Loan Program Guidelines

This outreach program enables approved cultural institutions to borrow works from The New York Public Library's collections for display in their own exhibitions.

Submission of Loan Request
All requests to borrow objects must be made in writing to the appropriate Library curatorial division, no less than six months prior to the borrower’s exhibition installation date. High-value objects may be subject to Board of Trustees approval. Exhibitions in excess of three months duration may be subject to conservation review and/or page turning or rotation of objects.

Borrower must provide the following information:

a) Exhibition title
b) Opening and closing dates
c) Brief description of exhibition content
d) Full description of requested objects, including: title / author / artist / NYPL division / classmark / dimensions
e) Institution names and dates for additional venues to which objects may travel
f) Completed American Association of Museums (AAM) Standard Facilities Report (A blank AAM Standard Facilities Report will be provided upon request.)

Packing/Transportation/Courier
NYPL will make suitable packing arrangements for the borrowed objects.

Borrower is responsible for all loan costs, including but not limited to: preparation, framing, book mounts, conservation treatment, transport, crate construction / packing, shipping, customs brokers / documentation, and courier expenses (flights, hotel, per diem).

Estimates will be provided upon request.

Insurance 
Should the Library be unable to provide a current insurance appraisal, borrower is responsible for fees from an independent appraiser.

Borrower must contract for wall-to-wall all risk fine arts insurance coverage in US dollars, for each object for its fully assigned value as provided by NYPL. Borrower will provide a Certificate of Insurance evidencing said coverage naming NYPL as an additionally insured. Such coverage must be in effect thirty (30) days prior to and after the dates of the exhibition.

Preparation/Conservation Treatment
NYPL will prepare all objects (including fabricating book mounts), so that the borrower receives them "exhibition ready". All preparation of loans must be performed by NYPL. Any costs incurred for the display of loans and any preparation/conservation treatment required to enable the objects to be safely lent are the borrower’s responsibility.

In the event an independent conservation consultant is required to examine, prepare or conserve the objects, NYPL will notify the borrower in advance and provide an estimate whenever possible. Borrower is responsible for all relevant fees.

Lighting
Lighting levels shall not exceed 5 foot candles or 50 lux; incandescent lighting is preferred. Borrowed objects may not be exposed to natural or unfiltered artificial light. If fluorescent lighting is used, all bulbs must be fitted with ultra-violet filters.

Temperature/Humidity
At all times, whether in storage or on display, borrowed objects shall be maintained in a monitored environment that meets the following parameters:

Temperature: 67°F ± 2° or 20°C ± 2°
Relative Humidity: 45% -50% ± 2%

Borrower may be required to provide evidence of proper environmental conditions.

Damage/Loss
Any loss, damage, or deterioration of borrowed objects occurring in transit or on exhibition shall be reported immediately to the NYPL Registrar's Office. All incidents must be documented in photograph and written form. Except in the case of emergency, objects shall not be removed from the display cases, repaired, conserved, mended, or otherwise treated without NYPL's prior written approval.

Photography/Reproduction
All photographic reproduction requests for borrowed objects should be directed to the curator of the appropriate division at the time of the loan request. Please refer to Ask NYPL Express for information about how to submit a photography request and fees.

Borrower may make a photographic record of the exhibition cases and installation.

Flash photography and photography of objects by the public is not permitted.

Written Materials
NYPL will provide the credit line to be used in all instances when referring to the borrowed objects.

Catalog
Borrower must provide NYPL with two complimentary copies of the exhibition catalogue/publication which should be sent directly to the Registrar’s Office.

Cancellation
In the event the borrower cancels the loan request, borrower is responsible for a cancellation fee for each object as well as any exhibition preparation costs already incurred.

Borrowing Costs
Please note that the Loan Fee of $250.00 per object/per venue is not negotiable. Each page or part of an object that is prepared for loan is counted as one object for loan fees. For example, a manuscript with three pages, all of which are borrowed and displayed on exhibition, equals three objects: $250.00 x 3 = $750.00.

For further information, please contact:
The New York Public Library
Fifth Avenue and 42nd Street
Registrar’s Office, Room 56
New York, NY 10018
Telephone: 212-930-0541
Fax: 212-930-0751