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In order to ensure the long-term preservation, study, and interpretation of state collections, State-Approved Repositories are expected to manage held-in-trust collections according to the standards stipulated in the Rules and Procedures of Section 9 of 8 CCR 1504-7.

The official form/application and agreement to begin or renewal for State-approved status: (Please note on-site held-in trust agreements are developed separately)

Working with the State Attorney General's Office, these curation agreement standards were developed for repositories seeking newly State-Approved status or when revising previously approved curation agreements or "intent-to curate" agreements with permittees:

A reference manual updated periodically for State-Owned collections care:

Official State-Approved museum/repository loan agreement guidelines for state collections: 

While sound collections research policy is optimal these guidelines are intended to assist both archaeological/paleontological research organizations and approved repositories working with State artifacts/fossils that have insufficient research interest and are "non-curatable". These guidelines mirror many of the procedures and standards in amendments to 36 CFR 79 for the proper disposal of certain Federal collections of insufficient research interest:

Complete this form for the proposed disposition of "non-curatable" State collections:

Complete this receipt form for the transfer acceptance of a State collection:

Previously approved non-renewing museums or curatorial repositories should inform the Office of State Archaeologist of Colorado their plan for continued care and management of State collections. This form provides a baseline confirmation of the collections under their care and an acknowledgement to continue to maintain minimal care practices:

The program has a long tradition of holding Curation Alliance Forums, these mini-conference for State-Approved Museums and Curatorial Repositories (SAMCR) and those organizations/individuals interested in the program offer training, education and a behind-the scenes tours of a partner repository. 

You can find recorded session on the 2021 Curation Alliance Forum on our program YouTube channel by clicking HERE

The Forum Flyer can downloaded below:

View and re-watch past Curation Alliance Forums and Repository Confabs ("con•fab",(kŏn′făb″), short for confabulation, which means)► n. a casual talk; a conversation, chat, or presentation) by visiting us on YouTube HERE

Guidelines for Repositories

The office of the State Archaeologist has developed the following guidelines to ensure the standards of Section 9 of 8 CCR 1504-7 are met. Browse the categories below to better understand how to manage state collections.

Intake of Collections

Permittee collections via a curation agreement

Materials collected under a state permit must be submitted to a repository according to the submission guidelines below within 6 months of submission of the final report for the permit under which they were collected. State-approved repositories may implement more stringent requirements in curation agreements that supersede those outlined in the state-issued submission guidelines and are encouraged to do so.

• Archaeological Submission Guidelines
• Paleontological Submission Guidelines

Transfers

In the event that the repository is accepting a transfer, please complete and submit a Transfer Receipt Form.

Approved Uses of State Collections

The following is a brief list of the Approved Uses of State Collections intended for quick reference by repository staff. For full details of the regulations that govern the curation of state collections please refer to Section 9 of 8 CCR 1504-7.

Exhibit

Develop interpretive displays for permanent, temporary, or traveling exhibitions and charge reasonable nondiscriminatory admission fees. All exhibits will credit the state archaeologist of Colorado as follows: "Courtesy of History Colorado, Office of the State Archaeologist".

Photography

Approved repositories may photograph the state collection or any part thereof on their premises, subject to the repository's own collections management policies and in accordance with the regulations put forth in 8 CCR 1504-7.

Digital Reproductions

Repository officials may digitally reproduce fossil specimens in their collections using nondestructive methods in-house. All reproductions must credit the state archaeologist of Colorado as follows: "Courtesy of History Colorado, Office of the State Archaeologist".

Commercial use of digital reproductions, and physical reproductions created from digital capture methods, must be solely for the benefit of the state collection.

Research

The non-destructive study and analysis of the held-in-trust state collection on the repository's premises are encouraged. All published studies will credit the state archaeologist of Colorado as follows: "Courtesy of History Colorado, Office of the State Archaeologist".

Two copies of published studies must be provided to the Office of the State Archaeologist.

Fossil Preparation

State paleontological resources curated at an approved repository may be cleaned, treated, stabilized, and prepared for research, exhibition, or loan transportation purposes under standard professional best practices for natural history collections.

Practices that Require State Approval

Destructive Analysis

Any proposed analysis of collections that could cause their destruction or damage may be performed only with the consent of History Colorado. Please submit a completed Request for Approval on Destructive Analysis form, which may be downloaded here. Email the completed request form to hc_statecuration@state.co.us.

