LBJ :: Museum Standards and Policies

General Outgoing Loan Standards of the National Archives & Records Administration

LOAN POLICY
1. Purpose – Borrowing and lending items, including holdings from archives and collections, are inherent practices in a museum and require specific procedures to assure object management. Loans do not involve transfer of title, but are the temporary reassignment of objects from the museum to another institution (outgoing) or to the museum (incoming). All loans are for a defined period and for exhibition or inspection only.
  1. The purposes for which the museum may accept an object as an incoming loan are as follows:
    - for exhibition as part of a temporary installation or loan exhibit
    - inspection and study with regard to possible gift or purchase
  2. The purposes for which the museum may release an object to another institution are as follows:
    - for an exhibition that has an educational purpose or otherwise serves to increase public awareness of the museum, NARA and its holdings, rights of citizens, actions of Federal officials, or the national experience
    - at the request of the President, Vice President, former Presidents or Vice Presidents or donors, or their designated representatives
    - for examination or treatment by a conservator
2. Responsibilities
  1. Incoming loans are by authority of the Museum Curator and effected through the registrar. The Museum Curator must approve all outgoing loan requests. All loan requests must be submitted in writing to the Museum Curator.
  2. A written loan agreement must accompany every loan with specifications on rights and responsibilities of each party. The established policies of a particular institution may require the lending or borrowing museum to use their institution’s loan agreement. The Registrar must review and approve loan agreements. The loan agreement must stipulate the conditions of the loan to insure adequate storage, environmental protection and safety precautions during transit, handling and use. The Registrar maintains and stores loan files and establishes the procedures for packing and transportation of all loans.
  3. The Museum Curator must approve all loan arrangements (outgoing and incoming) that require a financial or physical commitment by the museum of other than a minimal nature, or obligates the museum to other than normal investment in the care, maintenance, or protection of an object.
3. Releasing Objects – The museum may not release an object to another institution when:
  1. Holdings are too fragile to withstand the normal strains of packing, shipping and exhibition
  2. Holdings have been recently or extensively exhibited. Although items may still be in good condition, NARA is required to limit cumulative lifetime light exposure
  3. Requesting institution is unable to comply with NARA security, environmental and other loan requirements
  4. Staff of the borrowing institution has not been trained in the handling and care of holdings, and will not be available to monitor the exhibition on a daily basis
  5. Loan of an object will disrupt Library operations or conflict with NARA priorities or projects, including objects that are on display within permanent exhibitions
  6. Exhibits are scheduled for less than one month, unless the exhibit is for a NARA-sponsored event. However, display periods of less than one month for individual documents may still be recommended for conservation reasons
  7. Holdings are requested by individuals with the exception of the President, Vice President, former President or Vice President, or their designated representatives
  8. An exhibition is not open to the public
  9. Institutions have engaged in practices that violate anti-discrimination laws
  10. Holdings requested are subject to access restrictions mandated by statute or donor
OUTGOING LOAN POLICY
1. General
  1. Museum collections are maintained for the benefit of the public and objects are loaned in order to reach a wider audience. It is a requirement that while on loan objects receive the same level of care and protection as provided by the lending museum. These considerations dictate that museum loans can be approved for similar institutions, non-profit agencies and educational organizations.
  2. Items considered for loan must be the property of the museum or held-in-trust and accessioned into the museum’s record. All items considered for loan must have been acquired by legal and ethical means and in stable condition to withstand the rigors of being on loan. Collections not cataloged, or items in courtesy storage, are not available for loan. The Registrar may restrict the kinds of items or materials eligible for loans based on nature, rarity, monetary value, condition, and/or management considerations of the item.
  3. A formal loan request must be made in writing at least 120 days before the objects are to leave the museum. All requests are to be addressed to the Museum Curator. All written requests must include exhibition title, date of exhibition, loan period, a general description of the exhibition, and a complete description, including the accession number for each item requested.
