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been scheduling meetings with chief executive officers of a number of other major firms in the industry in an attempt to get proportional contributions.

Mr. Adams distributed copies of the initial issue of the "American Visions" magazine along with copies of a memorandum from its Editor and Publisher, Mr. Gary Puckrein, pleading for additional support. The Secretary stated that the future of the magazine was in doubt if the Regents felt they could not offer the requested amount, $150,000, over a five-month period. It was noted that the Institution had provided a total of almost $300,000 to date and that the Visions Foundation has appealed again to the Ford Foundation. Mr. Adams also noted that "Visions" magazine had been provided a great deal of assistance from SMITHSONIAN magazine. After discussion it was generally agreed that the Institution was not in a position to provide the additional support requested.

Citing recent communications from individual Regents with regard to the Museum of the American Indian in New York, Mr. Adams said the Smithsonian continues to be in a watchful posture, rather than an active one. Characterizing the collection as perfectly splendid, but ill-housed and ill-cared for, he felt that there is no way in which the Smithsonian could be helpful as long as the matter of its eventual relocation remains under review in the New York courts.

As noted in the Report of the Executive Committee, above, the Secretary had received some strongly pressed requests recently for the loan of what would be regarded as some of the major items in the National Collections. Mr. Adams pointed out the dilemma between wanting to reciprocate with other museums and educational institutions throughout the world while, at the same time, the Smithsonian has a fundamental responsibility to the American people for the care and exhibition of their national treasures. At the request of the Executive Committee, Mr. Adams offered the following statement of Smithsonian policy:

[[underlined]] General Policy on the Loan of Smithsonian Collections [[/underlined]]

In keeping with its mandate "for the increase and diffusion of knowledge" the Smithsonian Institution endorses the museum community practice of making collection items available for loan to other museums and educational institutions when circumstances allow. The accommodation of a request to borrow unique or especially important objects from the national collections must be given thorough consideration, incorporating concerns such as the nature of the object, the impact of its absence on the visiting public and scholars, the condition of the object, security, legal restrictions emanating as a loan condition, and the like. Each individual museum collection policy should incorporate these considerations as well as all others which may be unique to the specific item or collection.