Loans Policy

Archives and Special Collections 

 

Loans Policy 

 

Contents 

 

1. Introduction 

2. Scope and definitions 

3. Reasons for lending 

4. Borrowers 

5. Inward loans 

6. Duration of loan 

7. Procedure for loans request 

8. Notice 

9. Consideration and contract 

10. Refusals 

11. General Conditions of Loan 

 

  

 

Document Control
File Name	Archives and Special Collections Loans Policy
Original Author(s)	Head of Archives and Special Collections (based on SOAS Loans Policy)
Current Revision Author(s)	Archives and Special Collections Manager
Status	Approved by Collections and Cultural Affairs Task Group 19 December 2022.
Distribution	BU Digital Services
Authority	Archives and Special Collections

 

 

Version	Date	Author(s)	Notes on Revisions
0.1	March 2016	Head of Archives and Special Collections	Approved June 2016
0.2	17 October 2016	Head of Archives and Special Collections	Amendments made by Chris Woods, NCS
0.3	28 May 2019	Manager Archives and Special Collections	Minor amendments made by Chris Woods, NCS to original as well as new section 11.8 Monitoring  Approved by Taskgroup June 2019
0.4	October 2022	Manager Archives and Special Collections	Reviewed – no amendments made

 
 
Review date : October 2025 

  

1. Introduction  

The Archives and Special Collections of Bangor University welcomes enquiries and requests for the loan of objects from its collections for the purpose of public display/exhibition in the UK. Loans out are a valuable way of providing access to the collections to new audiences. However, responding positively to requests for loans has to be reconciled with the objectives of the Archives and the Special Collections. 

 

In addition, on occasion, the Archives and Special Collections borrows items from other institutions or private individuals for exhibition or research. 
 

The purpose of this document is to provide prospective borrowers with information on how to borrow from or loan to the Archives and Special Collections. It also explains the general conditions that borrowers must fulfil.  

2. Scope & definitions 

This Policy applies to requests for loans submitted by all borrowers (for definition, see section 3) where the location of the proposed exhibition/display is outside Bangor University.  

‘Objects’ are taken to include material found within the Archives & Special Collections of Bangor University.  

This Policy does not apply to any object(s) leaving the Archives and Special Collections for the purposes of conservation or some sort of assessment. Separate procedures cover these movements. 

3. Reasons for lending 

Loans made by the Archives and Special Collections play an important part in helping Bangor University achieve its strategies. The objectives of making a loan are therefore: 

• To add to the appreciation and understanding of the Archives and Special Collections and raise their national, international and public profile 

• To widen access to the collections and reach new audiences in the UK and worldwide 

• To support academic research, particularly where this gives new insights into the collections 

• To support teaching and education at all levels 
   

4. Borrowers 

The Archives and Special Collections will consider requests for loans for public exhibitions/displays within the UK. We expect potential borrowers will be accredited museums, galleries, libraries and archival repositories or that the standards of care in the exhibition space meets with the requirements of BS 4971:2017 

5. Inward loans 

The Manager of the Archives and Special Collections is responsible for deciding whether an incoming loan can be justified for display or research. He/she is also responsible for the administration of inward loans, ensuring that all paper work such as Entry Receipts and Loan agreements are completed. 

6. Duration of loan 

The Archives and Special Collections will normally only lend to temporary exhibitions of up to 6 months duration. Requests for loans longer than this, or for touring exhibitions which will total more than 6 months, will be considered, but agreement will be based on the suitability of the item(s) requested and the borrowing venue.  It should be noted that the allowable duration of an exhibition may be determined by the light sensitivity of the object(s) to be displayed. 

The Archives and Special Collections reserves the right to cut short the loan period if it deems that the items(s) lent are deteriorating in any way, or are at risk of damage or theft, or if the borrower otherwise fails to comply with the conditions of the loan in accordance with the terms of the Loan Agreement. 
 
The duration of inward loans is dependent on the reason behind the loan. If an item is received for display in an exhibition that lasts for 10 months, then the duration of the loan will reflect that period. 

7. Procedure for loans request 

Formal requests for the loan of specific item(s) from the Archives and Special Collections should be addressed to the Manager of the Archives and Special Collections in the first instance. This should contain the following information: 

• Reason for loan (e.g. exhibition) and reasons for inclusion of selected object(s) 

• Exhibition venue(s) and dates 

• Name and full contact details of borrower(s) 

• List of item(s) requested with full reference numbers (including the folio/page opening where relevant) 

• An undertaking to meet all direct costs arising from the loan (see Costs, section 11.2) 

• A completed and up-to-date Facilities Report for each venue. We normally ask that venues within the UK to complete the UK Registrars’ Group Standard Facilities Report, Display Cases Supplement and Security Supplement.  

