Dear Listers:
Here is a topic that has come up far too frequently at my museum, and I wanted to get your opinions on it. On several occasions, we have had donors ask for a return of items from the historical collection because we weren't using, i.e. exhibiting, them. Obviously, if you have a signed gift agreement you have all claim to the property, but I am looking at the PR aspect of things.
Have these requests come up at your institutions? Did you choose to use the legal route? If not, what did you do, return the item or try to convince the donor that not exhibiting an item didn't mean that you were not using it?
I guess this does bring up a corollary question. Do any of your institutions actively attempt to educate donors on what it means to place items in a museum collection before accepting gifts?
I look forward to your responses.