I don't know about generic "historic agencies," but most museums will not accept artifact donations on the condition that they be put at risk in events or parades. In fact, most museums will not accept any artifact into their collections if donated with conditions or restrictions because restrictions interfere with the ability of a museum to properly care for the artifacts it holds in trust for the general public. At the heart of any museum's collecting policy is the idea of preservation first, then limited or controlled use second, such as in exhibits. I doubt that you would find any accredited museum that would allow its artifacts to be used in events or parades, where they would be subject to varied weather conditions, theft, accidents, etc. Having said that, when a museum does lend an artifact from its collections, whether delicate or not, the same set of standards should apply. There should first be a letter of request sent from the potential borrower to the potential lender, outlining what artifacts are being requested and for what purpose. A Facilities Report should accompany the letter so that the lender can assess the security and environmental conditions of the borrower's institution. If the lending institution's requirements are met by the borrowing institution, then the loan can proceed. If not, then for the safety of the artifacts in question, the loan cannot take place.

I am preparing a presentation for a Public History class on the topic of lending delicate objects and I'm hoping a few of the more experienced can provide me with some of their own experiences with this. The focus of the presentation will be how historic agencies determine whether or not to lend objects (especially if it was a gift given on the condition of being able to use the object for events or parades, etc.) and how these decisions came to be made.

The Museum-L FAQ file is located at http://www.finalchapter.com/museum-l-faq/ . You may obtain detailed information about the listserv commands by sending a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "help" (without the quotes).

If you decide to leave Museum-L, please send a one line e-mail message to [log in to unmask] . The body of the message should read "Signoff Museum-L" (without the quotes).