From HawksC at si.edu Fri May 1 06:50:33 2020 From: HawksC at si.edu (Hawks, Catharine) Date: Fri, 1 May 2020 10:50:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Connecting to Collections Care Digest for Friday May 1, 2020 In-Reply-To: <01000171cf78d514-0365e1ab-10fc-44b5-8799-57c96fb158ce-000000@email.amazonses.com> References: <01000171cf78d514-0365e1ab-10fc-44b5-8799-57c96fb158ce-000000@email.amazonses.com> Message-ID: From: AIC and FAIC Sent: Friday, May 1, 2020 5:02 AM To: Hawks, Catharine Subject: Connecting to Collections Care Digest for Friday May 1, 2020 External Email - Exercise Caution 1 new thread from 1 author in the "Connecting to Collections Care" community ... Continuing our theme for this week of #MayDayPrep, stay on the road to recovery by watching ?Avoiding Ambulance Chasers: Working with Emergency... [AIC and FAIC] Connecting to Collections Care Post New Message Apr 30, 2020 Discussions started 12 hours ago, Robin Kilgo (0 replies) FAIC #MayDayPrep - Still on the Road to Recovery [external link to thread view] 1. Continuing our theme for this week of ... Robin Kilgo 1. FAIC #MayDayPrep - Still on the Road to Recovery Reply to Group Reply to Sender [Robin Kilgo] Apr 30, 2020 4:15 PM Robin Kilgo Continuing our theme for this week of #MayDayPrep, stay on the road to recovery by watching ?Avoiding Ambulance Chasers: Working with Emergency Recovery Vendors,? presented by Tara Kennedy! ?After a disaster happens, it?s human nature to want things to return to normal as quickly as possible. That feeling can affect one?s ability to vet disaster recovery vendors. This webinar will provide information so that you understand what these companies offer. As a result, you will feel more confident investigating and working with recovery vendors. Learn how to prepare with disaster recovery vendors before disaster strikes; what types of services disaster recovery vendors offer; which questions to ask vendors so that you get the services you need (not the ones you don?t); and know in advance what are appropriate answers to those questions. Sample documents such as Request for Proposal (RFP) and contract templates will be provided for your use. The webinar content applies to your cultural institution as well as the family home.? www.connectingtocollections.org/... ------------------------------ -------------------------------------- Robin Bauer Kilgo Connecting to Collections Care Coordinator, FAIC c2cc at culturalheritage.org Contract Registrar/Consultant rbkilgo at gmail.com ------------------------------ Reply to Group Online View Thread Recommend Forward You are subscribed to "Connecting to Collections Care" as hawksc at si.edu. To change your subscriptions, go to My Subscriptions. To unsubscribe from this community discussion, go to Unsubscribe. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From robgur at gmail.com Sun May 3 14:33:12 2020 From: robgur at gmail.com (Robert Guralnick) Date: Sun, 3 May 2020 14:33:12 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] reminder: Darwin Core Hour and BBQ Message-ID: Hi everyone, here is your friendly reminder about the Darwin Core Hour tomorrow: new *Darwin Core (DwC) Hour + 2BBQs!* are almost here: *Imagining a global gazetteer of georeferences* [image: Promotion_v2.jpg] This Darwin Core Hour will consist of a 1hs Webinar and two 2hs BBQ sessions. Please see Webinar and BBQs Details and Meeting Links at https://www.idigbio.org/content/darwin-core-hour-2-bbqs-imagining-global-gazetteer-georeferences *Abstract:* We want our georeferencing to be just right: complete, as accurate as possible, and usable for research. However, it takes a great effort and resources to do so, right? Although the majority of the records shared online are not georeferenced, we have invested a huge, collective effort already; there ARE a lot of georeferenced locations already published. In GBIF, for example, there are >54M unique location strings that are georeferenced, affecting >530M occurrence records. We know that many collection/observation sites tend to be repeated across institutions and even taxa. Could we take advantage of all the effort already invested by the community? Could we use those georeferences to complete records that do not have them? The answer is: (probably) yes, and it would be awesome! In this Darwin Core Hour and BBQ we will present and discuss the idea of building a global gazetteer of georeferenced localities for everyone to use. When: 1. *Darwin Core Hour Time (~1 Hour **13:00 to 14:00 UTC)*: 9:00 AM EDT, 10:00 AM ART, 14:00 BST, 15:00 CEST, 13:00 GMT Click for your local time . 2. *Darwin Core Hour BBQ 1* (Monday 4 May 2020, 14:00 to 16:00 UTC) 3. *Darwin Core Hour BBQ 2* (Thursday 7 May 2020, 20:00-22:00 UTC ) 4:00 PM EDT, 5:00 PM ART, 9:00 PM BST, 10:00 PM CEST, 20:00 GMT EXTRAS: - Explore the Darwin Core Questions & Answers wiki: https://github.com/tdwg/dwc-qa/wiki - See which of your questions have been asked and answered so far: https://github.com/tdwg/dwc-qa/issues - Submit your question / volunteer (yourself or someone) to do a webinar on a darwin core topic: https://tinyurl.com/zja2muz Happy Darwin Core and Data Quality, and hope to see you soon! Paula Zermoglio, et al from the Darwin Core Hour Team (please kindly excuse cross-postings!) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Promotion_v2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 177684 bytes Desc: not available URL: From botanistsaj at gmail.com Sun May 3 22:46:45 2020 From: botanistsaj at gmail.com (Shelley James) Date: Mon, 4 May 2020 10:46:45 +0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Job opportunity in the Western Australian Herbarium Message-ID: Apologies for possible cross-postings! The Western Australian Herbarium is now advertising the position of Technical Officer-Herbarium. Know of an innovative and motivated individual with basic herbarium curation and biodiversity data skills, creative and keen to learn and help adopt best practices in the Western Australia Herbarium? Please encourage them to apply! https://search.jobs.wa.gov.au/page.php?pageID=160&AdvertID=252911&source=other Cheers- Shelley *Dr Shelley A. James* Herbarium Collections Manager Western Australian Herbarium (PERTH) Keiran McNamara Conservation Science Centre Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions *Postal address* Locked Bag 104 | Bentley Delivery Centre, WA 6983 *Physical address* 17 Dick Perry Ave | Kensington, WA 6151 *T* (08) 9219 9130 | *E *shelley.james at dbca.wa.gov.au *W *https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/plants-and-animals/wa-herbarium *F *https://www.facebook.com/WesternAustralianHerbarium *The Western Australian Herbarium acknowledges the Traditional Owners of the land and waters from where our collections have come, and pays respect to their Elders past, present and emerging.* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From reginaviti at gmail.com Sun May 3 23:11:00 2020 From: reginaviti at gmail.com (Regina Vitiello) Date: Sun, 3 May 2020 23:11:00 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Nhcoll-l mailing list submission: Natural History Collection Cataloging Survey Message-ID: Dear Members of Nhcoll-l, I am a LIS graduate student at CUNY Queens College conducting a survey on attitudes concerning cataloging and Linked Data technologies among natural history collections professionals. The survey consists of 20 questions and should take 5-10 minutes to complete. Participation is completely voluntary and any natural history collection managers or catalogers are invited to participate. If you are interested in completing this survey, it can be accessed at: Natural History Cataloging Survey Thank you, Regina Vitiello CUNY Queens College GSLIS -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bthiers at nybg.org Tue May 5 13:02:48 2020 From: bthiers at nybg.org (Thiers, Barbara) Date: Tue, 5 May 2020 17:02:48 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Biodiversity Heritage Library Online Classes in English and Spanish Message-ID: Smithsonian Libraries has developed two live online classes -- in English and in Spanish -- providing a brief overview of how to search BHL, and is making these classes available to BHL partner libraries to advertise to their staffs and users. The first class is this Friday, May 8th and is in Spanish. The second is on May 28th and in English. If you have any questions, please contact Barbara Ferry at ferryb at si.edu. Introduccion a la Biblioteca de la Herencia de la Biodiversidad [BHL] (en Espa?ol) La Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) es la biblioteca digital mas grande del mundo con acceso libre a la literatura y archivos sobre la biodiversidad. Funciona como un consorcio mundial de historia natural, botanica, investigaciones, y bibliotecas nacionales, trabajando juntos mediante la digitilizacion de la literatura de historia natural contenida en sus colecciones y ofreciendo totalmente su libre acceso. Acompa?enos en esta breve orientacion para aprender el manejo basico de como buscar en el banco de datos de BHL y utilizarla como una herramienta en sus investigaciones. No se requiere inscripcion.Versi?n interactiva en l?nea con instructor Sr. Angel Aguirre. Duraci?n de una hora. * Fecha: May 8, 9:00 a.m. Panama (10:00 a.m. EDT) * Instructor: Angel Aguirre * Access: Zoom Meeting: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/j/91761018355?pwd=L3N3VmFTTkM0YXpsL3BsSWJuV2ZrZz09?; Meeting ID: 917 6101 8355?; Password: 888081? Introduction to the Biodiversity Heritage Library The Biodiversity Heritage Library (BHL) is the world?s largest open access digital library for biodiversity literature and archives. It operates as a worldwide consortium of natural history, botanical, research, and national libraries working together, digitizing the natural history literature held in their collections and making it freely available. Attend this brief orientation to learn the basics about searching and using the BHL as a tool in your research. No registration required. Duration is one hour. ? Date: May 28, 10:30 a.m. EDT (9:30 a.m. Panama) ? Instructors: Polly Lasker and Angel Aguirre ? Access: Zoom Link: https://smithsonian.zoom.us/j/95120835160?pwd=UllPeUt4aUQ4ZkM2Z1lpVktpUWNtUT09 ; Meeting ID: 951 2083 5160; Password: 171959 Barbara Ferry Interim Branch Services Manager Smithsonian Libraries ferryb at si.edu Dr. Barbara M. Thiers Vice President Patricia K. Holmgren Director William and Lynda Steere Herbarium The New York Botanical Garden President-Elect, SPNHC Editor, Index Herbariorum 2900 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10458 Download: The World?s Herbaria 2017 (second Index Herbariorum annual report) Index Herbariorum Registration Form Index Herbariorum Registration Form Example -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From hayes.ken at gmail.com Wed May 6 15:56:00 2020 From: hayes.ken at gmail.com (Ken Hayes) Date: Wed, 6 May 2020 09:56:00 -1000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Job: Bishop Museum Director Of Informatics Message-ID: Bernice Pauahi Bishop Museum is seeking a Director of Informatics to lead a major effort to consolidate, expand, and enable the Museum?s digital assets, including databases as well as tens of terabytes of digital images, videos, audio files and documents. The Director will oversee the architecture, development, testing, and implementation of a robust infrastructure for managing and sharing digital information at Bishop Museum in support of collections, research, data sharing and public outreach, such that the resulting infrastructure will improve efficiency and effectiveness of future data creation and maintenance into perpetuity. For more information and to apply visit https://www.bishopmuseum.org/Careers/ Kenneth A. Hayes *Bishop Museum* T: 808.847.8217 On View Now Follow us on Facebook , *Instagram *, & Twitter *Bishop Museum inspires our community and visitors through the exploration, celebration**, and perpetuation of the extraordinary history, culture, and environment of Hawai**?**i and the Pacific.* -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From robgur at gmail.com Thu May 7 09:02:13 2020 From: robgur at gmail.com (Robert Guralnick) Date: Thu, 7 May 2020 09:02:13 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] 2nd Georeferencing Gazeteer BBQ Message-ID: We had an amazing turnout for the first Georeferencing Gazetteer Darwin Core Hour and BBQ and hope you can join in for our second BBQ today! See below. *The 2nd BBQ is almost here!* Darwin Core Hour - BBQ *Imagining a global gazetteer of georeferences* [image: Promotion_BBQ2.jpg] This Darwin Core Hour BBQ is the second in a series that consists of a 1hr Webinar and two 2hr BBQ sessions. Please see BBQ Details and Meeting Links at https://www.idigbio.org/content/darwin-core-hour-2-bbqs-imagining-global-gazetteer-georeferences Did you miss the webinar? Did you attend but want to relive it? Want to be prepared for further conversation? Review what was discussed here: https://tinyurl.com/dwchourGeoref: *abstract* of the webinar, presentation *slides*, the webinar *recording*, and a *summary* of the discussions. When: 1. *Darwin Core Hour BBQ 2* (Thursday 7 May 2020, 20:00-22:00 UTC ) 4:00 PM EDT, 5:00 PM ART, 9:00 PM BST, 10:00 PM CEST, 20:00 GMT EXTRAS: - Explore the Darwin Core Questions & Answers wiki: https://github.com/tdwg/dwc-qa/wiki - See which of your questions have been asked and answered so far: https://github.com/tdwg/dwc-qa/issues - Submit your question / volunteer (yourself or someone) to do a webinar on a darwin core topic: https://tinyurl.com/zja2muz Happy Darwin Core and Data Quality, and hope to see you soon! Paula Zermoglio, et al. from the Darwin Core Hour Team (please kindly excuse cross-postings!) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: Promotion_BBQ2.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 202974 bytes Desc: not available URL: From bzimkus at oeb.harvard.edu Fri May 8 11:44:31 2020 From: bzimkus at oeb.harvard.edu (Zimkus, Breda Marie) Date: Fri, 8 May 2020 15:44:31 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Public Meeting Concerning the Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources on May 14 Message-ID: <8264591E-1FBD-4F59-A797-289BD5C0CA3A@contoso.com> Colleagues, The U.S. Department of State is holding a ?Public Meeting Concerning the Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources,? on May 14, 2020 from 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. by phone. This meeting replaces the previously planned in-person meeting, originally scheduled for March 12. A copy of the Federal Register Notice is below for complete details. You can register to attend the teleconference by submitting your full name and organization to Patrick Reilly at ReillyPK2 at state.gov and copy RSVP-ECW at state.gov at least three days prior to the meeting. This is an important meeting to attend and/or submit electronic comments to. International discussions around the use of digital sequence information (DSI) are currently being conducted in multiple international forums ? the Nagoya Protocol, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Health Organization, the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction negotiations ? that could have dramatic effects on both public and private scientific research. Some parties are encouraging tracking and benefit sharing for the utilization of DSI under international ABS instruments. During the public meeting, officials from the United States State Department will provide a brief overview of the ongoing discussions regarding DSI on genetic resources in the context of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol and will listen to your comments, concerns, and questions about this issue. The goal is a free-flowing informal discussion that will help the U.S. Government prepare for U.S. participation in international meetings. If you cannot attend in person, you can still submit comments electronically, which will also be sent to the United States Government negotiating team. Electronic submissions are due by June 30. Submissions can be made via the internet at www.regulations.gov and entering docket number [DOS-2020-2017]. Best, Breda --- Breda M. Zimkus, Ph.D. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; Tel: 617-496-4656 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- DEPARTMENT OF STATE [Public Notice: 11095] Notice of Public Teleconference Concerning the Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources ACTION: Notice of meeting. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The U.S. Department of State (DOS) invites submission of comments from the public, academia, industry, and other stakeholders on the topic of ??digital sequence information (DSI) on genetic resources,?? also known as genetic sequence data (GSD). The United States will use these comments to inform policy development and international messaging on GSD, particularly regarding the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol. The Department will hold a public meeting and information session to discuss these issues, on May 14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., by teleconference. This teleconference is in place of the postponed in-person public meeting on DSI originally scheduled for March 12, 2020 [Public Notice 11037]. DATES: A teleconference is planned on Thursday, May 14, 2020. The meeting will begin at 10:00 a.m. EDT and last for up to two hours. Dial-in details will be made available upon registration. Electronic comments are due on or before June 30, 2020. ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held by phone. You will receive dial-in details upon registration. One electronic submission per person by the June 30 deadline is welcome, with no more than 10 pages of single-spaced text including relevant examples, with no more than one page per example. Submissions should be made via the internet at www.regulations.gov docket number [DOS?2020?2017]. Note that relevant comments submitted to regulations.gov will be posted without editing and will be available to the public; therefore, business-confidential information should be clearly identified as such and submitted by email instead to ReillyPK2 at state.gov. The public is required to file submissions electronically rather than by facsimile or mail. You do not need to resubmit comments if you submitted comments for the original Federal Register Notice [Public Notice 11037] announcing the now postponed, in-person public meeting on DSI originally scheduled for March 12, 2020. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Questions regarding the submission of comments should be directed to Patrick Reilly (202) 647?4827, ReillyPK2 at state.gov. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Secretariat of the CBD released three studies on ??Digital Sequence Information on Genetic Resources?? (https://www.cbd.int/dsi-gr/2019-2020/ studies/) that examine the scope, present use, traceability, access, and current benefit-sharing schemes relating to DSI/GSD. These studies were commissioned to inform decisions by the Parties to the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol at the 2020 Conference of Parties (COP) to the CBD and the Conference of Parties serving as the Meeting of the Parties to the Nagoya Protocol. (Originally planned for October 15?18, 2020 in Kunming, China, the CBD COP and related meetings have been postponed due to COVID?19; new dates have not yet been announced.) During the teleconference, DOS will provide a brief overview of the ongoing discussions regarding DSI/GSD in the context of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol and public participants will have the opportunity to share their comments, concerns, and questions about this issue. The information obtained from these meetings will help the U.S. Government prepare for U.S. participation in international meetings, in particular, U.S. participation in upcoming CBD and Nagoya Protocol meetings. Documents and other information related to the CBD and Nagoya Protocol can be found at this website: www.cbd.int. We welcome examples, information, and comment on: (1) The CBD studies cited above; (2) practices regarding the collection, management, and use of DSI/GSD; (3) experiences with access and benefit-sharing (ABS) approaches or requirements related to DSI/GSD; (4) specific examples of actual and potential impacts that could occur if tracking and benefit sharing for the utilization of DSI/GSD were required by domestic legislation in other countries, or encouraged under the Nagoya Protocol or other international instruments, such as the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture and the World Health Organization Pandemic Influenza Preparedness Framework; (5) specific examples of actual and potential impacts that could occur if tracking and benefit sharing for the utilization of DSI/GSD were required on research collaborations, international sample sharing, academic and commercial research, pandemic and epidemic preparedness and response, and food security; (6) monetary or non-monetary benefits that are facilitated by international sharing of DSI/GSD; (7) how organizations can still advance science if national-level ABS frameworks in other countries require tracking and benefit sharing for the utilization of DSI/GSD; (8) non-ABS challenges and barriers to sharing DSI/GSD that have significant implications for global research efforts that might merit additional attention or analysis; and (9) issues and/or examples related to the items described above or other items that could affect the scientific process. Representatives from DOS will review written submissions and share them, as appropriate, with other Federal Agencies to inform U.S. Government policy and our international engagements on these issues. U.S. officials may contact individuals making submissions for further information or clarification. Status: The meeting will be open to the public. Persons wishing to dial-in should submit their full name and organization to Patrick Reilly at ReillyPK2 at state.gov and copy RSVP? ECW at state.gov at least three days prior to the meeting. Requests made after that time will be considered but might not be accommodated. Zachary A. Parker, Director, Office of Directives Management, Department of State. [FR Doc. 2020?08784 Filed 4?23?20; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 4710?09?P -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From botanistsaj at gmail.com Fri May 8 19:52:48 2020 From: botanistsaj at gmail.com (Shelley James) Date: Sat, 9 May 2020 07:52:48 +0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST Virtual Conference 2020 Message-ID: SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST go Virtual for 2020 Apologies for cross-posting Register now at https://spnhc_icomnathist2020.eventbrite.com SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST are hosting a virtual digital meeting from 8-12 June, 2020. Together, we are offering an online event tailored to foster conversation across our joint worldwide communities. Activities currently envisioned include a plenary session, symposia and presentations, and an educational share fare, all in support of communication and professional development in these times of uncertainty and isolation. For members of SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST, Annual Business meetings are scheduled for Wednesday 12 June 2020. SPNHC Committee meetings and ICOM-NATHIST working group meetings, for those wishing to be more active in the community, are planned for Monday 8 June 2020. The online virtual meeting will use Zoom video conferencing, and it is free to register for the event. Registration is necessary so we can send you links and Zoom password to the free online meeting. We do, however, encourage you to support your society by becoming a member or renewing your SPNHC and/or ICOM NATHIST membership. Two time blocks for sessions are proposed to be as globally inclusive as possible: 12:00PM - 4:30PM UTC | 9:00PM - 1:30AM UTC You can determine these times at your location using the handy website https://timeanddate.com . Conference information, including the agenda, as it is finalized can be found via https://spnhc.org/virtual-meeting-2020-registration/ . Questions? Contact us via email: organizer at spnhc.org We look forward to seeing you soon online. SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST Virtual 2020 Organizing Committee -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Sat May 9 12:37:21 2020 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Sat, 9 May 2020 16:37:21 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: IMLS Announces CARES Act Funding Opportunities In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Friday, May 08, 2020 6:18 PM Cc: HENTF Subject: IMLS Announces CARES Act Funding Opportunities External Email - Exercise Caution Dear HENTF members, Please share this announcement of two new funding opportunities from the Institute of Museum and Library Services. The combined $15 million federal investment will provide direct support to museums, libraries, federally recognized tribes, and organizations that primarily serve Native Hawaiians, equipping them to respond to community needs resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic. IMLS CARES Act Grants for Museums and Libraries support museums and libraries in addressing their communities' immediate and future needs caused by the pandemic. Projects may focus on preserving jobs, training staff, addressing the digital divide, planning for reopening, or providing technical support and capacity building for digital inclusion and engagement. Applicants are encouraged to prioritize services for high-need communities. IMLS CARES Act Grants for Native American/Native Hawaiian Museum and Library Services assist tribes and organizations that primarily serve and represent Native Hawaiians in responding to the urgent and future needs of their communities. Applications focused on digital inclusion, technical support, rehiring or retraining staff, reopening planning, and other pandemic-related priorities are welcomed. The deadline for submitting applications to either funding opportunity is June 12, 2020, with award announcements anticipated in August. The official news release can be found at https://www.imls.gov/news/15-million-imls-cares-act-grants-now-available-museum-and-library-services. Please stay safe. With thanks, Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image001.jpg at 01D625FE.94572BB0] [cid:image002.jpg at 01D625FE.94572BB0] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 5379 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3077 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From neumann at snsb.de Mon May 11 10:37:28 2020 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 16:37:28 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Public Meeting Concerning the Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources on May 14 In-Reply-To: <8264591E-1FBD-4F59-A797-289BD5C0CA3A@contoso.com> References: <8264591E-1FBD-4F59-A797-289BD5C0CA3A@contoso.com> Message-ID: <156ae88f-63e7-da7c-99a5-71f6a1358b26@snsb.de> Dear all, I can only encourage you to participate in this meeting - input from scientists is needed, heard and considered. The report of the Ad Hoc Technical Expert Group on DSI has been published last Friday and might be helpful; it discussed terminology and scope. https://www.cbd.int/doc/c/ba60/7272/3260b5e396821d42bc21035a/dsi-ahteg-2020-01-07-en.pdf With best wishes Dirk Am 08.05.2020 um 17:44 schrieb Zimkus, Breda Marie: > > Colleagues, > > The U.S. Department of State is holding a *?Public Meeting Concerning > the Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources,? on May > 14, 2020 from 10:00 A.M. - 12:00 P.M. by phone*. This meeting replaces > the previously planned in-person meeting, originally scheduled for > March 12. A copy of the Federal Register Notice is below for complete > details. You can register to attend the teleconference by submitting > your full name and organization to Patrick Reilly at > /ReillyPK2 at state.gov /?and copy > /RSVP-ECW at state.gov /?at least three days > prior to the meeting. > > This is an important meeting to attend and/or submit electronic > comments to.? International discussions around the use of digital > sequence information (DSI) are currently being conducted in multiple > international forums ? the Nagoya Protocol, the Convention on > Biological Diversity, the World Health Organization, the International > Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the > Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction negotiations ? that could > have dramatic effects on both public and private scientific research. > ?Some parties are encouraging tracking and benefit sharing for the > utilization of DSI under international ABS instruments. During the > public meeting, officials from the United States State Department will > provide a brief overview of the ongoing discussions regarding DSI on > genetic resources in the context of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol > and will listen to your comments, concerns, and questions about this > issue. The goal is a free-flowing informal discussion that will help > the U.S. Government prepare for U.S. participation in international > meetings. > > If you cannot attend in person, you can still submit comments > electronically, which will also be sent to the United States > Government negotiating team. Electronic submissions are due by June > 30. ?Submissions can be made via the internet at www.regulations.gov > > and entering docket number [DOS-2020-2017]. > > Best, > > Breda > > --- > > Breda M. Zimkus, Ph.D. > Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University > 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; Tel: 617-496-4656 > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *DEPARTMENT OF STATE?