[Nhcoll-l] Care & Use of Natural History Museum Collections Class--your input requested

[Kevin Winker]

Hi, Heather. Sounds like an interesting course. Personally, I'd flip the
reading around to emphasize collections development and collections care
rather than collections from the perspective of researchers. The latter can
artificially narrow perceptions of collections' myriad values (i.e., more
than what is on the table needs to be incorporated into the collection).
I'd echo many of the other responses, especially those related to manual
(dis)abilities, but also emphasize the importance of instilling a vision
and passionate appreciation for the building of these critical research
infrastructure resources. Everyone can and should be involved.

Best, K.


On Thu, Mar 6, 2014 at 10:29 AM, Heather Lerner <hlerner at gmail.com> wrote:

> I have the wonderful opportunity to be the director at the Joseph Moore
> Museum at Earlham College. With that position, I get to teach one course
> per year in "Museum Studies." My goals with the course are to first train
> students in the most useful skills they will need to go on as collections
> managers or curators or researchers who use collections, and second, for
> students who may never work in/for a museum in the future, to convince them
> of the importance of biological collections so that they will be educated
> lifelong museum advocates.
>
> Here is where I ask for *your input:*
> (1) what are the *skills *you want incoming collections manager, graduate
> students or curators to have?
>
> (2) we will read an article each week in which someone has published their
> research using specimens/collections as a primary source of
> information/data. For example, ancient DNA, isotope, morphological studies.
> What are some of the best *examples of collections-based research* you
> thinkI should include?
>
> Thanks for your input,
>
> Heather
>
> --
>
> Heather
>
> *******************************************
> Heather R. L. Lerner, Ph.D., M.S.
> Joseph Moore Museum <http://earlham.edu/jmm> Director
> Assistant Professor of Biology
> Earlham College
> 801 National Road West
> Richmond IN 47374
>
> *******************************************
> Google Voice: 949-GENOMES
> Email: hlerner at gmail.com
> http://heatherlerner.com/
> *******************************************
>
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>


-- 
Kevin Winker
University of Alaska Museum
907 Yukon Drive
Fairbanks, AK 99775
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