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MDA to Develop Cultural Property Advice Service

MDA, the UK's lead organisation for knowledge management in collections, has been commissioned by the Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) to develop Cultural Property Advice, an innovative service aimed at heritage professionals and the art and antiquities trade.

Cultural Property Advice will be maintained jointly by MDA and the Acquisitions, Export and Loans Unit at MLA and will be published as part of the range of services provided through Collections Link at www.collectionslink.org.uk.

To be launched towards the end of 2006, the service will also incorporate the Spoliation Database, previously hosted by the National Museum Directors Conference.

David Uffindell, Export Licensing Manager at MLA and Cultural Property Advice project director, commented, 'There is a clear need for authoritative, accessible guidance across the range of cultural property issues faced by museums. What is most exciting about Cultural Property Advice is that it will bring together information for the heritage sector and the art and antiquities trade. I am very pleased to be working with MDA on this significant project.'

Nick Poole, MDA Director, commented, 'Securing the Cultural Property Advice contract with MLA is a real achievement for MDA. We are committed to ensuring that museum professionals have easy access to best practice in all aspects of managing a collection, and this development fits well with the range of popular services we are already delivering through Collections Link, such as the Accreditation Resource Directory and our National Training Database.'

Cultural Property Advice will be developed in partnership between MDA, leading consultancy Hopkins van Mil and technology provider Orangeleaf Systems.

Notes for Editors

MDA is the UK's lead organisation in documentation and the management of collections information. Our vision is of a sector in which collections are managed effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with national standards to create inspiring, engaging and sustainable services.

Collections Link is MDA's Renaissance-funded advisory service, covering 16 areas of professional collections management practice www.collectionslink.org.uk.

The Museums, Libraries and Archives Council (MLA) is the strategic development agency for the UK's museums, libraries and archives www.mla.gov.uk.

For further information about the work of MDA, or to interview Nick Poole, MDA Director, contact Eleanor Lovegrove at eleanor@mda.org.uk or telephone 01223 316 028.