The Maine State Museum Commission designates the museum director, as the chief representative of the Maine State Museum, to have the final authority for acceptance of all donations, incoming loans, bequests, exchanges, transfers, or purchases for the collections of the museum.
In determining whether an item will be accepted into the collections of the museum, the museum director will be advised by a Collections Committee. The Collections Committee will be comprised of the heads of the museum's three main collecting areas - history, natural science, and archaeology. The museum director will appoint three additional committee members to represent the museum's finance, collections management, and conservation activities. The Collections Committee will also include two members of the Maine State Museum Commission, appointed by the chairman of the Commission. The heads of the museum's three main collecting areas will serve on the committee as part of their job duties. The other members will serve until they are replaced by the museum director or chairman of the Commission. The museum director will serve as the committee's chair.
The Collections Committee will meet on a regular basis to consider proposed donations, incoming loans, bequests, exchanges, or purchases for the collections of the museum. All items coming before the committee shall be carefully considered and, upon a majority vote of the committee members, recommended to the museum director for acquisition or rejection. All votes shall be recorded in minutes of the Collections Committee. Other procedures will be established in writing by the committee in order to assure that the committee conducts its business in an orderly, fair manner in conformance with applicable laws, the Maine State Museum Code of Ethics, and relevant collections policies and plans.
For informational purposes, the museum director will present a written report of all collections activity at each meeting of the Museum Commission.
94- 073 C.M.R. ch. 505, § 1