Community Design Workshop Notes - Loans Out

Owned by Megan Forbes
Last updated: Mar 12, 2009Version comment
2 min read

The Outgoing Loan Process

  • even before a request comes in, there is a need for loan standards
  • e.g. classes of loans
  • request comes in
  • legal paperwork is then required
  • condition reporting, packing, all the other logistical steps

Initiating a Loan

  • curatorial isn't always the first step in outgoing loans; sometimes registrars work directly with requests, but this process always starts with a request for a loan and review
  • at "Large Fine Art Museum," there are separate classes of loans:
    • somethings don't travel: too fragile, legal restrictions, etc.
    • will lend for important shows only
    • can travel frequently

Tracking Loan History

  • need to track this history of loans, sometimes done within the collections management system, other times elsewhere:
    • have we loaned this object before?
    • are we loaning this out too much?
  • major variation in the amount of loans: "Large Fine Art Museum" loans thousands, "New Media Museum" loans fewer

Information about Outgoing Loans

  • several different contacts at the other institution regarding the loan:
    • multiple venues
    • the exhibition organizer
    • the director
    • the curator
    • etc.

Special Conditions of a Loan

  • lighting conditions, humidity, etc.
  • special conditions governing the loan get sent off very early in the process
  • verifying that the conditions are being respected
  • where does the history of loan conditions get stored?
  • this is important information that reflects the history of the object
  • most institutions don't record this information

Other Notes

  • how to safely handle the object
  • installation instructions

Returned Loans

  • a curator always reviews the work when it comes back
  • conservation reports

Traveling Objects

  • in some cases, curators would travel to each venue to ensure it was being handled correctly, but it depends on the show and the work

Insurance Tracking

  • who insures the object?
  • for how much? privacy
  • auction prices and histories are often kept with the object

Physical Archiving

  • all legal paperwork gets archived physically
  • potential for digital archiving, especially as digital signatures become more frequent
  • condition reports usually go into the hardcopy archive
  • exhibition information is often physically archived:
  • loan agreements
  • curatorial information