Collection Planning and Management

Empower your organization with built-for-you collection management solutions

Establishing and managing a collection program poses significant challenges for archives, museums, and cultural heritage organizations. Whether you're just starting, relaunching, or working with an existing program, you need a system that’s sustainable and designed to power your goals. If the prospect of collection assessment or collection program development feels overwhelming, we offer simplified, step-by-step solutions with our signature Collection Planning and Management services.

Get Your Collection Management Plan

The Relicura Approach

We structure projects practically and intentionally. Beyond employing the best practices for assessing, organizing, digitizing, and providing access to your collections we’re adept at finding the latest tools to bring your project to fruition. If limited staffing has you feeling overstretched or the scale of your project feels daunting, we’re able to work with the resources available to you and empower your team to meet the mission.

About Us

Rachael was consistently clear and reliable as to how and when her services would be delivered under the Scope of Work of our contract and I was never disappointed or let down by performance less than promised or delivered late. She is always on time and exceedingly well prepared for appointments and is a real pleasure to work with. Her archival 'products'--agreed-upon work for us--have been thoughtfully composed and customized to meet our specific needs and circumstances. She is able to communicate clearly about what we often found to be confusing standards and mysterious software, as well as a vast spectrum of subjects like museum-related policies, accessioning, numbering, collections care and storage environment. I would highly recommend her to anyone needing a qualified consulting archivist and consider the Foundation very fortunate, indeed, to have stumbled upon a person of her caliber.

Rachael quickly turned around a collection survey, processing plan and draft budget for a large collection important to our university. Her work was high-quality, on-time and clearly communicated.

We contracted with Rachael to provide a review of our policies and processes for handling institutional records at a small liberal arts college. She was extremely detailed in her questions prior to the site visit, very efficient and thorough during her time on campus and delivered a report with clear guidance and recommendations. It was a great experience to work with her during and after her visit. In addition to her professionalism and attention to detail, she asked good, insightful questions that made us think about the nature of our work and forced us to make some tough decisions. I am hopeful that her consultation and report will help us move our institution in positive, new directions.

Our Expertise

We proudly offer fully customizable Collection Planning and Management services, including but not limited to:

Accessioning & Deaccessioning

Staff & Volunteer Training

Collection Digitization

Physical Care & Preservation

Space and Storage Guidance

Cataloging and Indexing

Future Scopes of Work

Policy & Procedure

Equipment & Supplies

Work With Us

How it works

Start | Kick-off meeting
Assess | Obtain images & documentation
Connect | Interview stakeholders
Compile | Synthesize key data
Share | Present findings & make program recommendations

About Us

What's Included?

A holistic evaluation will inform your entire strategy, support resource allocation with higher administration, and enhance your ability to secure grants and donor funding. Here's what you can expect when partnering with us:

360-Assessment: Following our in-depth assessment, we’ll generate a comprehensive collection plan or preservation-needs report. Our team will assess the overall condition of the collection, including preservation practices and any space or storage issues that may compromise its integrity. Additionally, we’ll verify alignment with the collection's subject matter and your collecting mission.

Expert Recommendations: We’ll offer recommendations for optimizing physical preservation of artifacts, paper, and photographs. Our team will also advise on facility upgrades, budgeting, staffing, supplies, and technology. Finally, our experts will suggest scopes of work to enhance the care, management, and accessibility of the collection.

Program Development: Next, we’ll curate a collection management strategy and craft policies and procedures integrating best practices for successful archives management. Your new program will also clearly outline collecting and deaccession protocols.

Implementation Support: The last phase will concentrate on orienting personnel with your new program. We provide training for both staff and volunteers, covering policy and procedures, and conduct sessions on proper handling, rehousing, preservation, repair, processing, cataloging, or digitization of collections.

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See Us in Action

Frequently Asked questions

We’re not exactly sure what we have or where to start…

I’m concerned about handling the collection or messing it up.

I’m not sure we have the personnel to properly sustain a program.

Not quite ready to get to work? No problem!

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