From lschlenk at ku.edu Mon Aug 2 09:13:03 2021 From: lschlenk at ku.edu (Schlenker, Lori Bryn) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 13:13:03 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Position Announcement - Collection Manager in Archaeology In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: COLLECTION MANAGER IN ARCHAEOLOGY Biodiversity Institute University of Kansas The collection manager in the Division of Archaeology of The University of Kansas Biodiversity Institute administers one of the world's most important research collections and associated data of prehistoric and early historic cultures of the North American Great Plains. The collections consist of artifacts, maps, paper archives, digital and film archives, video recordings, and library holdings. The repository contains an estimated 3,000,000 objects from 15,000 archaeological sites in the Great Plains, the American Southwest and Eastern Woodlands, and Central and South America. University faculty, scientists, curators, staff, students, and national and international scholars use the collections for research, formal and informal education, and service. The collection manager is responsible for all aspects of the organization, processing, documentation, care, preventive conservation, and storage of accessioned materials and reports to the Director of the Biodiversity Institute. For additional information and to apply, go to: https://employment.ku.edu/staff/19717BR A complete application will include a letter of application addressing qualifications, a CV, a statement of collection management philosophy, names and contact information for three references, and representative publications (optional). Salary range starting at $40,000, contingent upon qualifications. Initial review of applications begins September 27, 2021. Required qualifications: * Master's degree in Anthropology or Museum Studies with an emphasis in Archaeology from an accredited university. * Experience in curation and/or collection management in a museum or an academic or research environment and demonstrated knowledge of preventive conservation practices. * Demonstrated knowledge of archaeological method, theory, terms, regional culture history, and artifact classifications. * Demonstrated knowledge of NAGPRA law and regulations. * Working knowledge of state, federal, and international regulations (UNESCO agreements, etc.) applicable to unmarked burials, collection ownership, and curation standards. * Effective communication, interpersonal, organizational, and leadership skills. * Demonstrated ability to perform effectively with a variety of individuals and groups in a productive and respectful manner. * Proficiency with Windows Office programs, especially Outlook, Excel, and Word. * Experience preparing budgets and annual reports (such as those to federal agencies.) Preferred qualifications: * Ph.D. in Archaeological Anthropology from an accredited university. * Appropriate (3 or more years) experience in curation and/or collections management in an academic or research environment and demonstrated knowledge of preventive conservation practices. * Demonstrated knowledge of collections management databasing programs. * Research expertise with one or more archaeological assemblages that constitute collection strengths and programmatic priorities. * Experience as a North American Plains or Midwest archaeologist. * Field experience in archaeology. * Familiarity with ArcGIS, photogrammetry, and high resolution 3D artifact scanning. * Ability to work effectively with minimal supervision. * Experience supervising and training students and volunteers. * Record of obtaining funding to support research and/or collections management needs. Position requirements: Ability to lift 25 pounds and utilize ladders to reach shelves up to 10 feet in height. Occasional work on nights and weekends. This position is required to work on-site. KU is an EO/AAE. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, genetic information or protected Veteran status. http://policy.ku.edu/IOA/nondiscrimination -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu Mon Aug 2 09:53:05 2021 From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 13:53:05 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Celebrating a Decade of Digitization In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: [cid:bd965476-cf90-46bc-ac4b-b3e54483b65b] Please join us September 22-23, 2021! Visit the event's announcement page for agenda, registration, and additional information: https://www.idigbio.org/content/biodiversity-digitization-2021 This full two-day virtual event will be co-sponsored by iDigBio, Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History, and GBIF and will highlight the collective successes of mobilization and digitization efforts in the US and abroad. Topics will include: Innovations: Strategy & Coordination (Plenary & Lightning Talks) Digitization Spotlights (Poster Session) Community (Plenary & Lightning Talks) Natural History Collections in Grand Challenges (Plenary & Lightning Talks) What's Next Partnerships, new data concepts (Plenary & Lightning Talks) Looking to the Future of Digitization: Conference Wrap-Up (Panelist Discussion) The event will follow the annual ADBC Summit on September 21st. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image.png Type: image/png Size: 3241125 bytes Desc: image.png URL: From bmhess at umich.edu Mon Aug 2 10:48:53 2021 From: bmhess at umich.edu (Benjamin Hess) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 10:48:53 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Tonya, I managed dermestid colonies in North Carolina both in a museum and in buildings outside the museum. Temperature and humidity within the museum were fairly stable, but there were high fluctuations in the buildings outside the museum. Outside the museum, we maintained dermestids at temperatures between 7 - 43 deg C (45 - 110 deg F) and a relative humidity of 5 - 90% RH. When the humidity spiked in late summer to early fall, we added moisture by only wetting paper towels in a tray not touching the specimens or substrate. I experienced mold outbreaks with high humidity, and this was a time when I saw adult dermestid beetles fly. I have also witnessed flying adults within the museum when dermestids within a single tank were overpopulated. Dermestid tanks with flying adults were never opened in the museum until no flying beetles were present. Both flying adults and escaping dermestids can be managed with container/building modifications and protocols when adding/removing specimens. Skeletons coming out of dermestids were frozen for one week at the minimum. Each skeleton was then soaked in 70% ethanol, rinsed with water, dried, and then frozen one more time before going to the collections. This ensured that all life stages of dermestids did not survive before going to the collection. Below are a few comparisons we experienced. Within the Museum Dermestid Colony: - Dermestid tanks visible to public (in museum, but away from collections) - Temperature and humidity controlled - Ventilation through fume hood exhaust - Ventilation caused low humidity - sprayed water usually daily - Usually daily monitoring - Double bagged skeletons out of dermestids - frozen before moving specimens Building Outside Museum Dermestid Colony - Dermestid tanks behind the scenes - Temperature and humidity always fluctuating - Ventilation through exhaust fan - Winter was most productive (lower humidity, heated space, spray more water, FEW other insects) - Usually weekly or bi-weekly monitoring - Issues with spiders, spider mites, red legged ham beetles, flies; and humidity issues with mold - Freezer in building outside of museum and collections - Some specimen transportation issues I am happy to talk with you more if you want more details. Sincerely, Ben On Fri, Jul 30, 2021 at 4:42 PM Anderson, Gretchen < AndersonG at carnegiemnh.org> wrote: > Hi Tonya, > > > > When I first took the position of Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of > Natural History, I interviewed our collection manager