Loans Out Use Cases

• Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (UC Berkeley)
• UC Museum of Paleontology (UC Berkeley)
• Essig Museum of Entomology (UC Berkeley)
• Statens Museum for Kunst

Phoebe A. Hearst Museum of Anthropology (UC Berkeley)

Loans Out

Michael Black: PAHMA serendipitously performed a recent review of its loan policies and procedures.

PAHMA is a collections-heavy museum. We have a constant stream of loan requests. Monthly meetings with ~15 items requested, may move to semi-monthly. We do far more work around out loans, and those loans take more time and effort for us then in loans.

Often, loan requests are concentrated on those items that we've got photographed, in existing exhibits, or were photographed in books, etc. Delphi collections browser may help prospective borrowers diversify their requests and find more items of interest.

In all cases, an out loan starts with gathering of data.

Is institution to whom loan will go suitable?

Starts with an American Assn. of Museums Standard Facility Report. A major 30 page, paper-based report, purchasable from AAM - has an ISBN. We have a Microsoft Word copy; we may have typed that in by hand. (A PDF copy of that report is attached to this wiki page.)

This AAM report is required by accredited museums. Not that many - perhaps just ~750 accredited museums in the US, including just two (PAHMA and ?) at Berkeley. (This paragraph is inserted here from the notes of a follow-on discussion in the Services Team Design Meeting of August 6, 2009.)

Done for every single loan, because things change from time to time. Entire report has to be redone, although often institutions save old report and revise.

Report is reviewed by museum, primarily by conservators. Do we need construct special cases to protect from specific risks, like UV?

Get requests for general items, e.g. Bakersfield, want Egyptian stuff for first time. Others want specific items. Look for matches. Have conservator do condition report on what's capable of going out.

Reviewed by conservators, approved, approved in part.

Conservators may do microvacuuming ($20 per item), or carry out conservation tasks extending into the thousands of dollars, prior to lending.

Appraisal forms.

Need to arrange for appraisal, insurance (receiving institution), crating, transportation. May be PAHMA, sub-contractor, receiving institution (but still with PAHMA charges).

Mainly what we need are a lot of exact information, but in terms of auxiliary paperwork, not a lot - mainly the Facilities Report.

Chris H.: Keep all transaction history around approval?

Michael: Yes, and more than that. We'll want to track extensions to loans, additions of items to loans, movement of a loan recipient between campus departments.

Sometimes they may borrow 30, extend 20 and return 10. Done now with paper trail. Original contract is lost.

If the Facilities report were electronic. What are the things that need to be done between someone saying, "we want to borrow this," and until the loan is done should be organized into a workflow so we can see what needs to be done. Multiple condition reports - one initial, one close to loan, one at the borrowing institution's site - literally may send someone to Alaska to check on there.

Generally, if we're lending to a museum with reasonable staff, may ask them to check on, lend them a hygrometer, ask for readings. If it's a traveling exhibit, small museum, we may have responsibility to check on our objects in person.

Richard: To what extent are onsite checks performed in the life sciences?

Susan: Often very informal.

Michael: Primarily humanities, arts, social sciences. Not much in fossils, rocks ... my background.

Richard: Placeholder form/schema to fill out?

Michael: Something like the Facilities Report will become more and more common as museums become more formal.

Richard: Other area with similar depth of reporting - exhibitions, closely related to in-loans.

Susan and Michael: Done now through formal checklists, committees.

De-accessioning through formal check-list.

Michael: Thought came up during community workshops. It exists in current CMSes but can just ignore it now. In TMS, 'has this been approved, tentative' in Getty terminology, is there to optionally fill in, does not enforce.

Sanjay: Came up earlier in discussions, tension between availability of workflow and concerns over constraining work of museum staff. Desiderata of making this available for museums to use; exposing workflow capabilities.

Michael: Such a push in museums these days for policy, best practices, etc. Collection managers in our museum feeling overworked, "don't tell me how to work, I'm so overloaded, I just want to get the work done."

Richard: Idea of checklist.

Susan: Word is not as scary as workflow, might be received better.

Michael: Want notifications, ticklers.

Want to go to out loans that are not indefinite, but rather no more than one-year, with review and extension. Notifications would greatly help.

Michael: (Showed example request, well-done.) Often attachments; e.g. photos. Currently, difficult to add attachments in TMS.

Richard: Would you like prospective borrower to fill out forms?

Introduces potential requirement for access by external parties.

Michael: Potentially give accounts to staff of these institutions.

Michael: Loans are now increasingly vital to the museum remaining relevant. A larger share of our value.