[Public Notice: 11095]?Notice of Public > Teleconference?Concerning the Use of Digital?Sequence Information of > Genetic?Resources * > > *ACTION:*Notice of meeting. > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > *SUMMARY*: The U.S. Department of State?(DOS) invites submission of > comments?from the public, academia, industry,?and other stakeholders > on the topic of???digital sequence information (DSI) on?genetic > resources,?? also known as?genetic sequence data (GSD). The?United > States will use these comments?to inform policy development > and?international messaging on GSD,?particularly regarding the > Convention?on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the?Nagoya Protocol. The > Department will?hold a public meeting and information?session to > discuss these issues, on May?14, 2020 at 10:00 a.m., > by?teleconference. This teleconference is in?place of the postponed > in-person public?meeting on DSI originally scheduled for?March 12, > 2020 [Public Notice 11037]. > > *DATES:*A teleconference is planned on?Thursday, May 14, 2020. The > meeting?will begin at 10:00 a.m. EDT and last for?up to two hours. > Dial-in details will be?made available upon registration.?Electronic > comments are due on or?before June 30, 2020. > > *ADDRESSES*: The meeting will be held by?phone. You will receive > dial-in details?upon registration. One electronic?submission per > person by the June 30?deadline is welcome, with no more than?10 pages > of single-spaced text including?relevant examples, with no more > than?one page per example. Submissions?should be made via the internet > at www.regulations.gov > ?docket > number?[DOS?2020?2017]. Note that relevant?comments submitted to > regulations.gov?will be posted without editing and will?be available > to the public; therefore,?business-confidential information?should be > clearly identified as such and?submitted by email instead to > ReillyPK2 at state.gov .?The public > is?required to file submissions?electronically rather than by > facsimile or?mail. You do not need to resubmit?comments if you > submitted comments?for the original?Federal Register?Notice?[Public > Notice 11037] announcing the?now postponed, in-person public?meeting > on DSI originally scheduled for?March 12, 2020. > > *FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT*: Questions regarding the submission > of?comments should be directed to Patrick?Reilly (202) > 647?4827,?ReillyPK2 at state.gov. > > *SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION*: The?Secretariat of the CBD released > three?studies on ??Digital Sequence?Information on Genetic > Resources???(https://www.cbd.int/dsi-gr/2019-2020/ studies > /) > that examine the scope,?present use, traceability, access, and?current > benefit-sharing schemes relating?to DSI/GSD. These studies > were?commissioned to inform decisions by?the Parties to the CBD and > the Nagoya?Protocol at the 2020 Conference of?Parties (COP) to the CBD > and the?Conference of Parties serving as the?Meeting of the Parties to > the Nagoya?Protocol. (Originally planned for?October 15?18, 2020 in > Kunming,?China, the CBD COP and related?meetings have been postponed > due to?COVID?19; new dates have not yet been?announced.) During the > teleconference,?DOS will provide a brief overview of the?ongoing > discussions regarding DSI/GSD?in the context of the CBD and the?Nagoya > Protocol and public participants?will have the opportunity to share > their?comments, concerns, and questions?about this issue. The > information?obtained from these meetings will help?the U.S. Government > prepare for U.S.?participation in international meetings,?in > particular, U.S. participation in?upcoming CBD and Nagoya > Protocol?meetings. Documents and other?information related to the CBD > and?Nagoya Protocol can be found at this?website: www.cbd.int > . > > We welcome examples, information,?and comment on: > > (1) The CBD studies cited above; > > (2) practices regarding the collection,?management, and use of DSI/GSD; > > (3) experiences with access and?benefit-sharing (ABS) approaches > or?requirements related to DSI/GSD; > > (4) specific examples of actual and?potential impacts that could occur > if?tracking and benefit sharing for the?utilization of DSI/GSD were > required by?domestic legislation in other countries,?or encouraged > under the Nagoya?Protocol or other international?instruments, such as > the International?Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for?Food and > Agriculture and the World?Health Organization Pandemic?Influenza > Preparedness Framework; > > (5) specific examples of actual and?potential impacts that could occur > if?tracking and benefit sharing for the?utilization of DSI/GSD were > required on?research collaborations, international?sample sharing, > academic and?commercial research, pandemic and?epidemic preparedness > and response,?and food security; > > (6) monetary or non-monetary benefits?that are facilitated by > international?sharing of DSI/GSD; > > (7) how organizations can still?advance science if national-level > ABS?frameworks in other countries require?tracking and benefit sharing > for the?utilization of DSI/GSD; > > (8) non-ABS challenges and barriers?to sharing DSI/GSD that have > significant?implications for global research efforts?that might merit > additional attention or?analysis; and > > (9) issues and/or examples related to?the items described above or > other items?that could affect the scientific process. > > Representatives from DOS will review?written submissions and share > them, as?appropriate, with other Federal?Agencies to inform U.S. > Government?policy and our international?engagements on these issues. > U.S.?officials may contact individuals?making submissions for > further?information or clarification. > > /Status:/?The meeting will be open to?the public. Persons wishing to > dial-in?should submit their full name and?organization to Patrick > Reilly at ReillyPK2 at state.gov ?and > copy?RSVP? ECW at state.gov ?at least three days > prior?to the meeting. Requests made after that?time will be considered > but might not be?accommodated. > > *Zachary A. Parker,* > > /Director, Office of Directives Management,?Department of State./ > > [FR Doc. 2020?08784 Filed 4?23?20; 8:45 am] > > *BILLING ?CODE ?4710?09?P* > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Dirk Neumann Tel: 089 / 8107-111 Fax: 089 / 8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de Postanschrift: Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns Zoologische Staatssammlung M?nchen Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage M?nchhausenstr. 21 81247 M?nchen Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ --------- Dirk Neumann Tel: +49-89-8107-111 Fax: +49-89-8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de postal address: Bavarian Natural History Collections The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage Muenchhausenstr. 21 81247 Munich (Germany) Visit our section at: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: bpmflbcmklbmjecg.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From abentley at ku.edu Mon May 11 10:59:37 2020 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 14:59:37 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Science Policy News from AIBS In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. AIBS Public Policy Report AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 21, Issue 10, May 11, 2020 * NSB Provides Roadmap for U.S. Science and Engineering for the Next Decade * New Resource for Spotting COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories * NIH Terminates Bat Coronavirus Research Grant * Lawmakers Call for Next Coronavirus Relief Package to Include Support Scientific Workforce * Study: Federal Scientists Warned About Undermining Science Before COVID-19 * Now in BioScience: Policy for Bioeconomic Growth * State Department Teleconference on Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources * Increase Your Career Opportunities: Writing for Impact and Influence Online Course * Short Takes * Trump Nominates Members to NSB * NOAA Soliciting Members for Science Advisory Board * State Department Seeking Expert Review of Works Ocean Assessment * From the Federal Register ________________________________ The AIBS Public Policy Report is distributed broadly by email every two weeks to the AIBS membership. Any interested party may self-subscribe to receive these free reports by email or RSS news feed, by going to www.aibs.org/public-policy-reports. With proper attribution to AIBS, all material from these reports may be reproduced or forwarded. AIBS staff appreciates receiving copies of materials used. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the AIBS Director of Public Policy, Robert Gropp, at 202-628-1500 x 250. ________________________________ NSB Provides Roadmap for U.S. Science and Engineering for the Next Decade On May 5, 2020, the National Science Board (NSB or Board), the governing body of the National Science Foundation (NSF), released a new report urging action to retain U.S. leadership in fundamental research, and to increase science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) skills and opportunities for Americans. The Vision 2030 report ?identifies threats to the U.S. science and engineering (S&E) enterprise on which the health, security, and economic prosperity of Americans depend.? Dr. Roger Beachy, Chair of the NSB Vision 2030 Task Force, said: ?This report provides a vision of where the U.S. S&E enterprise must be in 2030 and lays out the actions that the Board, NSF, and others can take to achieve that vision so that America remains a global leader.? He added, ?We hope Vision 2030 inspires others to join with NSF to take the actions our country needs.? ?Realizing this vision will require all entities in America?s S&E ecosystem to act,? according to the report. NSB has committed to a number of actions, in partnership with NSF and other leaders in the science community, to retain and enhance U.S. global S&E leadership. These include: 1) performing an ?organizational review of NSF and offering recommendations on changes to directorate structure, funding models, and programmatic offerings?; 2) ?convening university, industry, and state partners to identify best practices and regulatory, structural, or administrative barriers to partnerships and translation of NSF-funded research?; (3) engaging in discussions with lawmakers and the White House on a new federal program for public post-secondary education institutions that would develop a STEM-capable workforce in every state; and 4) developing and expanding NSF?s strategies and partnerships ?to grow international collaborations, attract global talent, and create international education and training opportunities.? ?Our nation is no longer the uncontested leader in S&E,? said Dr. Diane Souvaine, NSB Chair. ?We cannot be complacent. We must adapt. As we look to the end of the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond, we can be sure that scientific discoveries and inventions will continue to open new, unexpected frontiers that benefit us all.? The report builds on NSB?s findings from the 2020 Science and Engineering Indicators, released earlier this year. That report concluded that the U.S. share of global R&D investments has declined in recent years. In order to develop the vision, NSB also consulted with the S&E community through twelve listening sessions held around the country with individuals from about 70 organizations, including colleges, universities, philanthropies, businesses, and scientific and academic associations, as well as from NSF. New Resource for Spotting COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories The COVID-19 pandemic provides fertile ground for the emergence and spread of new conspiracy theories, often with significant negative implications for public health and well-being. A new resource has been developed by experts in communications and the spread of misinformation to help people spot and respond to conspiracy theories. ?How to Spot COVID-19 Conspiracy Theories,? was developed by Stephan Lewandowsky, John Cook, Ullrich Ecker, and Sander van der Linden. According to the authors: ?When people suffer a loss of control or feel threatened, they become more vulnerable to believing conspiracies. For example, the Black Death in the 14th century inspired anti-Semitic hysteria and when cholera broke out in Russia in 1892, blame fell on doctors and crowds hunted down anybody in a white coat.? In order to avoid being misled by conspiracy theories, people can learn to identify them using certain ?telltale thought patterns.? The document highlights seven traits of conspiratorial thinking: contradictory, overriding suspicion, nefarious intent, something must be wrong, persecuted victim, immune to evidence, and re-interpreting randomness. In addition to the resource above, the World Health Organization has a myth buster resource that chronicles and dispels many current widespread myths about the spread and treatment of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and COVID-19. NIH Terminates Bat Coronavirus Research Grant The National Institutes of Health (NIH) has terminated a grant supporting research in China on how coronaviruses spread from bats to humans, according to a report in Politico. The decision followed unverified reports from U.S. lawmakers and conservative media suggesting that the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory at the Wuhan Institute of Virology in China, which employs a Chinese virologist who had been receiving funding from the NIH grant in question. Seven days before the grant was terminated, President Trump, when asked about the project, said, ?We will end that grant very quickly.? U.S. intelligence agencies have found no evidence supporting the claim that the virus originated in the lab. According to an April 30 press release from the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, the U.S. intelligence community ?concurs with the wide scientific consensus that the COVID-19 virus was not manmade or genetically modified.? The intelligence community added that they ?will continue to rigorously examine emerging information and intelligence to determine whether the outbreak began through contact with infected animals or if it was the result of an accident at a laboratory in Wuhan.? NIH informed the study?s sponsor, EcoHealth Alliance, on April 24, 2020 that all future funding was cut. ?At this time, NIH does not believe that the current project outcomes align with the program goals and agency priorities,? wrote Michael Lauer, Deputy Director for extramural research at NIH, in a letter to EcoHealth Alliance officials. ?For the past 20 years our organization has been investigating the sources of emerging diseases such as COVID-19,? responded EcoHealth Alliance. ?We work in the United States and in over 25 countries with institutions that have been pre-approved by federal funding agencies to do scientific research critical to preventing pandemics. We are planning to talk with NIH to understand the rationale behind their decision.? The group has received more than $3.7 million in the past five years to study the risks of coronavirus spread through bats and the potential for spillover into humans. NIH?s decision has received swift criticism from the research community, according to Science Insider. Gerald Keusch, former Director of NIH?s Fogarty International Center and currently with the National Emerging Infectious Diseases Laboratory at Boston University, described the move as ?counterproductive,? given the study?s importance to understanding the current crisis. ?This is a horrible precedent,? said Keusch. ?There?s a culture of attacking really critical science for cheap political gain,? said Dennis Carroll, retired Director of the emerging threats division at the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID). Some experts question the legality of the agency?s unilateral decision to cancel a funded grant and think the move may have violated regulations governing NIH. The agency has latitude to cancel grant awards in cases of scientific misconduct by the investigators or conflict of interest, according to Heather Pierce, Senior Director and Regulatory Counsel at the Association of American Medical Colleges. In this case, however, the investigators have not been charged with any wrongdoing. Lawmakers Call for Next Coronavirus Relief Package to Support Scientific Workforce Lawmakers in the House and Senate have called for the next coronavirus stimulus package to include $26 billion in funding to address the challenges faced by the U.S. scientific workforce during the pandemic. The proposed funding would cover supplements for research grants and contracts, provide emergency relief to sustain research support personnel and operating costs for research facilities, and fund additional graduate student and postdoc fellowships, traineeships, and research assistantships for up to two years. The Dear Colleague Letters calling for this support has been endorsed by several scientific organizations, including AIBS. In the House of Representatives, the letter led by Representatives Diana DeGette (D-CO) and Fred Upton (R-MI) garnered bipartisan support from 180 other Representatives. The letter reads, in part: ?While Federal rules have allowed researchers to continue to receive their salaries from federal grant funding, their work has been stopped due to shuttered laboratories and facilities and many researchers are currently unable to make progress on their grants. Additionally, researchers will need supplemental funding to support an additional four months? salary, as many campuses will remain shuttered until the fall, at the earliest. Many core research facilities ? typically funded by user fees ? sit idle. Still, others have incurred significant costs for shutting down their labs, donating the personal protective equipment (PPE) to frontline health care workers, and cancelling planned experiments?Congress must act to preserve our current scientific workforce and ensure that the U.S. is prepared to continue our global scientific leadership once this crisis ends.? The Senate letter, led by Senators Ed Markey (D-MA) and Thom Tillis (R-NC), has been signed by 31 Senators. ?Research universities, academic medical centers, and national labs are major employers in all 50 states, and protecting the research workforce is critical to state economies,? stated the Senators. ?Congress must act to preserve our current scientific workforce and ensure that the U.S. is prepared to continue our global scientific leadership once this crisis ends.? Study: Federal Scientists Warned About Undermining Science Before COVID-19 The Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) has published a study in PLOS ONE that shows that a few years prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, scientists and experts within the federal government were concerned that the Trump administration was undermining scientific capacity and making it challenging for federal scientists to perform their work and share it with the public. The paper, Perceived losses of scientific integrity under the Trump administration: A survey of federal scientists, analyzed a 2018 survey of more than 63,000 federal scientists across 16 agencies done by UCS and Iowa State University?s Center for Survey Statistics & Methodology. ?We found a pattern of neglect and political interference across the administration,? said Dr. Gretchen Goldman, Research Director at the Center for Science and Democracy (CSD) at UCS and a co-author of the study. ?Half of the survey?s respondents said that it was harder for their agencies to make science-based decisions because of political appointees? involvement. Scientists within the government were raising the alarm well before COVID-19 appeared on the horizon.? In their survey responses, scientists pointed out a number of challenges they faced, including workforce reductions, restrictions on public communication of information, political interference in scientific work, and adverse work environments. Read the paper at: https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0231929 Now in BioScience: Policy for Bioeconomic Growth A new Washington Watch column, Policy for Bioeconomic Growth, by AIBS Public Policy Manager Jyotsna Pandey is now available in BioScience. The coronavirus pandemic has shown that biology and the economy are tightly linked. The article discusses the policy implications of growing and safeguarding the bioeconomy. Below is an excerpt. ?Policymakers around the world increasingly look to biology to strengthen economies and promote national security and well-being. But what is the bioeconomy, and how can policy promote its growth? According to a 2020 National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) report, in 2016, the US bioeconomy was estimated to account for 5.1 percent of US gross domestic product (GDP), or $959.2 billion, with the potential to grow to 7.4 percent. Prior to the COVID-19 crisis, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) had identified bioeconomic innovation as a research and development priority. The Obama administration released the National Bioeconomy Blueprint in 2012. In 2019, the OSTP reraised the profile of the bioeconomy and asked the scientific community to suggest actions to strengthen it.? State Department Teleconference on Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources The U.S. Department of State has announced a public teleconference on the ?Use of Digital Sequence Information of Genetic Resources,? on May 14, 2020 from 10:00 AM to 12:00 PM Eastern time. This meeting replaces the March 12 in-person meeting. International discussions around the use of digital sequence information (DSI) are currently being conducted in multiple international forums ? the Nagoya Protocol, the Convention on Biological Diversity, the World Health Organization, the International Treaty for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture, the Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction negotiations ? that have implications for both public and private scientific research. During the public meeting, officials from the State Department will provide a brief overview of the ongoing discussions regarding DSI on genetic resources in the context of the CBD and the Nagoya Protocol and will listen to your comments, concerns, and questions about this issue. The goal is an informal discussion that will help the U.S. Government prepare for U.S. participation in international meetings. You may register to attend the teleconference by submitting your full name and organization to Patrick Reilly at ReillyPK2 at state.gov and copying RSVP-ECW at state.gov at least three days prior to the meeting. If you are unable to join, you can submit comments electronically at www.regulations.gov, using the docket number [DOS-2020-2017]. For more information, visit: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-04-24/html/2020-08784.htm Increase Your Career Opportunities: Writing for Impact and Influence Online Course The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is once again offering its popular professional development program to help scientists and students hone their written communication skills to increase the power of their message. Writing for Impact and Influence combines practical instruction and hands-on exercises to improve participants? general writing proficiency and their ability to reach large audiences. The program will provide participants with the skills and tools needed to compose scientific press releases, blog posts, emails, and memoranda. Learn to write for stakeholders, decision-makers, and the general public, with a focus on perfecting the reader experience. The course consists of six 90-minute online modules conducted live and will begin on Thursday, 9 July 2020, with subsequent course sessions held weekly on Thursdays. Individuals who actively participate in and complete the full course will receive a certificate recognizing that they have completed a nine-hour professional development course on business writing for scientists. Register now: http://io.aibs.org/writing Short Takes * President Trump has announced his intent to nominate three new members to the National Science Board (NSB), the policymaking body of the National Science Foundation. He will nominate Catholic University Provost and particle physicist Dr. Aaron Dominguez, Director of IBM Research Dr. Dario Gil, and Dr. Sudarsanam Babu of the Oak Ridge National Laboratory to serve six year terms on the board. Dr. Roger Beachy, Professor Emeritus in Biology at Washington University in St. Louis, will be reappointed to serve another six-year term. * The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is soliciting nominations for members of its Science Advisory Board (SAB). The committee of approximately fifteen members advises the Under Secretary of Commerce for Oceans, Atmosphere, and NOAA Administrator on long- and short-range strategies for research, education, and application of science to resource management and environmental assessment and prediction. Nominations should be submitted electronically to noaa.sab.newmembers at noaa.gov by June 22, 2020. More information at: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-05-06/html/2020-09641.htm * The U.S. Department of State, in coordination with the Subcommittee on Ocean Science and Technology, is requesting expert review of the draft World Ocean Assessment. The World Ocean Assessment is the product of the United Nations? regular process for global reporting on, and assessment of, the state of the marine environment, including socioeconomic aspects. Starting April 27, 2020, experts may register to review the draft assessment at https://review.globalchange.gov, a web-based review and comment system. Reviewers will have until midnight May 21, 2020 to submit their comments. For more information, visit: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/FR-2020-04-28/html/2020-08917.htm From the Federal Register The following items appeared in the Federal Register from April 27 to May 8, 2020. For more information on these or other recent items, please visit the AIBS Federal Register Resource at www.aibs.org/federal-register-resource/index.html. Week Ending 8 May 2020 Agriculture * Request for Nominations of Members for the National Agricultural Research, Extension, Education, and Economics Advisory Board, Specialty Crop Committee, Citrus Disease Subcommittee, and National Genetic Resources Advisory Council Commerce * Atlantic Highly Migratory Species; Meeting of the Atlantic Highly Migratory Species Advisory Panel * Science Advisory Board (SAB); Solicitation for Members of the NOAA Science Advisory Board Health and Human Services * National Advisory Council for Healthcare Research and Quality: Request for Nominations for Members * National Human Genome Research Institute; Notice of Meeting Week Ending 1 May 2020 Commerce * Ocean Exploration Advisory Board (OEAB) * Solicitation for Applications for Advisory Councils Established Pursuant to the National Marine Sanctuaries Act and Executive Order Environmental Protection Agency * Clean Air Act Advisory Committee (CAAAC): Notice of Meeting Health and Human Services * Advisory Council for the Elimination of Tuberculosis Meeting (ACET); Notice of Meeting and Request for Comment * Solicitation of Nominations for Appointment as Members of the Community Preventive Services Task Force (CPSTF) Interior * Public Meeting of the National Geospatial Advisory Committee National Science Foundation * Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; National Survey of College Graduates * Request for Information--Interagency Arctic Research Policy Committee, Chaired by the National Science Foundation; Extension of Public Comment Period State * Call for Reviewers of the World Ocean Assessment ________________________________ * Give your society or organization a voice in public policy. See http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/funding_contributors.html. * Become an AIBS Individual Member and lend your voice to a national effort to advance the biological sciences through public policy, education, and science programs. Visit https://www.aibs.org/about-aibs/join.html to join AIBS. * Become an advocate for science, visit the AIBS Legislative Action Center at http://policy.aibs.org. * Know the news as it happens, sign-up to receive AIBS press releases and policy statements (https://www.aibs.org/mailing-lists/). The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS works to ensure that the public, legislators, funders, and the community of biologists have access to and use information that will guide them in making informed decisions about matters that require biological knowledge. The organization does this through informing decisions by providing peer-reviewed or vetted information about the biology field and profession and by catalyzing action through building the capacity and the leadership of the community to address matters of common concern. Founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, AIBS became an independent, member-governed organization in the 1950s. Today, Today, AIBS has over 140 member organizations and has a Public Policy Office in Washington, DC. Its staff members work to achieve its mission by publishing the peer-reviewed journal BioScience, by providing scientific peer-review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients, and by collaborating with scientific organizations to advance public policy, education, and the public understanding of science. Website: www.aibs.org. You received this message because you or your organization have interacted with one of our programs or initiatives. Our mailing address is: American Institute of Biological Science 1201 New York Ave., NW, Ste. 420 Washington, DC 20005 Copyright (C) 2020 American Institute of Biological Sciences All rights reserved. