[Nhcoll-l] Catalogue number requests - paleontology

[Thomas Labedz]

My experience, not in paleontology, has been that starting or continuing the practice of assigning catalog numbers to specimens not at hand, with documented ownership by the museum, leads to trouble down the road. Trouble as to whether the numbers were actually applied, applied properly, applied to the correct specimens, trouble in documenting that those specimens now belong to the museum and from that point onward are on loan, which then too is often undocumented. Etc.  All the extra hassle is worth the trouble for those of us having to clean up this sort of mess days, decades, or even centuries later. I encourage you to stick with the opening sentence of your second paragraph: “As a rule, we don’t issue catalogue numbers until an incoming lot has arrived on the premises and can be assessed and fully accessioned.”
Thomas E. Labedz, Collections Manager
Division of Zoology and Division of Botany
University of Nebraska State Museum


From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of DjanChekar, Nathalie
Sent: Friday, April 28, 2017 10:06 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Catalogue number requests - paleontology

Good day,

I would like to know how other institutions handle a researcher’s request for catalogue numbers for the purpose of  publication when the request comes prior to the specimens physically entering the museum.

As a rule, we don’t issue catalogue numbers until an incoming lot has arrived on the premises and can be assessed and fully accessioned. This is sometimes difficult to apply, particularly in paleontology. Regularly, paleontologists require catalogue numbers for publication, but need to hang on to their material for ongoing research. Permits and regulations often dictate that specimens be deposited in the region where they were collected. Sending the material back and forth, when the researchers live away, can be costly and presents risks and delay. However, issuing catalogue numbers prior to the specimens’ arrival creates an external backlog that is challenging to manage. I’m curious to hear about the experience of others with this issue.

I thank you and look forward to your comments and feedback.

Nathalie

Nathalie Djan-Chékar  -  Natural History Collections Manager
(709) 757-8082 (W) | nathaliedjanchekar at therooms.ca<mailto:nathaliedjanchekar at therooms.ca>

Provincial Museum Division
The Rooms Corporation of Newfoundland and Labrador

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