of the bird > collection, who managed our dermestid colony. Steve provided some of the > following info, that might help. > > > > *D. **maculatus*, like so many other species, thrive under specific > environmental conditions. > > Temperature: 72 to 75 deg F are ideal, but they can survive between 65 ? > 90 deg F. A large colony (e.g. 1 quart of beetles per a 5 gallon aquarium) > will generate heat. > > Relative humidity: They like it humid - I do not have the specifics > preferences. > > Steve also had specifics on feeding and management of the colony to keep > it healthy. Some interesting observations he made include: they prefer > dried meat (although they will eat fresh, also fresh meat can develop mold > or rot); manage the food so that there is little left over; remove excess > casts skins to help control mites. > > > As for location for the colony ? it is safest to have it in a separate > building ? if that is a possibility. Freeze the cleaned specimens before > you bring them into the museum to reduce the likelihood of carrying the > dermestids into collections that could be damaged. That said, if there is > no possibility of an external facility for the colony, you can have one in > the building, even close to the collection *if the colony is well managed > and monitored. * There are a number of ways to do this. At the Science > Museum of Minnesota ? we had a colony that was not only adjacent to the > biology lab, but visible to the public. We took the following precautions: > The room had a small, dedicated HVAC (I have seen dermestids live inside of > vents and move from space to space through the ducts). The room was > incredibly well sealed, with gasketing and door sweeps around the one > door. The window into the gallery was very well sealed. There were > screens over the HVAC Vent. The room contained shelving that was easily > cleaned. The colony was in aquariums with screen covers that were well > sealed. There was a chest freezer for both storage of specimens to be > cleaned and pest control. We kept sticky traps around the aquarium and > used tacky floor pads. Also, the room was kept very clean. Please let me > know if you want to talk more off list. > > > Gretchen > > Gretchen Anderson > > Conservator > > Carnegie Museum of Natural History > > 5800 Baum Blvd. > > Pittsburgh, PA 15213 > > Andersong at CarnegieMNH.org > > (412)665-2607 > > > > > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l * On Behalf Of *Haff, > Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > *Sent:* Friday, July 30, 2021 12:36 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles > > > > Hello all, > > > > I was wondering if any of you could provide insight into Dermestes > maculatus, the hide beetle. I just read a paper (Strang & Jacobs 2019) > stating that D. maculatus was not able to live outside the colony (at the > Smithsonian) due to ?humidity and other requirements?, but sadly there > wasn?t a citation. Likewise, I have seen dermestid colonies housed inside > collection buildings (such as at the Field Museum), apparently with no > threat to the skin collections also housed nearby. I have not been able to > pin point down why hide beetles wouldn?t be a threat to museum specimens, > but I would love to hear any experiences with them or thoughts on what > their infestation risk is to collections. They certainly can eat a lot when > they get going! I would love it if I didn?t have to feel a slight sense of > existential dread every time I put a newly created skeleton specimen away > (thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, but still?). > > > > Thanks! > > > > Cheers, > > > > Tonya > > > > The information contained in this message and/or attachments is intended > only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, > dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, > this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient > is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and > delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. Any views > expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -- *Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | **EEB Museums Safety Representative to the RMC * University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research Museums Center 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228 bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu Mon Aug 2 11:16:03 2021 From: glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu (Tocci, Genevieve Elizabeth) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 15:16:03 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Tonya, It has not come up on the thread here yet, but I saw a talk about installing heat strip around a doorway as an extra containment measure. It was at one of the Museum Pests working group meetings, and I am not sure it has been published anywhere. If you email the pestlist you may get some additional responses, or information about the heat strip specifically. It was pretty interesting. Best of luck Genevieve ================================================= Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) Senior Curatorial Technician Harvard University Herbaria 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Benjamin Hess Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 10:49 AM To: Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Tonya, I managed dermestid colonies in North Carolina both in a museum and in buildings outside the museum. Temperature and humidity within the museum were fairly stable, but there were high fluctuations in the buildings outside the museum. Outside the museum, we maintained dermestids at temperatures between 7 - 43 deg C (45 - 110 deg F) and a relative humidity of 5 - 90% RH. When the humidity spiked in late summer to early fall, we added moisture by only wetting paper towels in a tray not touching the specimens or substrate. I experienced mold outbreaks with high humidity, and this was a time when I saw adult dermestid beetles fly. I have also witnessed flying adults within the museum when dermestids within a single tank were overpopulated. Dermestid tanks with flying adults were never opened in the museum until no flying beetles were present. Both flying adults and escaping dermestids can be managed with container/building modifications and protocols when adding/removing specimens. Skeletons coming out of dermestids were frozen for one week at the minimum. Each skeleton was then soaked in 70% ethanol, rinsed with water, dried, and then frozen one more time before going to the collections. This ensured that all life stages of dermestids did not survive before going to the collection. Below are a few comparisons we experienced. Within the Museum Dermestid Colony: * Dermestid tanks visible to public (in museum, but away from collections) * Temperature and humidity controlled * Ventilation through fume hood exhaust * Ventilation caused low humidity - sprayed water usually daily * Usually daily monitoring * Double bagged skeletons out of dermestids - frozen before moving specimens Building Outside Museum Dermestid Colony * Dermestid tanks behind the scenes * Temperature and humidity always fluctuating * Ventilation through exhaust fan * Winter was most productive (lower humidity, heated space, spray more water, FEW other insects) * Usually weekly or bi-weekly monitoring * Issues with spiders, spider mites, red legged ham beetles, flies; and humidity issues with mold * Freezer in building outside of museum and collections * Some specimen transportation issues I am happy to talk with you more if you want more details. Sincerely, Ben On Fri, Jul 30, 2021 at 4:42 PM Anderson, Gretchen > wrote: Hi Tonya, When I first took the position of Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I interviewed our collection manager of the bird collection, who managed our dermestid colony. Steve provided some of the following info, that might help. D. maculatus, like so many other species, thrive under specific environmental conditions. Temperature: 72 to 75 deg F are ideal, but they can survive between 65 ? 