• Requests are granted with consideration as to whether such materials are unique or duplicated in other state-owned collections.
• Ancillary samples are exempt from this requirement and are defined as organic or inorganic specimens, other than human remains or artifacts, gathered by scientists for the purpose of analysis to provide information on past environments, diets, chronology, or material source areas. Ancillary samples may include, but are not limited to, charcoal, wood, soil, coprolites, and floral or faunal specimens.
• If part of the material will remain after the analysis is completed, it is to be returned to the repository for continued curation and a loan agreement, subject to the rules and guidelines outlined in the Loans section of this webpage, must be issued for the material.
• Upon receiving the request, the Office of the State Archaeologist will supply notification of consent to the affected repository within thirty days.

Physical Reproductions

The creation of reproductions using physical methods is considered a destructive practice and is subject to approval by the State Archaeologist. Physical reproductions are handled on a case-by-case basis. Please submit a request letter to the State Curation Coordinator that contains the following:

• Catalog number of the material(s)
• Description of methodology to be used
• Intended use of reproductions
• Justification for the stress placed on the material

 

Disposition of Non-curatable State Collections from a Research Lab or a Museum

The disposition of portions of a museum collection is a routine process.  To ensure compliance with state laws and regulations the Office of the State Archaeologist has put together official Guidelines for the Disposition of Non-Curated State Collections from a Research Lab or a Museum/Repository. This document may be downloaded here.

Qualified individuals wishing to dispose of portions of the state collection may do so through the following process:

1. Review the guidelines on our website to ensure that the proposed collections qualify for disposition.
2. Download a fillable copy of the Disposal of Non-Curated State Collections Form.
3. Submit the completed form and any supporting documentation to hc_statecuration@state.co.us.
4. Please allow 30 days for approval.

Commercial Use of State Collections

8 CCR 1504-7 allows for the charging of "reasonable nondiscriminatory admission fees" to view exhibited items.  Any other commercial use of the state collection or any portion thereof requires written consent from the society.  Such requests are handled on a case-by-case basis.  The most common example is the sale of fossil replicas in gift shops.

To request written consent for the commercial use of the state collection please submit a request letter to hc_statecuration@state.co.us that contains the following:

• Catalog number(s) of the material and description
• Description of any methods that will be used
• Description of the intended use, its benefits, and risks
• Intended use of funds (this must support the ongoing care of the state collection)

Loans

All loan agreements must meet the Held-in-Trust Outgoing Loan Agreement Guidelines, please find a summary of its requirements below.

• Notice of loan agreement must be sent to hc_statecuration@state.co.us and must include:
  1. Description of the material being loaned

  2. Catalog number(s) of the material loaned.

  3. Colorado Smithsonian site number(s) from which the material(s) were collected.

  4. The full borrowing institution's contact information.

  5. The purpose of the loan (e.g. exhibit, conservation, fossil prep, nondestructive analysis, etc.).

  6. Duration of the loan.

• Commercial use of loaned collections is prohibited without written consent from the society.

• With rare exceptions, loans must be between the approved repository and other institutions or organizations, not individuals.

• Loans are not to exceed 3 years.

• Relocation inventories must be conducted and included as part of the written loan agreement.

• The loan and transportation of the state collection must be insured for liability purposes.

• The state-approved repository director is responsible for ensuring that appropriate and timely administration of the loans is conducted.

• Other loan conditions must be addressed in the collections management policy of the repository that is loaning the material.

In-State Loans

State-approved Repositories may initiate in-state loans for the purpose of exhibition, conservation, study, nondestructive analysis, or fossil preparation without seeking approval from the State Archaeologist. 

Out-of-State Loans

The transport of material out of the state of Colorado following collection for nondestructive analysis, study, or routine fossil preparation is subject to the securing of a loan agreement between an out-of-state facility and the approved state repository either currently housing or intended to house the material and approval from the society via a Request for Approval for non-destructive out-of-state transportation through the following process.*

1. A draft copy of a loan agreement between the approved state repository and the out-of-state facility must be secured. Indicating that the repository is aware of this request and approves of the proposed loan.

2. Download the fillable request form here.

3. Submit the completed form, draft loan agreement, and any supporting documentation to hc_statecuration@state.co.us.

4. Notification of consent will be provided by the Office of the State Archaeologist to the approved repository and researcher within 30 days of submittal.

5. Following approval, a copy of the signed loan agreement must be submitted to the hc_statecuration@state.co.us by the entity requesting the loan.