Exhibition Loans

Syracuse University Library Special Collections Research Center (SCRC) will lend materials from its collections to libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions with established exhibition programs and with full-time professional staffs proficient in handling the materials requested.

Institutions seeking to borrow materials should initiate their request in writing at least one year in advance of the date the materials are needed for delivery, as the final selection and preparation of materials often requires considerable time. For requests involving 25 or more items, one year's notice will be required (See instructions below for submitting your exhibition loan request).

To assist in the planning process, we encourage prospective borrowers to review our loan agreement form and the accompanying terms [PDF].

The loan agreement must be finalized and approved by SCRC and signed by both parties at least 6 months prior to the date the materials must be received by the borrowing institution.

If the loan agreement cannot be finalized prior to 6 months of the date of delivery, SCRC will proceed with the loan only at its discretion and additional fees will be charged. [see below under Loan Fees]

The loan agreement must include the following items:

• Completed and signed loan agreement form, including
  • Description of exhibition
  • List of objects to be borrowed
  • Date items must be received by borrowing institution
  • Dates of exhibition and all venues
  • Date items will be returned by
• Complete "facilities report" from the borrowing institution
• Certificate of insurance from the borrowing institution indicating coverage up to the amount specified by SCRC against loss or damage of the items

Requested materials will not be delivered to the borrower until SCRC receives and approves of all of the above documentation.

SCRC reviews loan requests on an individual basis. Factors that will be addressed include:

• The type of institution requesting the loan
• Condition of the materials requested
• Environmental and security conditions of exhibition venue
• Number of items requested
• Value of the materials requested
• Duration of exhibition and number of venues

Materials may not be available for loan if they are too fragile or valuable, if they are currently required for research purposes, or if they are scheduled for in-house exhibition or a pending loan request. Items approved for loan are generally limited to six months total exhibition time, or less, as determined by SCRC conservation staff.

Any change in the schedule, venue or other conditions of the loan must be submitted in writing in advance by the borrower. Written approval from the SCRC Director must be received before any changes or amendments to the terms of the loan agreement can be made.

SCRC conservators will prepare all items for display and mounting in the exhibition. Should an item require conservation treatment in order to be displayed, costs will be assessed and added to the invoice for the exhibition loan. An estimate will be provided for approval prior to beginning work, and options suggested. Conservation and preparations costs are assessed at an hourly rate of $65. Costs for any materials used may be added to hourly fees. All fees will be invoiced after consultation with the borrower.

The borrower will be charged for all costs relating to the preparation of materials for exhibition. These include matting, framing, encapsulation, and cradles. All matting, framing, and other treatments will be completed by SCRC conservation staff unless otherwise approved and stated in the loan agreement.

Loan Fees

The loan for exhibition of materials from SCRC will incur certain fees which will be assessed at the time of loan formalization. For complete details, please contact us.

Loan fee structure -

A $100 fee will be charged for each item borrowed. Requests received less than 6 months in advance of the "required by" date will be assessed an additional "rush fee" of $50 per item.

Conservation and preparations costs are assessed at an hourly rate of $65. A written estimate will be provided, and will be invoiced after consultation with the borrower.

The borrower will be responsible for all packing and shipping costs. The method of shipping will be determined by SCRC and specified in the loan agreement. All original packaging materials must be reused for return shipment unless otherwise stated in the loan agreement.

If the borrowing institution cancels the loan at any time, it is responsible for paying all costs incurred to date for any item conservation and preparation as well as a cancellation fee of $25 per item.

• Loan fee per item — $100
• Rush surcharge added to standard loan fee, per item— $150
• Cancellation fee per item — $25
• Conservation and Preparations — $65/hour
• Shipping and handling — $TBD

All exhibitions fees will be payable upon receipt of invoice.

Photographs for one-time use in exhibition catalogues or publicity should be requested from SCRC in writing. It is the borrower's responsibility to secure all copyright permissions from the copyright holder, who may or may not be Syracuse University. Photography of collection materials must be requested and approved in advance and may be subject to SCRC permission fees. SCRC can also offer professional photographic reproduction services locally in a variety of formats. Please see our tables of services and fees for more information.

SCRC will provide the borrower with the preferred citation format for use in descriptive labels and catalogues.

A copy of any exhibition publication is appreciated but not required.

Submission and Contact Information

Requests to borrow materials for exhibition should be submitted in writing (regular mail, email, fax are acceptable) to:

Nicolette Dobrowolski
Special Collections Research Center
Syracuse University Library
Syracuse, NY 13244-2010
scrc@syr.edu
Phone: 315.443.2697
Fax: 315.443.2671

Requests should include as much detail as possible about the items desired and the exhibition, including its dates and facilities.