Richard: What can't be done electronically?

Michael: Group discussion - can't have everyone vote online - back and forth discussion is vital. Offsite work, at the institution, but even that could be documented.

Richard: Need metadata for attachments?

Michael: Yes. Need structured metadata to find documents associated with particular institutions, loans, etc.

If the public is given some way to apply for a loan online, could present lead times required for each stage of the process.

It is rare that someone needs some specific item. PAHMA has so many items, that we can usually suggest something highly similar that a prospective borrower might want.

Generally, as a collections manager, you try to avoid handling objects. When you have an opportunity where you need to do so, in the process of initiating loans or exhibits, etc., you take advantage by performing lots of updates - measurements, photographs, other data capture. (This paragraph is inserted here from the notes of a follow-on discussion in the Services Team Design Meeting of August 6, 2009.)

UC Museum of Paleontology

Background

UCMP comprises four collections (vertebrates, invertebrates, paleobotany, and microfossils).  When the current UCMP system was developed, there was insufficient time to build a loans module.  The four collections manage their loans as follows:

• Vertebrate: Pat uses a dBase/DOS database (copy of main DBF files obtained)
• Invertebrate: Mark has Pat do loans because he has a Macintosh and can not use the dBase files.  Pat processes the invertebrates in the same dBase system, using "I" in the division field.
• Paleobotany: Diane uses a separate dBase/DOS database which appears to have the same structure as the vertebrate version.  Hoffman visited with Diane and saw the dBase system in action, but we could use a copy of the files in order to determine whether there are any schema differences.
• Microfossil: Ken gets very few loans.  He uses a Word template to create the loan agreement and maintains the paper copy in files. (Word file obtained.)

The primary dBase files are stored on Pat's and Diane's individual work machines, which are then backed up to a server that is also backed up.

For the curators, the main challenges appear to be around managing complex loans, partial returns, and so on.  Because the legacy systems are Windows-based, Mark can not view them or process invertebrate loans.  Prof. Lindberg expressed concern about two problems. First, four curators are managing loans in four separate ways using different tools, creating a lot of risk for the museum.  Second, the loans are not directly tied to the objects in the collection management system.

Schema and functionality

• The vertebrate dBase file has about 1,050 invoices/loans and 13,250 associated line items for loaned specimens.
• The system is focused mostly on outgoing loans.  UCMP does use their system to document the return of specimens loaned to UCMP scientists.  Generally, documentation for "loans in" is considered the responsibility of the loaning institution and is primarily an agreement between the loaning institution and the UCMP scientist.
• The two main functions are 1) data entry of information about the loan and the loaned specimens and 2) printing of the loan agreement.  The system is also used to search for extant loans and process returns.
• Core loan information (called the Invoice in the UCMP system) includes the identification of the loanee, the term or due date for the loan (extensions are very common), shipping information, the loan number, the loan type, and confirmation of receipt.
• Core information about the loaned specimens includes: the specimen number if catalogued, the locality number of the specimen (required, see below), taxonomic identification, description (e.g., if a part of a specimen), permissions and restrictions regarding treatment of the loaned specimen (what can and can not be done), the condition of the object or part, quantity or count, and the return date.
• Most fields are optional, and data quality will be an issue if migrating data is performed.
• UCMP tries to loan out catalogued specimens, so nearly all loaned specimens have specimen numbers.  However this is not always feasible.  For the paleobotany collection, the specimen number is optional.  However the locality number is required (see below).
• While the current practice is to try and loan catalogued specimens, there are several thousand specimens that appear in the loans database that do not appear in the specimen database because some legacy specimen data has not been loaded into the current system.
• There are other tables that support the system.  For example, loanees are identified in separate institution table.
• It is very common for loans to be extended.  It is unusual for loanees to request these explicitly, and in fact one of the main challenges is keeping track of which loanees need to be contacted regarding extensions.  It is also common for parts of loans to come back.  Extensions are not well tracked in the systems.
• UCMP loans parts of specimens, whole specimens, slides, and so on.
• UCMP is challenged by institutions, loanees, and contact information.  The dBase systems do not track email addresses.  Institutions undergo reorganization.  Loanees move from one institution to another, often taking loans with them.  Loanees sometimes pass away, and their collections (even loans) often transfer to someone else or to the institution.  Collection managers know their communities quite well and have to track this kind of thing.  At the same time, UCMP staff said they do not want to spend all their time managing information about institutions and people.  Pat says that the systems are relying too much on authority tables.  She wants to ask the question, "How many loaned specimens are in New York?" 
• When specimens are returned, it is common to have new identification information or new derivatives (slides, dissections, and so on).
• UCMP includes basic taxonomic information about loaned specimens.  Currently, they enter free text (e.g., "hadrosaur").
• For UCMP, some additional attributes of the loaned specimen are salient:
  • division (vertebrate, invertebrate, microfossil, and paleobotany)
  • locality number (the georeferenced point in space and in geologic time from which a fossil was collected) which is made up of two fields in the database:
    • locality prefix (a one or two character string that identifies a part of the collection)
    • locality number (unique number within the locality prefix set)
• One UCMP specimen can have many parts, and parts are often loaned separately.  It is not uncommon for one specimen to have parts in several different loan records.
• Diane emphasized how important it was to maintain a data entry capability.  After entering information about the loaned specimen, she can "carryforward" that information to the next row for the next loaned specimen.  This helps her processing of loan requests.
• There is a field in the UCMP specimen database that can be used for loans.  Pat (vertebrate collection) uses this for some loans, though she has to enter it separately.  (Copy of specimen records with non-null non-blank loan values obtained.)
• Some cataloguing is outsourced to University of Washington.  Pat will enter "UW" in the specimen system, partially in order to reserve specimen numbers for UW to use.  75% of the vertebrate collection cataloging is now done offsite.  
• Specimens are used extensively by researchers in the building and for teaching.  Pat does not record these in the vertebate dBase file, using a "blue card" system instead (whereby a blue card is filled out and put in the specimen drawer).  Diane does enter this information into the paleobotany dBase file.
• The loan transaction itself is independent of the taxon (which is tied of course to the associated loaned specimen record).  In theory, a single loan transaction could comprise specimens from multiple sections of the museum.