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jpandey at aibs.org Mon May 11 11:04:12 2020 From: jpandey at aibs.org (Jyotsna Pandey) Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 11:04:12 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Increase Your Career Opportunities: AIBS Writing for Impact and Influence Online Course In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Colleague, There is a growing recognition of the importance of providing scientists, particularly graduate students and post-doctoral fellows, with professional development training that will expand their career opportunities and potential for professional success. The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is pleased to announce a professional development program that we have developed to help scientists strengthen their written communication skills. This is an important professional development training opportunity. I hope you will consider sharing this opportunity with your students, staff, and colleagues. Below are more specific details about this online course, including registration information. *Writing for Impact and Influence: An AIBS Professional Development Program* *It is perfectly okay to write garbage?as long as you edit brilliantly. * -C. J. Cherryh The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) has heard a common refrain from faculty, scientists, government and private sector executives, and everyone in between: Scientists are losing the ability to communicate effectively in writing. The concern is not just about how well a scientific manuscript is drafted, but also about how routine business and public engagement information are communicated. AIBS is responding by re-offering our professional development program designed to help scientists, including graduate students, hone their written communication skills to increase the impact and influence of their message. This course complements AIBS's highly successful Communications Boot Camp for Scientists, which focuses on oral communication. Writing for Impact and Influence provides practical instruction and hands-on exercises that will improve the participant's general writing proficiency. The program will provide participants with the skills and tools needed to compose scientific press releases, blog posts, emails, and memoranda, with a focus on the reader experience. Each product-oriented session will have an assignment to be completed independently, with feedback from the instructor. The course is interactive, and participants are encouraged to ask questions and exchange ideas with the instructor and other participants. *Who Should Take the Course?* - Individuals interested in furthering their professional development by augmenting their writing skills. - Graduate students and early-career professionals interested in increasing their marketability to employers. - Individuals interested in more effectively informing and influencing segments of the public, supervisors, policymakers, reporters, organizational leaders, and others. *Topics* - Press releases and writing for the media - Blogging and social media campaigns - E-Correspondence and writing for professional audiences - One-pagers and writing for stakeholders - Action/decision memoranda and writing for diverse professional audiences - Synthesis - Participant Requirements - Internet access, email account, and computer audio and video capabilities. *Course Structure* The course consists of six 90-minute online modules conducted live and subsequently archived online for participant review. Modules are spaced at weekly intervals to allow time for assignment completion. Live attendance is recommended but not required, and the instructor can be contacted by email at any time during the course. *Assignments* A writing assignment will be given in each of the first five courses. Students will receive timely feedback on their assignments. *Certificate of Completion* Individuals who actively participate in and complete the full course will receive a certificate recognizing that they have completed a nine-hour professional development course on business writing for scientists. *Schedule* The course will begin on Thursday, 9 July 2020. The subsequent course sessions will be held weekly on Thursdays, through 13 August. All live courses will begin at 2:00 p.m. Eastern time. Recorded programs will be available to participants after the live session. *Registration* Space is limited and the course will be filled on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration is required. To register for the course, go to http://io.aibs.org/writing For questions regarding the course please contact James Verdier at jverdier at aibs.org. Sincerely, Jyotsna Pandey, Ph.D. Public Policy Manager American Institute of Biological Sciences 1201 New York Avenue, NW, Suite 420 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-628-1500 x 225 -- This message is confidential and should only be read by its intended recipients.? If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete all copies. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu Mon May 11 12:11:45 2020 From: tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu (Adrain, Tiffany S) Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 16:11:45 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fw: Online GCG Event. Monday May 18th 17.00BST In-Reply-To: References: <2e7049c5ff064bb48b8a5fd14a479237@Ex01.horniman.local>, , Message-ID: Hi everyone, Hope you are all doing ok. Here's a Zoom event for anyone interested in the work of the Geological Curators' Group and international museum/collections networking. Keep going! Tiffany From: The Geological Curators' Group mailing list on behalf of Zoe Hughes Sent: Monday, May 11, 2020 8:06 AM To: GEO-CURATORS at JISCMAIL.AC.UK Subject: [External] Online GCG Event. Monday May 18th 17.00BST Dear all, We are excited to announce that we are holding our first online event next Monday, May 18th at 17.00BST. In our first online event we are planning an informal meet the committee event on Zoom. This is FREE and we would like to invite everyone globally with an interest in geological collections to come and meet us and give us a chance to meet you too! This will be an opportunity to have a coffee/ drink together. This is your opportunity to ask any questions you may have. Have you been considering joining? Wondering what it is we do? You will get the chance to ask any questions you may have! Register for the Zoom meeting details which will be emailed to you. https://www.geocurator.org/events We look forward to seeing lots of you there! Zo? Tiffany Adrain Collections Manager, Paleontology Repository Instructor, Museum Studies Certificate Program Department of Earth & Environmental Sciences University of Iowa 115 Trowbridge Hall Iowa City, Iowa, 52242 phone: 319 335 1822 fax: 319 335 1821 email: tiffany-adrain at uiowa.edu website: https://clas.uiowa.edu/ees/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ekrimmel at gmail.com Mon May 11 16:44:26 2020 From: ekrimmel at gmail.com (Erica Krimmel) Date: Mon, 11 May 2020 13:44:26 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] This Wednesday - iDigBio API office hours on identifying suspicious geographic coordinate data Message-ID: *Join us this Wednesday at 3:30pm Eastern for Open Office Hours hosted by the iDigBio API User Group (R-based)! *Our 10-minute demo this week will be on identifying specimen records with suspicious coordinate data using iDigBio's data quality flags, and there will be an open agenda following the demo. This is a twice monthly online drop-in session where anyone is welcome to bring their questions or ideas about using tools such as the iDigBio API (Application Programming Interface) to work with biodiversity occurrence data in R. Community members of all backgrounds (collections staff, researchers, IT, etc.) and levels of programming experience (including R novice, or R non-existent) are encouraged to use these office hours as a time to discover and discuss API data access, issues, and solutions. Participants are welcome to drop by for only part of the hour. *WHEN*: Every second and fourth Wednesday of the month, 3:30 - 4:30 p.m. Eastern; See future demo topics and sign up to do *or request* a demo at bit.ly/2wypVsY *WHERE*: https://fsu.zoom.us/j/97729921303 *Erica Krimmel* Digitization Resource Coordinator Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) Florida State University ekrimmel at fsu.edu (619) 876-3794 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bwatts at brit.org Thu May 14 10:17:35 2020 From: bwatts at brit.org (Brandy Watts) Date: Thu, 14 May 2020 14:17:35 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Collecting Collections: Tiana F. Rehman, BRIT Herbarium Message-ID: <1D4C183B-7B67-43B9-8ED7-BF634ABB0D90@brit.org> Dear All, In Collecting Collections, Tiana F. Rehman, BRIT's Herbarium Collections Manager, tells us about the many collections that comprise the Herbarium at the Botanical Research Institute of Texas. This is the first interview of the BRIT Library?s new Collection Lens series, which highlights collection managers from around the world across botanical libraries and herbaria as collections move into the future. Warm regards, stay well! Brandy Watts, MLIS, MFA | Librarian | BRIT | 817.332.4441 x 271 |817.463.4102 direct | 817.332.4112 fax | BRIT.org | 1700 University Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76107-3400 USA | Think Before You Print -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ekrimmel at gmail.com Thu May 14 12:44:56 2020 From: ekrimmel at gmail.com (Erica Krimmel) Date: Thu, 14 May 2020 09:44:56 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Tuesday, May 19 - Listening Session for Small/Regional Collections, hosted by SCNet & iDigBio Message-ID: Please join the Small Collections Network and iDigBio for a listening session to gather community feedback on how small/regional collections (including those held at field stations) have been involved in iDigBio and ADBC activities to date, as well as what activities (webinars, workshops, trainings, etc.) would be most valuable to focus on in the upcoming year. When: *Tuesday, May 19, 2020 at 3:00pm Eastern* Where: *https://fsu.zoom.us/j/92676009394 * We welcome perspectives from any collection size and any level of iDigBio/ADBC involvement, including no previous activity with iDigBio/ADBC. This is not an informational webinar, but rather a time to let us know what has been successful in the past, as well as to provide constructive criticism that will help improve future SCNet activities. We have scheduled up to two hours for this conversation, but will only use as much time as participants are inclined to; please plan on joining us from the beginning rather than dropping in. - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - *Erica Krimmel* Digitization Resource Coordinator Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) Florida State University ekrimmel at fsu.edu (619) 876-3794 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From mtottrup at snm.ku.dk Thu May 14 16:24:28 2020 From: mtottrup at snm.ku.dk (=?iso-8859-1?Q?Majken_Them_T=F8ttrup?=) Date: Thu, 14 May 2020 20:24:28 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Recommendation of consultant/consultant firm (storage design, tendering etc.)? Message-ID: Dear all In Copenhagen, we are working on building a new natural history museum including new storage facilities. Can anybody recommend a consultant/consultant firm (that also operate in Europe) who can help with storage and lab design, production of tender material for compactors etc.? If you have tender material on compactors that you wish to share, it would be much appreciated :) You can just write to me directly - thanks ;-) Kind regards, Majken T?ttrup mtottrup at snm.ku.dk Majken Them T?ttrup Head of Collections Management Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, ?ster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark Phone; +45 28744678 [snm_corona_email_dk] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 146085 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From jpandey at aibs.org Mon May 18 11:54:10 2020 From: jpandey at aibs.org (Jyotsna Pandey) Date: Mon, 18 May 2020 11:54:10 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Develop the Skills to Become Effective Team Scientists In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *AIBS Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science: Now Online* Reports abound from professional societies, the Academies, government agencies, and researchers calling attention to the fact that science is increasingly an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and international endeavor. In short, science has become a ?team sport.? There is a real and present need to better prepare scientists for success in this new collaborative environment. The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is responding to this call with a new program for scientists, educators, and individuals who work with or participate in scientific teams. Team science is increasingly common in 21st century biological, life, and environmental sciences. Collaboration is no longer limited to sharing ideas with the biologist in the lab next door. The questions confronting science often require teams that may include a mix of computer and information scientists, physical and social scientists, mathematicians, ethicists, policy and management experts, as well as community stakeholders and citizen scientists. Adding to this complexity, teams span programs within organizations, cross organization boundaries to form institutional consortia, and often include international partners. This intensive, two-day, interactive, online professional development course was designed by scientists and experts on collaboration and teamwork to provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to become productive and effective members of scientific teams. From its first offering the course has evolved to include a greater focus on team planning and teamwork, and less time allocated to university administration of interdisciplinary teams. Nothing teaches collaboration like practicing collaboration. This is not a course that asks you to learn in isolation. It is a microcosm of scientific collaboration, with extensive hands-on learning as part of a scientific team, with scientific case studies and examples. The Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science course is designed for anyone involved in collaborative scientific endeavors. Team leaders will find the course especially helpful. Because participants will work on ?real-world? team science concerns, we encourage multiple members of a team to attend together. We can also customize the course and bring it to your university, department, lab, or research team. This course provides the right foundation from which your team can successfully accomplish your goals. Participants will develop and hone the skills needed to: - Explain interdisciplinary team science and characteristics of effective scientific teams - Describe how teams work - Recognize competencies and characteristics of effective team leadership - Create effective teams and team culture - Develop a shared vision, mission, plan, and key performance indicators for a scientific team - Identify and assess the right mix of competencies and people needed for a scientific team - Use team tools and processes such as quality improvement cycle and knowledge mapping - Improve team communication and trust *Dates: *June 15-16, 2020 *Location**: *Online Learn more at https://www.aibs.org/events/team_science_event.html. We look forward to seeing you online! Jyotsna Pandey, Ph.D. Public Policy Manager American Institute of Biological Sciences 1201 New York Avenue, NW Suite 420 Washington, DC 20005 Phone: 202-628-1500 x 225 www.aibs.org Follow us on Twitter! @AIBS_Policy -- This message is confidential and should only be read by its intended recipients.? If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete all copies. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu Mon May 18 11:56:28 2020 From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil) Date: Mon, 18 May 2020 15:56:28 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Digital Data in Biodiversity Conference Registration In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: [cid:image002.png at 01D62D0B.591532E0] Registration for this year's Digital Data Conference-coming up 1-3 June-has been very strong and remains open! Register here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/4th-annual-digital-data-in-biodiversity-research-conference-tickets-86931098255 *Registration fees are optional but encouraged. When registering, those who wish not to make a financial contribution to the conference will have that option. The optional fees are $50.00 for students, post-docs, and emeritus faculty; $100.00 for practicing professionals. Although registration fees are optional, your registration information, even if you opt out of the fee, will allow us to keep you updated about conference activities. Thanks to Indiana University (IU) and Natural Sciences Collections Alliance (NSCA) for collaborating with iDigBio is being converted to digital format, still to be held 1-3 June 2020. We are extremely fortunate to have IU as our leading partner for this event due to its online conference technology and experienced colleagues. We feel confident that this year's conference will be an exciting event that will attract even more participants, both U.S. and international, especially without the added costs of travel and lodging. For more conference information: https://www.idigbio.org/content/digital-data-2020-harnessing-data-revolution-and-amplifying-collections-biodiversity For agenda and logistic information visit the conference wiki: https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/4th_Annual_Digital_Data_Conference,_Indiana_University -- Gil Nelson PhD, Director Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio) Florida Museum of Natural History University of Florida gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu [FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK] Courtesy Professor Department of Biological Sciences Robert K. Godfrey Herbarium Florida State University gnelson at bio.fsu.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 533034 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: From liathappleton at gmail.com Mon May 18 11:59:52 2020 From: liathappleton at gmail.com (Liath Appleton) Date: Mon, 18 May 2020 10:59:52 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Call for Presenters - SPNHC Virtual Educational Materials Share Session Message-ID: For the third year in a row, SPNHC, iDigBio (Integrated Digitized Biocollections), BLUE (Biodiversity Literacy in Undergraduate Literacy), and QUBES (Quantitative Undergraduate Biology Education and Synthesis) are excited to offer the Educational Materials Share Session on Thursday June 11 at 2:30pm UTC during the SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST 2020 Virtual Meeting*.* If you would like to be a presenter, please register here - https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfxHhuAm_bVuEudCg_Kq6KQpmtn6xez5i6teG_IvdBT03C_Kw/viewform Liath Appleton Collections Manager Non-Vertebrate Paleontology Lab University of Texas at Austin Bldg PRC122 - campus mail code R8500 10100 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78758 SPNHC Connection Editor (newsletter at spnhc.org) SPNHC Web Manager (webmaster at spnhc.org) www.spnhc.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From liathappleton at gmail.com Mon May 18 12:05:22 2020 From: liathappleton at gmail.com (Liath Appleton) Date: Mon, 18 May 2020 11:05:22 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST 2020 Program and Registration Message-ID: The SPNHC and ICOM NATHIST 2020 virtual meeting program can be found at https://spnhc.org/virtual-meeting-2020-program/ This program will be updated as new information becomes available, so check back often. Participation is free, but we encourage you to become a member or renew your SPHNC and/or ICOM NATHIST membership. Register now at https://spnhc_icomnathist2020.eventbrite.com Registration is necessary so we can send you links and Zoom passwords. Liath Appleton Collections Manager Non-Vertebrate Paleontology Lab University of Texas at Austin Bldg PRC122 - campus mail code R8500 10100 Burnet Road Austin, TX 78758 SPNHC Connection Editor (newsletter at spnhc.org) SPNHC Web Manager (webmaster at spnhc.org) www.spnhc.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bthiers at nybg.org Tue May 19 16:04:41 2020 From: bthiers at nybg.org (Thiers, Barbara) Date: Tue, 19 May 2020 20:04:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] COVID-19 Impacts on Biodiversity Science Collections Message-ID: WASHINGTON, May 19, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance), and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) surveyed individuals affiliated with US biodiversity science collections to better understand the effects of COVID-19 disruptions and closures on biodiversity research and education collections, and the people who use and care for these scientific resources. The survey was conducted in April 2020. Biodiversity collections hold a tremendous amount of data and support research and education in many scientific fields. They are found in natural history museums, botanical gardens, university-based research centers, field stations, and government agencies. "These scientific facilities are a backbone of our research enterprise. They must have the resources needed to sustain scientific progress during this chaotic period," said Dr. Robert Gropp, Executive Director of the American Institute of Biological Sciences. "Science is an engine we need to reignite the economy and combat future public health and environmental problems." The US bioeconomy was estimated to be about $1 trillion per year prior to COVID-19. In addition to physical specimens, collections include video images, scans, environmental data, records documenting the distribution of species, genetic information, among many other kinds of data. "They provide a time series of data that isn't found elsewhere," said Dr. John Bates, President of NSC Alliance and a Curator and Section Head of Life Sciences at the Field Museum in Chicago. Biodiversity collections have previously been used to identify how diseases, such as hantavirus, spread across the environment and come to infect people. There are many diverse and important uses of these data. Individuals working in biodiversity collections were invited to complete a 23-question survey. No identifying information about the individual or institution was requested. "The response to the survey was tremendous, with more than 390 individual responses," said Dr. Barbara Thiers, President of SPNHC and Vice President for Science at the New York Botanical Garden. Survey analyses should take into account that individuals who were already laid off or furloughed by the time the survey opened may not have responded. Results include: * 96% of natural history collections were unavailable for use in April. * Most of the scientific collections reported some regular monitoring of resources, but less than 30% were being monitored for pests ? a significant threat to collections. * More than 90% of respondents were working from home, mostly on some aspect of data transcription based on specimen images captured prior to the shutdown. * When asked about chief concerns arising from a 1-3 month closure: * Just under 64% were worried about their ability to provide vital research resources; * Just under 49% were worried about a loss of funding for collections care materials and supplies; * Just over 47% were concerned about their ability to provide outreach opportunities for the public; * Nearly 47% were concerned about the loss of staff because of budget cuts; * 43.5% were concerned about their ability to meet existing grant and contract deadlines. Results are available on the BCoN website. https://bcon.aibs.org/2020/05/19/covid-19-impacts-on-biodiversity-science-collections/ Follow-up surveys will be conducted to understand the effects of budget reductions that collections may experience, and the impact of COVID-19 prevention measures on scientific collections management and research productivity. SOURCE The Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN) Here is a link to the press release from which the text above was copied: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/covid-19-impacts-on-biodiversity-science-collections-301062070.html?tc=eml_cleartime Dr. Barbara M. Thiers Vice President Patricia K. Holmgren Director William and Lynda Steere Herbarium The New York Botanical Garden President-Elect, SPNHC Editor, Index Herbariorum 2900 Southern Blvd. Bronx, NY 10458 Download: The World?s Herbaria 2017 (second Index Herbariorum annual report) Index Herbariorum Registration Form Index Herbariorum Registration Form Example -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Wed May 20 10:34:37 2020 From: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca (Amanda Bremner) Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 14:34:37 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Message-ID: Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d'histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sginzbar at ua.edu Wed May 20 14:04:23 2020 From: sginzbar at ua.edu (Ginzbarg, Steve) Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 18:04:23 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda Bremner Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ccicero at berkeley.edu Wed May 20 14:12:14 2020 From: ccicero at berkeley.edu (Carla Cicero) Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 11:12:14 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve wrote: > Dear Amanda, > > I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business > model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others > they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the > software is based on number of specimen records. > > I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the > purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. > > Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, > https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. > > Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. > > All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. > > Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? > > Steve Ginzbarg > Assistant Curator > The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) > ------------------------------ > *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda > Bremner > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software > > > Hello, > > We are considering choosing a new database, either *EMu* by Axiell or *Sustain > Specify*, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and > Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was > designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). > > > > Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be > willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly > more costly than the other? > > > > Thanks, > > Amanda > > > > *Amanda Bremner, *M.Sc. > > Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections > > Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle > > New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick > > 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas > > Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) > > *Canada E2K 1E5* > > Tel: 506-643-7670 > > Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dssikes at alaska.edu Wed May 20 14:51:00 2020 From: dssikes at alaska.edu (Derek Sikes) Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 10:51:00 -0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero wrote: > Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email > suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the > system and community. > > We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. > > Best, > Carla > > On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve wrote: > >> Dear Amanda, >> >> I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business >> model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others >> they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the >> software is based on number of specimen records. >> >> I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the >> purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. >> >> Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, >> https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. >> >> Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. >> >> All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. >> >> Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? >> >> Steve Ginzbarg >> Assistant Curator >> The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) >> ------------------------------ >> *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda >> Bremner >> *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM >> *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu >> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software >> >> >> Hello, >> >> We are considering choosing a new database, either *EMu* by Axiell or *Sustain >> Specify*, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and >> Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was >> designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). >> >> >> >> Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be >> willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly >> more costly than the other? >> >> >> >> Thanks, >> >> Amanda >> >> >> >> *Amanda Bremner, *M.Sc. >> >> Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections >> >> Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle >> >> New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick >> >> 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas >> >> Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) >> >> *Canada E2K 1E5* >> >> Tel: 506-643-7670 >> >> Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] >> >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Nhcoll-l mailing list >> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu >> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l >> >> _______________________________________________ >> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of >> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose >> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of >> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to >> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. >> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. >> > > > -- > Carla Cicero, Ph.D > Staff Curator of Birds > Museum of Vertebrate Zoology > 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building > University of California > Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 > TEL: (510) 642-7868 > FAX: (510) 643-8238 > > http://mvz.berkeley.edu > https://carlacicero.net > http://vertnet.org > https://arctosdb.org > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections > http://americanornithology.org/ > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From abentley at ku.edu Wed May 20 15:01:29 2020 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Wed, 20 May 2020 19:01:29 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Message-ID: Hi Amanda We use Specify for all our University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and I would be happy to share my experiences and viewpoints with you. I need to include the disclaimer that I am employed by Specify as a usability consultant as 25% of my position. However, having conducted many workshops for probably 1000?s of Specify users and prospective users I do have an insight into the community using Specify and experience with collection management system issues for lots of different kinds of collections. I must disagree with Steve about publishing source code. This is done specifically to foster community input into the functionality of the system and their ability to assist in code and feature development. Specify has both a science and technology committee that act on the community?s behalf to coordinate this effort and provide feedback and direction on priorities. Happy to help answer any questions you may have. I am sure there are other Specify users on this listserv who could also chime in. Thanks Andy A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V 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 A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda Bremner Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 9:34 AM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Tonya.Haff at csiro.au Wed May 20 22:51:16 2020 From: Tonya.Haff at csiro.au (Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace)) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 02:51:16 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] PTFE Message-ID: Hi all, I wonder if you all could please give me your opinion on the use and archival nature of PTFE plastic? It is in the lids of some jars we are considering purchasing for use in our EtOH collection, and I see that it is used with chemicals and in scientific settings, but I have not yet heard of it used in a museum setting. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated! Cheers, Tonya --------------------------------------------------------- Dr Tonya Haff Collections Manager Australian National Wildlife Collection National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO Canberra, Australia Phone: (+61) 02 6242 1566 (office) (+61) 0419 569 109 (mobile) I am in Thursdays and Fridays Please call or text my mobile for a fast reponse Monday - Wednesday -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From couteaufin at btinternet.com Thu May 21 04:22:44 2020 From: couteaufin at btinternet.com (Simon Moore) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 09:22:44 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] PTFE In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8F0B4592-0C48-4004-9C12-BBE3F95E7D8E@btinternet.com> Hi Tonya, This should be reviewed in John Simmon?s book on fluid preservation and an article published in 1996 by Steigerwald and Laframboise gives details of experimentation using PTFE. With all good wishes, Simon. Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, www.natural-history-conservation.com > On 21 May 2020, at 03:51, Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) wrote: > > Hi all, > > I wonder if you all could please give me your opinion on the use and archival nature of PTFE plastic? It is in the lids of some jars we are considering purchasing for use in our EtOH collection, and I see that it is used with chemicals and in scientific settings, but I have not yet heard of it used in a museum setting. Any advice or thoughts would be appreciated! > > Cheers, > > Tonya > > --------------------------------------------------------- > Dr Tonya Haff > Collections Manager > Australian National Wildlife Collection > National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO > Canberra, Australia > Phone: (+61) 02 6242 1566 (office) > (+61) 0419 569 109 (mobile) > > I am in Thursdays and Fridays > Please call or text my mobile for a fast reponse Monday ? Wednesday > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. From neumann at snsb.de Thu May 21 04:56:13 2020 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 10:56:13 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] PTFE In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <84de064a-48c2-d38b-95a2-1f4e05629b32@snsb.de> Hi Tonya, maybe two things to consider here: PTFE is rather inert (stable against ethanol and formalin) and a good oxygen barrier; some collections in Europe use PFTE liners that are sold by a Swiss based vendor. The key question for me would be how thick the liner (?) is; PTFE can be a good gasket, if thick enough (i.e. > 0.2 mm)? to avoid damages from compression / repeated opening & closing. The more relevant question for me would be the lid material itself; if the PTFE liner should be used with metal lids, it still might trap some vapours and moisture between lid and fluid if it is a PTFE inlay or (extra) internal gasket inside screw-on lids; this could trigger corrosion of the lids - besides all good properties of the PTFE. So good quality HDPE or PP plastic lids might be a better choice. Besides all this, I would strongly recommend to look into standardised lid sizes - this is surely one of the main lessons that can and should be learnt from the famous Copenhagen jars: in many fluid collections, the lids approach the end of their life span, but can't be replaced easily because they were not standardised and the original producer is no longer available. Standardised lids are easy to maintain and cost and time efficient if they have to be replaced. Hope this helps, with best wishes to the other side of the globe Dirk Am 21.05.2020 um 04:51 schrieb Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace): > > Hi all, > > I wonder if you all could please give me your opinion on the use and > archival nature of PTFE plastic? It is in the lids of some jars we are > considering purchasing for use in our EtOH collection, and I see that > it is used with chemicals and in scientific settings, but I have not > yet heard of it used in a museum setting. Any advice or thoughts would > be appreciated! > > Cheers, > > Tonya > > --------------------------------------------------------- > > Dr Tonya Haff > > Collections Manager > > Australian National Wildlife Collection > > National Research Collections Australia, CSIRO > > Canberra, Australia > > Phone: (+61) 02 6242 1566 (office) > > (+61) 0419 569 109 (mobile) > > I am in Thursdays and Fridays > > Please call or text my mobile for a fast reponse Monday ? Wednesday > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Dirk Neumann Tel: 089 / 8107-111 Fax: 089 / 8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de Postanschrift: Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns Zoologische Staatssammlung M?nchen Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage M?nchhausenstr. 21 81247 M?nchen Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ --------- Dirk Neumann Tel: +49-89-8107-111 Fax: +49-89-8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de postal address: Bavarian Natural History Collections The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage Muenchhausenstr. 21 81247 Munich (Germany) Visit our section at: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: dbjcegekfbkcnefd.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From emily.braker at colorado.edu Thu May 21 13:42:26 2020 From: emily.braker at colorado.edu (Emily M. Braker) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 17:42:26 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Intro to Non-insect Invertebrate Collections in Arctos Message-ID: Please join us for an introductory webinar on using Arctos to manage non-insect Invertebrate Collections. Abstract: This webinar will provide an overview of Arctos while highlighting helpful features that support the management of non-insect invertebrate collections. Taxonomy often presents a significant challenge for invertebrate collections, and through a collaboration with the World Register of Marine Species, Arctos dynamically integrates WoRMS taxonomic source data to organize local name and classification structures. This externally-curated source has been used by the DMNS Marine Invertebrate Collection for several years with excellent results. We will look at features of individual taxon records, how the WoRMS (via Arctos) taxonomic source feeds into specimen data, and how it supports accurate data entry at the single entry level and through bulkloading. With an invertebrate example from the Chicago Academy of Sciences, we will demonstrate the Arctos Project and linked Publications and Loans features. If time allows, we will also review how Agents and Media can be used to increase the value of specimen records. Presenters: Phyllis Sharp (Zoology Departmental Associate, Denver Museum of Nature and Science, Marine Invertebrate Collection) and Anna Chinn (Assistant Collections Manager, Chicago Academy of Sciences, Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum) When: Tuesday, May 26, 2020 at 3:00pm ET Where: Zoom Link here (pw: Arctos) Can't Make It?: View archived recordings here https://arctosdb.org/learn/webinars/ 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 http://www.colorado.edu/cumuseum/research-collections/vertebrates -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Thu May 21 14:23:52 2020 From: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca (Amanda Bremner) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 18:23:52 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <106ca2111a3f4c8eafd68cc05ee43503@NBMEX01.NBM.local> Dear Andy, Thank you so much for your offer, I will definitely reach out to you if I have any further questions after reading through the wonderful overwhelming amount of responses! I have been in contact with Norine Spears a few times and she is a very helpful and a valuable member of your team. I also think your training videos are very helpful. We have downloaded Specify to try out with one of our collections. It is nice to have the option to take a CMS for a ?test drive? before having to make any commitments. Cheers, Amanda From: Bentley, Andrew Charles [mailto:abentley at ku.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 4:01 PM To: Amanda Bremner Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hi Amanda We use Specify for all our University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute and I would be happy to share my experiences and viewpoints with you. I need to include the disclaimer that I am employed by Specify as a usability consultant as 25% of my position. However, having conducted many workshops for probably 1000?s of Specify users and prospective users I do have an insight into the community using Specify and experience with collection management system issues for lots of different kinds of collections. I must disagree with Steve about publishing source code. This is done specifically to foster community input into the functionality of the system and their ability to assist in code and feature development. Specify has both a science and technology committee that act on the community?s behalf to coordinate this effort and provide feedback and direction on priorities. Happy to help answer any questions you may have. I am sure there are other Specify users on this listserv who could also chime in. Thanks Andy A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V 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 A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 9:34 AM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Thu May 21 14:43:41 2020 From: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca (Amanda Bremner) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 18:43:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, Thank you all for your responses ?. I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of records to test it out? Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users?? I am very new to this. Cheers, Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM To: Carla Cicero Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve > wrote: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dssikes at alaska.edu Thu May 21 15:06:05 2020 From: dssikes at alaska.edu (Derek Sikes) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 11:06:05 -0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Amanda, Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. Cheers, Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner wrote: > Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, > > Thank you all for your responses J. > > > > I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a > single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of > records to test it out? > > > > Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?*I think that Sustain > Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one > unified program that serves many users*?? I am very new to this. > > > > Cheers, > > Amanda > > > > *From:* Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM > *To:* Carla Cicero > *Cc:* Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos > Working Group > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software > > > > I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect > Collection since 2012 and > am also happy to answer any questions about it. > > > > Cheers, > > Derek > > > > On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: > > Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email > suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the > system and community. > > > > We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. > > > > Best, > > Carla > > > > On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve wrote: > > Dear Amanda, > > > > I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business > model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others > they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the > software is based on number of specimen records. > > > > I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the > purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. > > > > Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, > https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. > > > > Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. > > > > All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. > > > > Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? > > > > Steve Ginzbarg > > Assistant Curator > > The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda > Bremner > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software > > > > Hello, > > We are considering choosing a new database, either *EMu* by Axiell or * > Sustain Specify*, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany > and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was > designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). > > > > Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be > willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly > more costly than the other? > > > > Thanks, > > Amanda > > > > *Amanda Bremner, *M.Sc. > > Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections > > Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle > > New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick > > 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas > > Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) > > *Canada E2K 1E5* > > Tel: 506-643-7670 > > Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > > > > > > -- > > Carla Cicero, Ph.D > Staff Curator of Birds > Museum of Vertebrate Zoology > 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building > University of California > Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 > TEL: (510) 642-7868 > FAX: (510) 643-8238 > > http://mvz.berkeley.edu > https://carlacicero.net > > http://vertnet.org > > https://arctosdb.org > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections > > http://americanornithology.org/ > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > > > > -- > > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects > Professor of Entomology > University of Alaska Museum > 1962 Yukon Drive > Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 > > dssikes at alaska.edu > > phone: 907-474-6278 > FAX: 907-474-5469 > > University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records > http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological > Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological > Network" at > http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us > -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Jtorgersen at nature.ca Thu May 21 15:10:26 2020 From: Jtorgersen at nature.ca (John Torgersen) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 19:10:26 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello, I relation to having data in the cloud, I see that Axiell is investing in US-based data-centers, to allow them to host databases in the cloud. Specify has offered web-hosting for their Specify 7 product for quite a while. Yours, John John Torgersen Assistant Collections Information Manager, Collection Services and Information Management Assistant responsable des informations sur les collections, Service des collections et gestion de l?information Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature Tel : 613-364-4086 jtorgersen at nature.ca From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Derek Sikes Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 3:06 PM To: Amanda Bremner ; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve ; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Amanda, Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. Cheers, Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner > wrote: Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, Thank you all for your responses ?. I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of records to test it out? Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users?? I am very new to this. Cheers, Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM To: Carla Cicero Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve > wrote: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us [https://www.nature.ca/sites/all/themes/realdecoy/images/splash/splash-logo.jpg] Saving the World with Evidence, Knowledge and Inspiration. (click to learn more) Sauver le monde avec des preuves, des connaissances et de l'inspiration. (cliquez pour en savoir plus) cmnEmailFooterDefault. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Thu May 21 15:12:10 2020 From: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca (Amanda Bremner) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 19:12:10 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <22cb78882c8e4648a9713c0424b7aa45@NBMEX01.NBM.local> Yes, definitely a lot of priceless time is put into these records. Thank you again Derek ? Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:06 PM To: Amanda Bremner; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Carla Cicero; Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Amanda, Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. Cheers, Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner > wrote: Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, Thank you all for your responses ?. I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of records to test it out? Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users?? I am very new to this. Cheers, Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM To: Carla Cicero Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve > wrote: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu Thu May 21 15:58:41 2020 From: rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu (Rob Robins) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 19:58:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: <22cb78882c8e4648a9713c0424b7aa45@NBMEX01.NBM.local> References: , <22cb78882c8e4648a9713c0424b7aa45@NBMEX01.NBM.local> Message-ID: <1590091120636.39024@flmnh.ufl.edu> Hi Folks, Just a quick observation, surely not lost on this group, but "the cloud" is just a computer or computers. Maybe it's in your building. Maybe its in another town. Maybe its in a giant data center. Maybe its in another university setting kind of like yours. In any case not all clouds are equal and comparisons should not be made off the cuff. If one is making one's evaluation on what thingamajig to select partly on the cloud-computing component with which it is associated, one will presumably want to evaluate said cloud carefully. ?Best wishes, Rob ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda Bremner Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 3:12 PM To: Derek Sikes; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software [External Email] Yes, definitely a lot of priceless time is put into these records. Thank you again Derek ? Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:06 PM To: Amanda Bremner; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Carla Cicero; Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Amanda, Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. Cheers, Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner > wrote: Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, Thank you all for your responses ?. I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of records to test it out? Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users?? I am very new to this. Cheers, Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM To: Carla Cicero Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve > wrote: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dssikes at alaska.edu Thu May 21 17:06:25 2020 From: dssikes at alaska.edu (Derek Sikes) Date: Thu, 21 May 2020 13:06:25 -0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: <1590091120636.39024@flmnh.ufl.edu> References: <22cb78882c8e4648a9713c0424b7aa45@NBMEX01.NBM.local> <1590091120636.39024@flmnh.ufl.edu> Message-ID: Rob, Indeed - & Arctos is served from the Texas Advanced Computer Center: https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/ -Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 11:58 AM Rob Robins wrote: > Hi Folks, > > Just a quick observation, surely not lost on this group, but "the cloud" > is just a computer or computers. Maybe it's in your building. Maybe its in > another town. Maybe its in a giant data center. Maybe its in another > university setting kind of like yours. > > > In any case not all clouds are equal and comparisons should not be made > off the cuff. > > > If one is making one's evaluation on what thingamajig to select partly on > the cloud-computing component with which it is associated, one > will presumably want to evaluate said cloud carefully. > > > ?Best wishes, > > > Rob > ------------------------------ > *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda > Bremner > *Sent:* Thursday, May 21, 2020 3:12 PM > *To:* Derek Sikes; Mayfield, Teresa > *Cc:* Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software > > *[External Email]* > > Yes, definitely a lot of priceless time is put into these records. > > Thank you again Derek J > > > > Amanda > > > > *From:* Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] > *Sent:* Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:06 PM > *To:* Amanda Bremner; Mayfield, Teresa > *Cc:* Carla Cicero; Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos > Working Group > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software > > > > Amanda, > > > > Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through > web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of > data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers > crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands > of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became > increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade > and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it > becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes > burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. > It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! > > > > I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you > a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. > > > > Cheers, > > Derek > > > > > > On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner > wrote: > > Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, > > Thank you all for your responses J. > > > > I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a > single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of > records to test it out? > > > > Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?