Mary LaGue wrote:

> 1) corporate loans, where works from a museum's collection would
>be placed for a period of time at a business

Mary, while this is done, it is generally frowned upon since there are
insurance questions, climate control questions, security issues, handling
questions, etc.  These kinds of 'loans' are difficult to monitor and can be
avoided with a strong collections management policy that is constructed
with the help of and endorsed by the Board.    Marie Malero's book,  A
Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections (Smithsonian Institution Press:
Washington, DC, 1985), has an extensive and appropriate outline for museum
collections management policies.  Must of us who have had to construct
meaningful collections management policies swear by it.

> 2) what is the path a proposed accession takes through your museum (does
>it start as a loan
>until its accession process is completed, or are there other methods) and
>how much time is given to research prior to accessioning it?

An accession is usually a gift, a bequest or a purchase, less frequently it
could be a transfer or trade .  Which ever it is, you want to make sure
that the museum has clear, unrestricted title to the object.  You also want
to make sure it falls within the scope of the museums mission (and
collecting policy - if you have one).  Is it authentic, will accessioning
or storing cause unusually large financial outlay, is it in good condition
(will it cost a lot to restore it), is it exhibitable?  You can take as
much time as the donor will allow, or the dealer will allow to do your
research, but it should be relatively timely.  With respect to its status
as an incoming object, it is generally covered under an insurance policy as
an object on premisies for consideration.  It must be assigned a temporary
number - some places use loan numbers others use temporary numbers - until
a descision is made to accession it or not.

Malero's book covers this issue (and related pitfalls) also - I highly
recommend it.

Suzanne Quigley
Head Registrar, Collections and Exhibitions
Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
1071 Fifth Avenue
New York, NY 10128
212 423 3568
fax: 212 423 3650
email: [log in to unmask]