223—13.6(303) Deaccession.

1. 13.6(1)  Purpose. Deaccession of materials shall be undertaken only as a means of strengthening and benefiting the collections of the society. Deaccession shall not be used to generate operating funds for the society.

2. 13.6(2)  Ethics.

   1. a. Deaccession of materials shall be undertaken in an open, public manner conforming to all appropriate ethics statements of the appropriate professional organizations. The society and its employees shall conform to all appropriate professional ethics statements.
   2. b. In no circumstance shall the ownership of deaccessioned materials be transferred to or benefit any trustee, employee, spouse or immediate family member of an employee of the society.

3. 13.6(3)  Criteria. Individual objects or documents or groups of objects or documents may be deaccessioned from the collections of the society if they:

   1. a. Are no longer deemed relevant and appropriate for the collections; or
   2. b. Have deteriorated beyond repair and usefulness; or
   3. c. Pose danger to other parts of the collections.

4. 13.6(4)  Procedure.

   1. a. The appropriate bureau chief shall recommend, with written justification, to the collections committee the materials to be deaccessioned. The collections committee shall evaluate the recommendation at its next meeting and, if the committee approves the recommendation, forward the recommendation with all appropriate documentation and comments to the administrator of the society.
   2. b. The administrator of the society shall approve or disapprove all recommendations for deaccession of materials by the collections committee and shall forward all approved recommendations with comments to the board of trustees.
   3. c. The board of trustees shall review all recommendations for deaccession at the next meeting. No materials shall be deaccessioned without the approval of the board of trustees.

   4. d. The method for disposition of the deaccessioned materials shall be recommended by the bureau chief and approved by the collections committee, administrator of the society, and the board of trustees. The methods for disposition of the deaccessioned materials include, but are not limited to, the following methods:

      1. (1) Exchange with other educational institutions to strengthen the collections of the society;
      2. (2) Donation to another educational institution which may make the materials generally accessible to the public;
      3. (3) Sale at public auction or other appropriate means; or
      4. (4) Destruction.
   5. e. A complete written record of deaccession recommendations, justifications, decisions, and methods used for removal of the materials shall be maintained as a permanent record of the society.

5. 13.6(5)  Limitations.

   1. a. Revenue received from disposition of any collection shall be retained in a separate revenue account. This revenue shall be used solely to maintain, conserve, preserve, and strengthen the collections of the society.
   2. b. Prior to consideration of the deaccession of undocumented materials or unclaimed loans, the title shall be cleared in accordance with Iowa Code chapter 305B.
   3. c. Collections which are donated to and accessioned by the society shall not be deaccessioned for a period of two years after accessioning into the collections.