[NHCOLL-L:621] Re: Long term effect of compactus storage on wet specimens

[Holly I. McEntee]

Thank you to everyone for the "public" discussion on this topic.  At our
museum we are considering compactor shelving for part of our wet
collections and I appreciate the community's collective knowledge and
thoughts.  

Here is a new consideration for the discussion, one that we are facing:
Our building is located directly across the street from one of the
university's coal fired heating plants.  We are constantly fighting the
coal dust that comes into the building despite filters upon filters.  The
area where we plan to put the compactors seems to get more than its share
of this gritty soot.  Would these particulates affect the smoothness of the
operation of manual compactors and in turn create more vibration and damage
to specimens?  I imagine that it would, and would also contribute to a
quick degredation of rails and moving parts.  Thoughts/comments/criticisms
are welcome.

Sincerely,
Holly



Holly McEntee, Registrar
University of Wisconsin Zoological Museum
Lowell E. Noland Zoology Building
250 N. Mills Street
Madison, WI  53706-1794
 
Phone/Fax:  608-262-3766/5395
hmcentee at facstaff.wisc.edu
http://www.wisc.edu/zoology/museum/museum.html