Hi Margaret;

I think you have valid reasons to be concerned here--I'd shy away from
any donation that places restrictions on how you administer your
collections.  You have to be able to manage your Collections in the best
interest of the public, not of a third party.  No matter how significant
the collection, going down this road has enormous potential to cause you
grief in the future.

I'd suggest you review the potential collection thoroughly and make a
selection from it to accept into your collection--leave it up to the
donating organization to sell off the remaining items themselves if they
need a fundraiser (this will also have you avoid the appearance that
you're selling items from your collection).  Make sure the gift
agreement has no restrictions on it.  If the donor organization won't go
for that, walk away--it's not worth the trouble.  Even if you think it
is, I can guarantee that your successor (whenever that might be) will
not! ;-).

Everything I've read on the ethics of deaccessioning indicate that
proceeds from sales should go into a fund for either continued care of
the institution's collections, or for the purchase of items for the
collection.  I've never seen it suggested that proceeds should be
channeled back to the donor!  That  could have some serious tax law
implications, particularly if the donor gets a receipt for the
donation...

Cheers,



------------------------------------------------------------
Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
Medicine Hat Museum and Art Gallery
1302 Bomford Crescent S.W.
Medicine Hat, AB   T1A 5E6
(403) 502-8587
[log in to unmask]

>>> [log in to unmask] 04/18/05 11:50 AM >>>
Hello all--

Once again, I am asking for your sage advice (and anecdotes)--thank you
as
always!

We have been offered a significant collection by an educational
organization,
with the stipulation that if we deaccession any objects from ithe
sale profits would revert to the educational organization.  This seems
to have a
few issues.  Have any other museums had similar stipulations?  One of
my
concerns is that we could receive pressure in the future from the
donor
organization to sell parts of the collection in order to make them
money. 
Another issue is that if we did need to deaccession this collection, we
would
prefer to place it with another museum. Any suggestions or accounts of
similar
stipuations would be greatly appreciated!

Thank you

Margaret

-- 
Margaret Tamulonis
Manager, Collections and Exhibitions
The Robert Hull Fleming Museum
The University of Vermont
802-656-0750

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