About the CMPTToolkit

A project of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts (CCAHA), the Collections Management Policy Toolkit (CMPToolkit) is a free online tool that allows you to build a custom Collections Management Policy for your institution. Developed with help from nationally renowned experts in the collections management field, the CMPToolkit guides users step-by-step through the process to create a policy that is uniquely tailored to your collection and designed to meet professional, ethical and legal standards.

Since 2002, CCAHA’s Preservation Services Office has partnered with institutions in the field to address their collections’ most pressing preservation needs. The CMPToolkit was developed in response to this work, which allowed CCAHA staff to directly observe the challenges many collecting institutions encountered in trying to implement a Collections Management Policy. For many small and mid-sized institutions, the task of creating or updating these policies was intimidating, overwhelming, or simply impossible given limited staff and resources. As a result, CCAHA staff found that these documents were frequently out of date, inadequate, or simply nonexistent.

To address this issue, CCAHA began offering assistance specifically for Collections Management Policy development, and through this process began to notice that — despite working with a wide variety of institutions and collection types — there was a significant overlap in the core information required. With this in mind, it seemed possible to develop a template to capture this basic information and streamline the process of creating a Collections Management Policy.

To create this tool, CCAHA has partnered with Philadelphia-based web design and development firm YIKES, Inc., whose technical expertise— along with a generous grant from the Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS)— promised to turn the idea into a reality. CCAHA also convened an Advisory Committee of nationally recognized experts in the field, who have helped shape the toolkit to ensure the policies it creates meet professional standards.

Geared towards small and mid-level institutions without an active Collections Management Policy in place, the CMPToolkit aims to simplify the process and offer professional support for developing this crucial document. Start your free account today to learn more about how the CMPToolkit can benefit your institution.

1. General Disclaimer

A Collections Management Policy is a recommended best practice that assists in demonstrating to the public that collecting institutions are acting as proper stewards of their collections. The Policy itself is evidence that the institution has established internal controls to ensure that the highest level of legal, ethical and professional standards of care are met.  Once created, great care and attention should be taken to ensure proper implementation and adherence with the internal policies and controls included within the custom Collections Management Policy generated through your use of the CMP Toolkit.

The Content displayed on this site and within the online CMP Toolkit are the intellectual property of the Conservation Center for Art and Historic Artifacts and may not be reused, republished, or reprinted for any purpose other than that which is contemplated hereunder, including, the creation of a customized Collections Management Policy for your institution.  The information contained in the CMP Toolkit is for general informational purposes only and CCAHA makes no representation or warranty, express or implied, including without limitation, warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement.  Your use of the site is solely at your own risk. To the extent the site may contain links to third party content, CCAHA does not warrant, endorse, or assume any liability. While the information on this website and the CMP Toolkit has been verified to the best of our abilities, CCAHA cannot guarantee that there are no mistakes or errors.  The online CMP Toolkit incorporates recommended best practices in collections management but is not a substitute for professional advice, including, any audit, advisory, legal, tax, insurance or other professional advice. Users of this CMP Toolkit should consult with appropriate professionals for questions related to their specific collection and operational jurisdiction.

2. Information is not Legal Advice

To the extent that this site or CMP Toolkit includes information related to legal issues and/or concerns, including the laws surrounding intellectual property, abandoned property and/or deaccession and disposals, such information does not constitute legal advice. Legal information is not the same as legal advice, which is the application of law to an individual’s specific circumstances. The information on this website is not a substitute for and does not replace the advice or representation of a licensed attorney. Although CCAHA goes to great lengths to make sure the information on the site is accurate and up to date, CCAHA makes no claim as to the accuracy of this information and is not responsible for any consequences that may result from the use of this website. We recommend that you consult with a licensed attorney if you want assurance that legal information on the website and your interpretation of it are appropriate for your situation. You should not and are not authorized to rely on this website as a source of legal advice.

3. No Warranties and Limitation of Liability

Information provided on this site is provided “as is” without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including without limitation warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, or noninfringement. CCAHA periodically adds, changes, improves, updates or removes information and documents on this website without notice, and assumes no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the contents of this website. Your use of this website is at your own risk.

4. Privacy Policy

CCAHA does not actively collect any information from its users. If you provide your e-mail address to us when providing feedback on the website, we may use your e-mail address to communicate with you. We do not release any personally identifiable information that is collected to any unrelated third party. CCAHA will not share, sell, or disclose your information to third parties in any form, for any purpose, at any time, without your consent, except when the request is initiated by law enforcement authorities and when CCAHA is ordered to do so by a court, or when we believe it is necessary to assert or protect our legal or intellectual property rights.