[NHCOLL-L:5428] RE: quick show of hands for wet collection temp/humidity levels

[Pellegrini, Rodrigo]

Our wet collections storage and multi-purpose laboratory share the same room. Even though the New Jersey State Museum was recently renovated, and an a central HVAC system was installed in the building, we've had trouble keeping RH steady both in the wet collections room/lab and in the new dry compactor storage room. Even temperature varies somewhat, and both seem to correlate directly to (much greater) variations outside the building. Each time the RH dips below 35% during the winter, I complain, and more often than not after days I get word back that facilities had either turned off the humidifier or had never turned it on at all. Let me tell you, working for state gov't is quite an experience. Even if I know the guy that can fix a problem, I still can't call him directly but must instead go through about 8 middlemen (who will do nothing but fill forms and pass the buck until it eventually lands on the guy who can fix the issue).

A volunteer and I worked on the wet collection for two full days a week, since I joined the staff in December of '06, until last year. It took that long for us to bring the alcohol concentration of all specimens up to 70% and change the lids from Bakelite or metal to PP with PE liners. 

I'd say temperature is pretty much under control and ranges steadily between 68 and 70 Fahrenheit, but the RH varies with the season between extremes of about 35% to 70% (but we aim for 55%, and it is closer to 50%-65% most of the time).


Rodrigo Pellegrini, MA, MS
Registrar, Natural History Bureau
New Jersey State Museum
PO Box 530
Trenton, NJ 08625-0530
USA

Voice: (609) 292-5615 (office)
       (609) 826-3924 (laboratory)
       (609) 826-5449 (storage)
Fax: (609) 292-7636
E-mail: Rodrigo.Pellegrini at sos.state.nj.us
www.newjerseystatemuseum.org
-----Original Message-----
From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Jess Rosales
Sent: Thursday, May 12, 2011 3:03 PM
To: nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:5419] quick show of hands for wet collection temp/humidity levels

Hi all,

Can I get a quick show of hands for wet collections that follow Simmons' recs for temp and humidity levels? (65 deg F and 50% RH). If not, at what temp/RH is your collection stored?

Thanks,

Jess

Jessica Rosales
Ichthyology Collection Manager
Texas Natural History Collections
Texas Natural Science Center
The University of Texas at Austin
10100 Burnet Road, PRC 176/R4000
Austin, TX 78758-4445 USA

512.471.8845 voice
512.471.9775 fax