Loan Boxes

Loans Unlocked, Reading Museum’s Department for Education and Skills (DfES) Project Research, contains invaluable information and evidence from the project that can be used to:

create or maintain a quality museum loan service
understand visitors' needs and responses when learning from loans
review an example of evaluation of a museum loan service
re-use raw data for further analysis.

If you decide to provide loan boxes it is essential to have a written agreement between the borrower and the museum which records the objects loaned, and which is signed by both parties. Some museums simply use an MDA (Museum Documentation Association) exit form, but the majority use a form designed specifically by the museum. (Sample from Museum of Farnham in Downloads.)

The agreement should, as a basic minimum, include:

a complete list of the objects, which can be checked on return
the date by which the objects should be returned (boxes are usually loaned for a set period of a half or full term)
signature of lender and borrower
information on safe handling and treatment of the objects.

You will also need to consider: