Procedure for Loan Transfer

Transfer of specimens is a high-risk activity, because the paper work tends to become confused. It is much less likely that specimens are actually lost or damaged. Transfers therefore include three actions to ensure that specimens do not dissappear from sight, viz. close of the original loan, transfer of the loan, and opening of a new loan. Basically the procedure is to close the old loan and start a new one, keeping a note that the specimens were not physically returned to NRM in the task.
Loan transfer requires the consent of the curator of NRM and the curator in charge at the institution where the loanee was/is located when the loan was made out.
It is assumed that a loan to the new institution would be approved, i.e., that it fulfils the criteria of a museum or equivalent.

1. NRM closes the original loan at NRM.
2. NRM makes out a new loan to the loanee (or superviser) at the new address.
3. NRM changes the loan labels in the specimen bottles at NRM and prepares new labels for the bottles at the loan location if needed.
4. NRM sends the new loan form to the person in charge of the new loan, with a copy for the record to the collection manager or curator at the institution in charge of the loan to be closed.
5. The person to be responsible for the new loan returns the signed invoice of the new loan, and adds labels to bottles if requested.
6. NRM returns the old loan form with a note that the loan has been returned; a copy for the record is sent to the collection manager or institution of the original lending institution.
7. The original lending instituition now may prescribe to the "new" loanee certain procedures for the physical transfer of the loan, or may take charge of the actual dispatch. Any transport has to agree with the original mode of transportation, i.e., if the original loan was sent by insured air mail, the transfer cannot be made by a less safe method. Safe long distance transportation methods are, in decreasing order of safety

hand-carry airline cabin luggage
hand-carry personal car or ship
1-3 day courier service
insured or registered air mail (regular mail withinEurope )
hand-carry airline checked luggage
regular airmail
surface/sea mail extracontinental
third party hand carried
Except for the actual transfer of signed loan forms, NRM accepts that correspondence concerning transfers, including authorisation, to be handled by e-mail, but will also accept signed faxes or PGP encrypted e-mail. Send transfer request to the Senior Curator or Collection Manager in charge of loans.
This policy is provisional pending outcome of tests.

Find out more:
Senior Curator
Collection Manager in charge of loans