Accession Date
Accession Date
Section titled “Accession Date”Definition
Section titled “Definition”Accession date is the date when an object formally entered a collection system and became part of a documented record structure.
It should not be confused with the date an object was made, found, photographed, digitized, or described.
Why It Matters
Section titled “Why It Matters”Accession date helps distinguish object history from record history. It supports traceability, revision tracking, and collection management.
How to Read It
Section titled “How to Read It”- Check whether the date refers to accession, acquisition, digitization, or record creation.
- Avoid treating accession date as the object’s creation date.
- Compare accession date with catalog number and provenance notes.
Teaching Use
Section titled “Teaching Use”Ask students to compare “object date,” “accession date,” and “record updated date.” What does each one tell us?
Related Terms
Section titled “Related Terms”Public Sources
Section titled “Public Sources”Public sources will be added as this entry is reviewed and expanded.
Scope Note
Section titled “Scope Note”This entry explains accession date as a documentation field. It does not provide acquisition, transfer, valuation, legal, or collection-intake guidance.