University of Michigan Museum of Zoology …

                University of Michigan Museum of Zoology


                            Policy on Acquisition of Specimens

                                           Donations
The Museum of Zoology (UMMZ) may accept donations of specimens and related materials for
disposition into its collections. Donations may include preserved specimens and/or specimen
parts (e.g., tissue samples) as well as unpreserved material (e.g., frozen carcasses) that will be
prepared by Museum Curators or curatorial staff. The Museum also accepts donations of images
(digital or printed photographs or slides), sound recordings, field notes, and other natural history
archival material. Acceptance of a donation is at the discretion of UMMZ Curators and
Collections Managers.

Specimen-related material donated to the UMMZ must be accompanied by copies of permits or
other documentation that the material was obtained legally by the donor. In cases where the
donation consists of older material that lacks such documentation, the donor must submit a letter
to the Museum at the time of the donation that indicates the nature and source of material and
that explains the reason for lack of permit documentation. Salvaged material (i.e., specimens
found dead) may be donated to the Museum under its institutional state and federal salvage
permits.

Specimens donated to the UMMZ should have information on collection locality and geographic
coordinates, date, and other relevant data. These data may be in the form of field notes or they
may be written directly on specimen tags. We encourage potential donors to contact UMMZ
curatorial staff for guidelines for recording such data. If a potential donor plans in advance to
collect or salvage specimens for disposition into the UMMZ collections, he/she may request
certain curatorial supplies from the Museum to assist with this work, including specimen tags,
tissue vials, and archival field note paper.

Occasionally, donors may wish to claim specimen donations as a tax deduction. Museum staff
are not responsible for appraising the value of specimen donations for tax or other purposes. In
these cases, the donor must submit a letter to the Director indicating the number and kind of
specimens donated, their estimated value, and how this appraisal was obtained (e.g., by a
certified taxidermist, online catalogs, or appraiser from another museum). The Museum then will
submit this letter to the UM Development Office, who will provide the donor with a receipt.

Generally, once a donation is accessioned into the UMMZ collections, the inclusive material and
any copyrights become the property of the Regents of the University of Michigan. A Deed of
Gift signed by the donor and UMMZ transfers all rights to the UM Regents. Accessioning and
cataloguing will follow established procedures of the Museum. Donated material and associated
data will be made available for research, education, or public exhibit according to the mission
and policies of the Museum and Regents, except by prior signed agreement between the donor
and the Museum. (See deed of gift at end of this document).


                               Other Incoming Transactions

The UMMZ may also accept material that is not intended for incorporation into the permanent
collections. Such incoming transactions may later be accessioned, completely or in part, into the
permanent collections, in which case the acquired material must conform, in all respects, to the
requirements specified in the Donations section (see above).

                                         Incoming Loans

Material may be loaned to the UMMZ for research, teaching, or other scholarly purposes. All
loans, including those to students, postdoctoral fellows, adjunct faculty members, and visiting
researchers, should be made to a sponsoring curator or to the collection manager. Copies of all
invoices and other pertinent documentation describing the contents, purposes, and specific
requirements or limitations of use placed on the material must be placed in divisional files.
Loans transferred by an incoming staff member, student, or other researcher from another
institution must be accompanied by an invoice and letter of permission for transfer: copies of
these documents will similarly be placed in divisional files. Responsibility for receipt, curatorial
maintenance, observance of conditions for use, and return of the loaned material is that of the
borrower (UMMZ curator or collection manager). In the case of loans for use by students and
other non-permanent staff, these responsibilities, along with oversight of the proper use of the
material, are assigned to the sponsoring curator or collection manager, with the assistance and
cooperation of the student or non-permanent staff member. Requests for loan period extensions,
transfers, exchanges, and other changes in the terms of the original loan agreement must be made
by the sponsoring curator or collection manager. Returns of loaned material must comply with
all expressed specifications of the lending institution.

                                       Other Transactions

Other incoming transactions (e.g., specimens brought in for identification) that are retained in the
UMMZ beyond the initial examination period must be accompanied by a written statement from
the donor/lender detailing the conditions and purpose of the temporary transfer of the material
and specifying the terms of care, use, and return or disposal of the material. Copies of this
documentation, along with any records produced during examination of the material (e.g.,
photographs, radiographs, data), and outgoing documents (e.g., letters of confirmation of
identification) should also be placed in divisional files. Acceptance of these materials for
periods of time exceeding the initial examination period (e.g., placement of the material in a
freezer) is the responsibility of a curator or the collection manager.
                  University of Michigan Museum of Zoology

                                        DEED OF GIFT
I,(donor)_____________________, herewith present to the Regents of the University of
Michigan, irrevocably and for the use and purposes of The Museum of Zoology, all right, title,
and interest in the following materials received by the Museum on (date)_________________:
(a detailed list may be appended)
Further, I transfer and assign all copyrights that I possess in this material to The Regents of the
University of Michigan, except as noted here:




I agree that this material will be made available for research and/or teaching according to the
established procedures of The Museum of Zoology, except as noted here:
I agree that appraisals of donated material are the responsibility of the donor.
Signed:_______________________ Date:_________________
Donor
Address_______________________________________________________
Phone_________________________________________________________
Email_________________________________________________________
The Museum of Zoology hereby gratefully acknowledges receipt of this gift to the Regents of the
University in accordance with the conditions specified above.
Signed:_______________________ Date:_________________
UMMZ Representative