*I think that Sustain > Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one > unified program that serves many users*?? I am very new to this. > > > > Cheers, > > Amanda > > > > *From:* Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM > *To:* Carla Cicero > *Cc:* Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos > Working Group > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software > > > > I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect > Collection > > since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. > > > > Cheers, > > Derek > > > > On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: > > Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email > suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the > system and community. > > > > We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. > > > > Best, > > Carla > > > > On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve wrote: > > Dear Amanda, > > > > I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/ > . > I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will > be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add > it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. > > > > I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the > purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. > > > > Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, > https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/ > , are > from Arctos. > > > > Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. > > > > All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. > > > > Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? > > > > Steve Ginzbarg > > Assistant Curator > > The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) > ------------------------------ > > *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda > Bremner > *Sent:* Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software > > > > Hello, > > We are considering choosing a new database, either *EMu* by Axiell or * > Sustain Specify*, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany > and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was > designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). > > > > Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be > willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly > more costly than the other? > > > > Thanks, > > Amanda > > > > *Amanda Bremner, *M.Sc. > > Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections > > Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle > > New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick > > 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas > > Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) > > *Canada E2K 1E5* > > Tel: 506-643-7670 > > Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] > > > > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org > > for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > > > > > > -- > > Carla Cicero, Ph.D > Staff Curator of Birds > Museum of Vertebrate Zoology > 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building > University of California > Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 > TEL: (510) 642-7868 > FAX: (510) 643-8238 > > http://mvz.berkeley.edu > > https://carlacicero.net > > > http://vertnet.org > > > https://arctosdb.org > > > http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections > > > http://americanornithology.org/ > > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org > > for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. > > > > -- > > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects > Professor of Entomology > University of Alaska Museum > 1962 Yukon Drive > Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 > > dssikes at alaska.edu > > phone: 907-474-6278 > FAX: 907-474-5469 > > University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records > http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological > Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological > Network" at > http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us > > > > > -- > > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects > Professor of Entomology > University of Alaska Museum > 1962 Yukon Drive > Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 > > dssikes at alaska.edu > > phone: 907-474-6278 > FAX: 907-474-5469 > > University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records > http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all > > +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological > Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological > Network" at > http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us > > -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Fri May 22 08:14:47 2020 From: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca (Amanda Bremner) Date: Fri, 22 May 2020 12:14:47 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <68cfc60753fe4b698482554263850de3@NBMEX01.NBM.local> Hi Steve, Thank you for your help. It is good to know that you find their webinar tutorials useful. I did not know that many example of Darwin Core came from Arctos, that is good to know. Cheers, Amanda From: Ginzbarg, Steve [mailto:sginzbar at ua.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:04 PM To: Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: collections based database software Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Amanda Bremner Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d'histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From sginzbar at ua.edu Thu May 21 20:47:50 2020 From: sginzbar at ua.edu (Ginzbarg, Steve) Date: Fri, 22 May 2020 00:47:50 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: <22cb78882c8e4648a9713c0424b7aa45@NBMEX01.NBM.local> <1590091120636.39024@flmnh.ufl.edu>, Message-ID: Chris Jordan who manages the Arctos database at Texas Advanced Computing Center writes (see below). Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium From: Christopher Jordan Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 5:15 PM To: Matthew Edeker Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Steven, We have a tape archive and an offsite storage system in Arlington that we use for storing full backups of the database. We also have a disk-based replica of Arctos media which are hosted at TACC. Any participating member of Arctos could receive a full copy of the database backups, but there have been some concerns about ?masked? data, so under the new ?version? of the Arctos infrastructure which will be deployed starting next week, I believe they are planning to set up backups for each individual sites ?portion? of the database which they could then take for themselves - this is really a policy question and thus best addressed with the Arctos team themselves. The question of not losing backups of the database is honestly the least of the concerns WRT a system like Arctos - the challenges are mostly in having a replicable instance of the whole infrastructure since without the code that runs it the database backup would be difficult to do anything with. That has been a challenge in the past but is improving vastly in the current code modernization, and in the near future we expect to be able to host multiple running instances of the whole stack including backup instances at other participating Arctos sites. Thanks ---------------------------------------------------------------- Chris Jordan Data Management and Collections Group Lead Texas Advanced Computing Center The University of Texas at Austin Phone: 512.232.3755 E-mail: ctjordan at tacc.utexas.edu ________________________________ From: Derek Sikes Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:06 PM To: Rob Robins Cc: Amanda Bremner ; Mayfield, Teresa ; Ginzbarg, Steve ; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu ; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Rob, Indeed - & Arctos is served from the Texas Advanced Computer Center: https://www.tacc.utexas.edu/ -Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 11:58 AM Rob Robins > wrote: Hi Folks, Just a quick observation, surely not lost on this group, but "the cloud" is just a computer or computers. Maybe it's in your building. Maybe its in another town. Maybe its in a giant data center. Maybe its in another university setting kind of like yours. In any case not all clouds are equal and comparisons should not be made off the cuff. If one is making one's evaluation on what thingamajig to select partly on the cloud-computing component with which it is associated, one will presumably want to evaluate said cloud carefully. ?Best wishes, Rob ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 3:12 PM To: Derek Sikes; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software [External Email] Yes, definitely a lot of priceless time is put into these records. Thank you again Derek ? Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2020 4:06 PM To: Amanda Bremner; Mayfield, Teresa Cc: Carla Cicero; Ginzbarg, Steve; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Amanda, Arctos is cloud-based computing like gmail. It's accessed entirely through web browsers. This has the advantage of never having to worry about loss of data on local computers or maintaining backups yourself (I've had computers crash & be stolen). Prior to moving to Arctos I had hundreds of thousands of records in a home-made database on a computer in my office & I became increasingly worried about the safety of the data. After spending a decade and hundreds of thousands of dollars getting the data into a database it becomes very very important that the data are safe. Buildings sometimes burn or flood etc. Having all your data in the 'cloud' is very reassuring. It's arguable that the data are safer than the specimens! I've cc'd Teresa Mayfield who I'm pretty sure can help with providing you a way to take Arctos for a 'test drive'. Cheers, Derek On Thu, May 21, 2020 at 10:43 AM Amanda Bremner > wrote: Dear Derek, Carla and Steve, Thank you all for your responses ?. I do have a question a couple of questions: Can you download Arctos on a single workstation to try it out for a small representative sample of records to test it out? Steve, can you elaborate a bit on what you mean by ?I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users?? I am very new to this. Cheers, Amanda From: Derek Sikes [mailto:dssikes at alaska.edu] Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 3:51 PM To: Carla Cicero Cc: Ginzbarg, Steve; Amanda Bremner; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu; Arctos Working Group Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software I've been happily using Arctos for the University of Alaska Museum Insect Collection since 2012 and am also happy to answer any questions about it. Cheers, Derek On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 10:12 AM Carla Cicero > wrote: Hi Steve - Thanks for this email. I just sent Amanda a separate email suggesting that they also consider Arctos, with a few details about the system and community. We are happy to answer any questions Amanda might have about Arctos. Best, Carla On Wed, May 20, 2020 at 11:09 AM Ginzbarg, Steve > wrote: Dear Amanda, I am looking at Arctos, https://arctosdb.org/. I like their business model. If you want a feature and they think it will be useful to others they will incorporate it. If not, you pay them to add it. Cost of the software is based on number of specimen records. I think that Sustain Specify making their code available is defeating the purpose of having one unified program that serves many users. Many of the examples in the Darwin Core quick reference guide, https://dwc.tdwg.org/terms/, are from Arctos. Arctos has been around since the 1990s. I like their webinar tutorials. All data are securely stored at the Texas Advanced Computing Center. Is anyone using Arctos who could comment on it? Steve Ginzbarg Assistant Curator The University of Alabama Herbarium (UNA) ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Sent: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 9:34 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ _______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From W.Coetzer at saiab.ac.za Fri May 22 11:18:32 2020 From: W.Coetzer at saiab.ac.za (Willem Coetzer) Date: Fri, 22 May 2020 15:18:32 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Message-ID: <5061da05fb664417900f4c74343e87b6@saiab.ac.za> Hi Amanda I thought you might like to know that we have been using Specify software in our institute for very nearly 20 years (I think next year is our 20th anniversary), and I have been managing the database for 15 years. We have therefore seen a number of Specify platforms and versions. As an organization we have not once looked back, and this is primarily due to the very strong and helpful team backing this application (not to mention the database schema and application, but I do believe that the success of Specify is the people behind it). If something untoward has happened, we have always been assured that we can rely on Jim?s team to help us out. I was reflecting on how we are able to continue cataloguing during one of the world?s strictest lockdowns (using the Specify 7 web application), and I realized how well the Specify team and this product are keeping up with improving technology. There are 15 institutions in South Africa that use Specify (though we have been using the product for longer than anyone else in this country). There used to be a debate about which software to use, but we have recently seen the birth of a new facilitating organization for natural history collections, which has endorsed Specify. I think this bodes very well for the continued use of Specify in South African natural history collections, and for the development of skills and capacity among young people, to improve the state of our collections. Please contact me if you are interested our different Specify uses and contexts. Best wishes Willem [cid:imageee6a45.PNG at d5e4f19c.46bf864e] [cid:image2d59c1.PNG at 0ab5a120.48854855] [cid:imageac8ab6.PNG at c7cf087c.44b27ebd] Somerset Street Willem Coetzer Makhanda, 6139 Biodiversity Information Manager Private Bag 1015 Tel: +27 46 603 5841 Makhanda, 6140 Fax: +27 46 603 5825 South Africa Email: W.Coetzer at saiab.ac.za http://www.saiab.ac.za/ Disclaimer: http://www.nrf.ac.za/email-legal-notice.php Please consider the environment before printing this message. From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 9:34 AM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: imageee6a45.PNG Type: image/png Size: 33511 bytes Desc: imageee6a45.PNG URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image2d59c1.PNG Type: image/png Size: 758 bytes Desc: image2d59c1.PNG URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: imageac8ab6.PNG Type: image/png Size: 589 bytes Desc: imageac8ab6.PNG URL: From tschioette at snm.ku.dk Sun May 24 11:16:08 2020 From: tschioette at snm.ku.dk (=?utf-8?B?VG9tIFNjaGnDuHR0ZQ==?=) Date: Sun, 24 May 2020 15:16:08 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: <5061da05fb664417900f4c74343e87b6@saiab.ac.za> References: <5061da05fb664417900f4c74343e87b6@saiab.ac.za> Message-ID: <083686b3a50c4dfa9265b40a48f87e93@snm.ku.dk> Hi Amanda, The Natural History Museum of Denmark and the regional/local natural history museums of this country have been using Specify for about five years now. There will always be varying opinions about such a thing, but as one of those that have been much involved in the transfer of data to Specify and the following use of it, I will strongly endorse Willems recommendation below in all aspects. Cheers Tom Tom Schi?tte Collection manager, Echinodermata & Mollusca Natural History Museum of Denmark (Zoology) Universitetsparken 15 DK 2100 Copenhagen OE Denmark +45 35 32 10 48 TSchioette at snm.ku.dk From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Willem Coetzer Sent: 22. maj 2020 17:19 To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Cc: Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software Hi Amanda I thought you might like to know that we have been using Specify software in our institute for very nearly 20 years (I think next year is our 20th anniversary), and I have been managing the database for 15 years. We have therefore seen a number of Specify platforms and versions. As an organization we have not once looked back, and this is primarily due to the very strong and helpful team backing this application (not to mention the database schema and application, but I do believe that the success of Specify is the people behind it). If something untoward has happened, we have always been assured that we can rely on Jim?s team to help us out. I was reflecting on how we are able to continue cataloguing during one of the world?s strictest lockdowns (using the Specify 7 web application), and I realized how well the Specify team and this product are keeping up with improving technology. There are 15 institutions in South Africa that use Specify (though we have been using the product for longer than anyone else in this country). There used to be a debate about which software to use, but we have recently seen the birth of a new facilitating organization for natural history collections, which has endorsed Specify. I think this bodes very well for the continued use of Specify in South African natural history collections, and for the development of skills and capacity among young people, to improve the state of our collections. Please contact me if you are interested our different Specify uses and contexts. Best wishes Willem [cid:imageee6a45.PNG at d5e4f19c.46bf864e] [cid:image2d59c1.PNG at 0ab5a120.48854855] [cid:imageac8ab6.PNG at c7cf087c.44b27ebd] Somerset Street Willem Coetzer Makhanda, 6139 Biodiversity Information Manager Private Bag 1015 Tel: +27 46 603 5841 Makhanda, 6140 Fax: +27 46 603 5825 South Africa Email: W.Coetzer at saiab.ac.za http://www.saiab.ac.za/ Disclaimer: http://www.nrf.ac.za/email-legal-notice.php Please consider the environment before printing this message. From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Amanda Bremner > Date: Wednesday, May 20, 2020 at 9:34 AM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d?histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 12405 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 3236 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 2681 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: From abentley at ku.edu Tue May 26 12:27:43 2020 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 16:27:43 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Science Policy News from AIBS In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <9FEEA55D-2F5D-4982-8030-1739EF343B21@ku.edu> Email not displaying correctly? View it in your browser. AIBS Public Policy Report AIBS Public Policy Report, Volume 21, Issue 11, May 26, 2020 * Survey Data Highlight COVID-19 Impacts on Science Collections * Scientific, Medical Groups Oppose Political Interference with NIH Research Grant * House Approves Next Coronavirus Stimulus, Includes Research Funding * House Relief Package Includes Scientific Integrity Amendment * Scientific Organizations Criticize EPA?s Proposed Transparency Rule * Science Community Expresses Concerns with Executive Proclamation on Immigration * On the Importance of Science to Society: A Call for Government Action * Now Online: Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science * Increase Your Career Opportunities: Writing for Impact and Influence Online Course * Short Takes * NIH CSR Launches Online Tool to Recommend Reviewers * NASEM Workshop on Science of Aging and Environmental Health * Plant Biologist to Lead UK Research Funding Agency * From the Federal Register ________________________________ The AIBS Public Policy Report is distributed broadly by email every two weeks to the AIBS membership. Any interested party may self-subscribe to receive these free reports by email or RSS news feed, by going to www.aibs.org/public-policy-reports. With proper attribution to AIBS, all material from these reports may be reproduced or forwarded. AIBS staff appreciates receiving copies of materials used. If you have questions, comments, or suggestions, please contact the AIBS Director of Public Policy, Robert Gropp, at 202-628-1500 x 250. ________________________________ Survey Data Highlight COVID-19 Impacts on Science Collections The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS), Biodiversity Collections Network (BCoN), Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSC Alliance), and Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) surveyed individuals affiliated with US biodiversity science collections to better understand the effects of COVID-19 related disruptions and closures on biodiversity collections, and the people who use and care for these scientific resources. The survey was conducted in April 2020. Individuals working in biodiversity collections were invited to complete a 23-question survey. No identifying information about the individual or institution was requested. More than 390 individuals completed the survey. Results include: * 96% of natural history collections were unavailable for use in April. * Most of the scientific collections reported some regular monitoring of resources, but less than 30% were being monitored for pests ? a significant threat to collections. * More than 90% of respondents were working from home, mostly on some aspect of data transcription based on specimen images captured prior to the shutdown. * When asked about chief concerns arising from a 1-3 month closure: * Just under 64% were worried about their ability to provide vital research resources; * Just under 49% were worried about a loss of funding for collections care materials and supplies; * Just over 47% were concerned about their ability to provide outreach opportunities for the public; * Nearly 47% were concerned about the loss of staff because of budget cuts; * 43.5% were concerned about their ability to meet existing grant and contract deadlines. Survey results are available. Follow-up surveys will be conducted to understand the effects of budget reductions that collections may experience, and the impact of COVID-19 prevention measures on scientific collections management and research productivity. Scientific, Medical Groups Oppose Political Interference with NIH Research Grant The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) joined 30 other scientific and medical associations to express deep concerns about the revocation of a National Institutes of Health (NIH) funded research grant to study coronavirus. Last month, NIH terminated a peer-reviewed research grant awarded in June 2019 that was investigating how coronaviruses move from their natural hosts to humans. The decision came after unverified reports from U.S. lawmakers and conservative media suggested that the SARS-CoV-2 virus responsible for the COVID-19 pandemic originated in a laboratory in Wuhan, China, which employs a Chinese virologist who had been receiving funding from the grant in question. ?Not only is this decision counterintuitive, given the urgent need to better understand the virus that causes COVID-19 and identify drugs that will save lives, but it politicizes science at a time when, if we are to stamp out this scourge, we need the public to trust experts and to take collective action,? the societies wrote in a May 20, 2020 letter addressed to NIH Director Francis Collins. ?The scientific community urges federal funding agencies and policymakers to ensure the transparency, openness, and collaborative nature of the American biomedical research enterprise. We call on the NIH to be transparent about their decision-making process on this matter. We urge federal funding agencies to safeguard the American biomedical research enterprise. The action taken by the NIH must be immediately reconsidered.? House Approves Next Coronavirus Stimulus, Includes Research Funding The U.S. House of Representatives passed a new coronavirus relief package, The Heroes Act, on May 15, 2020. If passed by the Senate and signed by the President, this will be the fifth measure adopted by Congress to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The $3 trillion stimulus bill includes $1 trillion in assistance for state, local, territorial, and tribal governments; $75 billion for coronavirus testing, contact tracing, and isolation measures; emergency supplemental appropriations to federal agencies; another round of direct payments; and $200 billion for a ?Heroes? fund? to provide hazard pay for essential workers. The bill includes funds to support coronavirus-related research. The National Institutes of Health would receive $4.721 billion to ?expand COVID-19-related research on the NIH campus and at academic institutions across the country and to support the shutdown and startup costs of biomedical research laboratories nationwide.? $4 billion would be directed to the Office of the Director, of which $3 billion would be available for ?offsetting the costs related to reductions in lab productivity resulting from the coronavirus pandemic or public health measures related to the coronavirus pandemic? and the remaining $1 billion would ?support additional scientific research or the programs and platforms that support research.? The National Institute of Allergies and Infectious Diseases would receive $500 million and the National Institute for Mental Health would get $200 million, ?to prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.? The National Science Foundation would receive $125 million for grants to ?prevent, prepare for, and respond to coronavirus.? The bill allocates $1 million for a study on ?the spread of COVID-19 related disinformation.? NSF could also transfer up to $2.5 million of its allocation to its ?Agency Operations and Award Management? account for management, administration, and oversight of the funds provided. Other research related highlights from the relief package include: * $40 million for the U.S. Geological Survey for biosurveillance and research related to wildlife-borne disease. * $50 million for the Environmental Protection Agency for environmental justice grants, including those investigating ?links between pollution exposure and the transmission and health outcomes of coronavirus in environmental justice communities. * $8.4 billion for higher education institutions ?to defray expenses (including lost revenue, reimbursement for expenses already incurred, technology costs associated with a transition to distance education, faculty and staff trainings, and payroll) incurred by institutions of higher education.? The bill would provide $71 million to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service ?to support activities related to wildlife-borne disease prevention, with $50 million for grants through the State and Tribal Wildlife grant program.? The Institute of Museum and Library Services would receive $5 million to support libraries and museums with expenses associated with the pandemic, including operational support and providing technology and resources for their communities. Republican lawmakers in the Senate have said they do not consider the House?s plan a serious legislative endeavor, according to E&E News. Some Democratic lawmakers have indicated that the bill is only a starting point for negotiations with the Senate and White House on government measures that need to be taken to respond to the pandemic. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) criticized the bill as a ?totally unserious effort? and a ?Democratic wish list.? House Republicans characterized some of the research allocations as ?wasteful spending.? House Relief Package Includes Scientific Integrity Amendment The pandemic relief package, the Heroes Act, passed by the House on May 15, includes provisions of a scientific integrity bill that would protect federal scientists from political interference. The Scientific Integrity Act or SIA (H.R. 1709), sponsored by Representative Paul Tonko (D-NY), was approved by the House Science, Space, and Technology Committee in October 2019. Provisions of the legislation, which currently has 232 bipartisan cosponsors, were attached to the latest coronavirus relief measure as a manager?s amendment. SIA requires federal agencies that fund, conduct, or oversee scientific research to adopt and enforce clear scientific integrity policies. The bill would prohibit the government from suppressing agency scientific research findings and intimidating or coercing individuals to alter or censor scientific findings. Earlier this month, Senators Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Representatives Tonko, Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Haley Stevens(D-MI), and Alan Lowenthal (D-CA) sent letters to Senate and House leadership urging the inclusion of the SIA provisions in COVID-19 related legislation. The lawmakers wrote, in part: ?Science underpins the response to the COVID-19 crisis. Whether it is a government official trying to help impacted citizens; a business owner trying to keep employees safe; or parents protecting their family, everyone needs access to the best and most up-to-date scientific information available. Scientific integrity ensures the quality and reliability of the federal science that governments, businesses, and individuals rely on, and we therefore request that you include H.R. 1709, the Scientific Integrity Act, (the SIA) into the next COVID-19 relief package.? ?I think everyone particularly in the time of a pandemic can see how important it is to hear from the scientific experts directly, without political filters,? said Andrew Rosenberg, Director of the Center for Science and Democracy at the Union of Concerned Scientists, according to The Hill. ?The principles are that scientists have the right to speak out about their science and political officials can't stop them from doing so.? In related news, a new report by the Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) Inspector General (IG) based on a survey of 4,320 employees has found that 59 percent of agency staff have expressed ?dissatisfaction with EPA's culture of [scientific integrity].? Fifty-seven percent of EPA staff said they were dissatisfied with the agency's release of scientific information to the public. The IG advised the agency ?to examine the causes associated with the [scientific integrity] concerns identified in our survey and communicate the results to Agency employees, including planned actions to address the causes.? The report concluded that, ?Improving implementation of the [scientific integrity] policy will enable the EPA to more effectively carry out its mission to protect human health and the environment.? Scientific Organizations Criticize EPA?s Proposed Transparency Rule AIBS has joined a coalition of scientific organizations in expressing concerns with a supplemental addition to the Environmental Protection Agency?s (EPA) proposed rule ?Strengthening Transparency in Regulatory Science,? that would bar the use of scientific studies in crafting regulations unless the underlying data ?are publicly available in a manner sufficient for independent validation.? The supplemental notice to the proposed rulemaking, which was published on March 18, 2020, would further broaden restrictions on the type of scientific studies EPA can use when crafting regulations. The agency initially provided 30 days to submit comments on the supplemental addition, but later extended the comment period by another 30 days until May 18. Expressing strong opposition to the supplemental, a group of 55 public health, medical, academic, and scientific organizations wrote: ?Like the original proposed rule, this supplemental proposal would undermine sound science and put Americans? health and the environment at risk. We are deeply concerned with EPA?s continued efforts to impede the use of critical science and implore the agency to withdraw the proposal.? Another coalition of 38 scientific, engineering, and higher education organizations submitted joint comments to EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler expressing concerns that the proposal would undermine EPA?s ability to use the best available science in crafting regulations. The comments read, in part: ?While the supplemental attempts to clarify the original proposed rule and address concerns previously raised by the scientific community, the changes proposed by EPA add yet another set of issues and concerns that will negatively impact the use of science at EPA and do not resolve many of our original concerns. We strongly believe the proposed rule and supplemental would diminish the critical role of scientific evidence in decisions that impact the health of Americans. Simply put, excluding the best available science, as this proposed rule would do, puts public health and the environment at risk. We strongly request the EPA rescind this proposal in its entirety for reasons outlined below.? Both letters have been endorsed by AIBS. Science Community Expresses Concerns with Executive Proclamation on Immigration Thirty-six scientific organizations, including AIBS, have expressed concerns about the April 22, 2020, Executive Proclamation Suspending Entry of Immigrants Who Present Risk to the U.S. Labor Market During the Economic Recovery Following the COVID-19 Outbreak. In a letter to President Trump, the groups wrote: ?Our safety and return to daily activities following the COVID-19 outbreak will largely be delivered by America's STEM enterprise. This enterprise will also play a vital role in U.S. economic recovery. Limiting immigration to the United States reduces our ability to attract the best available minds to this endeavor. We stand ready to work with you to formulate policies that accelerate this scientific and technological progress while invigorating our nation's economy.? The organizations have urged the White House to ?prioritize the immigration of science and technology talent that will spur the scientific breakthroughs and economic growth of the United States that is needed for rapid recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.? On the Importance of Science to Society: A Call for Government Action In the May 2020 issue of BioScience, AIBS President Dr. Charles Fenster and Executive Director Dr. Robert Gropp urge governments to coordinate to promote greater understanding of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, including the development of a vaccine. They further call on governments to ?build the infrastructure needed to foster timely scientific exchange and the conversion of scientific information into responsible public policy ? both domestically and internationally, for the current and future crises.? They further warn, ?Understanding the origins of the current global health crisis resulting from the novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, demands attention beyond the immediate needs of stopping its spread, caring for those suffering from COVID-19, finding medical interventions, and protecting healthcare workers. There will be more global health crises in the future, along with other global challenges, such as those arising from biodiversity loss and climate change. Society must do a better job of investing in scientific research and incorporating what is learned into responsible and forward-looking public policy?decisions guided by fact and not wishful or magical thinking.? Read On the Importance of Science of Science to Society at https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biaa047 Now Online: Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science Reports abound from professional societies, the Academies, government agencies, and researchers calling attention to the fact that science is increasingly an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and international endeavor. In short, science has become a ?team sport.? There is a real and present need to better prepare scientists for success in this new collaborative environment. The American Institute of Biological Sciences is responding to this call with a new program for scientists, educators, and individuals who work with or participate in scientific teams. Team science is increasingly common in 21st century biological, life, and environmental sciences. Collaboration is no longer limited to sharing ideas with the biologist in the lab next door. The questions confronting science often require teams that may include a mix of computer and information scientists, physical and social scientists, mathematicians, ethicists, policy and management experts, as well as community stakeholders and citizen scientists. Adding to this complexity, teams span programs within organizations, cross organization boundaries to form institutional consortia, and often include international partners. This intensive, two-day, interactive, online professional development course was designed by scientists and experts on collaboration and teamwork to provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to become productive and effective members of scientific teams. From its first offering the course has evolved to include a greater focus on team planning and teamwork, and less time allocated to university administration of interdisciplinary teams. Nothing teaches collaboration like practicing collaboration. This is not a course that asks you to learn in isolation. It is a microcosm of scientific collaboration, with extensive hands-on learning as part of a scientific team, with scientific case studies and examples. The Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science course is designed for anyone involved in collaborative scientific endeavors. Team leaders will find the course especially helpful. Because participants will work on ?real-world? team science concerns, we encourage multiple members of a team to attend together. We can also customize the course and bring it to your university, department, lab, or research team. This course provides the right foundation from which your team can successfully accomplish your goals. Dates: June 15-16, 2020 Location: Online Learn more and register at https://www.aibs.org/events/team_science_event.html. Increase Your Career Opportunities: Writing for Impact and Influence Online Course The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is once again offering its popular professional development program to help scientists and students hone their written communication skills to increase the power of their message. Writing for Impact and Influence combines practical instruction and hands-on exercises to improve participants? general writing proficiency and their ability to reach large audiences. The program will provide participants with the skills and tools needed to compose scientific press releases, blog posts, emails, and memoranda. Learn to write for stakeholders, decision-makers, and the general public, with a focus on perfecting the reader experience. The course consists of six 90-minute online modules conducted live and will begin on Thursday, 9 July 2020, with subsequent course sessions held weekly on Thursdays. Individuals who actively participate in and complete the full course will receive a certificate recognizing that they have completed a nine-hour professional development course on business writing for scientists. Register now: http://io.aibs.org/writing Short Takes * Center for Scientific Review (CSR) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has launched a new online portal through which scientific societies may recommend scientists to serve as NIH reviewers. This tool was developed in response to requests from professional societies for a way to recommend potential reviewers and is part of CSR?s ongoing efforts to refresh and expand the pool of well-qualified reviewers in every area of science. Learn more at: https://www.csr.nih.gov/reviewmatters/2020/05/07/broadening-the-reviewer-pool-a-new-tool-for-societies-to-recommend-reviewers/ * The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) is organizing a virtual workshop titled ?Integrating the Science of Aging and Environmental Health Research? to be held on June 9-10, 2020. The workshop, which is part of the Emerging Science for Environmental Health Decisions project, will explore emerging research at the intersection between aging, longevity, environmental exposures, and human health. Workshop speakers will detail emerging research findings through two lenses: how environmental exposures influence or mediate aging and how aging influences environmentally-mediated health outcomes. For more information and to register, visit: http://nas-sites.org/emergingscience/integrating-the-science-of-aging-into-environmental-health-research/ * Dr. Ottoline Leyser, a plant biologist, will serve as the next Director of the United Kingdom?s (UK) research funding agency, UK Research and Innovation (UKRI). Leyser is the Director of the Sainsbury Laboratory at University of Cambridge, a leading plant research center. She chairs the Royal Society?s Science Policy Expert Advisory Committee and serves on the Prime Minister?s Council for Science and Technology. She was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours list for services to plant science, science in society, and equality and diversity in science. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society, a Foreign Associate of the US National Academy of Sciences and a Member of the European Molecular Biology Organisation and the Leopoldina. She received her BA and PhD in Genetics from the University of Cambridge. From the Federal Register The following items appeared in the Federal Register from May 11 to 22, 2020. For more information on these or other recent items, please visit the AIBS Federal Register Resource at www.aibs.org/federal-register-resource/index.html. Week Ending 22 May 2020 Agriculture * Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel * Collaborative Forest Restoration Program Technical Advisory Panel; Meeting * Movement of Certain Genetically Engineered Organisms Health and Human Services * Meeting of the National Vaccine Advisory Committee * Meeting of the Presidential Advisory Council on HIV/AIDS * National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases; Amended Notice of Meeting * Office of the Director, National Institutes of Health; Notice of Meeting Interior * Notice of Teleconference Meeting of the Exxon Valdez Oil Spill Public Advisory Committee National Aeronautics and Space Administration * NASA Advisory Council; Meeting National Science Foundation * Advisory Committee for International Science and Engineering; Notice of Meeting Week Ending 15 May 2020 Agency for International Development * Board for International Food and Agricultural Development; Notice of Meeting Commerce * Council Coordination Committee Meeting Environmental Protection Agency * Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) Science Advisory Committee on Chemicals (SACC); Notice of Rescheduled Public Meeting Health and Human Services * National Biodefense Science Board * National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences; Notice of Meeting National Science Foundation * Advisory Committee for Environmental Research and Education; Notice of Meeting * Agency Information Collection Activities: Comment Request; Graduate Research Fellowships Program * Committee on Equal Opportunities in Science and Engineering; Notice of Meeting ________________________________ * Give your society or organization a voice in public policy. See http://www.aibs.org/public-policy/funding_contributors.html. * Become an AIBS Individual Member and lend your voice to a national effort to advance the biological sciences through public policy, education, and science programs. Visit https://www.aibs.org/about-aibs/join.html to join AIBS. * Become an advocate for science, visit the AIBS Legislative Action Center at http://policy.aibs.org. * Know the news as it happens, sign-up to receive AIBS press releases and policy statements (https://www.aibs.org/mailing-lists/). The American Institute of Biological Sciences is a nonprofit 501(c)(3) scientific association dedicated to advancing biological research and education for the welfare of society. AIBS works to ensure that the public, legislators, funders, and the community of biologists have access to and use information that will guide them in making informed decisions about matters that require biological knowledge. The organization does this through informing decisions by providing peer-reviewed or vetted information about the biology field and profession and by catalyzing action through building the capacity and the leadership of the community to address matters of common concern. Founded in 1947 as a part of the National Academy of Sciences, AIBS became an independent, member-governed organization in the 1950s. Today, Today, AIBS has over 140 member organizations and has a Public Policy Office in Washington, DC. Its staff members work to achieve its mission by publishing the peer-reviewed journal BioScience, by providing scientific peer-review and advisory services to government agencies and other clients, and by collaborating with scientific organizations to advance public policy, education, and the public understanding of science. Website: www.aibs.org. You received this message because you or your organization have interacted with one of our programs or initiatives. Our mailing address is: American Institute of Biological Science 1201 New York Ave., NW, Ste. 420 Washington, DC 20005 Copyright (C) 2020 American Institute of Biological Sciences All rights reserved. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From trombone at amnh.org Tue May 26 15:49:23 2020 From: trombone at amnh.org (Thomas J Trombone) Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 19:49:23 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] collections based database software In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Amanda, We at AMNH have been using EMu since 2005 in our Division of Vertebrate Zoology. We are currently implementing EMu in two additional divisions, namely Paleontology and Invertebrate Zoology, as well as in our associated cryo-collection facility and our central Registrar's Office. I'd be happy to communicate with you about any specific questions you may have. Best, Tom Thomas J. Trombone | Data Manager | Department of Ornithology American Museum of Natural History | Central Park West @ 79th Street | New York, NY 10024-5192 (212) 313-7783 | trombone at amnh.org | http://www.amnh.org/our-research/vertebrate-zoology/ornithology From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Amanda Bremner Sent: Wednesday, 20 May 2020 10:35 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: collections based database software EXTERNAL SENDER Hello, We are considering choosing a new database, either EMu by Axiell or Sustain Specify, for our Natural History collections (Zoology, Botany and Mycology, Geology and Paleontology). The database we currently use was designed for use in libraries (Inmagic DB/TextWorks). Have any of you recently reviewed these two databases? Would you be willing to share pros and cons, beyond the fact that one is significantly more costly than the other? Thanks, Amanda Amanda Bremner, M.Sc. Curatorial Assistant/Adjointe ? la Conservation des collections Department of Natural History/ D?partement d'histoire naturelle New Brunswick Museum/Mus?e du Nouveau-Brunswick 277 Douglas Avenue/ 277, avenue Douglas Saint John, New Brunswick/ Saint John (Nouveau-Brunswick) Canada E2K 1E5 Tel: 506-643-7670 Amanda.Bremner at nbm-mnb.ca ] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au Tue May 26 18:45:13 2020 From: Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au (Mandy Reid) Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 22:45:13 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Message-ID: We are about to embark on a project in our Malacology collection at the Australian Museum to transfer all our formalin stored specimens to ethanol. The formalin specimens are in 5%-10% formalin/seawater solution. Not all specimen lots are stored in formalin, and the preservative is unknown for some, particularly historic material. Our routine test is to determine whether the storage solution is miscible with water when a few drops are placed on dish or tray (therefore formalin), whereas an alcohol solution will 'repel' a water droplet. This test is not always clear and ideally I would like to use something like test strips, or a stain solution that would give a quick and clear result. I understand that Schiffs reagent works, but that is also a carcinogen. I have an excellent paper that gives a method of making test strips: Waller, R. (1987). A spot test to distinguish formalin from alcohol solutions. Curator, the Museums Journal. 240-249. I am wondering whether anyone can recommend commercially available test strips that would be suitable? (Or some other method.) The strips that I have investigated online seem to be used mainly to test contaminated water samples and are too sensitive for our needs. Thank You! Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D633FC.383FAA80] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From ccicero at berkeley.edu Tue May 26 20:19:18 2020 From: ccicero at berkeley.edu (Carla Cicero) Date: Tue, 26 May 2020 17:19:18 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] AOS Collections Committee website Message-ID: The Bird Collections Committee of the American Ornithological Society (AOS) has a new website! Although focused on birds, this site has links to resources that will be of interest to the general collections community. https://americanornithology.org/professional-resources/collections-permitting-resources/ The site contains basic information including: - permits with links to external resources - an embedded Zotero library with references pertaining to collections, collecting, methods, management, data, field notes, etc. - training resources - meeting links and upcoming events - collection data sources - supplies and equipment This is a work in progress, so we will be adding new content to keep the site dynamic. If you have suggestions or other things you'd like to see on the site, please let us know (email Collections Committee co-chairs Carla Cicero and John Bates directly). We hope you find this site and information useful. -- Carla Cicero, Ph.D Staff Curator of Birds Museum of Vertebrate Zoology 3101 Valley Life Sciences Building University of California Berkeley, CA 94720-3160 TEL: (510) 642-7868 FAX: (510) 643-8238 http://mvz.berkeley.edu https://carlacicero.net http://vertnet.org https://arctosdb.org http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bird_collections http://americanornithology.org/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From couteaufin at btinternet.com Wed May 27 04:45:45 2020 From: couteaufin at btinternet.com (Simon Moore) Date: Wed, 27 May 2020 09:45:45 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <2D95B3A6-3253-4547-997E-FAB4C0DD41DC@btinternet.com> Dear Mandy, I fully understand your predicament! Although most organisms (and I?m talking generally) will not suffer when changing from formalin to alcohol, the more gelatinous beasties look much worse, becoming opaque sometimes even embrittled and undergo osmotic pressure stress. Not very helpful but just an awareness. I used to transfer these into glycol-based preservatives which don?t have evaporation and flammability issues and are basically non toxic, however, although effective for some organisms in the longer term, they did cause tissue swelling leading to specimen fragility (rather than embrittlement) over time and are now deemed to be only partly reliable. What the sector needs is a reliable preservative panacea that doesn?t also have all of these issues, including taxes and there have been many new preservatives that have come and gone because they will not stand up to the test of time or have other issues (cost, specific gravity problems &c.) However you were asking about spot tests for formalin. I was unaware that Schiff?s reagent was carcinogenic although the formulation has been modified over the years. I still use Feulgen?s reagent, used in enzyme histochemistry and which is basic fuchsin decolourised using charcoal and known as leuco-basic fuchsin (sorry the auto-correct is giving me a hard time!). There are test strips available from several sources, quite expensive and they have a short shelf life! My own home-made ones based on filter paper strips dipped in Feulgen, were a pain to make but worked for about 3 months before the papers turned a dull purple even though they were stored in a dark brown glass bottle. Hoping that some of this may help. With all good wishes, Simon. Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, www.natural-history-conservation.com > On 26 May 2020, at 23:45, Mandy Reid wrote: > > We are about to embark on a project in our Malacology collection at the Australian Museum to transfer all our formalin stored specimens to ethanol. The formalin specimens are in 5%-10% formalin/seawater solution. Not all specimen lots are stored in formalin, and the preservative is unknown for some, particularly historic material. > > Our routine test is to determine whether the storage solution is miscible with water when a few drops are placed on dish or tray (therefore formalin), whereas an alcohol solution will ?repel? a water droplet. This test is not always clear and ideally I would like to use something like test strips, or a stain solution that would give a quick and clear result. I understand that Schiffs reagent works, but that is also a carcinogen. > > I have an excellent paper that gives a method of making test strips: Waller, R. (1987). A spot test to distinguish formalin from alcohol solutions. Curator, the Museums Journal. 240-249. > > I am wondering whether anyone can recommend commercially available test strips that would be suitable? (Or some other method.) The strips that I have investigated online seem to be used mainly to test contaminated water samples and are too sensitive for our needs. > > Thank You! > > Dr Mandy Reid > > Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute > Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia > T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 > > > > Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube > > The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. > > > > > > > The Australian Museum email disclaimer > > The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. From neumann at snsb.de Wed May 27 06:16:25 2020 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Wed, 27 May 2020 12:16:25 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Mandy, adding to Simon's well reasoned reply: you could check if pH indicator strips would work, if the specimens have been stored in formalin seawater, the pH should be rather low (around 4 or so), and you should have a different colour staining if exposed in alcohol. Even though pH readings in aqueous solutions of alcohol surely would be inaccurate, you should still receive a different colour reaction that might to the job (comparable to fuchsin staining in Schiff's reagent). Might be worth trying with samples of known concentrations. All the best Dirk Am 27.05.2020 um 00:45 schrieb Mandy Reid: > > We are about to embark on a project in our Malacology collection at > the Australian Museum to transfer all our formalin stored specimens to > ethanol. The formalin specimens are in 5%-10% formalin/seawater > solution. Not all specimen lots are stored in formalin, and the > preservative is unknown for some, particularly historic material. > > Our routine test is to determine whether the storage solution is > miscible with water when a few drops are placed on dish or tray > (therefore formalin), whereas an alcohol solution will ?repel? a water > droplet. This test is not always clear and ideally I would like to use > something like test strips, or a stain solution that would give a > quick and clear result. I understand that Schiffs reagent works, but > that is also a carcinogen. > > I have an excellent paper that gives a method of making test strips: > Waller, R. (1987). A spot test to distinguish formalin from alcohol > solutions. /Curator, the Museums Journal. /240-249. > > I am wondering whether anyone can recommend commercially available > test strips that would be suitable? (Or some other method.) The strips > that I have investigated online seem to be used mainly to test > contaminated water samples and are too sensitive for our needs. > > Thank You! > > Dr Mandy Reid > > Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute > > Australian Museum? 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia > > *T*61 2 9320 6412 | *M* 61 431 829 842 | *F* 61 2 9320 6253 > > Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube > > The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the > land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People > of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and > preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and > Torres Strait Islander People. > > The Australian > Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user > and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The > information contained in this email message and any accompanying files > is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If > you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, > forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is > unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it > and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the > accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached > files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian > Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this > message or attached files. > > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. -- Dirk Neumann Tel: 089 / 8107-111 Fax: 089 / 8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de Postanschrift: Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns Zoologische Staatssammlung M?nchen Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage M?nchhausenstr. 