Starlyn,
I have found in my experience that to have that you will not accept a
donation w/ any strings attached in a collections policy.. under accessions
policy or something along those lines helps to support the museums decision.
Therefore you can pull out the manual and have in print for the potential
donor to read as part of the museum's policies.

It is not a good idea to have to display any object "forever" as the light
will definitely affect the object ... detrimentally that is.  Humidity and
temperature are also factors to consider depending on what sort of "system"
is used that can adversely affect objects as well.  You can site these
reasons as well when turning away a potential donor that demands to have
his/her artifacts on display forever.  Another factor is if the artifacts
need conservation.  How is conservation to be completed if the artifact
cannot be taken off display??  There are other topics to consider as well, I
apologize for not having the time to mention more at this time.

Sincerely,
  Ginger M. Young
-----Original Message-----
From: Starlyn D'Angelo <[log in to unmask]>
Newsgroups: bit.listserv.museum-l
To: [log in to unmask] <[log in to unmask]>
Date: Thursday, August 13, 1998 11:45 AM
Subject: Donor agreements


>What are your strongest arguments for upholding the "no strings attached"
>policy for donations to museum collections?
>I am a young professional and occassionally I find that I must back up my
>opinions with hard facts or the words of others before people listen
>to me.  I insist that no professional museum promises donors permanent
>display of an object (this is noted several times in the
>Museum-L archives but no rationale is provided).  I need the words of other
>professionals to back me up.  Thanks for your help.
>
>Starlyn D'Angelo, Curator
>Old Stone Fort Museum Complex
>