[Nhcoll-l] barcoding pros and cons

[Bentley, Andrew Charles]

Rick

Most ichthyology and other wet collection do not usually go the barcoding route due to the cost benefit analysis of doing so.  The only benefit of barcoding is that it provides you with an east mechanism for processing large loans, doing inventories or otherwise creating batches of specimens.  In ichthyology collections and the like the cost of barcoding everything far outweighs the benefits given the relatively small number of specimens we loan every year in relation to for instance botany or entomology collections.

Given that we do not have a tradition of barcoding specimens the cost of going back and do so is just too large for me...

Hope that is fodder for a lively discussion...

Andy

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Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Biodiversity Institute
Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
USA

Tel: (785) 864-3863
Fax: (785) 864-5335 
Email: abentley at ku.edu  
http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu

SPNHC President-Elect
http://www.spnhc.org

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-----Original Message-----
From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Richard Morse
Sent: Friday, February 28, 2014 10:07 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] barcoding pros and cons

Hi Folks,
Long time listener, first time post - our institution is debating whether or not to buy into barcoding devices. I am hoping to start a discussion on this board about the pros, cons and relative utility of such a system in relation to natural history collections and beyond. Or you can reply directly to my email! 
Your help and knowledge is greatly appreciated.
Thanks!   ---Rick

Richard Morse, Ph.D.
Collections Manager Ichthyology and Decapod Collection New York State Museum
145 Jordan Road
Troy NY 12180
518 283 9005
518 473 8121
rmorse at mail.nysed.gov
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