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Public Access to Collections Policy

It is the policy of the Spurlock Museum--and a significant aspect of its mission--to encourage the use of its collections so long as such use is in accordance with the specific purpose and priorities of the relevant collection.  Public access to collections in the Museum is covered here.  For borrowing of collections, see Outgoing Loans Policy, Part A, #4.

Access to the Artifact Collection

The Museum supports the use of the Artifact Collection by students, professors, scholars, the media, and the public for educational and research purposes, consistent with the long-term preservation goals specific to this Collection and with University of Illinois policies. 

Objects from the Artifact Collection that are on exhibit may be viewed free of charge by the general public during Museum open hours.  Such access is also available during special events under the terms of the rental agreement. Information about and images of objects in the Artifact Collection both on exhibit and not on exhibit are also available on the Museum’s website.

University administrators and development officers requesting VIP tours, dignitaries, donors, lenders, visiting museum professionals, and academic professionals may have access to collections on a restricted basis.  Requests for such should be made in advance and in writing to the Director or Collections Manager.  The Director and Collections Manager will approve or deny requests based on careful review of the following considerations:

1. Purpose of the request;
   
2. Corresponding benefits in support of the Museum and its mission;
   
3. Corresponding benefits in support of the University of Illinois and its mission;
   
4. Availability of staff to provide the tour; and
   
5. Security concerns for the well-being of the Collection

All tours will be conducted in accordance with the rules for security and access as stated in the Storage Policy, Part B, #2.

Access to objects in the Artifact Collection for examination, study and research--whether objects are in storage or on exhibit--is permitted on a restricted basis.  Requests should be made in advance and in writing to the Registrar.  The Registrar will consult with the Collections Manager, Director, and other staff as needed; requests will be approved or denied after careful review of the following considerations:

1. Purpose of the request;
   
2. Value of the potential knowledge to be gained by the proposed request;
   
3. Corresponding benefit in support of the Museum and its mission;
   
4. Corresponding benefit to the University of Illinois and its mission;
   
5. Soundness of the proposed research request and demonstrated competence of the researcher;
   
6. Availability of Museum staff and staff time necessary to respond to the request;
   
7. Availability and accessibility of the requested objects;
   
8. Availability of space to examine the objects;
   
9. Number of objects requested;
   
10. Physical condition of the requested objects; and
    
11. Potential for loss, damage, or disfigurement that may be caused to the object by the proposed request and the degree to which it can be minimized.
    

The Collections Manager in consultation with the Registrar will determine whether the individual will be allowed to handle the objects and, if so, under what conditions.  Individuals requesting to handle objects must read the Artifact Handling Policy, Part B, #1 and complete the Artifact Handling Release Form.  Handling of objects will be directly supervised by the Collections Manager, Assistant Collections Manager, Registrar, Assistant Registrar for Collections, Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions, or other Museum staff designated by the Collections Manager.

The Registrar in consultation with the Collections Manager will determine the most appropriate location within the Museum for the requestor to examine the objects.  If the objects are to be examined in a storage area, the visit will be conducted in accordance with the rules for security and access as stated in the Storage Policy, Part B, #2.

Access to the Documentary Multimedia Collection

In accordance with its mission, the Museum supports the use of the Documentary Multimedia Collection by students, professors, scholars, the media, and the public for educational and research purposes, consistent with the long-term preservation of the objects in the collection and with University of Illinois policies and state and federal copyright laws and regulations. 

Access to the Documentary Multimedia Collection for examination, study and researchis provided in-house, in room 011 or other suitable location in the Museum, and off-site through post, email, or web distribution. Physical or digital reproductions are used to expand access to other locations, both locally and worldwide.  Requests for the duplication of images or recordings, either by photocopying, photography, scanning, copying of digital files, videotaping or professional reproduction is allowed and is usually completed by Museum staff in-house.  For policy and procedures regarding requests for access to this Collection see the section on Requests for Access and Use of the Documentary Multimedia Collection and Other Museum Images and Recordings under the in the Photography Policy, Part C.

Access to the Teaching Collection

In accordance with its mission, the Museum supports the use of the Teaching Collection by students, educators, and scholars for research and other educational purposes, consistent with the long-term preservation goals specific to this Collection and University of Illinois policies. 

Access to Teaching Collection objects on exhibit in the galleries is available free of charge to the general public during Museum open hours and when the galleries are open during special events.  Access to Teaching Collection objects on exhibit in the Learning Center is available during hours that the Learning Center is open to the public.

Access to Teaching Collection storage may be granted on a restricted basis for visiting museum professionals, academic professionals, dignitaries, donors, and lenders.  The process for approving and setting up a tour will be the same as for the Artifact Collection, with the exception that the Director or Assistant Director of Education will be included in the approval process.  This is to ensure that the tour will not overlap or interfere with other educational tours or programs that have been scheduled in the Learning Center or near other Teaching Collection storage areas.

Access to objects in the Teaching Collection for examination, study and research is available on a restricted basis.  The Registrar will receive the study request and will consult with the Collections Manager and Director or Assistant Director of Education to either approve or deny requests using the same considerations as for Artifact Collection objects.  Members of the public approved for this work will be allowed to handle the objects after a lesson in artifact handling by a trained member of the Education or Collections Management staff.

Museum Studies students will have access to objects in the Teaching Collection as deemed necessary and useful for class work by the Education staff.  The students will be allowed to handle the objects after a lesson in artifact handling by a trained member of the Education or Collections Management staff.

Access to the Library Collection

This Collection serves as an internal reference and research resource for the Museum’s staff, volunteers, curators and other Museum associates involved in the research and care of Museum collections and as a resource for Museum staff teaching Museum Studies.  These individuals may use the Library Collection as needed in-house and may check out materials from the Collection according to the outgoing loan procedure described in the Outgoing Loans Policy, Part A, #7.  The Assistant Registrar for Acquisitions monitors the loans from this Collection.  The Museum does not have the resources to maintain the Library Collection as a public lending library.

Access to the Props and Furnishings Collection

The Props and Furnishings Collection serves as an internal resource for office decoration and for exhibit furniture.  As such, this Collection is a resource, but is not available to the general public except as office decoration in the Museum or through exhibit in the Museum’s galleries.