 

Please note that for all loan requests, we would expect the preliminary research, identification and selection of the item(s) to be undertaken by the borrower or representatives working on their behalf.  

8. Notice 

Requests should be made as early as possible, but with a minimum of 6 months notice. This lead-in allows sufficient time for the request to be fully considered, any necessary valuations, conservation treatment and preparation to be carried out, security and environmental conditions at the loan venue to be assessed, as well as accommodating other loan commitments. 

9. Consideration and contract 

Loan requests will be carefully considered and the decision communicated to the applicant as quickly as possible. 

If an application is successful, the Borrower will be required to meet our General Conditions of Loan (section 11). The loan will also be contingent upon the borrower satisfying any special conditions specified by the Archives and Special Collections. These conditions will form the Loan Agreement, a contract drawn up by Archives and Special Collections and agreed by the borrower. 

Two copies of the Loan Agreement will be issued to the borrower, who will be asked to sign both copies and return to the Archives and Special Collections who will then send a signed copy to the borrower for their records. 

10. Refusals 

Occasionally we may find it necessary to refuse a loan request, for example: 

• Where there is insufficient time to consider and prepare the loan (see Notice, section 8) 

• Where suitable environmental conditions and/or security cannot be provided 

• Where other conditions (see General Conditions of Loan, section 11) cannot be met by the borrower 

• Where the requested item(s) is fragile, in a poor or unstable condition, or at excessive risk from damage from handling or during transit 

• Where the item is required for display at Bangor University, or if an agreement to loan the object(s) has already been agreed with another institution 

• Where the item is required for teaching, learning or other activities during the proposed period of the loan, e.g. digitisation 

• Where its absence would be especially detrimental to researchers at the Archives and Special Collections 

• Where the request is incompatible with the stated objectives/mission of Bangor University 
   

We will provide a full explanation for any refusal, and are willing to work with potential borrowers to overcome environmental or display issues at their venues where this is the reason for the refusal of the loan. 

11. General Conditions of Loan 

11.1 Due diligence & ethical parameters for loans 

Before agreeing to any loan, the Archives and Special Collections requires a declaration (in writing) from the borrower that it has no reasonable cause to believe that any item(s) in the exhibition in which the loaned object(s) shall be displayed has been stolen, illegally exported or illegally imported from its country of origin, as defined in the UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Importing, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property, 1970. 
 

11.2 Costs 
Our resources are limited and we normally require borrowers to meet all the costs incurred both by themselves and by the Archives and Special Collections in making the loan, without limit. These may include producing condition reports, photography, any necessary conservation work, independent valuation, insurance or minimum liability, framing, glazing or mounting of flat items, manufacture of cradles or mounts for books, packing, transport, travel expenses and subsistence of couriers where these are required. 

Where costs are incurred by the loan, the Archives and Special Collections will prepare an estimate of all our projected costs and send this to the borrower at the time the loan is approved. 

11.3 Insurance 
All objects lent by the Archives and Special Collections must be fully covered either by a government indemnity where applicable, or by commercial insurance. In the case of commercial insurance, objects must be insured against ‘all risks’ and on a ‘nail-to-nail’ basis. Proof of cover, including copies of relevant insurance certificates or indemnities must be deposited with the Insurance Officer of Bangor University at least four weeks before the objects are to be collected. Objects cannot be released without proof of adequate insurance or indemnity. 

Any cost of obtaining any valuation of the object which is required for the purposes of insurance shall be met by the borrower. 

11.4 Condition report & conservation requirements 
For all objects to be loaned out, the Archives or Special Collections (or an approved conservator) will prepare a condition report, to be agreed with the borrower prior to the collection date. The cost of preparing the condition report shall be met by the borrower. This may include in-house photography of the items, where images do not already exist. 

 

If, in the opinion of the Archives and Special Collections, any conservation work is required to the object prior to its departure, it will be a condition of the loan that the necessary conservation work is first carried out by the Archives and Special Collections. The costs of any such work shall be met by the borrower. 

The condition of the object will be checked against the condition report prior to or on the return date, and the parties shall agree any differences, if any, in the condition of the object from the description in the condition report. 

Inward loans need to be in a suitable condition for the purpose of the loan. The lender normally provides a condition report, which is checked on receipt and on departure by staff. If a condition report is not supplied, the Archives and Special Collections will prepare one. 

11.5 Packing, collection and transport 

The Archives and Special Collections requires at least two months written notice of the intended date for the collection of the object(s), taken from the ‘Commencement Date’ of the Loan Agreement (i.e. the date on which the Archives and Special Collections returns to the borrower a copy of the agreement duly signed by both parties). 

