[can-talk] National Standards for Australian Museums and Galleries - Draft - comments welcome!

Dear CAN-talk colleagues,
 
An Exposure Draft of a new initiative, 'National Standards for
Australian Museums and Galleries', has been released for comment. You
are encouraged to consider the Draft and provide feedback by 15 August.
 
There are already several good resources that help people working in
museums and galleries to understand the nature of good practice and
benchmarks for their work. Both the International Council of Museums
(ICOM) and Museums Australia have codes of ethics that provide useful,
high level, guidance. Caring for our Culture (Museums Australia, 1998)
provides a practical 'self assessment' review process for museums,
galleries and keeping places.
 
The need for up-to-date Australian standards has, however, become more
evident with the emergence of standards and accreditation programs in
several states. The managers of these programs in New South Wales
(through Museums and Galleries NSW), Queensland (through Museum and
Gallery Services Queensland), South Australia (through the History Trust
of South Australia), and Victoria (through Museums Australia - Victoria)
met at the 2006 national conference of Museums Australia in Brisbane,
and agreed to form a taskforce to develop the agreed National Standards.
The Western Australian Museum and the Collections Council of Australia
are also members of the National Standards Taskforce.
 
The Taskforce has worked collaboratively during the last year to provide
a set of agreed standards that are rigorous in their scope and
requirements, and that will serve as an accessible and useful tool for
all museums and galleries, regardless of size and resources, throughout
Australia.
 
The standards relate to the management of museums, the engagement of
communities, and the development and conservation of significant
collections. Nine high-level principles provide a structure for the
standards and benchmarks. Sections on 'Tips' and 'Resources' are helpful
inclusions.
 
The Taskforce welcomes comment on the Exposure Draft of the National
Standards using the feedback template now available online. Responses
are welcome until Wednesday 15 August. The Taskforce will then consider
all feedback received, and expects to produce a final version before the
end of 2007.
 
The Exposure Draft and feedback template are available from the websites
of the following organisations. If you wish to receive a printed copy of
one or both of these documents by post or fax, please telephone the
organisation nearest to you.
 
Collections Council of Australia Ltd
www.collectionscouncil.com.au
Adelaide: (08) 8207 7287
 
History Trust of South Australia
www.history.sa.gov.au
Adelaide: (08) 8203 9874
 
Museum and Gallery Services Queensland
www.magsq.com.au
Brisbane: (07) 3215 0820
 
Museums and Galleries NSW
www.mgnsw.org.au
Sydney: (02) 9358 1760
 
Museums Australia (Victoria)
www.mavic.asn.au
Melbourne: (03) 8341 7344
 
Western Australian Museum
www.museum.wa.gov.au
Perth: (08) 9212 3700
 
 
This message is posted on behalf of the taskforce by:
 
Margaret Birtley
CEO
Collections Council of Australia Ltd
PO Box 263
Rundle Mall  SA  5000
Tel:   (08) 8207 7272
Fax:  (08) 8207 7207
Mobile:  0418 814 957
Email:   ceo at collectionscouncil.com.au
Website:  www.collectionscouncil.com.au
 
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