  4. Non-NARA institutions must complete a Standard Facilities Report (American Association of Museums). A floor plan of the exhibition area should be included with the report, indicating the locations of doors, windows, skylights, light fixtures, and fire extinguishers, and the proposed location(s) of items to be borrowed. NARA may require that a borrower, who has an approved facilities report on file with NARA that is less than three years old, submit a supplementary statement of changes made in the exhibition gallery during the interim period.
  5. The maximum loan period is 1 year. Certain fragile or light-sensitive items or records may not be lent or may be restricted to loan periods of 6 months or less. In the case of documents, the Registrar or Supervisory Archivist may recommend, for the protection of the item, that reproductions substitute for original documents after the first year an item is on display. The Supervisory Archivist may also require that borrowing institutions be provided with facsimiles in lieu of original holdings.
  6. NARA reserves the right to recall loaned items, including records, for good cause at any time and will attempt to give reasonable notice thereof.
  7. The borrower must sign an Outgoing Loan Agreement. If the borrowing institution wishes to use its own loan agreement form as well, it must first agree that the terms of the NARA loan agreement are the controlling terms when there is a conflict between the two documents.
  8. The borrower may NOT do the following without first obtaining written permission from the Registrar:
    - Transfer physical custody of the loan objects to another institution or third party
    - Alter, clean, or repair a loan object; perform any conservation treatment; remove an object from a housing provided by the museum (e.g. polyester encapsulation, mat, Plexiglas sandwich, etc.)
  9. All costs incidental to all loans, including transportation, packing, matting, framing services, publication photography, conservation, etc., are the responsibility of the borrower.
  10. Borrower must not display objects in a location or exhibition other than that cited on the loan agreement.
2. Security and Environmental Conditions
  1. Objects must be displayed in a fire-resistive building. All exhibition areas must be protected by fire and smoke alarms with direct common connection to a central station.
  2. Objects must be secure at all times. Exhibition areas must be regularly patrolled by professional security guards or other trained personnel during hours of public access. Buildings housing the loan objects must have sufficient 24-hour guards or a 24-hour electronic security system to effectively monitor and protect the exhibition, storage, and preparation areas at all times.
  3. Monitoring and controlling temperature and humidity levels is essential. A temperature of 70 ± 4 degrees and a relative humidity of 50% ± 4% without rapid fluctuations must be maintained in the storage, preparation, and exhibition areas. Before approving a loan, and while objects are on loan, NARA may request copies of temperature and humidity readings from the exhibition gallery to verify that these requirements can be, and are being, met.
  4. Exhibition cases must be dirt-free, dust-proof, and secured with locks or security screws. Frames must be dirt- and dust-proof and secured to the wall with security screws or other NARA-approved hanging methods. All objects displayed in frames or cases must be protected by a glass or acrylic sheeting, such as Plexiglas, Lucite, or Polycast. Grades of acrylic sheeting that filter ultraviolet light may be required when the objects are especially light sensitive.
  5. The exhibition must be monitored daily to ensure security and stability of the objects within cases and frames, as well as adequate maintenance and cleaning of the exhibit area.
  6. Eating, drinking, and smoking must be prohibited within the storage, preparation and exhibition areas.
3. Lighting Conditions
  1. Incandescent bulbs are the preferred light source for exhibition lighting. All light sources must be filtered to remove the ultraviolet component.
  2. When lighting light-sensitive objects exhibited within a case, exterior incandescent lights must be used whenever possible. If interior case lights are used, fluorescent tubes will have minimal effect on the temperature in the case (see par. c. under SECURITY AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS for temperature specifications).
  3. For especially light-sensitive objects, NARA may specify additional ultraviolet protection, such as Plexiglas UF-3, yellow Plexiglas 2208, or equivalent grades of Polycast or Lucite.
  4. Light levels must be monitored and controlled. NARA will specify in the loan agreement the maximum acceptable light levels for the items being lent. NARA’s general light-level requirements are as follows:
    - Blueprints, watercolors, and other highly light-sensitive materials must be exhibited at 5 foot-candles or less
    - Most other objects must be exhibited at 10 foot-candles or less.