21 81247 M?nchen Besuchen Sie unsere Sammlung: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ --------- Dirk Neumann Tel: +49-89-8107-111 Fax: +49-89-8107-300 neumann(a)snsb.de postal address: Bavarian Natural History Collections The Bavarian State Collection of Zoology Dirk Neumann, Section Ichthyology / DNA-Storage Muenchhausenstr. 21 81247 Munich (Germany) Visit our section at: http://www.zsm.mwn.de/sektion/ichthyologie-home/ -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: lpndhpopdckldkoh.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Jessica.Mailhot at colorado.edu Wed May 27 16:59:43 2020 From: Jessica.Mailhot at colorado.edu (Jessica Mailhot) Date: Wed, 27 May 2020 15:59:43 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] New data visualization resources for NHCs Message-ID: Hello! My name is Jessica Mailhot, and I am a recent graduate from the CU Boulder Museum & Field Studies Program. For my thesis project, I explored applying data visualization to collections management. I designed a suite of dashboards that anyone can download for free, plug their own data into, and tailor to address their unique needs, all using the free and user-friendly software Tableau Public. These dashboards are designed to help with showcasing the scope of your collection, advocating for your impact, managing grant projects, and many other tasks. No programming experience or purchase required. The tools, resources, and tutorials that I created during my thesis project are all available for free on the website www.CollVizDashboards.com ("CollViz" being short for Collection Visualization). It's also where you can find literature about other museum data viz, extra resources about data viz and the software, and a discussion board for creative conversation and collaboration. Feel free to contact me through the website or at contact at collvizdashboards.com with any questions or comments. CollViz is still very new, so any feedback is appreciated. As a recent graduate, I'm very excited to see where museums go next and to contribute something unique and helpful for you in these challenging times. Thank you for your time, Jess -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au Thu May 28 02:21:04 2020 From: Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au (Mandy Reid) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 06:21:04 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Message-ID: Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D63508.E7EF52C0] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: 20200527_174308 (002).jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 689713 bytes Desc: 20200527_174308 (002).jpg URL: From A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl Thu May 28 06:25:06 2020 From: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl (A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 10:25:06 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <705C57C690072245B6FA6EC6459D6670C0665D64@mail-mb04.lumcnet.prod.intern> Dear Mandy, Another simplification: If you skip drawing the line and dip a tiny piece of the paper in the fluid, it will immediately sink in ethanol and keep floating for quite some time in formalin. It saves ink and also prevent the ink of the marker bleeding into your ethanol solution. By the way, if you want to add a handwritten (with Indian ink) or printed label to aqueous preservation fluids like formalin and make sure that it sinks to the bottom of the jar quickly and stays there, first dip it in ethanol and then place it in the formalin. Kind regards, Dries Andries J. van Dam | conservator Museum of Anatomy | Leiden University Medical Center | Building 3 (V3-32) P.O.Box 9600 | 2300 RC Leiden | The Netherlands Visiting address: Hippocratespad 21 | Tel: +31 (0)71 52 68356 | E-mail: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl Scientific associate | Natural History Museum London | http://www.nhm.ac.uk ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l [nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] on behalf of Mandy Reid [Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au] Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 8:21 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [MOGELIJK SPAM ! ******] [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D63508.E7EF52C0] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From couteaufin at btinternet.com Thu May 28 07:17:16 2020 From: couteaufin at btinternet.com (Simon Moore) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 12:17:16 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: <705C57C690072245B6FA6EC6459D6670C0665D64@mail-mb04.lumcnet.prod.intern> References: <705C57C690072245B6FA6EC6459D6670C0665D64@mail-mb04.lumcnet.prod.intern> Message-ID: A small spanner in these simplified works! These techniques do work well provided that the alcohol has not auto-diluted over time in which case there are variables. Apologies for adding this but otherwise, yes these ideas do work very well. With all good wishes, Simon. Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, www.natural-history-conservation.com > On 28 May 2020, at 11:25, wrote: > > Dear Mandy, > > Another simplification: If you skip drawing the line and dip a tiny piece of the paper in the fluid, it will immediately sink in ethanol and keep floating for quite some time in formalin. It saves ink and also prevent the ink of the marker bleeding into your ethanol solution. > > By the way, if you want to add a handwritten (with Indian ink) or printed label to aqueous preservation fluids like formalin and make sure that it sinks to the bottom of the jar quickly and stays there, first dip it in ethanol and then place it in the formalin. > > Kind regards, > > Dries > > > Andries J. van Dam | conservator > > Museum of Anatomy | Leiden University Medical Center | Building 3 (V3-32) > P.O.Box 9600 | 2300 RC Leiden | The Netherlands > Visiting address: Hippocratespad 21 | Tel: +31 (0)71 52 68356 | E-mail: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl > > Scientific associate | Natural History Museum London | http://www.nhm.ac.uk > From: Nhcoll-l [nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] on behalf of Mandy Reid [Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au] > Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 8:21 AM > To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > Subject: [MOGELIJK SPAM ! ******] [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin > > Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. > > Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. > > I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. > > Cheers > Mandy > > Dr Mandy Reid > > Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute > Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia > T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 > > > > Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube > > The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. > > > > > > > The Australian Museum email disclaimer > > The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. > _______________________________________________ > Nhcoll-l mailing list > Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l > > _______________________________________________ > NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of > Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose > mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of > natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to > society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. > Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. From abentley at ku.edu Thu May 28 11:17:13 2020 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 15:17:13 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] New data visualization resources for NHCs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks Jess This is a wonderful resource. I was able to create one for my fish collection in about an hour using a Darwin Core occurrence download for my collection - https://public.tableau.com/profile/andrew.bentley#!/vizhome/CollectionScopeTemplate-V2020_1_15906154830740/Dashboard The features and customizability are awesome for showcasing your collection and providing valuable attribution and accessibility measures for your collection in a visually appealing way. Thanks for providing this valuable resource for the community. Andy A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V 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 A : A : A : }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?> V V V From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Jessica Mailhot Reply-To: "Jessica.Mailhot at colorado.edu" Date: Wednesday, May 27, 2020 at 4:01 PM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: [Nhcoll-l] New data visualization resources for NHCs Hello! My name is Jessica Mailhot, and I am a recent graduate from the CU Boulder Museum & Field Studies Program. For my thesis project, I explored applying data visualization to collections management. I designed a suite of dashboards that anyone can download for free, plug their own data into, and tailor to address their unique needs, all using the free and user-friendly software Tableau Public. These dashboards are designed to help with showcasing the scope of your collection, advocating for your impact, managing grant projects, and many other tasks. No programming experience or purchase required. The tools, resources, and tutorials that I created during my thesis project are all available for free on the website www.CollVizDashboards.com ("CollViz" being short for Collection Visualization). It's also where you can find literature about other museum data viz, extra resources about data viz and the software, and a discussion board for creative conversation and collaboration. Feel free to contact me through the website or at contact at collvizdashboards.com with any questions or comments. CollViz is still very new, so any feedback is appreciated. As a recent graduate, I'm very excited to see where museums go next and to contribute something unique and helpful for you in these challenging times. Thank you for your time, Jess -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au Thu May 28 17:39:59 2020 From: Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au (Mandy Reid) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 21:39:59 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Message-ID: Thanks Rob You are absolutely right and I agree this is a very important distinction. I hope you don't mind that I have copied it to the broader mailing list but kept the header so it is linked to the previous comments. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D6358B.F5A3FE60] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. From: Robert Waller Sent: Friday, 29 May 2020 3:53 AM To: Mandy Reid Subject: RE: Test for formalin Hi Mandy, That may be completely adequate for your needs but from a health and safety perspective we should recognize this is not a test for the absence of formalin but, rather, for the presence of alcohol. In that sense, it should not be thought of as a "test for formalin" but a "test for alcohol" with the understanding that the alcohol may or may not also have a significant concentration of formalin. Again, that may not be important in your application but we always do well to ensure terminology does not lead to misunderstandings. Rob From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Mandy Reid Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 2:21 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D6358B.F5A3FE60] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [Image removed by sender.] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1344 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From HawksC at si.edu Thu May 28 17:51:52 2020 From: HawksC at si.edu (Hawks, Catharine) Date: Thu, 28 May 2020 21:51:52 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Am hoping that Irene will be able to respond - her work on this issue has been phenomenal and is soon to be published. Sent from my iPhone Catharine Hawks ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of Mandy Reid Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 5:40 PM To: Robert Waller; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin External Email - Exercise Caution Thanks Rob You are absolutely right and I agree this is a very important distinction. I hope you don?t mind that I have copied it to the broader mailing list but kept the header so it is linked to the previous comments. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D6358B.F5A3FE60] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. From: Robert Waller Sent: Friday, 29 May 2020 3:53 AM To: Mandy Reid Subject: RE: Test for formalin Hi Mandy, That may be completely adequate for your needs but from a health and safety perspective we should recognize this is not a test for the absence of formalin but, rather, for the presence of alcohol. In that sense, it should not be thought of as a ?test for formalin? but a ?test for alcohol? with the understanding that the alcohol may or may not also have a significant concentration of formalin. Again, that may not be important in your application but we always do well to ensure terminology does not lead to misunderstandings. Rob From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Mandy Reid Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 2:21 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D6358B.F5A3FE60] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [Image removed by sender.] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1344 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From irenefinkelde at gmail.com Thu May 28 21:09:07 2020 From: irenefinkelde at gmail.com (Irene Finkelde) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 11:09:07 +1000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi All The paper test suggested by Dries and the NIWA test with marker, which bleeds in alcohol, are great because they are quick and simple ? but they do not give quantitative results of how much formalin/formaldehyde is in the fluid preservative, nor the concentration of the alcohol solution. For your purposes Mandy, this may not be necessary, but I thought I would share some methods for quantitatively determining formalin/formaldehyde concentration in case anyone else on the list-serv is also looking for methods. For testing alcohol concentration, a digital density meter is really the most effective method. However, this is a very costly piece of equipment and many organisations do not have budget to buy one. A hydrometer can be used if you have sufficient fluid volume. I have refined a method, initially published by Theresa Mayfield, that uses salts (potassium carbonate and sodium chloride) to distinguish between ethanol, isopropanol and aqueous solutions (formalin). It requires a 2-4ml sample of fluid and can give a good indication of alcohol concentration. As highlighted by Rob, this is not a test for the presence of formalin, but rather just that the solution is aqueous or an alcohol with water combination. This method is awaiting peer review, but if anyone has any queries please get in touch and I would be happy to share my research. To determine the amount of formaldehyde/formalin in solution there are several methods available. I have tested three commercially available methods, and a titration method to determine formalin concentration initially developed by Rob Waller and refined (very slightly) by myself. In testing these different methods, comparisons and assessments about the advantages and disadvantages of each method were made. One of the first challenges is getting your head around the terminology we use when describing formalin, and this seems to vary between countries and institutions. What we often call ?10% formalin? is actually a dilution factor, from diluting a 1 part 100% formalin stock solution with 9 parts water. This 100% formalin stock solution is 37% by weight or 40% by volume formaldehyde gas in water. This means that ?10% formalin? is 3.7% (w/w) or 4% (w/v) formaldehyde gas in water, which is 40,000 mg/L formaldehyde. The titration method, has the best resolution of the methods tested, only needs to be conducted once without the need for multiple dilutions, also gives results for titratable acidity, and has a small sample size of 0.75ml. Due to the costs of equipment set up and materials for analysis, this would be a good method for institutions who want to quantify the amount of formalin/formaldehyde in solution in fluid preservatives and were aiming to conduct many tests, which would reduce the overall cost per test.The paper that details the titration method and comparison to the commercially available methods, is also currently awaiting peer review, to be published later this year in Collection Forum. Two types of commercially available formaldehyde test strips were tested (MQuant and Quantofix), and these give semi-quantitative results. As discussed on the listserv previously, these test strips can be very challenging to use and require significant dilution and calculations to get accurate results. They measure in the range of 0mg/L to 100mg/L or 200mg/L. ?10% formalin? (4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water) is 40,000mg/L so to get results in the range that the test strips can read dilutions up to 1:1000 may need to be made. This can be time consuming and costly as often more that one test strip and dilution are required to get a result within the test strips range. A commercially available titration test kit, which uses the same chemical reaction as the titration method above, was also tested (Hach Formaldehyde Test Kit: Model FM-1). This can test formaldehyde concentration in solution within the ranges of either 0.05 - 1% or 0.5% - 10% formaldehyde in solution (here is where terminology is important ? what we often call ?10% formalin? is 4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water). The solid reagent supplied with this test kit is insoluble in ethanol, which is an issue when testing for residual formalin in alcohol solutions. When I tested ethanol solutions, I first dissolved the contents of the reagent sachet in 10ml demineralised water and added that to the sample before titration. Even though the sample was diluted the drops of titrant were still counted as though each drop represented 0.05% formaldehyde. The resolution of the results with this commercially available method is not as great as the titration method above, and the sample size for the tests is significantly larger (1ml or 10ml), however it is a simple to use method and all the required materials are supplied. I would recommend for people wanting to use this method to contact the supplier when ordering and request for a lid for the test vial, to avoid spills when mixing the solid reagent with the fluid preservative sample using the manufacturer's published method. Methods to test fluid preservatives need a lot more research, and this will enable us to have a greater understanding of the fluid chemistry and the impacts on specimens long-term preservation. >From a health and safety perspective it is important for us to quantify how much formaldehyde is in solution in fluid preservatives, be it from preservation in formalin or residual in alcohol preservatives from initial fixation in formalin. If anyone would like more information about any of these methods, they will hopefully be published later this year, but in the meantime I would be happy to discuss them with you ? please get in touch! All the best, Irene Finkelde On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 7:51 AM Hawks, Catharine wrote: > Am hoping that Irene will be able to respond - her work on this issue has > been phenomenal and is soon to be published. > Sent from my iPhone > Catharine Hawks > ------------------------------ > *From:* Nhcoll-l on behalf of Mandy > Reid > *Sent:* Thursday, May 28, 2020 5:40 PM > *To:* Robert Waller; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin > > > *External Email - Exercise Caution* > > Thanks Rob > > You are absolutely right and I agree this is a very important distinction. > I hope you don?t mind that I have copied it to the broader mailing list but > kept the header so it is linked to the previous comments. > > Cheers > > Mandy > > > > Dr Mandy Reid > > > > Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute > > Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia > > *T* 61 2 9320 6412 | *M* 61 431 829 842 | *F* 61 2 9320 6253 > > > > > > Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube > > > > The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land > and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the > Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the > diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait > Islander People. > > > > > > *From:* Robert Waller > *Sent:* Friday, 29 May 2020 3:53 AM > *To:* Mandy Reid > *Subject:* RE: Test for formalin > > > > Hi Mandy, > > That may be completely adequate for your needs but from a health and > safety perspective we should recognize this is not a test for the absence > of formalin but, rather, for the presence of alcohol. In that sense, it > should not be thought of as a ?test for formalin? but a ?test for alcohol? > with the understanding that the alcohol may or may not also have a > significant concentration of formalin. Again, that may not be important in > your application but we always do well to ensure terminology does not lead > to misunderstandings. > > Rob > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l *On Behalf Of *Mandy > Reid > *Sent:* Thursday, May 28, 2020 2:21 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin > > > > Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin > when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin > (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent > idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water > and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to > share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. > > > > Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. > Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an > into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the > paper. > > > > I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. > > > > Cheers > > Mandy > > Dr Mandy Reid > > > > Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute > > Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia > > *T* 61 2 9320 6412 | *M* 61 431 829 842 | *F* 61 2 9320 6253 > > > > > > Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube > > > > The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land > and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the > Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the > diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait > Islander People. > > > > > > [image: Image removed by sender.] > > > The Australian Museum email disclaimer > > The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily > reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in > this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and > is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, > any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this > email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended > recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum > does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail > or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the > Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of > this message or attached files. > > > > > The Australian Museum email disclaimer > > The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily > reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in > this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and > is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, > any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this > email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended > recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum > does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail > or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the > Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of > this message or attached files. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1344 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au Thu May 28 21:42:08 2020 From: Mandy.Reid at austmus.gov.au (Mandy Reid) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 01:42:08 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks Irene For our purposes, I have no need to quantify anything. We (as will be the case, I expect, for most museum collections) simply need to know whether a specimen is stored in formalin, and therefore needs soaking out of formalin before transfer to ethanol for long term storage, or whether it is preserved in ethanol, in which case it simply may need topping up and is comparatively safe to handle. Testing ethanol concentrations is a separate issue at this stage and I suspect the purchase of a digital density meter or hydrometer will be a much less expensive option than conducting other tests in terms of large collections, and, therefore, the cost of staff time when handling possibly thousands of specimen lots. As we have a large collection in Malacology, we need a method that is quick, cheap and effective. The percentage of formalin, which is, of course a dilute stock solution is of no importance in terms of WHS issues because we treat any concentration of liquid containing formalin equally in terms of care and safety, by using appropriate PPE and working under a fume hood. Cheers Mandy From: Irene Finkelde Sent: Friday, 29 May 2020 11:09 AM To: Hawks, Catharine Cc: Mandy Reid ; Robert Waller ; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: Test for formalin Hi All The paper test suggested by Dries and the NIWA test with marker, which bleeds in alcohol, are great because they are quick and simple ? but they do not give quantitative results of how much formalin/formaldehyde is in the fluid preservative, nor the concentration of the alcohol solution. For your purposes Mandy, this may not be necessary, but I thought I would share some methods for quantitatively determining formalin/formaldehyde concentration in case anyone else on the list-serv is also looking for methods. For testing alcohol concentration, a digital density meter is really the most effective method. However, this is a very costly piece of equipment and many organisations do not have budget to buy one. A hydrometer can be used if you have sufficient fluid volume. I have refined a method, initially published by Theresa Mayfield, that uses salts (potassium carbonate and sodium chloride) to distinguish between ethanol, isopropanol and aqueous solutions (formalin). It requires a 2-4ml sample of fluid and can give a good indication of alcohol concentration. As highlighted by Rob, this is not a test for the presence of formalin, but rather just that the solution is aqueous or an alcohol with water combination. This method is awaiting peer review, but if anyone has any queries please get in touch and I would be happy to share my research. To determine the amount of formaldehyde/formalin in solution there are several methods available. I have tested three commercially available methods, and a titration method to determine formalin concentration initially developed by Rob Waller and refined (very slightly) by myself. In testing these different methods, comparisons and assessments about the advantages and disadvantages of each method were made. One of the first challenges is getting your head around the terminology we use when describing formalin, and this seems to vary between countries and institutions. What we often call ?10% formalin? is actually a dilution factor, from diluting a 1 part 100% formalin stock solution with 9 parts water. This 100% formalin stock solution is 37% by weight or 40% by volume formaldehyde gas in water. This means that ?10% formalin? is 3.7% (w/w) or 4% (w/v) formaldehyde gas in water, which is 40,000 mg/L formaldehyde. The titration method, has the best resolution of the methods tested, only needs to be conducted once without the need for multiple dilutions, also gives results for titratable acidity, and has a small sample size of 0.75ml. Due to the costs of equipment set up and materials for analysis, this would be a good method for institutions who want to quantify the amount of formalin/formaldehyde in solution in fluid preservatives and were aiming to conduct many tests, which would reduce the overall cost per test.The paper that details the titration method and comparison to the commercially available methods, is also currently awaiting peer review, to be published later this year in Collection Forum. Two types of commercially available formaldehyde test strips were tested (MQuant and Quantofix), and these give semi-quantitative results. As discussed on the listserv previously, these test strips can be very challenging to use and require significant dilution and calculations to get accurate results. They measure in the range of 0mg/L to 100mg/L or 200mg/L. ?10% formalin? (4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water) is 40,000mg/L so to get results in the range that the test strips can read dilutions up to 1:1000 may need to be made. This can be time consuming and costly as often more that one test strip and dilution are required to get a result within the test strips range. A commercially available titration test kit, which uses the same chemical reaction as the titration method above, was also tested (Hach Formaldehyde Test Kit: Model FM-1). This can test formaldehyde concentration in solution within the ranges of either 0.05 - 1% or 0.5% - 10% formaldehyde in solution (here is where terminology is important ? what we often call ?10% formalin? is 4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water). The solid reagent supplied with this test kit is insoluble in ethanol, which is an issue when testing for residual formalin in alcohol solutions. When I tested ethanol solutions, I first dissolved the contents of the reagent sachet in 10ml demineralised water and added that to the sample before titration. Even though the sample was diluted the drops of titrant were still counted as though each drop represented 0.05% formaldehyde. The resolution of the results with this commercially available method is not as great as the titration method above, and the sample size for the tests is significantly larger (1ml or 10ml), however it is a simple to use method and all the required materials are supplied. I would recommend for people wanting to use this method to contact the supplier when ordering and request for a lid for the test vial, to avoid spills when mixing the solid reagent with the fluid preservative sample using the manufacturer's published method. Methods to test fluid preservatives need a lot more research, and this will enable us to have a greater understanding of the fluid chemistry and the impacts on specimens long-term preservation. From a health and safety perspective it is important for us to quantify how much formaldehyde is in solution in fluid preservatives, be it from preservation in formalin or residual in alcohol preservatives from initial fixation in formalin. If anyone would like more information about any of these methods, they will hopefully be published later this year, but in the meantime I would be happy to discuss them with you ? please get in touch! All the best, Irene Finkelde On Fri, May 29, 2020 at 7:51 AM Hawks, Catharine > wrote: Am hoping that Irene will be able to respond - her work on this issue has been phenomenal and is soon to be published. Sent from my iPhone Catharine Hawks ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Mandy Reid > Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 5:40 PM To: Robert Waller; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin External Email - Exercise Caution Thanks Rob You are absolutely right and I agree this is a very important distinction. I hope you don?t mind that I have copied it to the broader mailing list but kept the header so it is linked to the previous comments. