Read Marie Malaro's "Legal Primer on Managing Museum Collections." You always have to back up your statements, no matter how young a professional, or old fuddy duddy in the system. We prefer a "no strings attached" on all donations, and we do tell people that items will not be automatically put on display; if and when we do, we make a courtesy call to the donor. It is up to the donor to decide whether they are willing to accept our policies. I understand that sometimes you will have to be flexible on this issue, and it should not be done lightly. If the item is of such paramount importance to your museum or collection, you will find a way to make it work within your priorities, building space, and policies. Sometimes being flexible with one donor leads to other donations which may not necessarily have conditions attached. You may want to contact the Isabella Gardner Museum in New York, their collection had certain restrictions which in today's date would seem horrific to those of us who prefer the windows closed and a new fangled HVAC system. I believe the Gardner has surmounted these problems, but let's hear from those who in the past have had to accept items with conditions attached. O Olivia S. Anastasiadis, Curator Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace 18001 Yorba Linda Boulevard Yorba Linda, CA 92886 (714) 993-5075 ext. 224; fax (714) 528-0544; e-mail: [log in to unmask] On Thu, 13 Aug 1998 08:34:28 -0400 "Starlyn D'Angelo" <[log in to unmask]> writes: >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 > _____________________________________________________________________ You don't need to buy Internet access to use free Internet e-mail. Get completely free e-mail from Juno at http://www.juno.com Or call Juno at (800) 654-JUNO [654-5866]