Code of Ethics

NORTH TONAWANDA HISTORY MUSEUM

CODE OF ETHICS
For
Board of Trustees, Advisory Committee, Professional Staff and Volunteers

Adopted by the Board of Trustees on September 12, 2005 

MISSION:

The mission of the North Tonawanda History Museum is to assemble, preserve, protect and exhibit collections pertaining to the history of North Tonawanda, its people and community life, focusing especially on our rich immigrant heritage and role as an important shipping and manufacturing center strategically located on the historic Erie Canal and Niagara River in the 19 th and 20 th centuries. As a research and educational institution, we plan to be both an active participant in the historical and cultural tourism focus of North Tonawanda and a focal point for students of all ages to participate in historical studies and activities of the city.

The North Tonawanda History Museum (NTHM) is dedicated to its mission and recognizes that as the object of a public trust its value to the community is in direct proportion to the quality of service rendered and that intellectual and professional knowledge are not, in themselves, sufficient, but must be inspired by a high standard of ethical conduct and loyalty to the museum profession.

Loyalty to the NTHM’s mission and its public is paramount, and the duty of loyalty must never be compromised. In subscribing to this code, NTHM assumes responsibility for the actions of board members, staff and volunteers in the performance of museum-related duties.

Like all museums, the NTHM’s mission is grounded in the tradition of public service. Organized as a public trust (501(c)3), the museum holds its collections and information as a benefit for those it was established to serve. Board members, staff and volunteers are committed to the interests of these beneficiaries.

GOVERNANCE

The NTHM is governed by a Board of Trustees, and receives additional expertise and guidance from a non-voting Advisory Committee. The following guidelines apply to both bodies:

The Board of Trustees, ultimately responsible for protecting NTHM’s assets and for fulfilling the museum’s educational mission on behalf of the community, will work to protect and enhance all physical, human and financial resources, and will ensure that all resources support the museum’s mission and respond to the diversity found within the community.

The Board of Trustees will ensure that all those who work for, or on behalf of the museum, understand and support its mission, and will fulfill its responsibilities as a public trust;

Members of the Board of Trustees will understand and fulfill their roles as trustees, always acting corporately, not as individuals;

Recognizing that trustees are often selected to serve because of particular expertise related to the activities of the museum, each trustee will conduct all of his/her activities in such a way that no conflict of interest will arise in regard to museum policies and operations. Because the reputation of the museum can be damaged, the appearance of such conflicts will also be avoided. Trustees will disclose any potential for conflict, and will abstain from discussing and voting on any related issue. Governance will promote the public good, rather than individual financial gain;

Trustees will work to ensure that the museum’s collections, programs, and physical, human and financial resources are protected, maintained and developed in support of the museum’s mission;

Trustees will ensure that all NTHM programs are responsive to and representative of the diverse interests of the community;

The trustees will maintain and equitable relationship with the staff in which shared roles are recognized and separate responsibilities respected;

Trustees, with guidance from the Director, will ensure that professional standards and practices inform and guide all museum operations;

All museum policies will be clearly articulated and periodically reviewed.


STAFF

NTHM’s day-to-day operations are overseen and conducted by the Director,

Because they are never wholly separable from NTHM, employees of the museum will not abuse their official positions or their contacts within the museum community, impair in any way the performance of their official duties, compete with the museum, or bring discredit or embarrassment to the NTHM or the museum profession in general. Staff must diligently avoid actual and potential conflicts of interest.

While outside employment and consulting can benefit both the museum and staff member, such activity must be undertaken with the fundamental premise that the employee’s primary responsibility is to the NTHM, that any such outside activity will not interfere with the staff member’s ability to discharge this responsibility, and that it will not compromise the professional integrity of the employee or the reputation of the museum. Employees must disclose to the Director the facts concerning any planned outside employment or consulting arrangements that are in any way related to the functions that such employees perform for the museum.

Disclosure is not required for employees’ outside activities on behalf of voluntary community groups or other public service organizations, except for those organizations which are museum-related, where the staff members could appear to be acting in their official capacity. Individuals should conduct themselves so that their outside activities on behalf of community organizations do not reflect adversely on the reputation or integrity of the museum.

NTHM employees must not accept gifts, favors, loans or other dispensations that are offered to them in connection with their duties for the institution. However, employees may accept gifts of trifling value when acceptance would not appear to impair their judgment or otherwise influence museum-related decisions. Meals, accommodation and travel expenses while on official museum business may be accepted if clearly in the interest of the museum and if travel has been pre-approved by the Director.


VOLUNTEERS

NTHM relies on a strong corps of volunteers to carry out its day-to-day operations, and individuals are involved in a wide range of museum activities. Access to confidential information regarding museum operations is a privilege which binds volunteers to the same standards of ethics which bind employees and trustees.

