Outgoing Loan Policy

The Spurlock Museum loans objects from the Artifact, Documentary Multimedia, and Teaching Collections to help fulfill the Museum’s mission to educate in service to students, scholarly communities, and the general public. This mission is balanced with the museum’s purpose to maintain and preserve the collections for future use as defined by the specific function and priorities of each collection. The Outgoing Loan Policy is designed to approve outgoing loans that have the most potential for advancing the Museum’s educational purposes and, at the same time, consider preservation, security, and safety of Spurlock Museum objects.

Responsibilities for Handling Outgoing Loans

The Director is ultimately responsible for all outgoing loans.

The Registrar is the primary Registration staff responsible for outgoing loans from the Artifact and Documentary Multimedia collections.

The Acquisition Committee reviews and either approves or declines an outgoing loan request from the Artifact and Documentary Multimedia collections based on information presented by Registration staff.

The Assistant Director of Education is the primary Education staff responsible for approving and executing all Teaching Collection loans.

Outgoing Loan Policy: Artifact Collection

Loans from the Artifact Collection for exhibition purposes are considered only for not-for-profit museums or not-for-profit educational institutions and museums that demonstrate an adherence to the criteria described in the following section. Loans from the Artifact Collection for conservation or scientific testing purposes are made only to other educational institutions, scientific laboratories, or qualified individuals; see Scientific Testing Policy.

Related Policy:

Scientific Testing Policy

Loan Fees

A loan fee of $100 per object may be assessed to cover administrative costs related to the processing of exhibition-related loans. A packing fee of $50 per hour plus materials costs may also be assessed. Loan fees are not charged to other University of Illinois units or to institutions with which a reciprocal agreement has been made.

Outgoing Loan Procedure: Artifact Collection

1. Initiating an Outgoing Loan

The Registrar must be notified a minimum of three months in advance of the requested loan date. If the request or proposal is initially presented to the Director or to any other staff member, a copy of the request or proposal is sent to the Registrar as soon as possible.

The Borrower must provide a written request or proposal including the following information:

  • name and contact information of Borrower
  • purpose of outgoing loan, including compelling reasons why the loan of objects is necessary
  • name, dates, and description of exhibit if loan is for exhibition purposes
  • name and accession number of outgoing loan objects
  • preferred delivery and return dates
  • shipping and transportation arrangements, including who will be responsible for each aspect of packing, transporting, shipping and insuring, whether lender, borrower, commercial shipper, etc.
  • amount and responsibility for payment of any loan fees, shipping, and insurance expenses
  • completed RCAAM General Facilities Report or comparable description of facilities
  • written agreement regarding any and all relevant copyright issues
  • written agreement regarding any special arrangements or other relevant special circumstances

2. Internal Approval

The Acquisition Committee approves or denies requests for outgoing loans from the Artifact Collection based on careful review of the following acquisition criteria:

  • value of the potential educational impact
  • need for requested objects in current or pending in-house exhibits, programs, or research
  • physical condition of the objects and the associated potential risks
  • uniqueness and rarity of intellectual and aesthetic value of the objects requested
  • potential issues of cultural sensitivity inherent in the use of the objects by Borrower
  • Borrower’s effectiveness in fulfilling its mission and purpose as a museum or educational institution
  • Borrower’s demonstrated ability and commitment to provide care and security as appropriate for the loaned objects (accreditation status of the borrowing institution and a completed RCAAM General Facility Report are among the tools used to evaluate the Borrower)
  • appropriate provisions for shipping and transport of the loaned objects
  • appropriate provisions for the care, handling, and mounting procedures of objects
  • appropriate provisions for insurance
  • availability of Spurlock Museum’s financial resources, staff, time, and other resources to meet all anticipated costs by requested date
  • agreement on responsibilities for all associated costs and arrangements
  • title of all loaned objects is held by the Museum and object is free of any and all encumbrances, including any pertinent gift restrictions
  • all appropriate steps are completed to protect the Museum and the lender from any and all potential copyright infringement, if relevant

3. Written Agreement

The Outgoing Loan Agreement is a formal written agreement among the Borrower, the Museum, and the University. An Outgoing Loan Agreement must be fully executed and on file with the Museum and University before objects are released for loan.