90 deg F. A large colony (e.g. 1 quart of beetles per a 5 gallon aquarium) will generate heat. Relative humidity: They like it humid - I do not have the specifics preferences. Steve also had specifics on feeding and management of the colony to keep it healthy. Some interesting observations he made include: they prefer dried meat (although they will eat fresh, also fresh meat can develop mold or rot); manage the food so that there is little left over; remove excess casts skins to help control mites. As for location for the colony ? it is safest to have it in a separate building ? if that is a possibility. Freeze the cleaned specimens before you bring them into the museum to reduce the likelihood of carrying the dermestids into collections that could be damaged. That said, if there is no possibility of an external facility for the colony, you can have one in the building, even close to the collection if the colony is well managed and monitored. There are a number of ways to do this. At the Science Museum of Minnesota ? we had a colony that was not only adjacent to the biology lab, but visible to the public. We took the following precautions: The room had a small, dedicated HVAC (I have seen dermestids live inside of vents and move from space to space through the ducts). The room was incredibly well sealed, with gasketing and door sweeps around the one door. The window into the gallery was very well sealed. There were screens over the HVAC Vent. The room contained shelving that was easily cleaned. The colony was in aquariums with screen covers that were well sealed. There was a chest freezer for both storage of specimens to be cleaned and pest control. We kept sticky traps around the aquarium and used tacky floor pads. Also, the room was kept very clean. Please let me know if you want to talk more off list. Gretchen Gretchen Anderson Conservator Carnegie Museum of Natural History 5800 Baum Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Andersong at CarnegieMNH.org (412)665-2607 From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Sent: Friday, July 30, 2021 12:36 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Hello all, I was wondering if any of you could provide insight into Dermestes maculatus, the hide beetle. I just read a paper (Strang & Jacobs 2019) stating that D. maculatus was not able to live outside the colony (at the Smithsonian) due to ?humidity and other requirements?, but sadly there wasn?t a citation. Likewise, I have seen dermestid colonies housed inside collection buildings (such as at the Field Museum), apparently with no threat to the skin collections also housed nearby. I have not been able to pin point down why hide beetles wouldn?t be a threat to museum specimens, but I would love to hear any experiences with them or thoughts on what their infestation risk is to collections. They certainly can eat a lot when they get going! I would love it if I didn?t have to feel a slight sense of existential dread every time I put a newly created skeleton specimen away (thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, but still?). Thanks! Cheers, Tonya The information contained in this message and/or attachments is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. _______________________________________________ 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. -- Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | EEB Museums Safety Representative to the RMC University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research Museums Center 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228 bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Heath.Garner at ttu.edu Mon Aug 2 11:42:29 2021 From: Heath.Garner at ttu.edu (Garner, Heath) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 15:42:29 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: We use a heat strip around the doorframe of our dermestid colony room. It was adapted and published as a 2-page write up in 1992 by our then collection manager Stephen L. Williams. https://stashc.com/the-publication/room/heat-panels-for-controlling-crawling-insects-in-storage-areas-2/ Heath J. Garner Curator of Collections Museum of Texas Tech University Natural Science Research Laboratory 3301 4th Street Lubbock, TX 79415 (806) 742-2486 From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Tocci, Genevieve Elizabeth Sent: Monday, August 02, 2021 10:16 AM To: Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Tonya, It has not come up on the thread here yet, but I saw a talk about installing heat strip around a doorway as an extra containment measure. It was at one of the Museum Pests working group meetings, and I am not sure it has been published anywhere. If you email the pestlist you may get some additional responses, or information about the heat strip specifically. It was pretty interesting. Best of luck Genevieve ================================================= Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) Senior Curatorial Technician Harvard University Herbaria 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Benjamin Hess Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 10:49 AM To: Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Tonya, I managed dermestid colonies in North Carolina both in a museum and in buildings outside the museum. Temperature and humidity within the museum were fairly stable, but there were high fluctuations in the buildings outside the museum. Outside the museum, we maintained dermestids at temperatures between 7 - 43 deg C (45 - 110 deg F) and a relative humidity of 5 - 90% RH. When the humidity spiked in late summer to early fall, we added moisture by only wetting paper towels in a tray not touching the specimens or substrate. I experienced mold outbreaks with high humidity, and this was a time when I saw adult dermestid beetles fly. I have also witnessed flying adults within the museum when dermestids within a single tank were overpopulated. Dermestid tanks with flying adults were never opened in the museum until no flying beetles were present. Both flying adults and escaping dermestids can be managed with container/building modifications and protocols when adding/removing specimens. Skeletons coming out of dermestids were frozen for one week at the minimum. Each skeleton was then soaked in 70% ethanol, rinsed with water, dried, and then frozen one more time before going to the collections. This ensured that all life stages of dermestids did not survive before going to the collection. Below are a few comparisons we experienced. Within the Museum Dermestid Colony: * Dermestid tanks visible to public (in museum, but away from collections) * Temperature and humidity controlled * Ventilation through fume hood exhaust * Ventilation caused low humidity - sprayed water usually daily * Usually daily monitoring * Double bagged skeletons out of dermestids - frozen before moving specimens Building Outside Museum Dermestid Colony * Dermestid tanks behind the scenes * Temperature and humidity always fluctuating * Ventilation through exhaust fan * Winter was most productive (lower humidity, heated space, spray more water, FEW other insects) * Usually weekly or bi-weekly monitoring * Issues with spiders, spider mites, red legged ham beetles, flies; and humidity issues with mold * Freezer in building outside of museum and collections * Some specimen transportation issues I am happy to talk with you more if you want more details. Sincerely, Ben On Fri, Jul 30, 2021 at 4:42 PM Anderson, Gretchen > wrote: Hi Tonya, When I first took the position of Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I interviewed our collection manager of the bird collection, who managed our dermestid colony. Steve provided some of the following info, that might help. D. maculatus, like so many other species, thrive under specific environmental conditions. Temperature: 72 to 75 deg F are ideal, but they can survive between 65 - 90 deg F. A large colony (e.g. 1 quart of beetles per a 5 gallon aquarium) will generate heat. Relative humidity: They like it humid - I do not have the specifics preferences. Steve also had specifics on feeding and management