SOHS Collections Department wrote:
>
> Do any of you ever approach the donors of a collection to give money
> toward the care (storage space, staff time to process, archival supplies
> needed to store the objects or artwork) of the particular collection
> they have given?  Do any of you have to turn down important donations
> because of the lack of resources to care for the objects/artwork?
>
> Kathy Enright
> Southern Oregon Historical Society
Kathy:
        I have never asked a donor to support their donation with money at a
later date; figured they could take care of their donation cheaper at
home and would pull it from our collection.
        I have refused donations because it was obvious it would take more
money than the museum could afford to take care of the artifact(s)
properly.  It was a command decision based on what was best for the
artifact(s).  In the end, the donor made a similar decision and gave the
collection to a museum with the resources to care for it properly.
        It takes what it takes...
Thomas Speir, Chairman of Collections
Harrison County Historical Museum
Marshall, Texas
[log in to unmask]