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D635AC.1013D2F0] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. From: Robert Waller > Sent: Friday, 29 May 2020 3:53 AM To: Mandy Reid > Subject: RE: Test for formalin Hi Mandy, That may be completely adequate for your needs but from a health and safety perspective we should recognize this is not a test for the absence of formalin but, rather, for the presence of alcohol. In that sense, it should not be thought of as a ?test for formalin? but a ?test for alcohol? with the understanding that the alcohol may or may not also have a significant concentration of formalin. Again, that may not be important in your application but we always do well to ensure terminology does not lead to misunderstandings. Rob From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Mandy Reid Sent: Thursday, May 28, 2020 2:21 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Test for formalin Thank you to all the people who responded regarding testing for formalin when you are unsure whether a specimen is stored in ethanol or formalin (particularly problematic in historic museum specimens). I had an excellent idea sent to me by colleagues from NIWA (The National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research in Wellington, New Zealand) that I would like to share. It is very simple, very inexpensive and it is very effective. Simply draw a line of permanent marker on a strip of wet label paper. Dipped into a formalin solution, the marker stays intact. Dipped into an into an ethanol solution the marker starts running, or bleeding into the paper. I tried it and it works perfectly. I have attached an image. Cheers Mandy Dr Mandy Reid Collection Manager, Malacology | Australian Museum Research Institute Australian Museum 1 William Street Sydney NSW 2010 Australia T 61 2 9320 6412 | M 61 431 829 842 | F 61 2 9320 6253 [cid:image001.jpg at 01D635AC.1013D2F0] Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | YouTube The Australian Museum acknowledges the traditional custodians of the land and waterways on which the Museum is located, the Gadigal People of the Eora Nation. The Museum aspires to celebrate, educate and preserve the diverse natural history and cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. [Image removed by sender.] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. [https://media.australianmuseum.net.au/media/dd/images/600x140px_EmailSignatures_ProjectDiscover_2v4.b.d0cdf0f.jpg] The Australian Museum email disclaimer The views in this email are those of the user and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Australian Museum. The information contained in this email message and any accompanying files is or may be confidential and is for the intended recipient only. If you are not the intended recipient, any use, dissemination, reliance, forwarding, printing or copying of this email or any attached files is unauthorised. If you are not the intended recipient, please delete it and notify the sender. The Australian Museum does not guarantee the accuracy of any information contained in this e-mail or attached files. As Internet communications are not secure, the Australian Museum does not accept legal responsibility for the contents of this message or attached files. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 4897 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1344 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de Fri May 29 02:16:06 2020 From: Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de (=?UTF-8?Q?Joachim=20H=C3=A4ndel?=) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 08:16:06 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Antw: Re: Test for formalin In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5ED0C4C6020000B3000804BA@zuv12.verwaltung.uni-halle.de> Hi all, Dear Irene, Thanks very much for the interesting information. I heard about the use of digital density meters and I also know museums and collections that work with such devices. But I am still sceptical about this. What about the organic components, which are dissolved out of the preparations by the alcohol (fats, dyes, stomach contents of small animals ...) In this case it is no longer a pure water-alcohol solution and the density datas are falsified. Allthe best Joachim -- Joachim Haendel Center of Natural SciencesCollections of the Martin-Luther-University - Entomological Collection - Domplatz 4 D-06099 Halle (Saale) Germany Phone: +49 345 - 55 26 447 Fax: +49 345 - 55 27 248 Email: joachim.haendel at zns.uni-halle.de >>> Irene Finkelde 29.05.20 3.09 Uhr >>> Hi All The paper test suggested by Dries and the NIWA test with marker, which bleeds in alcohol, are great because they are quick and simple ? but they do not give quantitative results of how much formalin/formaldehyde is in the fluid preservative, nor the concentration of the alcohol solution. For your purposes Mandy, this may not be necessary, but I thought I would share some methods for quantitatively determining formalin/formaldehyde concentration in case anyone else on the list-serv is also looking for methods. For testing alcohol concentration, a digital density meter is really the most effective method. However, this is a very costly piece of equipment and many organisations do not have budget to buy one. A hydrometer can be used if you have sufficient fluid volume. I have refined a method, initially published by Theresa Mayfield, that uses salts (potassium carbonate and sodium chloride) to distinguish between ethanol, isopropanol and aqueous solutions (formalin). It requires a 2-4ml sample of fluid and can give a good indication of alcohol concentration. As highlighted by Rob, this is not a test for the presence of formalin, but rather just that the solution is aqueous or an alcohol with water combination. This method is awaiting peer review, but if anyone has any queries please get in touch and I would be happy to share my research. To determine the amount of formaldehyde/formalin in solution there are several methods available. I have tested three commercially available methods, and a titration method to determine formalin concentration initially developed by Rob Waller and refined (very slightly) by myself. In testing these different methods, comparisons and assessments about the advantages and disadvantages of each method were made. One of the first challenges is getting your head around the terminology we use when describing formalin, and this seems to vary between countries and institutions. What we often call ?10% formalin? is actually a dilution factor, from diluting a 1 part 100% formalin stock solution with 9 parts water. This 100% formalin stock solution is 37% by weight or 40% by volume formaldehyde gas in water. This means that ?10% formalin? is 3.7% (w/w) or 4% (w/v) formaldehyde gas in water, which is 40,000 mg/L formaldehyde. The titration method, has the best resolution of the methods tested, only needs to be conducted once without the need for multiple dilutions, also gives results for titratable acidity, and has a small sample size of 0.75ml. Due to the costs of equipment set up and materials for analysis, this would be a good method for institutions who want to quantify the amount of formalin/formaldehyde in solution in fluid preservatives and were aiming to conduct many tests, which would reduce the overall cost per test.The paper that details the titration method and comparison to the commercially available methods, is also currently awaiting peer review, to be published later this year in Collection Forum. Two types of commercially available formaldehyde test strips were tested (MQuant and Quantdiscussed on the listserv previously, these test strips can be very challenging to use and require significant dilution and calculations to get accurate results. They measure in the range of 0mg/L to 100mg/L or 200mg/L. ?10% formalin? (4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water) is 40,000mg/L so to get results in the range that the test strips can read dilutions up to 1:1000 may need to be made. This can be time consuming and costly as often more that one test strip and dilution are required to get a result within the test strips range. A commercially available titration test kit, which uses the same chemical reaction as the titration method above, was also tested (Hach Formaldehyde Test Kit: Model FM-1). This can test formaldehyde concentration in solution within the ranges of either 0.05 - 1% or 0.5% - 10% formaldehyde in solution (here is where terminology is important ? what we often call ?10% formalin? is 4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water). The solid reagent supplied with this test kit is insoluble in ethanol, which is an issue when testing for residual formalin in alcohol solutions. When I tested ethanol solutions, I first dissolved the contents of the reagent sachet in 10ml demineralised water and added that to the sample before titration. Even though the sample was diluted the drops of titrant were still counted as though each drop represented 0.05% formaldehyde. The resolution of the results with this commercially available method is not as great as the titration method above, and the sample size for the tests is significantly larger (1ml or 10ml), however it is a simple to use method and all the required materials are supplied. I would recommend for people wanting to use this method to contact the supplier when ordering and request for a lid for the test vial, to avoid spills when mixing the solid reagent with the fluid preservative sample using the manufacturer's published method. Methods to test fluid preservatives need a lot more research, and this will enable us to have a greater understanding of the fluid chemistry and the impacts on specimens long-term preservation. >From a health and safety perspective it is important for us to quantify how much formaldehyde is in solution in fluid preservatives, be it from preservation in formalin or residual in alcohol preservatives from initial fixation in formalin. If anyone would like more information about any of these methods, they will hopefully be published later this year, but in the meantime I would be happy to discuss them with you ? please get in touch! All the best, Irene Finkelde -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl Fri May 29 04:08:46 2020 From: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl (A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 08:08:46 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [MOGELIJK SPAM ! *****] Antw: Re: Test for formalin In-Reply-To: <5ED0C4C6020000B3000804BA@zuv12.verwaltung.uni-halle.de> References: , <5ED0C4C6020000B3000804BA@zuv12.verwaltung.uni-halle.de> Message-ID: <705C57C690072245B6FA6EC6459D6670C06670CC@mail-mb04.lumcnet.prod.intern> Dear Joachim, When a buffer like borax or a humectant like glycerol is added to ethanol 70 it might indeed significantly change the density of the fluid. However, dissolved animal fats and small excretions from the body likely lead to only a very slight offset in density. In ethanol just about 2% of animal fat can dissolve, which will give a very minimal change in the density of the fluid (<1% EtOH), also because animal fat itself has a density which is in the same range as that of ethanol 50-60%. Also, most organic salt excretions from the body don't dissolve very well in ethanol 70. Therefore, I believe density measurement by hydrometer, by digital density meter, or by using the Alcomon Indicator System are sufficiently accurate, convenient and very useful tools in collection management of fluid preserved specimens. Kind regards, Dries Andries J. van Dam | conservator Museum of Anatomy | Leiden University Medical Center | Building 3 (V3-32) P.O.Box 9600 | 2300 RC Leiden | The Netherlands Visiting address: Hippocratespad 21 | Tel: +31 (0)71 52 68356 | E-mail: A.J.van_Dam at lumc.nl Scientific associate | Natural History Museum London | http://www.nhm.ac.uk ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l [nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] on behalf of Joachim H?ndel [Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de] Sent: Friday, May 29, 2020 8:16 AM To: irenefinkelde at gmail.com Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [MOGELIJK SPAM ! *****] [Nhcoll-l] Antw: Re: Test for formalin Hi all, Dear Irene, Thanks very much for the interesting information. I heard about the use of digital density meters and I also know museums and collections that work with such devices. But I am still sceptical about this. What about the organic components, which are dissolved out of the preparations by the alcohol (fats, dyes, stomach contents of small animals ...) In this case it is no longer a pure water-alcohol solution and the density datas are falsified. Allthe best Joachim -- Joachim Haendel Center of Natural SciencesCollections of the Martin-Luther-University - Entomological Collection - Domplatz 4 D-06099 Halle (Saale) Germany Phone: +49 345 - 55 26 447 Fax: +49 345 - 55 27 248 Email: joachim.haendel at zns.uni-halle.de >>> Irene Finkelde 29.05.20 3.09 Uhr >>> Hi All The paper test suggested by Dries and the NIWA test with marker, which bleeds in alcohol, are great because they are quick and simple ? but they do not give quantitative results of how much formalin/formaldehyde is in the fluid preservative, nor the concentration of the alcohol solution. For your purposes Mandy, this may not be necessary, but I thought I would share some methods for quantitatively determining formalin/formaldehyde concentration in case anyone else on the list-serv is also looking for methods. For testing alcohol concentration, a digital density meter is really the most effective method. However, this is a very costly piece of equipment and many organisations do not have budget to buy one. A hydrometer can be used if you have sufficient fluid volume. I have refined a method, initially published by Theresa Mayfield, that uses salts (potassium carbonate and sodium chloride) to distinguish between ethanol, isopropanol and aqueous solutions (formalin). It requires a 2-4ml sample of fluid and can give a good indication of alcohol concentration. As highlighted by Rob, this is not a test for the presence of formalin, but rather just that the solution is aqueous or an alcohol with water combination. This method is awaiting peer review, but if anyone has any queries please get in touch and I would be happy to share my research. To determine the amount of formaldehyde/formalin in solution there are several methods available. I have tested three commercially available methods, and a titration method to determine formalin concentration initially developed by Rob Waller and refined (very slightly) by myself. In testing these different methods, comparisons and assessments about the advantages and disadvantages of each method were made. One of the first challenges is getting your head around the terminology we use when describing formalin, and this seems to vary between countries and institutions. What we often call ?10% formalin? is actually a dilution factor, from diluting a 1 part 100% formalin stock solution with 9 parts water. This 100% formalin stock solution is 37% by weight or 40% by volume formaldehyde gas in water. This means that ?10% formalin? is 3.7% (w/w) or 4% (w/v) formaldehyde gas in water, which is 40,000 mg/L formaldehyde. The titration method, has the best resolution of the methods tested, only needs to be conducted once without the need for multiple dilutions, also gives results for titratable acidity, and has a small sample size of 0.75ml. Due to the costs of equipment set up and materials for analysis, this would be a good method for institutions who want to quantify the amount of formalin/formaldehyde in solution in fluid preservatives and were aiming to conduct many tests, which would reduce the overall cost per test.The paper that details the titration method and comparison to the commercially available methods, is also currently awaiting peer review, to be published later this year in Collection Forum. Two types of commercially available formaldehyde test strips were tested (MQuant and Quantofix), and these give semi-quantitative results. As discussed on the listserv previously, these test strips can be very challenging to use and require significant dilution and calculations to get accurate results. They measure in the range of 0mg/L to 100mg/L or 200mg/L. ?10% formalin? (4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water) is 40,000mg/L so to get results in the range that the test strips can read dilutions up to 1:1000 may need to be made. This can be time consuming and costly as often more that one test strip and dilution are required to get a result within the test strips range. A commercially available titration test kit, which uses the same chemical reaction as the titration method above, was also tested (Hach Formaldehyde Test Kit: Model FM-1). This can test formaldehyde concentration in solution within the ranges of either 0.05 - 1% or 0.5% - 10% formaldehyde in solution (here is where terminology is important ? what we often call ?10% formalin? is 4% w/v formaldehyde gas in water). The solid reagent supplied with this test kit is insoluble in ethanol, which is an issue when testing for residual formalin in alcohol solutions. When I tested ethanol solutions, I first dissolved the contents of the reagent sachet in 10ml demineralised water and added that to the sample before titration. Even though the sample was diluted the drops of titrant were still counted as though each drop represented 0.05% formaldehyde. The resolution of the results with this commercially available method is not as great as the titration method above, and the sample size for the tests is significantly larger (1ml or 10ml), however it is a simple to use method and all the required materials are supplied. I would recommend for people wanting to use this method to contact the supplier when ordering and request for a lid for the test vial, to avoid spills when mixing the solid reagent with the fluid preservative sample using the manufacturer's published method. Methods to test fluid preservatives need a lot more research, and this will enable us to have a greater understanding of the fluid chemistry and the impacts on specimens long-term preservation. >From a health and safety perspective it is important for us to quantify how much formaldehyde is in solution in fluid preservatives, be it from preservation in formalin or residual in alcohol preservatives from initial fixation in formalin. If anyone would like more information about any of these methods, they will hopefully be published later this year, but in the meantime I would be happy to discuss them with you ? please get in touch! All the best, Irene Finkelde -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From jpandey at aibs.org Fri May 29 12:35:52 2020 From: jpandey at aibs.org (Jyotsna Pandey) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 12:35:52 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Only a Few Spots Remaining: AIBS Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: *AIBS Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science: Now Online* Reports abound from professional societies, the Academies, government agencies, and researchers calling attention to the fact that science is increasingly an interdisciplinary, transdisciplinary, inter-institutional, and international endeavor. In short, science has become a ?team sport.? There is a real and present need to better prepare scientists for success in this new collaborative environment. The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is responding to this call with a new program for scientists, educators, and individuals who work with or participate in scientific teams. Team science is increasingly common in 21st century biological, life, and environmental sciences. Collaboration is no longer limited to sharing ideas with the biologist in the lab next door. The questions confronting science often require teams that may include a mix of computer and information scientists, physical and social scientists, mathematicians, ethicists, policy and management experts, as well as community stakeholders and citizen scientists. Adding to this complexity, teams span programs within organizations, cross organization boundaries to form institutional consortia, and often include international partners. This intensive, two-day, interactive, online professional development course was designed by scientists and experts on collaboration and teamwork to provide participants with the knowledge and skills required to become productive and effective members of scientific teams. From its first offering the course has evolved to include a greater focus on team planning and teamwork, and less time allocated to university administration of interdisciplinary teams. Nothing teaches collaboration like practicing collaboration. This is not a course that asks you to learn in isolation. It is a microcosm of scientific collaboration, with extensive hands-on learning as part of a scientific team, with scientific case studies and examples. The Enabling Interdisciplinary and Team Science course is designed for anyone involved in collaborative scientific endeavors. Team leaders will find the course especially helpful. Because participants will work on ?real-world? team science concerns, we encourage multiple members of a team to attend together. We can also customize the course and bring it to your university, department, lab, or research team. This course provides the right foundation from which your team can successfully accomplish your goals. Participants will develop and hone the skills needed to: - Explain interdisciplinary team science and characteristics of effective scientific teams - Describe how teams work - Recognize competencies and characteristics of effective team leadership - Create effective teams and team culture - Develop a shared vision, mission, plan, and key performance indicators for a scientific team - Identify and assess the right mix of competencies and people needed for a scientific team - Use team tools and processes such as quality improvement cycle and knowledge mapping - Improve team communication and trust *Dates: *June 15-16, 2020 *Location**: *Online Learn more at https://www.aibs.org/events/team_science_event.html. We look forward to seeing you online! Jyotsna Pandey, Ph.D. Public Policy Manager American Institute of Biological Sciences 1201 New York Avenue, NW Suite 420 Washington, DC 20005 -- This message is confidential and should only be read by its intended recipients.? If you have received it in error, please notify the sender and delete all copies. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dssikes at alaska.edu Fri May 29 16:57:11 2020 From: dssikes at alaska.edu (Derek Sikes) Date: Fri, 29 May 2020 12:57:11 -0800 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fundamentals of Museum Studies I Message-ID: Apologies for the cross-posting. An exciting new online course is being offered that may be of interest to some of you for this upcoming fall term. Fundamentals of Museum Studies I MSM F211 (CRN: 78331 MSM F211 UX1) University of Alaska Fairbanks https://www.uaf.edu/coursefinder/index.php Instructors: Stefanie Ickert-Bond, Curator of the Herbarium, Professor of Botany Patrick S. Druckenmiller, Director, UA Museum, Professor of Geology Leonard Kamerling, Curator of Film, Professor of English Angela Linn, Senior Collections Manager, Ethnology and History Andres Lopez, Curator of Fishes, Associate Professor of Fisheries Josh Reuther, Curator of Archaeology, Associate Prof. of Anthropology Derek Sikes, Curator of Insects, Professor of Entomology Delivery: Online delivery, interactive with weekly synchronous cohort meetings. Course Description: This 3-credit course will introduce students to the inner world of museums, how they function and the many different skills they bring together. We will consider museum science with a wide lens to give you the broadest possible experience and answer critical question including: - What are the different types of museums and what do they do? - What kind of museum jobs are available? - What other jobs can museum skills prepare you for? - How are objects (specimens/artifacts) collected and conserved? - How are collections data managed and shared? - How do we develop exhibitions and media for the public? - What ethical issues do museums face? - What are the challenges that museums may face in the future? This course will be valuable for students curious about pursuing a career in museums as educators, administrators or curators, for those who interact with museums, and for those already in related fields seeking professional development opportunities. This course is taught by staff at the University of Alaska Museum of the North, Alaska?s only teaching, collecting, and research museum. Our instructors are practicing museum professionals and educators whose expertise spans a spectrum of disciplines, including natural and cultural history, art, film, exhibit design and museum administration. MSM F211 is a prerequisite for MSM F212, Fundamentals of Museum Studies II. Contacts: Stefanie Ickert-Bond, smickertbond at alaska.edu Angela Linn, ajlinn at alaska.edu See attached PDF. -Derek -- +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Derek S. Sikes, Curator of Insects Professor of Entomology University of Alaska Museum 1962 Yukon Drive Fairbanks, AK 99775-6960 dssikes at alaska.edu phone: 907-474-6278 FAX: 907-474-5469 University of Alaska Museum - search 400,276 digitized arthropod records http://arctos.database.museum/uam_ento_all +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Interested in Alaskan Entomology? Join the Alaska Entomological Society and / or sign up for the email listserv "Alaska Entomological Network" at http://www.akentsoc.org/contact_us -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: MSM211_Flier2020_4.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 8842172 bytes Desc: not available URL: