Loan Policy

Statement of Basic Principles

• A loan is the temporary physical transfer of material without transfer of ownership.

• Loans are made on behalf of the University of Michigan by a Curator or Curatorial designee.

• In the case of incoming loans, only a Curator, Director, or Collection Manager can accept material on behalf of the Museum.

Outgoing Loans

The Museum loans only to institutions, not to individuals. A permanently employed institutional representative who has authority to bind the institution is named responsible for the loan. Investigators who are not located at, or affiliated with, an institution can make arrangements to have specimens sent to a nearby facility as long as a responsible member of that institution is willing to accept responsibility for the specimens, and provided that the specimens remain on the premises of that institution. Specimens requested by students, post-doctoral fellows, or emeritus faculty require endorsement by an appropriate Curator, current faculty member, or staff member with authority to bind their institution, and will be considered the direct responsibility of the institution and the endorser.

Only under exceptional circumstances will loans be made to individual borrowers without institutional affiliation or sponsorship. An unaffiliated individual must be known to a division of the Museum, must demonstrate the capacity to handle and store specimens correctly and securely, and to return specimens in a timely manner, and must be approved by the Director and appropriate Curator.

Requests from institutions outside the University to borrow Museum of Anthropology specimens for research or exhibit should be made in writing to the appropriate Curator or Collection Manager. Requests should include the following information: the purpose of the loan; a description of the material requested in as much detail as possible; and where, and under whose responsibility, the specimens will be housed while on loan. Requests for loans should be submitted at least two (2) weeks prior to the date specimens are to leave the Museum.

The Museum is under no obligation to provide any material for loan. Some specimens in the Museum’s collections are not available for loan, including specimens © 2001 Approved by Executive Committee November 5, 2001 10 judged too fragile or too environmentally sensitive to travel, current research materials, and specimens needed for teaching at the Museum. The Museum does not loan items that fall under the regulation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.

Loan requests will be reviewed by the Curator of the appropriate division and the Collection Manager. Any environmental guidelines or special circumstances will be specified by the Curator and/or Collection Manager.

The length of each loan will be specified at the time of the loan, and will generally not exceed one year. Requests for renewal should be made in writing to the Collection Manager. The Museum reserves the right to recall all or part of the loan on fourteen (14) days notice.

Loaned specimens may not be transferred to another person or institution, even if the person who requested the loan changes institutional affiliation, without the written consent of the Director, Curator, or Collection Manager.

The borrowing institution is responsible for insuring the loaned specimens for full value as indicated in the loan agreement. In the event of a total loss of one or more of the loaned objects the borrower shall reimburse the Museum the sum of the fullappraised value. In the event of a partial loss or damage the borrower shall pay for all necessary replacements, repairs, restorations and labor incurred. The Musuem may require that a certificate of insurance or a copy of a current policy be provided as proof of coverage prior to approving the loan request. The Museum must receive proof of coverage before the loan is completed.

Specimens on loan for research should be protected from extremes of temperature and humidity, from insects, vermin, and dirt. Light-sensitive specimens should be protected from light when not being studied.

Specimens should not be sampled, dissected, prepared, molded or otherwise replicated, remounted, reframed, repaired, coated for photography, fumigated, or in any way altered without prior written permission from the Curator or Collection Manager. Any method of analysis that will result in damage or destruction of the loaned objects, in whole or in part, must be described in writing prior to such analysis and written permission must be received from the appropriate Curator at the Museum before research may begin.

Documentation affixed to specimens such as accession or catalogue numbers must not be altered or discarded.

All packing and transportation costs shall be borne by the borrower. Unpacking and repacking shall be performed only by experienced personnel under proper supervision. Repacking must be done with similar materials and containers and using similar methods as when the loan was received unless otherwise mutually agreed by the borrower and the Museum. Returned specimens must be accompanied by an inventory list.

Damages to all or part of the loan, whether in transit or on the borrowers premises and regardless of whom may be responsible therefore, are to be reported immediately to the Museum. A written report describing the damage in detail, including photographs where necessary, is to be submitted within seven days of the discovery of the damage.

The Museum should receive credit in exhibit labels, catalogues, and publications based on the use of specimens from its collections. The credit line “University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology” should be used to cite the Museum specimens (unless otherwise specified by the division). The object catalog number as listed on the loan form may be included in any publication. The Museum asks authors to send two copies of any publication, report or catalogue that utilizes any of the loan specimens.

In the event of any conflict between the Museum’s Loan Policy and any policies of the borrowing institution, the loan will not be executed. Special conditions may apply to specific loans and must be approved by the Director.

Permission is granted the borrower to photograph and reproduce photographs of the loan objects for educational and research purposes, and exhibit publicity only. Any other use of photographs must be requested in writing and approved by the Director, Curator, or Collection Manager. Fees may apply to such requests.

Incoming Loans

The Museum of Anthropology accepts loans for research. All transactions whereby specimens and documentary materials are brought into the Museum must be covered by a written agreement. It is the responsibility of the borrower to ensure the necessary documentation, including required permits, is in place for loans involving specimens covered by protective legislation and treaties such as the Endangered Species Act, NAGPRA, etc. The Museum of Anthropology will not borrow specimens that are known to have been collected or imported in violation of state, federal or international restrictions, or which may otherwise place the Museum in a compromising legal or ethical position.

A Curator or their designated representative, while in the field, may wish to borrow a collection for scientific study. If materials are studied in the field, it is the responsibility of the Curator to return the materials in a timely manner to the original owner. If the materials are brought back to the Museum for further identification, research, or photography, loan forms must be filled out and recorded in the Collection Manager’s office.

Current students at the University of Michigan Museum of Anthropology must read and follow all policies and procedures outline in the Student Handbook and in this document.

Anyone who borrows material in the name of the Museum of Anthropology must agree to abide by these conditions.

1. A request to borrow research specimens from another institution or individual should be made in writing. Loans for use by students, post-doctoral fellows, and others are accepted only with the written endorsement of the appropriate Curator. All incoming loans must be signed for by the Curator or Collection Manager, and processed both in and out by the appropriate division (or individual borrowing the specimens).

2. Insurance arrangements for incoming loans should be based on the value placed on the loan by the lender.

3. All conditions set on an incoming loan must be reviewed by the appropriate Curator or Collection Manager. Conditions set on use and storage of specimens must be achievable. Once accepted, conditions are binding, and the Museum will make every effort to adhere to these restrictions.

4. No portion of an incoming loan may be transferred to a location or person that has not previously been approved in writing by the lending institution.

5. Borrowed specimens may not be altered in any way without written permission from the lender.

6. It is the responsibility of the borrower to see that a loan is returned in a timely fashion. Specimens must be packed and transported in the same or a more suitable manner as received. Costs associated with the return of specimens borrowed for student research are the responsibility of that student.

7. Specimens that are damaged or lost while at the Museum must immediately be documented in writing and the lending institution or individual must be notified. Questions about insurance or other costs relating to damage or losses must be referred to the Collection Manager.

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Loan Policy

Statement of Basic Principles

Outgoing Loans

Outgoing Loans

Incoming Loans

Incoming Loans