of the colony to keep it healthy. Some interesting observations he made include: they prefer dried meat (although they will eat fresh, also fresh meat can develop mold or rot); manage the food so that there is little left over; remove excess casts skins to help control mites. As for location for the colony - it is safest to have it in a separate building - if that is a possibility. Freeze the cleaned specimens before you bring them into the museum to reduce the likelihood of carrying the dermestids into collections that could be damaged. That said, if there is no possibility of an external facility for the colony, you can have one in the building, even close to the collection if the colony is well managed and monitored. There are a number of ways to do this. At the Science Museum of Minnesota - we had a colony that was not only adjacent to the biology lab, but visible to the public. We took the following precautions: The room had a small, dedicated HVAC (I have seen dermestids live inside of vents and move from space to space through the ducts). The room was incredibly well sealed, with gasketing and door sweeps around the one door. The window into the gallery was very well sealed. There were screens over the HVAC Vent. The room contained shelving that was easily cleaned. The colony was in aquariums with screen covers that were well sealed. There was a chest freezer for both storage of specimens to be cleaned and pest control. We kept sticky traps around the aquarium and used tacky floor pads. Also, the room was kept very clean. Please let me know if you want to talk more off list. Gretchen Gretchen Anderson Conservator Carnegie Museum of Natural History 5800 Baum Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Andersong at CarnegieMNH.org (412)665-2607 From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Sent: Friday, July 30, 2021 12:36 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Hello all, I was wondering if any of you could provide insight into Dermestes maculatus, the hide beetle. I just read a paper (Strang & Jacobs 2019) stating that D. maculatus was not able to live outside the colony (at the Smithsonian) due to 'humidity and other requirements', but sadly there wasn't a citation. Likewise, I have seen dermestid colonies housed inside collection buildings (such as at the Field Museum), apparently with no threat to the skin collections also housed nearby. I have not been able to pin point down why hide beetles wouldn't be a threat to museum specimens, but I would love to hear any experiences with them or thoughts on what their infestation risk is to collections. They certainly can eat a lot when they get going! I would love it if I didn't have to feel a slight sense of existential dread every time I put a newly created skeleton specimen away (thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, but still...). Thanks! Cheers, Tonya The information contained in this message and/or attachments is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. _______________________________________________ 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. -- Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | EEB Museums Safety Representative to the RMC University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research Museums Center 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228 bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ewommack at uwyo.edu Mon Aug 2 16:21:58 2021 From: ewommack at uwyo.edu (Elizabeth Wommack) Date: Mon, 2 Aug 2021 14:21:58 -0600 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Tonya, Fun topic! The UWYMV has really low humidity, but our colonies do fine in the dry high elevation. We do have them on a really strict watering schedule. Our beetles came from the MVZ colonies originally, which is not as humid as the east coast of NAmerica, but is more humid than Wyoming. I did watch the beetles fly around the MVZ lab, especially in the summer time. The colonies there are in the same lab as the specimen preparation, and escaped beetles would eat the drying skins if we did not watch them really closely. I've never had my beetles in Wyoming attempt to fly out of the colony. I watched a couple last summer take off in the colony, but so far we've been lucky. I wondered if it might be related to temperature and light cycle. We did move our colonies completely off site several years ago because of space issues. All material is frozen a minimum of 2 weeks before I bring it back to the museum. cheers, Beth Wommack On Mon, Aug 2, 2021 at 9:42 AM Garner, Heath wrote: > ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution > when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. > > We use a heat strip around the doorframe of our dermestid colony room. It > was adapted and published as a 2-page write up in 1992 by our then > collection manager Stephen L. Williams. > > > > > https://stashc.com/the-publication/room/heat-panels-for-controlling-crawling-insects-in-storage-areas-2/ > > > > > > Heath J. Garner > > Curator of Collections > > Museum of Texas Tech University > > Natural Science Research Laboratory > > 3301 4th Street > > Lubbock, TX 79415 > > (806) 742-2486 > > > > > > > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l * On Behalf Of *Tocci, > Genevieve Elizabeth > *Sent:* Monday, August 02, 2021 10:16 AM > *To:* Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles > > > > Tonya, > > > > It has not come up on the thread here yet, but I saw a talk about > installing heat strip around a doorway as an extra containment measure. It > was at one of the Museum Pests working group meetings, and I am not sure it > has been published anywhere. If you email the pestlist > > you may get some additional responses, or information about the heat strip > specifically. It was pretty interesting. > > > > Best of luck > > Genevieve > > > > ================================================= > Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) > Senior Curatorial Technician > Harvard University Herbaria > 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. > Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 > glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l *On Behalf Of *Benjamin > Hess > *Sent:* Monday, August 2, 2021 10:49 AM > *To:* Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles > > > > Tonya, > > > > I managed dermestid colonies in North Carolina both in a museum and in > buildings outside the museum. Temperature and humidity within the museum > were fairly stable, but there were high fluctuations in the buildings > outside the museum. Outside the museum, we maintained dermestids > at temperatures between 7 - 43 deg C (45 - 110 deg F) and a relative > humidity of 5 - 90% RH. When the humidity spiked in late summer to early > fall, we added moisture by only wetting paper towels in a tray not touching > the specimens or substrate. > > > > I experienced mold outbreaks with high humidity, and this was a time when > I saw adult dermestid beetles fly. I have also witnessed flying adults > within the museum when dermestids within a single tank were overpopulated. > Dermestid tanks with flying adults were never opened in the museum until no > flying beetles were present. Both flying adults and escaping dermestids can > be managed with container/building modifications and protocols when > adding/removing specimens. > > > > Skeletons coming out of dermestids were frozen for one week at the > minimum. Each skeleton was then soaked in 70% ethanol, rinsed with water, > dried, and then frozen one more time before going to the collections. This > ensured that all life stages of dermestids did not survive before going to > the collection. Below are a few comparisons we experienced. > > > > Within the Museum Dermestid Colony: > > - Dermestid tanks visible to public (in museum, but away from > collections) > - Temperature and humidity controlled > - Ventilation through fume hood exhaust > - Ventilation caused low humidity - sprayed water usually daily > - Usually daily monitoring > - Double bagged skeletons out of dermestids - frozen before moving > specimens > > Building Outside Museum Dermestid Colony > > - Dermestid tanks behind the scenes > - Temperature and humidity always fluctuating > - Ventilation through exhaust fan > - Winter was most productive (lower humidity, heated space, spray more > water, FEW other insects) > - Usually weekly or bi-weekly monitoring > - Issues with spiders, spider mites, red legged ham beetles, flies; > and humidity issues with mold > - Freezer in building outside of museum and collections > - Some specimen transportation issues > > I am happy to talk with you more if you want more details. > > > > Sincerely, > > > > Ben > > > > On Fri, Jul 30, 2021 at 4:42 PM Anderson, Gretchen < > AndersonG at carnegiemnh.org> wrote: > > Hi Tonya, > > > > When I first took the position of Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of > Natural History, I interviewed our collection manager of the bird > collection, who managed our dermestid colony. Steve provided some of the > following info, that might help. > > > > *D. **maculatus*, like so many other species, thrive under specific > environmental conditions. > > Temperature: 72 to 75 deg F are ideal, but they can survive between 65 ? > 90 deg F. A large colony (e.g. 1 quart of beetles per a 5 gallon aquarium) > will generate heat. > > Relative humidity: They like it humid - I do not have the specifics > preferences. > > Steve also had specifics on feeding and management of the colony to keep > it healthy. Some interesting observations he made include: they prefer > dried meat (although they will eat fresh, also fresh meat can develop mold > or rot); manage the food so that there is little left over; remove excess > casts skins to help control mites. > > > As for location for the colony ? it is safest to have it in a separate > building ? if that is a possibility. Freeze the cleaned specimens before > you bring them into the museum to reduce the likelihood of carrying the > dermestids into collections that could be damaged. That said, if there is > no possibility of an external facility for the colony, you can have one in > the building, even close to the collection *if the colony is well managed > and monitored. * There are a number of ways to do this. At the Science > Museum of Minnesota ? we had a colony that was not only adjacent to the > biology lab, but visible to the public. We took the following precautions: > The room had a small, dedicated HVAC (I have seen dermestids live inside of > vents and move from space to space through the ducts). The room was > incredibly well sealed, with gasketing and door sweeps around the one > door. The window into the gallery was very well sealed. There were > screens over the HVAC Vent. The room contained shelving that was easily > cleaned. The colony was in aquariums with screen covers that were well > sealed. There was a chest freezer for both storage of specimens to be > cleaned and pest control. We kept sticky traps around the aquarium and > used tacky floor pads. Also, the room was kept very clean. Please let me > know if you want to talk more off list. > > > Gretchen > > Gretchen Anderson > > Conservator > > Carnegie Museum of Natural History > > 5800 Baum Blvd. > > Pittsburgh, PA 15213 > > Andersong at CarnegieMNH.org > > (412)665-2607 > > > > > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l *On Behalf Of *Haff, > Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > *Sent:* Friday, July 30, 2021 12:36 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles > > > > Hello all, > > > > I was wondering if any of you could provide insight into Dermestes > maculatus, the hide beetle. I just read a paper (Strang & Jacobs 2019) > stating that D. maculatus was not able to live outside the colony (at the > Smithsonian) due to ?humidity and other requirements?, but sadly there > wasn?t a citation. Likewise, I have seen dermestid colonies housed inside > collection buildings (such as at the Field Museum), apparently with no > threat to the skin collections also housed nearby. I have not been able to > pin point down why hide beetles wouldn?t be a threat to museum specimens, > but I would love to hear any experiences with them or thoughts on what > their infestation risk is to collections. They certainly can eat a lot when > they get going! I would love it if I didn?t have to feel a slight sense of > existential dread every time I put a newly created skeleton specimen away > (thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, but still?). > > > > Thanks! > > > > Cheers, > > > > Tonya > > > > > The information contained in this message and/or attachments is intended > only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain > confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, > dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, > this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient > is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and > delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. Any views > expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > > > > -- > > *Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | EEB Museums Safety > Representative to the RMC * > > University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research > Museums Center > > 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228 > > bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432 > > > -- Elizabeth Wommack, PhD Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 ewommack@ uwyo.edu www.uwymv. org UWYMV Collection Use Policy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From liathappleton at gmail.com Tue Aug 3 19:08:23 2021 From: liathappleton at gmail.com (Liath Appleton) Date: Tue, 3 Aug 2021 17:08:23 -0600 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] SPNHC Connection deadline for submission Message-ID: Hello all, this is your reminder that all committee reports, rep reports, articles and announcements for the fall edition of the SPNHC newsletter will be due September 1, 2021 Thanks ---Liath Appleton Editor SPNHC -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Tonya.Haff at csiro.au Tue Aug 3 22:05:31 2021 From: Tonya.Haff at csiro.au (Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace)) Date: Wed, 4 Aug 2021 02:05:31 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks so very much to everyone who responded to this email thread! I have learned a lot, and I really appreciate all of your collective knowledge and wisdom. It?s great how much variability there is, and cool that there is potential for colonies to be (well monitored and contained) near skins. I have seen the public display at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences, Ben, it is super cool. Though it still makes me squirm a bit ? what if!? We will continue to have our colony separate from our collections building, but I love all the ideas for increased biosecurity in our dermestid colony. I think that would go a long way to feeling like I could go back to work after going into the colony! Thanks again to all of you. Cheers, Tonya From: Elizabeth Wommack Sent: Tuesday, 3 August 2021 6:22 AM To: Garner, Heath Cc: Tocci, Genevieve Elizabeth ; Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) ; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Hi Tonya, Fun topic! The UWYMV has really low humidity, but our colonies do fine in the dry high elevation. We do have them on a really strict watering schedule. Our beetles came from the MVZ colonies originally, which is not as humid as the east coast of NAmerica, but is more humid than Wyoming. I did watch the beetles fly around the MVZ lab, especially in the summer time. The colonies there are in the same lab as the specimen preparation, and escaped beetles would eat the drying skins if we did not watch them really closely. I've never had my beetles in Wyoming attempt to fly out of the colony. I watched a couple last summer take off in the colony, but so far we've been lucky. I wondered if it might be related to temperature and light cycle. We did move our colonies completely off site several years ago because of space issues. All material is frozen a minimum of 2 weeks before