Best Practices for Managing Federal Museum Collections

Section B. - Provide Good Customer Service

B-4 Know the location of each object in your Federal museum collections

Collection items that cannot be found cannot be used.

Effective use of museum collection items requires that items in the collections be easily located. Location data may exist in museum catalog systems or in finding aids. These data are required for effective management of the collections for accountability, security, access, and maintenance.

Department of the Interior (DOI)
411 DM, Volume II, Inventory and Other Special Instructions
http://www.doi.gov/museum/policy/pdf/mphii-1.pdf

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)
Personal Property - Physical Inventory
http://www.pps.noaa.gov/New_menu/physical.htm?#Why%20is%20a%20physical%20inventory%20important