On Wed, 27 Nov 1996 17:44:00 +1100, "BRENINGER, Leah" <[log in to unmask]>
wrote:

>Does anybody out there have experience of joint ownership of objects
>between the museum and the original owners? We may be acquiring some
>trade union banners but the unions are reluctant to transfer ownership
>of objects that have such strong meaning for their organisation but they
>know they can't adequately care for them. Long term loan would be the
>option they would be considering. We are reluctant to enter into long
>term loans for all the usual reasons. So we are looking for other
>options, or perhaps a loan agreement with conditions that would still
>give us a lot of control over the object. Does anyone have any
>experience with such an agreement or any other suggestions? Thanks


Well, not a museum specialist but have/am in the same position as the union in
the
case....

I think that would be fair for everybody would, as to joint ownership, be that
the union
donate to your site, however, retain the 'right of first refusal' if the items
in question
were ever deaccessioned  - a decision which would be arrived at by the museum
and the
donators would have to agree to that..

IMHO, I think that there are cases where individuals/organizations are in
possession of
artifacts that they would donate to a specific museum with the understanding
that said
artifact(s) will physicially stay in that museum.  However, for whatever
reason, the
artifact does hold a personal value and the donator would not want these items
sold or
transferred...

I think that would work, I think it is emminently fair...... the museum has the
artirfact
for as long as it is of historic value as a museum item and the donator can
rest secure
that it will not be "sold" or "transferred"  -re: 'right of first refusal' on
deaccessioning...

This would probably entail putting another paragraph in the donation form...
and given
reports that I have heard from different curators in Ontario, it is beginning
to be an
established practice because of the many problems that can arise.

To my mind, everybody wins if this would be done...  It would have to
documented for
everybody's sake and for legal reasons....i.e., "if it's not on paper, it
doesn't
exist"...  Referring to my other posts here... this was certainly my family's
"Understanding" and now we have only our "word"... The donator is not
protected.  However,
from the museum's point of view, they would also be protected with respect to a
donator
arriving one day and saying "I want it back...  I never agreed that you could
keep it
until deaccessioning"....  Regardless of my postings of my personal experience,
I do
understand that museums would be concerned about this and should also be
protected.

And it is true that there are people who donate to museums and what ultimately
happens to
the artifact is not an issue for them... but, for some, it is very important...

Documented "Right of first refusal on deaccessioning"... that's the
ticket....IMHO:-)

Anne