I bring it back to the museum. cheers, Beth Wommack On Mon, Aug 2, 2021 at 9:42 AM Garner, Heath > wrote: ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. We use a heat strip around the doorframe of our dermestid colony room. It was adapted and published as a 2-page write up in 1992 by our then collection manager Stephen L. Williams. https://stashc.com/the-publication/room/heat-panels-for-controlling-crawling-insects-in-storage-areas-2/ Heath J. Garner Curator of Collections Museum of Texas Tech University Natural Science Research Laboratory 3301 4th Street Lubbock, TX 79415 (806) 742-2486 From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Tocci, Genevieve Elizabeth Sent: Monday, August 02, 2021 10:16 AM To: Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Tonya, It has not come up on the thread here yet, but I saw a talk about installing heat strip around a doorway as an extra containment measure. It was at one of the Museum Pests working group meetings, and I am not sure it has been published anywhere. If you email the pestlist you may get some additional responses, or information about the heat strip specifically. It was pretty interesting. Best of luck Genevieve ================================================= Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) Senior Curatorial Technician Harvard University Herbaria 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Benjamin Hess Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 10:49 AM To: Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) > Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Tonya, I managed dermestid colonies in North Carolina both in a museum and in buildings outside the museum. Temperature and humidity within the museum were fairly stable, but there were high fluctuations in the buildings outside the museum. Outside the museum, we maintained dermestids at temperatures between 7 - 43 deg C (45 - 110 deg F) and a relative humidity of 5 - 90% RH. When the humidity spiked in late summer to early fall, we added moisture by only wetting paper towels in a tray not touching the specimens or substrate. I experienced mold outbreaks with high humidity, and this was a time when I saw adult dermestid beetles fly. I have also witnessed flying adults within the museum when dermestids within a single tank were overpopulated. Dermestid tanks with flying adults were never opened in the museum until no flying beetles were present. Both flying adults and escaping dermestids can be managed with container/building modifications and protocols when adding/removing specimens. Skeletons coming out of dermestids were frozen for one week at the minimum. Each skeleton was then soaked in 70% ethanol, rinsed with water, dried, and then frozen one more time before going to the collections. This ensured that all life stages of dermestids did not survive before going to the collection. Below are a few comparisons we experienced. Within the Museum Dermestid Colony: * Dermestid tanks visible to public (in museum, but away from collections) * Temperature and humidity controlled * Ventilation through fume hood exhaust * Ventilation caused low humidity - sprayed water usually daily * Usually daily monitoring * Double bagged skeletons out of dermestids - frozen before moving specimens Building Outside Museum Dermestid Colony * Dermestid tanks behind the scenes * Temperature and humidity always fluctuating * Ventilation through exhaust fan * Winter was most productive (lower humidity, heated space, spray more water, FEW other insects) * Usually weekly or bi-weekly monitoring * Issues with spiders, spider mites, red legged ham beetles, flies; and humidity issues with mold * Freezer in building outside of museum and collections * Some specimen transportation issues I am happy to talk with you more if you want more details. Sincerely, Ben On Fri, Jul 30, 2021 at 4:42 PM Anderson, Gretchen > wrote: Hi Tonya, When I first took the position of Conservator at the Carnegie Museum of Natural History, I interviewed our collection manager of the bird collection, who managed our dermestid colony. Steve provided some of the following info, that might help. D. maculatus, like so many other species, thrive under specific environmental conditions. Temperature: 72 to 75 deg F are ideal, but they can survive between 65 ? 90 deg F. A large colony (e.g. 1 quart of beetles per a 5 gallon aquarium) will generate heat. Relative humidity: They like it humid - I do not have the specifics preferences. Steve also had specifics on feeding and management of the colony to keep it healthy. Some interesting observations he made include: they prefer dried meat (although they will eat fresh, also fresh meat can develop mold or rot); manage the food so that there is little left over; remove excess casts skins to help control mites. As for location for the colony ? it is safest to have it in a separate building ? if that is a possibility. Freeze the cleaned specimens before you bring them into the museum to reduce the likelihood of carrying the dermestids into collections that could be damaged. That said, if there is no possibility of an external facility for the colony, you can have one in the building, even close to the collection if the colony is well managed and monitored. There are a number of ways to do this. At the Science Museum of Minnesota ? we had a colony that was not only adjacent to the biology lab, but visible to the public. We took the following precautions: The room had a small, dedicated HVAC (I have seen dermestids live inside of vents and move from space to space through the ducts). The room was incredibly well sealed, with gasketing and door sweeps around the one door. The window into the gallery was very well sealed. There were screens over the HVAC Vent. The room contained shelving that was easily cleaned. The colony was in aquariums with screen covers that were well sealed. There was a chest freezer for both storage of specimens to be cleaned and pest control. We kept sticky traps around the aquarium and used tacky floor pads. Also, the room was kept very clean. Please let me know if you want to talk more off list. Gretchen Gretchen Anderson Conservator Carnegie Museum of Natural History 5800 Baum Blvd. Pittsburgh, PA 15213 Andersong at CarnegieMNH.org (412)665-2607 From: Nhcoll-l > On Behalf Of Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace) Sent: Friday, July 30, 2021 12:36 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hide beetles Hello all, I was wondering if any of you could provide insight into Dermestes maculatus, the hide beetle. I just read a paper (Strang & Jacobs 2019) stating that D. maculatus was not able to live outside the colony (at the Smithsonian) due to ?humidity and other requirements?, but sadly there wasn?t a citation. Likewise, I have seen dermestid colonies housed inside collection buildings (such as at the Field Museum), apparently with no threat to the skin collections also housed nearby. I have not been able to pin point down why hide beetles wouldn?t be a threat to museum specimens, but I would love to hear any experiences with them or thoughts on what their infestation risk is to collections. They certainly can eat a lot when they get going! I would love it if I didn?t have to feel a slight sense of existential dread every time I put a newly created skeleton specimen away (thoroughly cleaned and decontaminated, but still?). Thanks! Cheers, Tonya The information contained in this message and/or attachments is intended only for the person or entity to which it is addressed and may contain confidential and/or privileged material. Any review, retransmission, dissemination or other use of, or taking of any action in reliance upon, this information by persons or entities other than the intended recipient is prohibited. If you received this in error, please contact the sender and delete the material from any system and destroy any copies. Any views expressed in this message are those of the individual sender. _______________________________________________ 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. -- Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | EEB Museums Safety Representative to the RMC University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research Museums Center 3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228 bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432 -- Elizabeth Wommack, PhD Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 ewommack@uwyo.edu www.uwymv.org UWYMV Collection Use Policy [Image removed by sender.] