In my experience, institutions generally charge image use/loan/research
fees to offset the staff time involved.  Our institution does not charge
a research fee; however, accommodating researchers does demand staff
time.  Everyone here manages a sizeable work load, and it is often
difficult to juggle projects to grant access to researchers (who are
always accompanied by museum staff).  The time this involves is often
made up in the form of extended work hours for our staff.  I imagine
that institutions that do charge a research fee are not "making money,"
but rather attempting to offset expenses enough to continue to be able
to provide the service.

The same applies for image use fees.  We do not keep a ready supply of
collection images in every conceivable format as we do not have the
physical space.  When an image request comes in (usually needed
yesterday), the original is pulled and duplicated (after delivery to the
lab), the reproduction request processed and approved, etc.  Licensing
fees are generally waived for personal, educational and non-profit use,
but commercial use is a for-profit venture and licensing fees are
appropriate.


Rachel Talent Ivers
Registrar/Exhibitions Coordinator
Bass Museum of Art
2121 Park Avenue
Miami Beach, FL  33139
tel. 305.673.7530
fax 305.673.7062

-----Original Message-----
From: Museum discussion list [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On
Behalf Of Anna Fariello
Sent: Tuesday, July 27, 2004 9:56 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Research Fee


I will admit from the outset, that I am writing from the standpoint of a
researcher.  I have come across only a few institutions that charge a
research fee.  Even in times of financial woes, I find this practice
counter productive.  >From my perspective, museums and libraries should
be trying to maximize the "use" of their collections, rather than
providing any impediment at all.  This goes as well for high-priced
image use fees.


When I consider the implications for the institution, it doesn't make
sense for second reason.  If your collection--archives or objects--are
included in a publication, it certainly raises the stature of your
institution and of your collection.  You might think of this as
well-placed publicity, depending upon the nature of the publication.


I can't imagine that, even if a library/archive/museum did charge a fee,
that such a fee would offset much of anything.  In fact, the cost to
process a nominal fee--using staff time--can actually cost the
institution.
Anna Fariello




I'm posting this question for a colleague:

"Do any of you charge the general public for access to your reading room
or research library?  If so, how much and is that fee applied towards
something specific at your institution?"
Thank you.



--
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Anna Fariello, Curatorial InSight, Box 505, Christiansburg VA 24068
www.curatorialinsight.com;  540-382-3946;  [log in to unmask]
Interdisciplinary Studies, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg VA 24061-0227
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

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