Organized by resource type this section of the Libguide provides materials on the topics of:

1. Legal Protections & Issues
2. Provenance Research 

Click for 

• Reference
• Books
• Legal Declarations
• Organizations

From the Commission for Looted Art in Europe: 
Although the following are non-binding resolutions, they have been subscribed to by many countries as moral support for the recovery efforts of Nazi-looted assets.  The adoption of the resolutions has led to the renewed interest in provenance research into many library and museum collections.

• Washington Principles - On 3 December 1998 the 44 governments participating in the Washington Conference on Holocaust-Era Assets endorsed principles for dealing with Nazi-looted art.
• ICOM recommendations - During its last meeting, held in Paris in December 1998, the Executive Council of the International Council of Museums (ICOM) discussed the issue of works of art confiscated from Jewish owners during the Second World War and kept in museums or public collections. Concerning the confiscation of Jewish works of art, the Executive Council of ICOM made recommendations for museum professionals around the world.
• Resolution 1205 of the Council of Europe - On 5th November 1999, the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe, representing forty-one nations, unanimously passed Resolution 1205, calling for the restitution of looted Jewish cultural property in Europe.
• Vilnius Forum  - The Vilnius International Forum on Holocaust Era Looted Cultural Assets took place 3-5 October 2000 in Lithuania, as a follow-up to the Washington Conference of December 1998, under the auspices of the Council of Europe. The 38 governments present agreed to the the Vilnius Forum declaration on 5th October 2000.
• Terezin Declaration - The Holocaust Era Assets Conference took place in Prague and Terezin on 26-30 June 2009 under the auspices of the European Union of which the Czech government held the Presidency. The 46 governments present agreed to the Terezin Declaration on 30 June 2009.
• Draft UNESCO Declaration - Draft UNESCO Declaration of Principles Relating to Cultural Objects Displaced in Connection with the Second World War 2009.

United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO): Culture

Founded in 1945 as part of its mission UNESCO works to advance knowledge, standards and intellectual cooperation in order to protect, safeguard and manage  the tangible and intangible heritage and promote the diversity of cultural expressions and the dialogue of cultures with a view to fostering a culture of peace.

World Archaeological Congress
The World Archaeological Congress (WAC) is a non-governmental, not-for-profit organization and is the only representative world-wide body of practising archaeologists. WAC seeks to promote interest in the past in all countries, to encourage the development of regionally-based histories and to foster international academic interaction. Its aims are based on the need to recognise the historical and social roles as well as the political context of archaeology, and the need to make archaeological studies relevant to the wider community.    

International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR)
The International Foundation for Art Research (IFAR) is a not-for-profit educational and research organization dedicated to integrity in the visual arts. IFAR offers impartial and authoritative information on authenticity, ownership, theft, and other artistic, legal, and ethical issues concerning art objects.

Art Institute of Chicago Provenance Research Project
Since 1997 the Art Institute of Chicago has dilligently worked to ensure that all of its collections and works have proper documentation of ownerships and history. The site provides tips on how to conduct provenance research while also providing a bibliography of the researched works that compose the Institute's own collection. 

Metropolitan Museum of Art Provenance Research Project
The purpose of the Provenance Research Project is to determine whether any paintings that have entered the Museum's collections since 1932 could have been seized or stolen by the Nazis and not subsequently restituted to their rightful owners.

Cultural Property Advice
Cultural Property Advice is a comprehensive on-line advisory service to help you to collect, buy and sell art, antiques and antiquities legitimately and with confidence. It provides a reliable, accurate and practical source of information and guidance on cultural property including: exporting and importing cultural objects; current legislation; news on stolen and illicitly traded objects; and lots of checklists and factsheets to support what you are doing.