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Loans out
This document was written, and licensed for publication by the Collections Trust.
Loans out is a Primary Procedure. This means that in order to meet the documentation requirements for the Museum Accreditation Scheme an organisation must reach the SPECTRUM Minimum Standard.
Loans can be initiated either by the receiving organisation or by the lender. Reasons for a proposed loan might include:
- Exhibition;
- Photography;
- Research;
- Conservation.
SPECTRUM defines Loans out as:
Documenting and managing the loan of objects to other organisations or individuals for a specific period of time and for a specific purpose, normally exhibition/display, but including research, conservation, photography and education.
The organisation must have a policy covering the assessment of loan requests and a standard set of conditions which borrowers must meet.
The procedure for documenting and managing loans out must:
- Ensure that all loan requests are assessed according to the organisation's policy;
- Ensure that there are written agreements signed by both borrower and lender before the loan commences;
- Ensure that the loan is for a finite period;
- Ensure that the organisation retains a record of all loans, including details of the borrower, the venues, the loan period and the purpose of the loan;
- Enable effective control of the loan process;
- Ensure that the borrower confirms their intent and ability to provide an acceptable level of care, security and safekeeping for the object and to conform to the conditions of loan specified;
- Ensure that the loaned objects are covered by insurance or indemnity as appropriate for the duration of the loan period.
Getting Started
The best place to start is with the Collections Trust's publication Documentation: a practical guide (see ' Shop' for further information).
Guidelines and Factsheets
- Loans Records (Outgoing Loans) (Collections Trust)
SPECTRUM Standard Procedure
For the full procedure on Loans out, download SPECTRUM here.
Further Resources
- Loans (MGC) offers basic guidance on loans. It is based on work by Dr. Patricia Andrew for the Museums and Galleries Commission (now Museums, Libraries and Archives Council) series 'standards in the museum care of collections'.
- The Museum Association's Effective Collections Programme offers support materials and information on setting up and administering long loans.
© All material on Collections Link, copyright MDA and other National Organisations 2006, all rights reserved.
