[NHCOLL-L:437] Shared Collection Storage

[Kelly Goulette]

Greetings,
 
I am from a natural history museum that is currently in the planning phase to construct an additional collection storage room.  This new space will house objects requiring the same environmental conditions that are from several curatorial departments.  At my museum, curatorial departments have always been systematically arranged with separate collection storage rooms and separate work areas.  We are in the process of developing protocols for how we use this shared space in order for each department to get needs met.  As you might imagine, it is a challenge to shift our thinking from a systematic, departmental approach to a functional, division level approach.

I am calling upon the experience of those people who have considered and/or developed collections storage shared by more than one curatorial department at their institution.  I am trying to understand the successes and pitfalls others have experienced utilizing a functional arrangement of space.  I would also appreciate it if folks could share any procedures/protocols they have developed to address issues associated with this arrangement.

Thank you in advance for any experience you can offer.  Please feel free to reply to me directly.


Kelly Goulette, Registrar
Collections & Research Division
Denver Museum of Natural History
2001 Colorado Boulevard
Denver, CO  80205
phone:  303/370-6401
fax:  303/370-6313
kgoulette at dmnh.org