noun / verb
accession
Formal addition of an item to an institutional collection.
The museum records the vase's accession before placing it in storage.
Etymology
Latin accessio could mean an addition. A museum or library accession is an item’s formal addition to the collection, with the verb naming the act of recording that addition.
More examples
- The librarian accessions a newly donated collection.
- Each accession receives a permanent identifying number.
- The archivist is accessioning letters from the poet's family.
Forms
accession · accessions · accessioned · accessioning
Similar words
- acquisition
- Obtaining an item rather than formally recording its addition.
- cataloging
- Describing and organizing items, often after their formal accession.