[Nhcoll-l] Jar Numbering Systems

[Andrew Stewart]

Hi Emily,

Yes, we have implemented a jar numbering system; basically running the jars as 'mini drums'. This enables some space saving with multiple registrations in a jar, particularly useful when several specimens of the same species from the same location have different registration numbers due to tissue sampling. The printed label has the list of registration numbers on it, but each database record has the same jar number. The jars have a sticky number label attached to the lid, but this is not repeated on the jar label. Also we use the jar number to track the registration number down to the shelf it should be on.

The database we are using is KE Emu and the jar number is stored in the Collection Management tab, vis: [J019177] Jar  -  [R-3D17-12GB] Tory Street - Spirit Collection Store, Area 1 - compactor 12, Drop G, shelf B. This means that the history of that container is also recorded - jar manufacturer, alcohol type, volume and concentration and who did the work, & when. Should a batch or style of jar show problems, they can be tracked and assessed to the size of the problem; is it a single faulty unit or is the whole batch defective.

We have what would be an average to small-sized fishes collection (~55,000 jars) and the jar numbers started at J00001. The collections have different number blocks assigned, fishes run through to J700000. We haven't had the money for scanners, but work from spread sheets which are then transferred to the database. Sounds clunky, but it works OK.

The biggest thing to watch for is that researchers put the correct lid with its number back onto the correct jar with its specimens and registration label!

Hope this is useful

Cheers
Andrew Stewart

>><<<)o>
Collection Manager: Science (Fishes)
Museum of New Zealand
04 381 7314
027 7339363
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From: nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Emily M. Braker
Sent: Wednesday, 2 August 2017 4:24 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Jar Numbering Systems

Hi All,

We are planning to rehouse and inventory our Herpetology collection which will include implementing a container-level specimen tracking system. All catalog numbers in a jar will be linked to a unique container ID to increase findability, especially for large taxonomic series that span multiple jars within a given geographic region.

I am interested to know what other collections have done regarding a jar numbering systems (sequential? sequential within taxon? other?). Or, if you use barcodes for tracking containers, have you encountered issues with scanning through glass? We will be adding thermal labels to each jar to replace our existing external jar tag that lists species and locality (county-level resolution). Along these lines, does anyone go so far as listing the catalog numbers of specimens stored within the same jar on their thermal labels? We are hoping to streamline the process of searching through multiple jars and hundreds of specimens to find the distinguished few that are requested to go on loan. I'd welcome any suggestions or advice.

Thanks!
Emily

Emily Braker
Vertebrate Collections Manager, Zoology Section
University of Colorado Museum of Natural History
265 UCB, Bruce Curtis Building
Boulder, CO 80309-0218
Phone: 303-492-8466


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