Which criteria should a collection policy define for deaccession?

• A. No longer fits collection scope, poor condition, questionable provenance, or misattribution
• B. High auction price
• C. Popular ity with staff
• D. Ownership by current holder

Answer: (A)

Deaccession criteria must tie decisions to the collection’s purpose and stewardship, using objective, recordable reasons. An item belongs in the policy if it no longer fits the collection’s scope, is in poor condition, has questionable provenance, or is misattributed. These factors protect the collection’s integrity: scope keeps the collection coherent with its mission; condition addresses safety and cost of ongoing care; provenance and attribution safeguard scholarly accuracy and trust, ensuring records reflect true history and ownership. Values like potential auction price, staff popularity, or current holder ownership do not justify removing an item on their own, because they can distort stewardship and scholarly reliability.