Essig Museum of Entomology

Background

Cheryl is responsible for specimen loans from the Essig collection.  She uses a Microsoft Access database that has been developed by students (and informatics programmers?) over the years.  Database files are stored on a server and are backed up.  (Access file obtained.)

Schema and functionality

• Essig has about 2000 loans recorded in Access (since about 1947) with about 2500 associated records in the loaned specimen subform.  However, because each loaned specimen line can represent thousands of loaned specimens, the number of loaned specimens is very large.  Note that all loans are also recorded in a physical ledger, and a sizeable number of old loans are not entered into the Access system.
• The Access system is focused on outgoing loans. 
• The two main functions are 1) data entry of the loan information and loaned specimens and 2) printing of a form letter (the loan agreement).  The system is also used to search for extant loans and process returns.
• Core loan information includes the identification of the loanee, the term or due date for the loan (extensions are very common), shipping information, the loan number, the loan type (loan, gift, transfer, loan+gift, and so on), and confirmation of receipt.
• Core information about the loaned specimens includes: taxonomic identification, quantity borrowed, quantity returned, the specimen preparation (pinned, slide), comments such as permissions and restrictions regarding treatment of the loaned specimen (what can and can not be done), the condition of the object or part, and the extension date.  Most loaned specimens are not catalogued (due to the vast size of the physical collection), but if a specimen number does exist, it is recorded in a comments field.
• Most fields are optional, and data quality will be an issue if migrating data is performed.
• There are other tables that support the system.  For example, loanees are identified in a separate table.  Essig has tables with taxonomic information that can be used in the loaned specimen subform to identify the taxon.  Because these taxonomic dropdowns are not refreshed with new data, Cheryl can enter free text in the identification fields.
• It is very common for loans to be extended.  It is unusual for loanees to request these explicitly, and in fact one of the main challenges is keeping track of which loanees need to be contacted regarding extensions.  It is also common for parts of loans to come back.  An Extension Date field does exist though it is blank for all but 30 records.
• Essig loans pinned and unpinned specimens, specimens in alcohol, and so on.
• Essig is challenged by institutions, loanees, and contact information.  The Access system does not track email addresses.  Institutions undergo reorganization.  Loanees move from one institution to another, often taking loans with them.  Loanees sometimes pass away, and their collections (even loans) often transfer to someone else or to the institution.  Collection managers know their communities quite well and have to track this kind of thing.
• When specimens are returned, it is common to have new identification information or new derivatives (slides, dissections, and so on).
• Most loans are for specimens that are not in the specimen database.  However, Cheryl does use the Essig's species database while processing loans.  The species database is separate from their specimen database, and it records the identity of taxa in the collection.  The species database is being built up over time to help researchers, the public, and museum staff know what is in the collection at the level of scientific taxa.
• Essig can record more detailed identification information (class, order, family, subfamily, tribe, and genus-species).  However, in most cases, this is just the information that is included with the physical specimen (e.g., on the label); identification might be at the family/genus level.
• One line item in the loaned specimens table can have counts greater than one (e.g., 45 pinned aphids of a specific taxa).  It is not unusual to loan out thousands of specimens in one loan.
• It is common practice amongst entomologists that the loanee can keep a certain number of the loaned specimens unless otherwise specified.
• Cheryl has to complete reports annually or for grants (e.g., number of loaned specimens, number of individuals or institutions borrowing from Essig).
• If a return comes in with new identification information, Cheryl makes sure the taxon is in the species database (but not necessarily the specimen database).
• In house loans are not very common.  Students can come in and examine specimens, and a checkout sheet can be used if someone borrows a specimen.  However, for entomology students (and researchers generally), common practice is to go to the field and collect new specimens.