There are two kinds of Outgoing Loan Agreements. The Simple Outgoing Loan Agreement is used for loans with no monetary obligations such as insurance, loan fees, etc. The Complex Outgoing Loan Agreement must be used if the objects borrowed are to be insured or if there are any other financial obligations involved in the contract.

The Registrar must submit the Agreement to University Contracts for approval.

Under certain circumstances a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) or a loan agreement prepared by the borrowing institution may be substituted for the Outgoing Loan Agreement. Such agreements must include all relevant points stated in the Museum’s own Outgoing Loan Agreement and any other conditions agreed to by all participating institutions and must be approved by the Registrar, Director, University Contracts, Office of the University Counsel, and (if funds are involved) University Purchasing. Any changes made by University Counsel, Contracts, or Purchasing will be implemented and incorporated by the Registrar. The Registrar will bring any changes that significantly impact the implementation of the loan to the appropriate staff as needed and will confirm in writing approval of changes by the Borrower, Collections Manager, and Director.

When an agreement is fully executed in the University Contracts system, one copy is forwarded to the Borrower, one copy is retained by the Museum in the Outgoing Loan Files, and one copy is retained by the University.

4. Insurance

If the agreement names the borrower as responsible for insurance, the Borrower must provide a Certificate of Insurance as proof. Objects are not released for loan until the certificate of insurance is received; also see Insurance of Collections and Loans Policy.

5. Implementation of Outgoing Loans from the Artifact Collection

The Registrar is responsible for ensuring that each object is completely photographed and catalogued including visual description, weights, and measurements, and that the object’s accession number is clear and readable before leaving the Museum.

The Collections Management Section is responsible for facilitating the packing and shipping of the objects to be borrowed, creating and supplying condition reports before the objects are packed and after they are returned, and facilitating shipping arrangements in conjunction with the Registrar. Should damage or other change in condition occur during the course of the loan, the Registrar will consult with the Collections Manager regarding appropriate response and actions.

The Borrower is required to adhere to the loan agreement conditions as detailed in the Outgoing Loan Agreement Form.

The Registration Section is responsible for corresponding with the Borrower regarding monitoring of the outgoing loan for its duration, facilitating shipping arrangements in conjunction with the Collection Management Section, and tracking departure and arrival of objects through receipt forms and shipping receipts.

The Registrar is responsible for initiating renewals of loans that are retained by the borrower past the loan expiration date. Loans are renewed if they continue to meet the outgoing loan criteria or if extenuating circumstances have prevented the scheduled return of loaned objects.

6. Completion

Loan objects are returned to the Museum upon conclusion of the established loan period or if conditions listed in the agreement are no longer met. Upon return to the Museum, Collections Management staff completes an updated condition check of the loaned object(s).

Registration Section staff members ensure that the Outgoing Loan Agreement Form, correspondence, condition reports, and all other documentation relating to the outgoing loan are permanently preserved in the Outgoing Loan Files and update the appropriate database records.

Outgoing Loan Policy: Documentary Multimedia Collection

Original materials in the DMC are loaned to advance the Museum's mission while providing security and safety of the physical images. Loan requests from researchers, campus units, not-for-profit museums, and educational institutions are carefully evaluated using the same stringent criteria outlined in the Outgoing Loans Procedure for Artifact Collection.

Whenever possible, a copy rather than the original is provided for use by scholars, researchers, students, and the general public. Policy and procedure for requests of copies of images or recordings in the Documentary Multimedia Collection are outlined in the Access and Use of Museum Images and Recordings Policy.

Outgoing Loan Policy: Teaching Collection

The outgoing loan policy for the Teaching Collection is designed to encourage loans that promote the Museum’s educational goals and for that reason are only made to other educational institutions and organizations or qualified individuals. Teaching Collection objects are identified by Education Section staff for specific types of use that dictate the terms for their handling, terms for lending outside the Museum, and how they may be used for educational programs and activities.

The Assistant Director of Education, as the World Heritage Museum Guild Educational Resource Center Coordinator, is the official Museum contact for all matters related to the implementation of outgoing loans from the Teaching Collection.