All packing, collection, transport and delivery arrangements must be approved by the Archives and Special Collections before the object will be released on loan. Packing will be carried out by the Archives and Special Collections. Only agents approved by the Archives and Special Collections will undertake transportation of the object. 

All costs incurred in respect of packing and transportation shall be met by the borrower. 

The Archives and Special Collections reserves the right to require and appoint a courier to supervise all handling, transportation and installation of the loan object during the loan period. When a courier is required for a loan, the borrower will be expected to pay for their travel, accommodation and subsistence. However, we recognize that courier costs can be significant to the borrowing institution and will work with you to try and keep these down. We will make these decisions on a case by case basis. 

11.6 Security 

Exhibition premises must be safe and secure in all respects and adequate safeguards put in place before any objects are released on loan. The Archives and Special Collections requires all borrowers to provide details of the facilities and security of their venues by completing the UK Registrars’ Group Standard Facilities Report and the UK Registrars’ Group Security Supplement, or national equivalent to satisfy this requirement. 

Unless otherwise agreed twenty-four hour invigilation is normally required, although intruder-detector alarm systems during closed hours may be considered acceptable under certain circumstances. 

Objects should be exhibited in locked showcases, or secure frames. The use of approved fittings and security screws may be stipulated to affix frames to walls. Alarmed showcases are required for the display of valuable and delicate objects. 

11.7 Environmental conditions 

The specific environmental requirements of each object will be specified in the Loan Agreement. Our normal requirements for archival documents and rare books follow BS 4971:2017 

• Temperature should not exceed 24 °C; and should not remain above 22 °C for the duration of an exhibition. 

 

• RH shall be determined by the needs of the object(s) to be displayed; RH sensitive objects shall only be displayed inside display cases or sealed frames conditioned with silica gel to the relevant RH 

 

• Objects shall be displayed inside sealable cases or frames capable of maintaining the relevant RH levels; 

 

• Light levels (exposure measured in Lux) shall be determined by the sensitivity of the object(s) to be displayed and shall not exceed the maximum applicable; 

 

• Light reaching the object(s) shall not include UVA radiation. 

 

 

Different conditions may be appropriate for the storage and display of artefacts, and the capacity of different institutions to offer these conditions will vary. We will therefore treat each application on a case by case basis and work with you to find the best way of ensuring suitable conditions for display. 

Eating and drinking must not be permitted in the display area, not only during exhibition itself but while the display is being mounted and when the exhibition is being dismantled. 

11.8 

Display cases used in an exhibition must incorporate monitoring recorders inside the vitrine, logging and storing readings for temperature, RH and lux throughout the display period and the data sent in a useable format to the A&SC. If the object on display is a framed item, a spot-test record will be required for lux at the point of installation and for the room conditions for temperature if the frame is sealed and for temperature and RH if it is not sealed. For display periods of more than two weeks a set of data will need to be sent to the A&SC for review and the right is reserved for the object to be de-installed and returned to the borrower’s expense if conditions do not meet the lending requirements. 

 

11.9 Display 

Works on paper and manuscripts will require suitable cradles, mounts or supports. Where suitable ones do not already exist these can be made and provided by the Archives and Special Collections at the expense of the borrower. We will run all costs for this past the borrower for approval first, and then send an invoice. 

After they have been placed in the display case for exhibition, object(s) must be left undisturbed, except in the case of an emergency, until the display is dismantled. 

No mark in pencil, ink, paint or any other material may be made on any object(s), nor may any existing mark or label be removed. No adhesives of any kind may be applied to object(s). Labels must not be affixed to the objects. 

11.10 Photography and reproduction 

The item(s) may not be filmed, photographed, video recorded, televised or otherwise recorded or reproduced during the loan period without the prior written permission of the Archives and Special Collections. In the event the borrower wishes to reproduce images of the object(s) for any purpose it shall submit to the Archives and Special Collections a separate application for Permission to Publish/Broadcast, and pay the necessary reproduction charges in advance. Application forms and a full list of charges are available upon request from the Archives and Special Collections. The Archives and Special Collections shall be under no obligation to grant such permission. 

11.11 Acknowledgement 

The Archives and Special Collections ownership must at all times during the exhibition be credited on any relevant label, text or image in respect of the item(s), with the full Archives and Special Collections reference. This extends to the use of the item (or images of it) in any publication or media coverage arising from the loan (subject to permission to publish being sought, section 9.9). 

11.12 Termination 

If the loan is cancelled, for whatever reason, all reasonable costs will be borne by the borrower.