Outward Loans Policy

SOAS, University of London, welcomes enquiries and requests for the loan of objects from its collections for the purpose of public display/exhibition both in the UK and worldwide. The purpose of this document is to provide prospective borrowers with information on how to borrow from SOAS. It also explains the general conditions that borrowers must fulfill. For further information about borrowing from SOAS collections, please contact docenquiry@soas.ac.uk

For details of loans made by SOAS over the past few years, see our list of exhibitions.

Scope & definitions
Reasons for lending
Borrowers
Duration of loan
Procedure for loans request
Notice
Consideration and contract
Refusals
General Conditions of Loan
Useful Resources
Review of Outward Loans Policy

1. 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 SOAS. For internal loan requests, i.e. where the location of the proposed exhibition/display is within SOAS premises, but involves movement of the object from one department, faculty or site to another, please refer to the separate SOAS Internal Loans Policy (force-download; 38kb) .

‘Objects’ are taken to include material found within SOAS Archives & Special Collections and the Library, in addition to art works, audio-visual materials and artefacts where these are owned by the School.

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

2. Reasons for lending

Loans made by SOAS play an important part in helping the School to achieve its broader mission to promote and lead global public education in its areas of specialist expertise concerning Africa, Asia and the Middle East, both in the United Kingdom and around the World. The objectives of making a loan are therefore:

To add to the appreciation and understanding of the SOAS 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

3. Borrowers

SOAS will consider requests for loans for public exhibitions/displays within the UK and abroad. We expect potential borrowers will fall into one of the following categories:

museums, galleries, libraries
educational institutions
institutions with whom we have reciprocal/partnership agreements
public and charitable bodies, for use in specific buildings and sites
bona fide individuals
commercial organisations, for appropriate purposes

SOAS will not normally lend to:

film and television or media companies, including theatrical productions
private exhibitions
commercial exhibitions

4. Duration of loan

SOAS 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 object(s) requested and the borrowing venue.

SOAS reserves the right to cut short the loan period if it deems that the object(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.

5. Procedure for loans request

Formal requests for the loan of specific objects from the SOAS collections should be addressed to docenquiry@soas.ac.uk 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 object(s) requested with full SOAS reference numbers (including the folio/page opening where relevant)
An undertaking to meet all direct costs arising from the loan (see Costs, section 9.2)
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 and Security Supplement. For international loans we would require the appropriate national equivalent.

Please note that for all loan requests, we would expect the preliminary research, identification and selection of the object(s) to be undertaken by the borrower or representatives working on their behalf. Please have a look the SOAS Archive Catalogue or contact us on docenquiry@soas.ac.uk for advice on Archives & Special Collections.

6. Notice

Requests should be made as early as possible, but with a minimum of 6 months notice for UK loans and nine months for international loans. 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.

7. 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 9). The loan will also be contingent upon the borrower satisfying any special conditions specified by SOAS. These conditions will form the Loan Agreement, a contract drawn up by SOAS 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 SOAS who will then send a signed copy to the borrower for their records.

8. 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 5)
Where suitable environmental conditions and/or security cannot be provided
Where other conditions (see General Conditions of Loan, section 9) cannot be met by the borrower
Where the requested object(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 SOAS, 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 SOAS
Where the request is incompatible with the stated objectives/mission of the School

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.

9. General Conditions of Loan

9.1 Due diligence & ethical parameters for loans

Before agreeing to any loan, SOAS requires a declaration (in writing) from the borrower that it has no reasonable cause to believe that any object 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.

9.2 Costs

Our resources are limited and we normally require borrowers to meet all the costs incurred both by themselves and by SOAS in making the loan, without limit. These may include producing condition reports, photography, any necessary conservation and repair 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, SOAS will prepare an estimate of all our projected costs and send this to the borrower at the time the loan is approved.

9.3 Insurance

All objects lent by SOAS 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 SOAS 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.

9.4 Condition report & conservation requirements

For all objects to be loaned out, SOAS (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 SOAS’ opinion, any conservation work is required to the object prior to its departure, it will be a condition of the loan that the necessary repair and conservation work is first carried out by SOAS. 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.

9.5 Packing, collection and transport

SOAS 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 SOAS 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 SOAS before the object will be released on loan. Packing will be carried out either by SOAS or by fine art handlers approved by SOAS. Only agents approved by SOAS will undertake transportation of the object.

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

SOAS 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.

9.6 Security

Exhibition premises must be safe and secure in all respects and adequate safeguards put in place before any objects are released on loan. SOAS 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.

9.7 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 British Standard 5454:2000 (under revision as PD 5454), Recommendations for the Storage and Exhibition of Archival Documents, i.e.:

Light levels at a maximum of 50 lux
Temperature of 16-19°C
Relative humidity 40-60%

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.

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

9.8 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 SOAS 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.

9.9 Photography and reproduction

The Object may not be filmed, photographed, video recorded, televised or otherwise recorded or reproduced during the loan period without the prior written permission of SOAS. In the event the borrower wishes to reproduce images of the object(s) for any purpose it shall submit to SOAS 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 SOAS. SOAS shall be under no obligation to grant such permission.

9.10 Acknowledgement

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

9.11 Termination

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

10. Useful Resources

UK Registrar’s Group

http://www.ukregistrarsgroup.org/resources/publications
http://www.ukregistrarsgroup.org/resources/links

UNESCO Convention on the Means of Prohibiting and Preventing the Illicit Import, Export and Transfer of Ownership of Cultural Property 1970
http://www.unesco.org.uk/unesco_cultural_conventions

SOAS, University of London (The School of Oriental and African Studies)