I second that emotion . . . . PLEASE REPLY TO THIS LIST FOLKS! tHANKS! Lee Lee Langston-Harrison Curator James Monroe Museum Frederickburg, VA 22401 USA [log in to unmask] > > NO, NO, NO, people. Please do not reply to this off-list. I, for > one, would be very interested in seeing where this discussion leads > and would also like to hear about OTHER credit line > problems/solutions. If I'm the ONLY other person who wants to > follow this thread, I would respectfully (and graciously) ask that > Mr. Barryte summarize his responses and post them to me. > > Thank you > Jennifer Schansberg > Consultant > US Holocaust Memorial Museum > [log in to unmask] > > > > The Stanford University Museum of Art has been reviewing its > practices and its language regarding credit lines and/or donor > acknowledgements on objects. We are seeking guidance, alternative, > and food for thought regarding appropriate and ethical phrasing in > the following circumstances: > > When a living donor signs a deed of gift, or when a benefactor > arranges promised bequest, we agree on the proper language for the > credit line, e.g. Gift of A. Donor, in honor of Blah, Blah, so that > is settled. > > But what do you do with the credit line when that object is > deaccessioned. At SUMA, we use all funds realized to acquire art, > and we also make a conscientious effort to use the funds in an area > related to the original gift, thus African for African art. > > Our question arises from a desire to precisely identify the new > acquisition with maximum delicacy . We cannot accurate identify the > new acquisition as "Gift of A. Donor," nor do we really want a > public credit line reading, "Museum purchase with funds realized > from deaccessioning a gift from A. Donor." Such an acknowledgment > might well be off-putting to potential benefactors. > > We have observed in some museums the phrase, "Gift of A. Donor, by > exchange" but we prefer to reserved the "by exchange" notice for > objects in fact acquired by exchange with other institutions (a > practice we recommend to museums engaged in deaccessioning). Also, > this still falsely implies that the object on display was given by > A. Donor. > > One possiblity we have generated is: "Museum purchase through the > generosity of A. Donor." > > In conclusion, I would welcome examples of credit lines used in > other institutions that both properly identify objects and also > offer mimimum offense. > > Thank you very much for your advice and good consul. > > Please respond off-list unless you believe this is an issue of > general concern. > > Bernard Barryte > Stanford University Museum of Art > [log in to unmask] > > > To: [log in to unmask] >