COLLECTION RESOURCES - LOAN POLICY 

The Entomology Section will loan material to any qualified researcher or student via the major professor supervising the student’s program of study.  Requests can be made to the curator, Dr. Brian Brown , or the Collection Manager, via regular (snail) or electronic mail.

The general museum loan conditions are as follows:

The borrow agrees to conserve and protect the material entrusted to its care, to pay any damages arising from loss or damage to the property herein described caused by the borrower, and to exercise extraordinary caution in the care and preservation of said property.

The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County (LACM) must be notified immediately if damage or loss is discovered, followed by a full written report.

Loans insured by LACM: the loan will be insured under LACM’s fine arts, all-risk policy that provides wall-to-wall coverage for the period of the loan, subject to the standard exclusions. If it is determined that the borrower has caused damage to the objects on loan due to loss, theft or improper handling, the Museum may assess the borrower for the amount it will cost to replace or repair the object up to the aforementioned insured value.

Loans insured by the borrower: LACM must be supplied with a memorandum and certificate of insurance that names LACM as an additional insured with respect to the objects borrowed for the period of the loan.

LACM must be notified at all times of location and storage for all materials on loan to the borrower. Any storage off-premises must first be approved by the Museum in writing. The borrower must be able to locate the Museum’s material upon request.

LACM will lend material for the period stated only. Any extension request must be made in writing by the borrower at which time LACM will consider and respond in writing granting approval or asking for the return of the material. All loans are subject to recall.

LACM will lend material only to other institutions and organizations, not to individuals (unless written justification is submittted to and approved by the LACM Director). Materials requested by students or associates will require institutional endorsement and, for the duration of the loan, will be considered the direct responsibility of that institution. Any inquires about the loan will be made to the institutional representative.

Loans may not be transferred. If the borrower wishes to continue his/her study of the material at another institution, the loan to the current institution must be closed and a new loan to the new institution generated.

Any labels associated with LACM specimens, materials or artifacts may not be removed or altered by the borrower.

No dissection, restoration, conservation, stabilization or refurbishment of loan material may be undertaken without specific written approval of the LACM.

All taxonomic changes, especially designation of types, should be reported to the appropriate Collection Center or LACM Curator.

The material loans must not be reproduced in any medium without the written permission of the LACM.

LACM must be supplied with two (2) copies of any publication that results from the use of its material.

Upon returning the loan material to LACM, all specimens/objects must be packed in a manner comparable to that in which the loan was received. When sending or returning loan material, material insured by LACM and sent via U.S. Postal Service must be posted “1st Class Registered Mail.”