We have several Valuation Purposes (i.e. types of valuation):
         object valuation - curatorial
         object valuation - appraiser
         object valuation - donor/lender
         object valuation - vendor
         purchase price (which may reflect a discount on the vendor's 
'object valuation')
(We feel it's important to know where the valuation came from. A name 
in the "Appraiser" field may not mean anything to us 25 years later!)
For insurance reports, we print out the most recent "object 
valuation", whatever the category.

For all new acquisitions, the valuation is entered by the registrars 
and appears on reports at the new acquisition meetings with the 
director. For older objects, the curators can be provided with 
valuation reports for a specific list of objects. If they want to 
increase the value, then they give the new values to the registrars 
and they update them. Cumbersome for them, I know, but not all 
curators are careful with the information - some tend to print things 
out on paper and leave them lying around . . .

Gillian
Harvard Art Museum

At 02:27 PM 1/23/2009, you wrote:
>Gillian
>Quick question; who determines your values? At Yale University Art 
>Gallery values are researched and evaluated by the curators. 
>Therefore they have access and are responsible for maintaining current values.
>Lynne Addison
>
>L. Lynne Addison
>Registrar
>Yale University Art Gallery
>203.432.0604
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: The Museum System (TMS) Users <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
>Sent: Fri Jan 23 14:22:10 2009
>Subject: Re: Valuation and Storage Location db fields - Curator's rights
>
>At the Harvard Art Museum, only our five registrars have access to 
>the Valuation information. This can be frustrating for the curators, 
>but we feel that for security reasons, confidentiality is essential. 
>If they want to know the current valuation for an object, they ask 
>the registrars.
>
>Locations can be seen by registrars. The permanent curatorial staff 
>can see the locations for their individual departments only (and 
>they can only modify their own department's records). Our 
>preparators and a few people who are responsible for finding things 
>in storage can also see locations. Nobody else can see them.
>
>Only registrars can perform moves in TMS, create new Object records, 
>modify object numbers, view and modify Loans, Shipping and Insurance.
>
>Hope this is useful to you!
>All the best,
>
>Gillian McMullen
>Collections Information Specialist
>Collections Management Department
>Harvard Art Museum
>
>
>At 01:03 PM 1/23/2009, you wrote:
>
>
>         I am conducting an informal survey.  Your feedback will be 
> greatly appreciated.
>
>         What type of rights do curators in your museum have for the 
> following database fields:
>
>         - Valuation field: Viewing rights only?  Edit rights? None 
> of these rights?
>         - Storage Location field: Viewing rights only?
>
>         You can respond off the list if you wish.  My email address is below.
>
>         Thanks,
>
>         Noel Valentin
>         Registrar
>         EL MUSEO DEL BARRIO
>         1230 Fifth Avenue
>         New York, NY  10029
>         Tel:  (212) 660 - 7120
>         Fax: (212) 831 7927
>         Email: [log in to unmask]