Statens Museum for Kunst

Procedures relating to loans out

Arrival of Loan Application

The new loan application is created/scanned and a document (general info) with a list of the requested works is created in the Registratur2000 programme (annex 1 ). The request is then entered into the documents Pending approval loan out cases (annex 2 ) and All loan out cases.

The scanned loan application and the Reg2000 list of the requested works are circulated to the relevant curators in SAFO before the loan meeting.

Loan Meeting

The following documents are updated and circulated a couple of days before the meeting: Pending approval loan out cases and List of approved loans out (annex 3 )

The material is sent to the regular attendees and relevant curators and conservators together with details of the time and place for the meeting. The material shall also be sent to Peter Nørgaard Larsen and Troels Filtenborg for orientation.

Processing the Loan Application

Acceptance/refusal from SAFO at the loan meeting/between the meetings
In the case of acceptance by SAFO, a new document is created in Reg2000 (To Conservation:
What is the condition of the following work(s)?/Conservation notification) (annex 4 ) which is sent to the loan conservator from Conservation of works of art on paper or Conservation of paintings

Facility report (can be downloaded by borrower from www.smk.dk)
This is requested from the borrower if it is not already enclosed with the loan application. The report is passed on to the appropriate loan conservators (according to the type of work(s)) and to the Head of Security for approval/comments

In case of refusal from SAFO – subsequent refusal from conservators – refusal based on facilities
Notification of the refusal stating the reasons for refusal is sent to the loan applicant by letter or mail
The refusal is recorded in All loan out cases and is deleted from Pending approval loan out cases

In case of acceptance by the conservator and approval of the facility report the insurance values are obtained from the relevant curator in SAFO (annex 5 )

Submitting Loan Agreement

Loan Agreement (annexes 6 (English) and 7 (Danish) )
NOTE: For international loans including the Nordic area) the English version of the Loan Agreement should always be used.
Specific information about the work(s) is filled in together with special conditions such as “microclimate frame” or special transportation requirements. Two printed copies are sent to the borrower who must sign and return one copy.

• A covering letter to the borrower is composed and 3 copies are printed. These are issued to the borrower, the case file and the journal respectively
• Status is recorded in All loan out cases and is deleted from Pending approval loan out cases
• Print Transport Requirements in English/Danish.

The following is sent to the borrower:
Covering letter
Agreement (two copies)
Transport Requirements

Print ‘heading’ for the case file
Enter the loan into All loan out cases (for the current year(s)) and List of approved loans out

Globus-registration – if necessary only on receipt of the signed agreement from borrower
Ensure that the insurance values are entered
Enter gross measurements
Create the exhibition, attach relevant works
Create the starting date of the exhibition in the record of exhibition. Use e.g. the function ”Location of several works” (starting date/’reservation of the work for loan out’ for location can differ from starting date of the exhibition).

Before the exhibition opening and when the time of the transportation is agreed, the location of the work is updated to the departure time from SMK
Before the return of the loan and when the time of the transportation is agreed, the location is updated according to the arrival time

Immediately after the actual arrival of the loan to SMK, the location is updated to M1

For loans outside EU (e.g. Norway, USA, Israel etc.)
Obtain export permit from Kulturarvsstyrelsen (Heritage Agency of Denmark). Contact person: Eva Arnfelt
A form with carbon paper is filled in and sent. (When signing in the lower right corner ensure that a piece of paper is placed underneath in order to prevent the signature from penetrating to the other pages). Three colour copies are glued to the form

Pages 2 and 3 are received from Kulturarvsstyrelsen with their stamp.
Pass these on to the haulage contractor who will obtain the stamp from the Customs Authorities. The haulage contractor takes away the two pages and will keep one and return the other to the Kulturværdiudvalget (The Danish Commission on the Export of Cultural Assets) when the work has returned to Denmark.