  5. Visitors may not use camera with flash attachments in the exhibition area.
  6. When press photographers or film crews are using photoflood lights, a conservator or member of the museum staff must be present to limit the use of lights. Lights should be positioned so that they do not heat the surface of documents or other light sensitive materials. Certain type of objects (to be specified within the loan agreement) cannot be exposed to photoflood lights or flash.
  7. No original document, or other object, will be exhibited where it will be exposed to direct or reflected sunlight. If the exhibit gallery has windows, glass walls, skylights, clerestories, or other sources of natural light, a written explanation or drawing of how the light is blocked and filtered must accompany the facility report.
  8. The Registrar may ask the borrowing institution to verify with a light meter, or other means, that the light levels specified in the loan agreement are being maintained in the exhibition gallery. The Registrar, or designated staff representative, may visit the site to take light readings as well. Site visits are at the expense of the borrower.
4. Handling and Installation
  1. Loan objects may be handled and installed only by the Curator, registrar, preparator, conservator, or other members of the professional museum staff of the borrowing institution.
  2. The Registrar may determine the need to encapsulate or mat documents or other two-dimensional objects to minimize dangers associated with handling and exhibition. No object borrowed for exhibition may be altered, cleaned, repaired, or removed from housing provided by the museum (e.g., polyester encapsulation, mat, Plexiglas sandwich, etc.) without first obtaining written permission from the Museum Curator or Registrar.
  3. Unless otherwise arranged, mats, frames, cradles, supports, exhibition cases, or other special installation devices specified by the museum in the loan agreement must be provided by the borrower .
  4. The museum reserves the right to send a representative to the borrowing venue to supervise the installation of its loan objects. All travel, and other related expenses, must be paid for by the borrower.
  5. Unless specified otherwise in the loan agreement, matting, framing and any other preparations to objects must be performed onsite in the borrower’s exhibition facility in a clean, secure, and environmentally controlled area.
  6. If loan objects are displayed in exhibition cases, the cases must be dirt-free, dust-proof, and locked or secured with security screws. Cases must be covered with glass or acrylic sheeting, such as Plexiglas, Polycast, or Lucite. The Registrar may specify grades of acrylic that filter ultraviolet light, such as Plexiglas UF-3, for objects that are especially light sensitive (see Lighting Conditions).
  7. Unless specified otherwise, all documents, or other types of two-dimensional items displayed on walls, must be:
    - framed and glazed with glass or an acrylic sheeting, such as Plexiglas, Polycast, or Lucite, to prevent the public from touching the objects
    - secured to the wall with security screws or other NARA-approved hanging method and in dirt-free and dust-proof housing
  8. All objects must be handled, supported, and conveyed by means that will prevent damage during transport to and from the borrowing institution and within it.
  9. All objects must be given sufficient support to prevent damage during exhibition.
  10. Borrowers are obligated to minimize and control the movement and handling of loan objects during matting, photographing, or other activities.
5. Costs to the Borrower
  1. All costs and expenses incidental to a loan, unless waived by the Curator or otherwise noted, are the responsibility of the borrower.
  2. The following expenses are usually incurred by the borrower:
    - Transportation of the loan items and related expenses (NARA customarily requires that documents be hand-carried; therefore, transportation costs may include first-class airfare for the courier and if necessary, the package itself)
    - Transportation and related expenses for scheduled inspection trips by the museum staff
    - Museum-quality framing, mounting, packing, and shipping services and supplies
    - Photographic security copies to be kept by the Registrar
    - Fine arts, wall-to-wall, all-risk insurance coverage
6. Inspections
  1. A museum staff member may inspect the exhibition area before the loan is approved. If, after a staff inspection, in the opinion of the approving official, any loan requirements cannot be met, the loan will not be made.
  2. Museum staff members, or personnel designated by the curator, may make inspection trips once every three months or as needed during the period of the loan.
  3. Unless otherwise agreed upon, travel expenses for scheduled inspection trips will be borne by the borrower.
7. Packing and Transportation
  1. Unless the Registrar specifies otherwise, the museum will pack all objects, including documents, going out on loan. The borrower is responsible for packing loan items prior to their return to the museum. The borrower is required to pack all loan objects in the same manner as originally packed using the same or similar types of packing materials. All changes in packing materials must be approved by the Registrar. All objects must be given sufficient support and protection to prevent damage during transit.
