We recently had a request from a visitor for additional information about an artefact in our permanent exhibit, including who donated it to the Museum.  I cringe at these sorts of requests, not only because I once worked at an institution that got caught in the middle of a family squabble over whether the person who donated a piano had the right to do so, but also because use of personal information (such as donor name) for a purpose other than what it was collected for (in this case, for our own title records, rather than for public distribution) may violate our province's Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act.  

Does anyone on the list have a policy regarding responding to public inquiries about donor information?  Do you recognize donors on exhibit labels or in catalogues?  If so, do you get the permission of donors for each and every instance that you publicize their name?  Do you have a check-box on your Gift Agreements for the donor to indicate if their names can be publicized as the donors of their collections?

Thanks,


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Tim McShane, Assistant--Cultural History
Esplanade Museum
401 First Street SE
Medicine Hat, AB   T1A 8W2
Tel: (403) 502-8587
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