Open Forum

Hi everyone!
I am a graduate student at the University of Toronto working towards both my Master's of Museum Studies and my Master's of Information with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. In my course on collections management we were discussing packing and shipping objects and loans to and from institutions. We were discussing facilities reports and looking at the UKRG Standard Facilites Report from Spring 2004 as well as the AAM one as examples, In the UKRG one there is a section that states "In the event of an emergency who would be authorized to remove items from danger?" 

My question was: does an institution remove loaned items from their institution first during an emergency? 

While there were a lot of "it depends" answers I was wondering if anyone had a more concrete answer or experience in dealing with removing loaned items during emergencies or disasters.

Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Moats
Masters of Information Archives and Records Management Candidate (expected 2019)
Masters of Museum Studies Candidate (expected 2019)
Communications Representative, ACA Student Chapter
iSchool Student Ambassador, Events and Tours
------------------------------

I think it all comes down to the communication between the loaner and the lender. Generally, not always there is some warning for natural disasters. So for my museum when Harvey was days away from making landfall we were in constant communication with a museum we were lending a large amount of oil paintings from. As our museum went into emergency mode both museum agreed that we would de-install and store the show for safety reasons. When all ways said and done Harvey pasted us with only a few thunder storms, but that's what being prepared is all about. We put the show back up once the we were in the clear from the bad weather. All and all I would always say air on the side of caution and go ahead and send that email out if you are worried about bad weather or civil unrest or anything that would cause the need to take art off the walls. And if worst comes to worst you and you institution have done your do-diligence to protect what was loaned to you and then the insurance companies take over.

------------------------------
Amelia Whitehead
Collections Manager
International Museum of Art & Science
McAllen TX
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2017 11:30 AM
From: Rachel Moats
Subject: Loaned objects during emergencies

Hi everyone!
I am a graduate student at the University of Toronto working towards both my Master's of Museum Studies and my Master's of Information with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. In my course on collections management we were discussing packing and shipping objects and loans to and from institutions. We were discussing facilities reports and looking at the UKRG Standard Facilites Report from Spring 2004 as well as the AAM one as examples, In the UKRG one there is a section that states "In the event of an emergency who would be authorized to remove items from danger?"

My question was: does an institution remove loaned items from their institution first during an emergency?

While there were a lot of "it depends" answers I was wondering if anyone had a more concrete answer or experience in dealing with removing loaned items during emergencies or disasters.

Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Moats
Masters of Information Archives and Records Management Candidate (expected 2019)
Masters of Museum Studies Candidate (expected 2019)
Communications Representative, ACA Student Chapter
iSchool Student Ambassador, Events and Tours
------------------------------

Many museums, including the organization where I worked last, keep priority lists for the fire department, in case of a significant disaster in the building. In Rhode Island at least, staff would not be allowed into the building until the fire department decided it was safe, so we would not have been able to move items or make any other decisions. We used laminated, illustrated pages, one for each object, to help the firefighters find the priority items for removal. Even during a few hurricanes, with the museum right on the seashore, we never had to move collections items in advance of the storm. In the event of any emergency, including one with warning beforehand, I would add borrowed objects to our priority list of things to be moved to a place of greater safety.

------------------------------
Bruce MacLeish
Curator Emeritus, Newport Restoration Foundation
Newport RI
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-16-2017 10:16 AM
From: Amelia Whitehead
Subject: Loaned objects during emergencies

I think it all comes down to the communication between the loaner and the lender. Generally, not always there is some warning for natural disasters. So for my museum when Harvey was days away from making landfall we were in constant communication with a museum we were lending a large amount of oil paintings from. As our museum went into emergency mode both museum agreed that we would de-install and store the show for safety reasons. When all ways said and done Harvey pasted us with only a few thunder storms, but that's what being prepared is all about. We put the show back up once the we were in the clear from the bad weather. All and all I would always say air on the side of caution and go ahead and send that email out if you are worried about bad weather or civil unrest or anything that would cause the need to take art off the walls. And if worst comes to worst you and you institution have done your do-diligence to protect what was loaned to you and then the insurance companies take over.

------------------------------
Amelia Whitehead
Collections Manager
International Museum of Art & Science
McAllen TX

Original Message:
Sent: 11-15-2017 11:30 AM
From: Rachel Moats
Subject: Loaned objects during emergencies

Hi everyone!
I am a graduate student at the University of Toronto working towards both my Master's of Museum Studies and my Master's of Information with a concentration in Archives and Records Management. In my course on collections management we were discussing packing and shipping objects and loans to and from institutions. We were discussing facilities reports and looking at the UKRG Standard Facilites Report from Spring 2004 as well as the AAM one as examples, In the UKRG one there is a section that states "In the event of an emergency who would be authorized to remove items from danger?"

My question was: does an institution remove loaned items from their institution first during an emergency?

While there were a lot of "it depends" answers I was wondering if anyone had a more concrete answer or experience in dealing with removing loaned items during emergencies or disasters.

Thanks!

------------------------------
Rachel Moats
Masters of Information Archives and Records Management Candidate (expected 2019)
Masters of Museum Studies Candidate (expected 2019)
Communications Representative, ACA Student Chapter
iSchool Student Ambassador, Events and Tours
------------------------------