Paid staff will be supportive of volunteers, recognize them as fellow workers, and willingly provide appropriate training and opportunities for intellectual enrichment.

Although the museum might provide appropriate special privileges and incentives as benefits, volunteers should not accept gifts, favors, discounts, loans or other dispensations offered to them by outside parties in connection with carrying out their duties to the institution. Conflict of interest restrictions placed upon the staff and board must be explained to volunteers, and, where relevant, observed by them. Volunteers must hold confidential matters of program function and administration.


MANAGEMENT

Professionalism

Members of the governing body must respect the professional expertise of the staff, each having been hired for their special knowledge and abilities in some aspect of the museum’s operations. Governance must be structured so that the resolution of issues involving professional matters incorporates the opinions and professional judgments of relevant members of the museum staff. While responsibility for final decisions may rest with the governing body, and staff is expected to abide by such decisions, no staff member can be required to reverse, alter or suppress his/her professional judgment in order to conform to a management decision. Collectively, staff is most familiar with the museum, its assets and varying constituencies. As such, they should be heard by the governing body on matters affecting the general long-term direction of the institution.

Personnel Practices and Equal Opportunity

In all matters relating to staffing practices at NTHM, the standard will be an individual’s abilities in the relevant discipline. In these matters, as well as trustee selection, management practices, volunteer recruitment, collection usage, and services to the public, decisions will not be made on the basis of any discriminatory factors, including race, ethnicity, religion, gender, age, disability or sexual orientation.

Inter-Institutional Cooperation

In its efforts to contribute to the preservation of the community’s cultural heritage, and to educate various constituencies, NTHM will encourage and seek opportunities for cooperative efforts with other community organizations in furthering these goals. The museum welcomes such efforts even if the short-term advantages are few and it will not significantly increase the museum’s own holding or specifically enhance its image, if such activates are appropriately tied to the museum’s mission.


THE COLLECTIONS

Management

The NTHM’s obligation to professionally care for and manage its collections is paramount. All activities relating to the collections will adhere to professionally accepted standards and will be clearly articulated in the museum’s Collections Management Policy, a document which is periodically reviewed and revised as needed. Stewardship of the collections is a primary function of the museum in its role as a public trust, and carries with it the presumption of ri8ghtful ownership, permanence, care, documentation, accessibility and responsible disposal.

All collections in the NTHM’s custody will support its mission and public trust responsibilities;

All collections will be protected, secure, unencumbered, cared for and preserved;

All collections will be accounted for and documented;

Access to the collections and their documentation is permitted and regulated;

Acquisition, deaccessioning and loan activities will be conducted in a manner that respects the protection and preservation of the objects and such activities will conform to the NTHM’s mission and public trust responsibilities.

Appraisals

Staff will not make value appraisals on objects given or sold to the NTHM. Parties that request such appraisals should be advised to contact an independent appraiser.

Personal Collecting

While NTHM-related individuals’ acquiring, collecting and owning of objects is not in itself unethical, such individuals’ collecting should not compete with the museum’s collecting efforts. No museum employee, trustee or volunteer may use their museum affiliation to promote their personal collecting activities.

Deaccessioning

When considering deaccession of an object, the NTHM will establish that it has the legal right to do so – that clear title has been established, and that the object is not restricted in any way.

The NTHM will not allow any deaccessioned objects to be acquired privately by any museum employee, officer, volunteer, member of its governing board, nor their representatives.

In disposing of an object, the museum will give due consideration to the museum community in general and local museums in particular, as well as the wishes and the financial needs of the institution. Sales to, or exchanges between institutions should be considered as well as disposal through the trade. In addition to the potential financial returns from deaccessioning activities, the museum will consider the full range of factors affecting the public interest.

Proceeds from deaccessioning activities will be used exclusively for the direct care of the museum’s permanent collections, or on rare occasion, for the purchase of new acquisitions that might become available.

Commercial Use

In developing replicas, reproductions, adaptations, or other commercial items based on objects in the museum’s collections, all aspects of the commercial venture will be carried out in a manner that will not discredit either the integrity of the museum or the intrinsic value of the original object. Great care will be taken to identify permanently such objects for what they are, and to ensure the accuracy and high quality of their manufacture.


PROGRAMS

In fulfilling its mission, the NTHM uses its collections in developing educational programs and publications which are responsive to the concerns, interests and needs of diverse constituencies throughout the community.

All NTHM programs and publications will support the museum’s mission and fulfill its responsibilities as a public trust;

All programs and publications will be founded on sound scholarship and marked by intellectual integrity;

All programs will be accessible and will encourage participation of the widest possible audience, consistent with the museum’s mission and resources;

All programs and publications will respect pluralistic values, traditions and concerns;

Any revenue-producing activities, and any activities that involve relationships with outside entities, will be compatible with the museum’s mission and support its public trust responsibilities;