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This request ties in somewhat with the recent request for photo policies which
came from the Rogers Historical Museum.  Some four or five years ago I, too,
contacted several museums for assistance in setting up a slide lending fee
schedule.  The replies which I received showed fees to be all over the place.
We settled on relatively modest charges, I think, - $5.00 to borrow an image
(not-for-profit and for-profit alike) with an extra charge of $100.00 to publish
in a for-profit publication.  We also offer a 30% discount if 6 or more images
are borrowed/used.
 
As a public institution, charging fees is relatively new to us (we
implemented an admission fee only about four years ago) but we are having to
face up to fiscal realities and are considering charging fees for additional
services.  But what?
 
TO THE POINT: What fees are being charged by museums "out there"?  What services
do you charge for?  Who is charged and who is not?  Who collects these fees?  Do
you have flat rates or do you charge by the hour?  Do you make items from
your collections available as "props" (e.g.  for a store window)?  What sort
of revenue sharing/royalty arrangements have you made?  What pitfalls have
been encountered?  Some specifics we are looking at: fees for photography in the
collections, fees to lend, fees for data, royalties.  I welcome any and all
relevant comments.  If you wish to send them directly to me I would be happy to
summarize for the list or, if you feel this topic is worthy of discussion, I
will be monitoring the list for replies.
 
Thanks in advance to all who can assist.
 
Maggie Ballantyne                  [log in to unmask]
Collections Manager                Ph: (403) 453-9191
Provincial Museum of Alberta       FAX (403) 454-6629
12845 - 102 Avenue
Edmonton, Alberta
Canada T5N 0M6
 
P.S.  I am relatively new to this list (July).  If this topic has already been
discussed could someone please tell me when and I can attempt to pull it out of
the archives.  Thanks again.