Loans

Statement of Purpose

These links and documents contain information about best practices for loaning natural history collections between and within institutions.

Introduction

An institution typically lends and borrows collection items for the purpose of research/study, identification, preparation, educational outreach/programming, exhibition, and digital asset creation/use. The lending institution is responsible for tracking and documenting the loan of the collections that includes terms of the loan. The borrowing institutions are responsible for temporarily caring for the collection item(s) under agreed terms listed in the loan paperwork.

Contributors

Content generated during The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) Annual Joint Meeting - 2016, during an iDigBio sponsored workshop by the following individuals participating in the "Museum Logistics" working group of the aforementioned workshop:

• Andy Bentley - University of Kansas, Collection Manager - Fishes
• Brian Sidlauskas - Oregon State University, Curator of Fishes
• Caleb McMahan - The Field Museum, Collection Manager of Fishes
• Norma Salcedo - College of Charleston, Professor
• Dean Hendrickson - The University of Texas at Austin, Curator of Fishes
• Alexandra Snyder - Museum of Southwestern Biology - Fishes, Collections Manager

Other contributors: Shelley A. James; Jessie Nakano - Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History (SI NMNH), Assistant Registrar- Paleobiology

Loan Protocols

This section includes information related to documentation for Outgoing Loans and Incoming Loans (Borrows).

All loans should be processed and documented by the relevant Collections Manager, Registrar, or Collections Management Staff. Before sending collection items on loan, the lending institution should outline and provide the loan terms to the borrowing institution. Upon receipt of the loaned material, the Borrower should check the documentation and identify discrepancies in specimen condition, specimen count, as well as reconfirm the terms of loan in the associated paperwork.

The borrowing institution is ultimately responsible for the safe care and return of the materials on or before the due date listed on the loan paperwork. Lending institution may include the option for extension or renewal and require the Borrower request an extension of the loan before the listed due date.

Specific details for handling specimens and loan preparation (package) information can be found under shipping regulations.

Outgoing Loans:

Each collection should have official guidelines for loan requests. In general material is requested for specific projects by researchers. Information regarding list of materials requested, condition of outgoing materials, the intended use of the materials, potential published works and any destructive sampling requests should be provided in detail along with shipping address. Loan requests should be made by researchers/advisors on behalf of students, postdocs, etc. and processed through institutional loan-processing systems to assume an institutional record of the transaction.

Sample KU loan requirements - http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/ichthyology/collection-loans

Paperwork for shipping box should include copies of loan invoice (inside and outside of box), shipping handler paperwork (KU example - https://www.dropbox.com/s/ma74z96mbulziqg/Shipping%20documentation%20-%20Ichthy%20template%20-%20fish.doc?dl=0), cleared USFWS 3-177, and any other required documentation (e.g CITES, etc.). Boxes should be labeled to avoid shipping problems. If possible new boxes should be used for all loans to avoid confusion with old shipping labels. Sturdy boxes should be used to avoid damage or lost material.

Loans are made to institutions and should be checked in by the relevant collections manager or collections staff.

Loans should be invoiced and shipped to advisors in the case of use by students and postdocs. Advisors should agree to be responsible for loan before shipping any materials takes place. Send invoices under separate cover, electronic or paper, as notice of shipment. Invoices should note sending institution (address) and person (contact info - email, phone), receiving institution (address and contact info) and person (contact info - email, phone), length of loan and due date, list of specimens and preservation type as well as detailed loan agreement terms indicating specifics of specimen handling, shipping, destructive sampling, citation and return. A signed copy of the invoice should be returned to the loaning institution as an indication of adherence to the loan agreement conditions.

Sample loan and tissue gift agreements KU agreements - https://www.dropbox.com/s/9kssr9jy3h643pn/KU%20ichthyology%20loan%20agreement.pdf?dl=0 https://www.dropbox.com/s/u8a4j5qn9fc0hsz/KU%20Ichthyology%20tissue%20gift%20agreement.pdf?dl=0 Permission should be obtained before transferring loaned material between institutions (e.g. moving to a new institution). Institutions should develop protocols for return of loans and borrowed material by staff or students before they leave the institution.

Incoming Loans (Borrows):

Members of an institution may request material to be received from another institution for study, also referred to as an incoming loan (borrow). Each collection should have official guidelines for requests. Similar to documentation and tracking of outgoing loans, these transactions must include information regarding list of materials requested, condition of materials upon receipt, the intended use of the materials, potential published works and any preparation or destructive sampling requests. Borrrow requests should be made by researchers/advisors on behalf of students, postdocs, etc. and processed through institutional loan-processing systems to assume an institutional record of the transaction.

Internal Loans:

Guidelines specifically related to material requested for internal use (e.g. research, in-house exhibits, educational programming and outreach, etc.) within an institution will vary depending on policy and procedures. Recording and tracking these transactions is valuable to the documentation of collection use.

Tracking loans:

Both types of loans should be tracked and notice for return or renewal of loans should be performed on a frequent basis to ensure that institutional knowledge is not lost and loans do not become delinquent.

Link to shipping info: http://spnhc.biowikifarm.net/wiki/Shipping_and_Handling_of_Dangerous_Goods

Links

Community Standards

• Document templates used by Australasian Herbaria: loans and destructive sampling guidelines and forms - https://chah.gov.au/documents-and-guidelines/