  2. The preferred method of transport, between the museum and borrowing institution for loan objects, is by fine arts carrier. For original documents, the preferred method is hand-carrying by a library staff member or other designated NARA courier.
  3. Alternate transportation arrangements must be approved in writing in advance by the Curator.
  4. Expenses for transporting original records must be borne by the borrower.
8. Insurance
  1. The borrowing institution, at its own expense, must cover the items involved with an all-risk, wall-to-wall fine arts insurance policy, with the Library named beneficiary or “additional insured” of the policy, from the time the items leave the museum until they are returned.
  2. The Curator will assign a valuation to each item lent for insurance purposes only. This valuation must be kept confidential.
  3. A certificate of insurance from the borrower’s insurance company, indicating that insurance coverage is in full force, must be given to the Registrar before loan objects leave the museum. The certificate should include a statement of the policy’s standard exclusions.
  4. Insurance is normally waived for internal NARA loans, and loans to other agencies of the U.S. Government, in accordance with the Comptroller General’s self-insurance rule, which holds that the magnitude of the Government’s resources make it more advantageous for the government to carry its own insurance risks rather than shifting them to private insurers. However, borrowers will be held responsible for any loss or damage due to improper handling, negligence, or failure to comply with the terms of a loan agreement and any special conditions attached to it.

Policy Regarding the Photography of Museum Objects

The museum does not offer or provide any photography services. All photographs must be taken by either the institution/individual requesting the photography or a professional photographer.
All photography is by appointment only, and at the discretion of the museum staff. Appointments must be arranged through the Registrar’s Office (512-721-0199) at least two weeks prior to the desired date.
- Appointments will be scheduled with a regard to the operations of the LBJ Library and the availability of museum staff. There will be periods of time when staff will be installing exhibits or engaged in other activities that require their full attention. At such times, photography requests will be denied or deferred.
All photography must be accomplished during normal working hours (8:00 – 5:00 Monday-Friday). Museum staff will not be available during weekends or Federal holidays.
All photography projects will be limited to three hours. This time limit includes at least one hour of staff time dedicated to locating museum objects, preparing a space for photography, returning the objects to storage, and all other activities conducted prior to, and after, the photographer’s arrival and departure. The remaining time will be dedicated to the actual photography, so please plan accordingly.
The museum does not provide any type of photography equipment. Photographers must supply all of the necessary photography equipment, including film, lights, backdrops, etc. It is the responsibility of the photographer to handle all financial transactions, including purchasing film, film processing, shipping and all other charges related to their particular project.
The limited amount of open space within the museum storage area dictates that the amount of photographic crew and photography equipment must be restricted to two (2) people (photographer and an assistant), two (2) lights w/stands, camera (non-video), tripod and backdrop. Because a large amount of bulky photography equipment poses a high risk to various items within the museum storage area, the museum staff reserves the right to inspect and approve all photography equipment before it enters the museum storage area. Video or film crews cannot be accommodated within the museum storage area and will not be granted access.
If the services of a professional photographer are to be utilized, all arrangements must be made and paid for by the institution/individual contracting the photographer’s services. The Lyndon Baines Johnson Library and Museum is not responsible for any costs incurred by a photographer in the service of another institution/individual.
All photography must be accomplished in the presence of a member of the museum staff and within the confines of the LBJ Library. Location of the shoot will be at the direction of the Registrar.
Photographers, or their assistants, are not permitted to handle museum objects. Only members of the museum staff are authorized to handle museum objects.
A large number of items within the museum collection currently have a variety of copyright restrictions attached to them. When an item is being photographed for publication, and that item is bound by copyright restrictions, the requesting institution/individual must obtain, from the holder of the copyright, written permission to publish the requested image. Proof of permission must be received in the Registrar’s Office before an appointment is scheduled.
- It is the responsibility of the requesting institution/individual to determine and resolve all copyright issues.
Deviations from this policy, or special requests, must be submitted in writing to the Registrar’s Office.

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