[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 36, Volume 1]
[Revised as of July 1, 2003]
From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access
[CITE: 36CFR79.9]

[Page 420-421]
 
              TITLE 36--PARKS, FORESTS, AND PUBLIC PROPERTY
 
      CHAPTER I--NATIONAL PARK SERVICE, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR
 
PART 79--CURATION OF FEDERALLY-OWNED AND ADMINISTERED ARCHAEOLOGICAL 
COLLECTIONS--Table of Contents
 
Sec. 79.9  Standards to determine when a repository possesses the 
capability to provide adequate long-term curatorial services.

    The Federal Agency Official shall determine that a repository has 
the capability to provide adequate long-term curatorial services when 
the repository is able to:
    (a) Accession, label, catalog, store, maintain, inventory and 
conserve the particular collection on a long-term basis using 
professional museum and archival practices; and
    (b) Comply with the following, as appropriate to the nature and 
consent of the collection;
    (1) Maintain complete and accurate records of the collection, 
including:
    (i) Records on acquisitions;
    (ii) Catalog and artifact inventory lists;
    (iii) Descriptive information, including field notes, site forms and 
reports;
    (iv) Photographs, negatives and slides;
    (v) Locational information, including maps;
    (vi) Information on the condition of the collection, including any 
completed conservation treatments;
    (vii) Approved loans and other uses;
    (viii) Inventory and inspection records, including any environmental 
monitoring records;
    (ix) Records on lost, deteriorated, damaged or destroyed Government 
property; and
    (x) Records on any deaccessions and subsequent transfers, 
repatriations or discards, as approved by the Federal Agency Official;
    (2) Dedicate the requisite facilities, equipment and space in the 
physical plant to properly store, study and conserve the collection. 
Space used for storage, study, conservation and, if exhibited, any 
exhibition must not be used for non-curatorial purposes that would 
endanger or damage the collection;
    (3) Keep the collection under physically secure conditions within 
storage, laboratory, study and any exhibition areas by:
    (i) Having the physical plant meet local electrical, fire, building, 
health and safety codes;
    (ii) Having an appropriate and operational fire detection and 
suppression system;
    (iii) Having an appropriate and operational intrusion detection and 
deterrent system;
    (iv) Having an adequate emergency management plan that establishes 
procedures for responding to fires, floods, natural disasters, civil 
unrest, acts of violence, structural failures and failures of mechanical 
systems within the physical plant;
    (v) Providing fragile or valuable items in a collection with 
additional security such as locking the items in a safe, vault or museum 
specimen cabinet, as appropriate;
    (vi) Limiting and controlling access to keys, the collection and the 
physical plant; and
    (vii) Inspecting the physical plant in accordance with Sec. 79.11 of 
this part for possible security weaknesses and environmental control 
problems, and taking necessary actions to maintain the integrity of the 
collection;
    (4) Require staff and any consultants who are responsible for 
managing and preserving the collection to be qualified museum 
professionals;
    (5) Handle, store, clean, conserve and, if exhibited, exhibit the 
collection in a manner that:
    (i) Is appropriate to the nature of the material remains and 
associated records;
    (ii) Protects them from breakage and possible deterioration from 
adverse temperature and relative humidity, visible light, ultraviolet 
radiation, dust, soot, gases, mold, fungus, insects, rodents and general 
neglect; and
    (iii) Preserves data that may be studied in future laboratory 
analyses. When material remains in a collection are to be treated with 
chemical solutions or preservatives that will permanently alter the 
remains, when possible, retain untreated representative samples of each 
affected artifact type, environmental specimen or other category of 
material remains to be treated. Untreated samples should not be 
stabilized or conserved beyond dry brushing;
    (6) Store site forms, field notes, artifacts inventory lists, 
computer disks and tapes, catalog forms and a copy of

[[Page 421]]

the final report in a manner that will protect them from theft and fire 
such as:
    (i) Storing the records in an appropriate insulated, fire resistant, 
locking cabinet, safe, vault or other container, or in a location with a 
fire suppression system;
    (ii) Storing a duplicate set of records in a separate location; or
    (iii) Ensuring that records are maintained and accessible through 
another party. For example, copies of final reports and site forms 
frequently are maintained by the State Historic Preservation Officer, 
the State Archeologist or the State museum or universtiy. The Tribal 
Historic Preservation Officer and Indian tribal museum ordinarily 
maintain records on collections recovered from sites located on Indian 
lands. The National Technical Information Service and the Defense 
Technical Information Service maintain copies of final reports that have 
been deposited by Federal agencies. The National Archeological Database 
maintains summary information on archeological reports and projects, 
including information on the location of those reports.
    (7) Inspect the collection in accordance with Sec. 79.11 of this 
part for possible deterioration and damage, and perform only those 
actions as are absolutely necessary to stabilize the collection and rid 
it of any agents of deterioration;
    (8) Conduct inventories in accordance with Sec. 79.11 of this part 
to verify the location of the material remains, associated records and 
any other Federal personal property that is furnished to the repository; 
and
    (9) Provide access to the collection in accordance with Sec. 79.10 
of this part.

[55 FR 37630, Sept. 12, 1990; 55 FR 41639, Oct. 10, 1990]