be transferred to the state archives of the society, in accordance with the rules and procedures established by the state records commission as stated in the Records Management Manual and in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 304.