A polite way to say 'no'

Preprint from New Zealand Conservations of Cultural Materials 2018 Conference.Abstract:As is the case in most countries, much of Australia’s cultural record is not housed in large national institutions but in smaller organisations, often located in remote regional or rural areas and with limited resources, and run by few staff, or by volunteers. Most have limited access to conservationexpertise. These organisations rely on accessible and practical advice in publications such as reCollections: Caring for Collections Across Australia (1998). Created as an initiative of the Heritage Collections Council in 1998 and supported by the Australian Federal Government reCollections has become an essential resource providing preventative conservation principles for Australian cultural organisations. The current program to update and create reCollections Onlineoffers the opportunity to engage current users and the wider community in contributing to a more tailored preventative conservation resource.A partnership between Bathurst Regional Council, NSW Australia, and the Grimwade Centre at the University of Melbourne brings together conservators and conservation students with Bathurst museum and heritage professionals and volunteers. A recent study, which interviewed heritageprofessionals in Bathurst and sought their involvement in the revision of reCollections, revealed a content gap in the Acquisitions and Significance section of reCollections. This revision identified the need for practical advice to inform decision making at the initial point of acquisitions throughto storage and display. The study also identified the need for professionals and volunteers to understand and assess personnel implications that might arise during or after the acquisition process.