Karen,
 
Contact Pam Watson, Senior Registrar for Collections, at the Detroit
Institute of Arts or Marilyn Merdzinski of the Grand Rapids Museum, they,
along with another regisistrar in Michigan (whose name escapes me) wrote
the Michigan Disposition of Museum Property Act (I think that's what its
called) and watched it go through to become law a couple of years ago.  I
wouldn't say the law is perfect because of the concessions that had to be
made to the legislators who had little or no feeling as to what the law
meant to museums, but Pam et al, did gather all the state laws existing at
the time (23 I believe).  Pam's phone number is 313 833 1413.  She will be
out of the office on Museum business for the next two weeks so try at the
end of the month.
 
> Even for material that has been in the museum for
>40 years or more without any correspondence from the donor (if we
>even know who the donor was), there is a requirement to publish
>notices in newspapers, send certified mail, etc. This is a terrific
>expense that will most likely result in very little return
>information.
 
Suggestion: get your local paper to give a gift of space for the ad.
 
I think these clauses are pretty standard, they are not meant to help you
gather information, they are meant to protect the public from museums
claiming title without any right to do so.  Just one example:  when someone
doesn't realize that her grandmother lent something to the museum 50 years
ago and then subsequently bequeathed it to a family member.  One reason to
claim title is so that you can accession it legally or get rid of it
(having clear title to do so).  It an really help you with housecleaning.
Since most of the objects are things you might not want to continue to care
for anyway.
 
>I've heard that Illinois has a law that is friendlier to
>museums trying to establish ownership of objects and I am curious if
>there are other states that have similar, easy-to-work-with laws.
 
Ask Lela Hirsch at Museum of Contemporary Art in Chicago,  I think she
knows something about the Illinois law.
 
>What I would like to do in my presentation is summarize what is going
>on in other states and then make a proposal for a new Texas law that
>is easier for museum people to work with.
 
Good luck!  And let us all know if you are successful in changing your laws
in Texas!
 
 
Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar
Detroit Institute of Arts
313 833 0261
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