In May 2023, the ICOM DOCUMENTATION board launched a task force to develop an official definition for ‘museum documentation’— a short statement that aims to encapsulate the scope, boundaries, and applications of documentation activities in museums. The process of drafting the definition has been iterative and collaborative, inviting multiple opportunities for feedback and public commentary from a diverse, global group of museum documentalists.
Now, the task force is soliciting feedback on translations of the definition in French, Spanish, German, and Arabic, and warmly invites native speakers to comment on these translations. To participate and learn more about this project, submit responses using the following links, one for each translation:
Spanish survey
Arabic survey
German survey
French survey

Here are a few more details about this process:
We are most interested in hearing from native speakers about how well the definition reflects the work of ‘museum documentation’ in their language and culture.
Submissions will be accepted until Jun 30.
All feedback will be reviewed by the Museum Documentation Definition Task Force, incorporated into the final draft of the definition itself, and included as a reference source in any subsequent journal articles or ICOM DOCUMENTATION materials about the definition.
All feedback is anonymous.
The final draft of the definition will be presented at the ICOM conference in Dubai this coming November.
Any questions can be forwarded to Adele Barbato, ICOM DOCUMENTATION board member and chair of the Museum Documentation Definition Task Force.