During the Case Handling e.g.:

Extra payment for conservation work
If the condition of the work causes comprehensive conservation before lending, acceptance from the borrower to cover the expenses must be obtained before the work can be lent.

Microclimate frame required
Depending on the condition of the work or the facilities of the borrower, a climate frame may be required. If so, the price of the microclimate frame is calculated and the acceptance of the borrower to cover the expenses must be obtained before the work can be lent.
Notification is sent to Jørgen Trolle and Erik Jensen (by Henrietta?) about the microclimate frame and the deadline for the production of the frame. Erik Jensen will always send an invoice for microclimate frames to Danish museums.

Transport Agreement

The packing of the work
Advice can be obtained from the conservators
Foreign countries: Always climate boxes, ENB-works always in double climate box
Domestic: Packing in bubble wrap, ENB-works in climate boxes
Acclimatization: 24 hours after arrival. Acclimatization of boxes 24 hours before packing in SMK and after closure of exhibition

Transport route
Michael Kjærsgaard Hansen/ Harry Pedersen set out the guidelines. In general, sailing should be avoided

Haulage contractor
The haulage contractor approaches you or the borrower makes the approach. The haulage contractor must be provided with the gross measurements for the potential production of boxes
The haulage contractor will suggest time for delivery of boxes, potential assistance with packing, collection of the loan, means of transportation and possible pick up time of empty boxes when the loan has been returned
Double-check schedules/time for packing with Art handling and a potential courier
Communicate info between haulage contractor and courier such as the mobile number of the courier to the haulage contractor

Internal Info: send notification of departure/arrival to (annex 8 and 9 )
Reception
Control Centre
Art Handling
Henrietta, Pernille or Louise (according to the loan)
Potential courier
Relevant curator in SAFO
Conservation of paintings or Conservation of works of art on paper as backup (according to the loan)

Send copies to Michael Kjærsgaard Hansen, Peter Nørgaard Larsen, Lotte Grunnet
Print a copy of the notification and place in the case file (possibly 2 copies so you have one on your desk).

Book the gate
Book the gate in Outlook, Offentlige mapper, Alle offentlige mapper: Choose date and time and enter the appointment

On departure/arrival of work(s), Reception will summon Art Handling, who will also inform the relevant conservator at the point of packing/unpacking. At the point of packing the courier must also be present: The notification of departure will also provide details regarding the time of packing

Late arrival (weekdays between 10.00PM and 7.00 AM) and arrival during weekends
On arrival during out of office hours, Per Ingemann Hansen must be informed in order that he can ensure the closing guard will stay until a transport of work(s) has arrived
Remind the haulage contractor about contacting the Control Centre if the time of arrival differs from the appointment

Before the Transport of Work(s)/Departure of the Courier

Have the necessary documents been received from the borrower?
Ensure that the signed loan agreement has been received with the required info on the front page
Ensure that insurance papers have been received

Have the necessary documents been received from the haulage contractor?
Transport times and appointments
Tickets for the courier
Travel insurance
Courier form with contact info and schedule

The Courier
Pass on a copy of the loan agreement to the courier before departure. Ask for it to be returned for the courier who follows the loan home
Pass on the packing list to the courier with inventory numbers and transport numbers
Give the courier a mobile phone, if agreed. Ensure that the haulage contractor knows the number

Invoicing/Navision

Denmark
The borrower does not pay a loan fee
However, an invoice for extra costs such as conservation work will be issued if necessary
Kirsten Elise issues an invoice for potential returning/returning of a work to place of deposit
If relevant, Erik Jensen issues invoice for microclimate frame

Foreign countries
The borrower pays a loan fee according to the loan agreement
Other agreed expenses are added to the invoice

Gross Measurements (annex 10 )

Typically, the haulage contractors require gross measurements in order to provide a quotation for the borrower.
Ask the following for advice:
For KKS works: Mogens Kristiansen / Karen Esser
For KMS works: The Art Handling in general
For KAS works: Typically, information on the height of the work is sufficient or else ask Louise Cone for advice

SMK - Subloan Use Case

SMK requires the sub-loan schema for the recording of a number data concerning the status the loans procedure for both Loans Out and Loans In.

The schemae below shows the values we need to record on each Loan Case and for individual Objects. The whole sub-loan module will have to be repeatable since every case and object will have multiple statusses recorded at any time in the procedure.