Marine
Museum
of the
Great
Lakes
at
Kingston,
Canada
The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston is a community museum committed to public access to its collection and the Museum’s research resources. The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston's research policy sets the guidelines by which the professional staff, volunteers, and the general public are able to access and use the resources held in the Museum’s artefact, archival, bibliographic and pictorial research files and computer databases. The intent of the policy is to set standards for professional and ethical use of these resources and to ensure that the highest museum standards are practiced. Research is important in engaging and enhancing peoples understanding of their local and regional history. It is also vital for the Museum to continue to update the information pertaining to the collection held in public trust. Research enables professional staff to discover and present new information or findings through exhibitions, education programs and public access to research files, and to actively contribute to the body of museological research and knowledge. Further, research facilitates the advancement of the museum profession as a whole. The research program at the Museum shall be consistent with the Museum’s Statement of Purpose as contained in the Constitution (Article 1; Subsection 4 & 5). To develop, operate and maintain a museum whose primary purpose is to: 4. to develop, operate and maintain a marine resource centre that makes facility for archival material, books, publications, ephemera and any other items that permit research activity related to Great Lakes Marine history and that such facility be available to members of the general public with particular reference to students, researchers and historians; 5. to develop programmes in co-operation with educational authorities that meet the needs of the educational community as well as the needs of special interest groups that may from time to time develop; The Museum research program shall provide documentation for collections and related subjects, the development of exhibitions and the requirements of educational programming. I Research Priorities While the Museum undertakes and encourages staff to do research, limited resources require that a list of research priorities be established. These are listed below: A. Research in Support of Collections and Exhibition Development The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston holds over 200,000 artefacts, archival, pictorial, bibliographic and international objects in public trust. These objects and their associated records constitute a vital body of information about the development and evolution of maritime history on the Great Lakes. It is the responsibility of the professional staff of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston to: 1. Ensure that the research resources and information are used in an accurate and safe manner. 2. Ensure the rights of individuals associated with objects, or named in documents owned by the Museum, are respected. 3. Research the artefacts, archival, pictorial and bibliographic material that constitute the collection and the history of the development of the collection. 4. Assign and supervise collection research and documentation projects to volunteers. 5. Document and ensure the safe storage of all information resulting from collections research. 6. Distribute current information about the collection to the public, by means of access to updated records and augmented research files, new exhibitions, new programs, the web site and updated information packages/publications. 7. Inform fellow staff and volunteers about new findings. 8. The Museum shall budget both staff time and monies to support collection research. B. Education and Public Programming The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston shall undertake research to support and develop current and evolving educational and public programmes. This research shall include investigations of both the Museum's collection and professional standards for educational and programming development (eg. curriculum standards). C. Local & Regional History Research The cultural, technological and natural history of the Great Lakes represents a rich and fascinating story of development, growth and change. This history is integrally linked to the history and development of the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Seaway and the abundant marine and natural resources concentrated there. There remains a wealth of information to research and make available to the local community and the annual visitors to the region who come from around the world to experience this rich natural, technological and cultural history. It is the responsibility of the professional staff of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston to: 1. Ensure that all research undertaken at the Museum conforms to the Ethical Guidelines published by the Canadian Museums Association. 2. Conduct research of Great Lakes marine histories in order to augment research files, enhance existing exhibitions, and develop new exhibitions and programs. 3. Assign research and documentation projects to volunteers and supervise their projects. 4. Make the research resources, including pictorial, artefact, archival and bibliographic collections, accessible to the public. 5. Supervise and monitor the public in the use and care of the collections, records and files. 6. Conduct research on behalf of the public or assign public research requests to volunteers where the Museum has agreed to undertake a research project. D. Museological Research The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston is a professional museum and a respected research institute on the international level. The Museum has set high professional standards for the conduct and activities of its staff. The staff actively contributed to the advancement of the Museum profession through the implementation and advancement of new standards and directions in museum management and research. The staff and volunteers of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston engage in museological research in an ongoing manner when daily activities require reference to ensure compliance with accepted professional standards. In order for the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston to maintain and advance its stature within the community and the museum profession, it needs to articulate its actions and processes to the public and museum profession, and to engage in museological research. Museological research ensures professional practice and assures improved public service and professionalism in a time of dynamic change. Museum work and services are constantly evolving and an active museological research program helps guide changes in the most appropriate and effective way. The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston professional staff engage in research in the following museum areas: 1. Management/Administration 2. Collection 3. Programming 4. Media, Marketing and Public Relations 5. Human Resources 6. Exhibition The professional staff are encouraged to present their findings to other staff members, volunteers and to other museum professionals through provincial, national and international media and forums. The Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston will endeavor to assist other museums and partnership organizations with professional museological research. II Public Use of Resources for Personal Research The collection, research files, records and reference library of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston are made accessible to the public and academics, museum professionals and students for self directed personal research projects. Use of Museum resources are subject to the following conditions to which all users must agree: 1. Making an appointment with the Curator or Registrar for access. 2. Sign the Audrey Rushbrook Memorial Library and Archives Application for Research Pass acknowledging that the user has read and agreed to the terms and conditions of the library. 3. Following standard museum procedures for the care and handling of photographs, artefacts and other research resources. 4. Conducting research under the guidance of the Canadian Museums Association Ethical Guidelines. 5. Ensuring that the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston receives credit for all original materials, ideas, concepts and any reproduction graphics, photographs or use of artefacts in any papers, documents, articles or other media. 6. Citing the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston with the credit line "Courtesy of the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston", when quoting documents; citing "Image from the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston (accession number of photograph used)" when using a photographic or graphic image held by the Marine Museum of the Great Lakes at Kingston.
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