Loan Fees

A $10 deposit is required for each loan set. Under special circumstances, the Resource Center Coordinator may choose to waive this deposit. The cash or check (made out to the University of Illinois) will be returned to Borrower if the loan is returned on time and the return inventory indicates all the objects to be present and undamaged.

Damage Replacement Policy

Spurlock Museum Education Section understands that no matter how carefully objects are handled, breakages or losses occasionally occur to Teaching Collection objects while on loan. Payment is expected for the repair or replacement of said objects. The $10 deposit is retained for this purpose.

If breakage or loss occurs during the loan period, the Borrower must contact the Resource Center Coordinator immediately. If the return inventory reveals loss or breakage, the Borrower will be notified of the need to repair or replace an object within five days of its return to the Museum.

It is the policy of the Museum to offer the following options in case of object loss or breakage:

  1. If a broken object can be repaired at an expense less than the replacement cost, the Borrower will be invoiced for the repair costs.
  2. If an object is lost or deemed broken beyond repair, the Borrower may choose one of two solutions:
    1. The Borrower purchases a replacement object approved by the Museum’s Education staff.
    2. The Borrower reimburses the Museum for the expense of a replacement item purchased by the Museum’s Education staff. A list of replacement costs for all loanable objects is available upon request from the Resource Center Coordinator.

Outgoing Loan Procedures: Teaching Collection

Only Teaching collection objects designated as suitable for outgoing loans are considered for loan. These objects are available either individually, in themed groups, or in program sets known as Building Blocks. Building Block objects are indicated as such in the “Education Program Name” field of the Teaching Collection Database.

1. Initiation of Outgoing Loan

For all outgoing loans the Resource Center Coordinator must be notified as far in advance as possible through a meeting, email communication, or telephone communication in order to obtain the list of available outgoing loan objects. If sufficient advance notice is not given, the loan may be delayed or denied.

The standard loan period is two weeks. The loan period may be extended with prior consent of the Resource Center Coordinator.

After initial contact, the Borrower provides a written request including the following information:

  • name and contact information
  • identification by name and accession number of requested outgoing loan objects
  • starting and ending date of the loan beginning with the date the objects are to leave the Museum through the date they are to be physically returned to the Museum
  • information on how the objects will be received by the borrower and returned to the World Heritage Museum Guild Educational Resource Center

2. Written Agreement

The Teaching Collection Outgoing Loan Agreement Form establishes a formal written agreement between the Borrower and the Museum. The Resource Center Coordinator fills out the loan form that must be completed and the deposit presented before any objects are released for loan. No further approvals of the completed form are needed from other Museum staff or University department.

In addition to the loan form, the Borrower receives with the objects a copy of the Artifact Handing Instructions Form and other loan information or requirements deemed necessary for that specific loan.

3. Insurance

These collections are not insured. Damage or loss is addressed using the Damage Replacement Policy (in this document).

4. Implementation

Education staff is responsible for ensuring that each outgoing loan object is well documented photographically, with clear images and alternate views that provide a complete visual representation of the object. Education staff verifies that the object’s database record contains visual description; weights and measurements; and that the object’s accession number is clear and readable. The objects undergo a condition check and any existing damage is noted in the Teaching Collection Database. Basic information from the loan form is entered into the Teaching Collection Database as established in the check-out procedure.

Loan objects are packed in one of two methods:

  1. Building Blocks are generally packed in custom-made boxes with object-specific spaces. Objects must be returned to their designated location within the box prior to return.
  2. Individual objects or custom-made groupings are packed by a member of the Education staff. The Borrower is provided with instructions for repacking the objects for return to the Museum.

The Resource Center Coordinator is responsible for initiating renewals of loans that will be retained by the borrower past the loan expiration date. As loan objects may be reserved for other borrowers as soon as one day after the contracted return date, renewals are not automatic. A renewal must be requested at least one full working day prior to the contracted date for object return.

5. Completion

Outgoing loans are returned to the Education Resource Center. Within five days of return, Education staff conduct an inventory and condition check on all returned objects. Any damaged or missing objects are recorded in the Teaching Collection Database and addressed according to the Damage Replacement Policy (in this document).

Return information is entered into the Teaching Collection Database. Outgoing loan forms are filed in the Resource Center and retained for a period of three years.