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: ~WRD0000.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 823 bytes Desc: ~WRD0000.jpg URL: From gabriela.hogue at naturalsciences.org Thu Aug 5 13:43:36 2021 From: gabriela.hogue at naturalsciences.org (Hogue, Gabriela) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2021 17:43:36 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Position Announcement - Curator of Ichthyology at the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences Message-ID: Curator of Ichthyology North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences https://naturalsciences.org/ The Curator of Ichthyology serves as leader and supervisor of the Ichthyology Unit of the Research & Collections Section (R&C) of the North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences. The Curator conducts original research on fishes and serves as Principal Curator for the Ichthyology research collection, establishing guidelines for the curation of the fishes collection and acquiring relevant specimens and related materials, and associated data. The Curator publishes the results of their research in scientific, peer-reviewed journals, in reports to appropriate agencies, and popular magazines. Additionally, the Curator participates in education and outreach public programs and serves as a liaison to other public and private organizations. Duties include but are not limited to: * Conducting and disseminating competent original and independent research in fish systematics (taxonomy and phylogenetics), genomics, ecology, and/or related fields with demonstrable value to the museum, the state of North Carolina, and the academic community * Ensuring the appropriateness of material received, monitoring the accuracy of data, and providing accurate identification * Judging the validity and merit of specimens loaned from the museum and exchange requests while maintaining knowledge of and adhering to State, Federal, and safety laws and regulations for loaning/exchanging fish specimens * Presenting research to peers at professional meetings and to the general public through teaching, popular writing, public lectures, and other museum-based educational activities * Initiating and/or participating in public education and outreach programs including conducting visitor tours of the Ichthyology collection, providing services such as species identifications and workshops, presenting seminars and lectures, writing popular articles, participating in media events as needed, and providing programs for clubs and civic organizations * Working with staff in the Education Section to develop and deliver Ichthyology related educational and/or research programs to appropriate public audiences * Planning annual unit goals and research projects with input from other R&C staff and the Director of Research & Collections * Supervising the work of the Ichthyology Collection Manager For additional information and to apply, go to: https://www.governmentjobs.com/careers/northcarolina/jobs/3167541/curator-of-ichthyology?keywords=curator%20of%20ichthyologist&pagetype=jobOpportunitiesJobs Please be sure to complete the application in full. Resume/CV may be uploaded with your application, but will not be accepted in lieu of a fully completed application and will not be considered for qualifying credit. "See Resume" or "See Attachment" will NOT be accepted and will render your application incomplete. Closing Date: 8/23/2021 5:00 PM Eastern Gabriela M. Hogue Collections Manager, Ichthyology North Carolina Museum of Natural Sciences 11 West Jones Street, Raleigh, NC 27601-1029 USA 919.707.8868 fax 919.715.2294 www.naturalsciences.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From bzimkus at oeb.harvard.edu Thu Aug 5 17:25:10 2021 From: bzimkus at oeb.harvard.edu (Zimkus, Breda M.) Date: Thu, 5 Aug 2021 21:25:10 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] International Workshop Series: How does sharing genetic data impact biodiversity science and conservation? Message-ID: Fall 2021 International Workshop Series: How does sharing genetic data impact biodiversity science and conservation? Organized by: USA Nagoya Protocol Action Group (USANPAG) & American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) Supported by: The National Science Foundation (NSF) Dates: Fall 2021 (Dates to be determined) Location: Online The American Institute of Biological Sciences (AIBS) is partnering with the USA Nagoya Protocol Action Group (USANPAG)?a group of scientific researchers and biological collections managers and curators that works to raise awareness about the requirements of the Nagoya Protocol?to organize an NSF-sponsored international workshop series in fall 2021. The virtual series will explore how the international scientific community can study biodiversity in the changing landscape of international policy. In particular, we aim to explore how regulating digital sequence information or DSI such as genetic data could impact research. To learn more, visit: https://www.aibs.org/news/2021/210719-nagoya-workshop-series.html#subheader The virtual series will consist of six separate thematic modules, each featuring presentations from a team of transboundary, international scientists who have engaged in international research collaborations: * Phylogenetics, genome evolution, taxonomy * Applied ecology and infectious disease * Crop and livestock research and improvement, vertebrate genetic rescue * Anthropology, ethnobiology and paleobiology * Evo-Devo, bioengineering and synthetic biology * Macrosystems and international long term ecological research (LTERs) The details are still a work in progress, but you can sign up to receive the latest information and updates about these events at: http://io.aibs.org/nagoya. We are also looking for scientific societies (other than SPNHC) to engage in these important events either as a participating society or as a host society. * Participating societies will help us advertise and promote the online workshops to their membership. * Host societies will co-host and co-develop one or more of the six workshop modules, by working with the workshop organizers to develop the agenda, finalize speakers, and generate educational content. If a society you are affiliated or associated with is interested in getting involved in either capacity, please send me an email at bzimkus at oeb.harvard.edu. Thank you, Breda --- Breda M. Zimkus, Ph.D. Museum of Comparative Zoology, Harvard University 26 Oxford Street, Cambridge, MA 02138; Tel: 617-496-4656 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From trehman at brit.org Fri Aug 6 10:21:41 2021 From: trehman at brit.org (Tiana Rehman) Date: Fri, 6 Aug 2021 14:21:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] (Hiring) Research Collections Librarian: Botanical Research Institute of Texas Message-ID: Botanical Research Institute of Texas is hiring a new Librarian of its Research Library and associated collections (archives, rare books, botanical art). The Librarian is part of the Research team and interacts with researchers and collections staff daily. Applications accepted until position is filled, but act fast as they're looking to hire as soon as possible! More at https://brit.org/job_post/librarian/ Thank you, Tiana (she/her) Tiana F. Rehman Herbarium Collections Manager (BRIT-SMU-VDB-NLU) [cid:image001.jpg at 01D78AA4.76CD13A0] MAIN (817) 332-4441 DIRECT (817) 546-1845 trehman at brit.org 1700 University Drive Fort Worth, Texas 76107-3400 brit.org | fwbg.org -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 11995 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From p.brewer at nhm.ac.uk Mon Aug 9 09:12:52 2021 From: p.brewer at nhm.ac.uk (Pip Brewer) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 13:12:52 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Submissions to The Geological Curator Message-ID: Hello, The Geological Curator is the journal of the Geological Curators' Group (https://www.geocurator.org/). We publish papers which are of interest and relevance to anyone who works with geological collections. Papers should further our knowledge of how best to care for and utilise those collections. We accept papers on a wide range of subjects such as: * Curation / collections management * Digitisation * Conservation * Preparation * Replication * Teaching * Citizen Science * Public engagement * Exhibitions * Museum management * History of geological collections * Policies Manuscripts should have a premise, such as a question or hypothesis to be tested, or describe a novel technique, approach or viewpoint. They should be well-written, concise, follow a logical structure and be fully referenced. The following sections are recommended: Abstract, introduction, materials and methods, results, discussion, conclusions and references. We publish two issues per year (June and December). We are now accepting submissions for the December 2021 issue. The deadline for contributions to that issue is 20th September 2021, although we cannot guarantee that any articles submitted by this date will be published in that issue. Furthermore, all manuscripts must meet the journal requirements and are subject to peer review. If you would like to submit a manuscript for consideration or propose a contribution please email journal at geocurator.org - we would love to hear from you! Instructions for authors, journal policies, as well as previous issues (including open access issues) can be found on the following page: https://www.geocurator.org/resources/18-geological-curator Many best wishes, Pip Pip Brewer Department of Earth Sciences Natural History Museum (NHMUK) Cromwell Road SW7 5BD London United Kingdom -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rrundell at esf.edu Mon Aug 9 12:48:26 2021 From: rrundell at esf.edu (Rebecca J. Rundell) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 16:48:26 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Job: Collections Manager, Vertebrate Animals, SUNY-ESF in Syracuse, NY In-Reply-To: <204a57fbdbc44a4982e5f32ac5757b1e@esf.edu> References: <204a57fbdbc44a4982e5f32ac5757b1e@esf.edu> Message-ID: ANNOUNCEMENT OF PROFESSIONAL VACANCY State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry 1 Forestry Drive, Syracuse, New York 13210-2778 July 21, 2021 MUSEUM COLLECTIONS MANAGER - VERTEBRATE ANIMALS Campus Title: Collections Manager, Vertebrate Animals Unit: Department of Environmental Biology Professional Rank and Salary Range: SL4, Salary DOQ https://esf.interviewexchange.com/jobofferdetails.jsp?JOBID=133917 Brief Description of Duties: The State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) in Syracuse, NY invites applications for a calendar year position as an Instructional Support Specialist, serving specifically as the Collections Manager within the Department of Environmental Biology. The successful candidate will be in charge of the physical care, maintenance, accessibility, specimen preparation, and preservation of the College's vertebrate collections and their associated data, housed within the Roosevelt Wild Life Collections (RWLC). These research and teaching collections are primarily composed of birds and mammals, but also fishes, amphibians, and reptiles. The Collections Manager will promote and support use of collections for educational and research purposes, maintain specimen and loan records, and respond to information and loan requests. The Collections Manager will provide technical assistance for collections-related fund-raising, exhibitions, and other tasks associated with specimens and their data. The Collections Manager will also recruit, train, and supervise diverse student interns, volunteers, and researchers in museum techniques, cooperate with faculty across the College to address their collections-related teaching and research needs, and participate in a professional outreach capacity to promote the use and importance of the RWLC for natural history education. Primary Responsibilities include but are not limited to: * Position workload: 40% collections management, 30% records administration, and 30% education and outreach * Provide knowledge on vertebrate taxonomy, morphology, and natural history as appropriate to the RWLC, for the purposes of collections management, vertebrate preparation, education, and outreach (including handling extension calls) * Employ best practices in the physical care, maintenance, specimen preparation, preservation, protection, organization, pest management, import/export, acquisition, and strategic growth of vertebrate collections. Some of these duties can include knowledge and proper use of chemicals and their disposal * Stay current on relevant regulatory laws and compliance procedures related to vertebrate collections, and maintain any permits relevant to the RWLC * Ensure meticulous record keeping and data accessibility * Manage multiple projects and their progress in an organized fashion * Work on extended, iterative tasks (e.g., data entry) with minimal supervision * Use computer as an important collections tool, including word processing, spreadsheets, data entry, file organization, digitization, imaging, and data archiving * Use and modify a relational collections database (especially Specify open-source collections database software) to enter, retrieve, and organize specimen data * Recruit, train, and supervise collections interns, volunteers, researchers, student teaching assistants, faculty, and staff in proper specimen and data handling and related museum techniques * Seek ongoing collections improvement (e.g., data and specimen accessibility and interpretation, physical infrastructure, workflow) * Keep collections spaces and equipment clean, tidy, pest-free, and in working order, addressing any issues in a timely manner * Cultivate specimen acquisition, including specimen exchanges, donations, and field collections or salvage, to address strategic needs, in consultation with Head Curator * Effectively and professionally communicate with members of the college and the public (both written and oral) * Foster a positive and cooperative working environment with undergraduate and graduate students, staff, and faculty from diverse backgrounds * Teach a course in museum techniques, focused on vertebrate animals and specimen preparation * Work with faculty and students to identify collections-based research projects; Collections Manager may also participate directly in research related to collections * Keep abreast of current collections trends, issues, and best collections practices, including biodiversity informatics being an active member of the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC) Requirements: MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS * Master's degree in a natural science or museum collections field, and * Three years of work experience in the natural sciences or natural science museum collections, or a combination of these * Computer competency to include word processing, spreadsheet software, and file organization Physical mobility requirements: * Able to handle specimens and operate tools or controls, reach up to 96 inches high (via step stool or ladder), climb (stairs, ladders, stepstools) and physically maneuver in area to perform job duties * Able to lift and/or move up to 25 pounds PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS - Proficiency in vertebrate taxonomy, morphology, and natural history, especially within the northeastern United States, along with a working knowledge of scientific principles and practices - Working knowledge of the techniques, best practices, professional standards, and regulations for vertebrate specimen collection and preparation - Working knowledge of relevant regulatory laws and compliance procedures related to collections, particularly vertebrate collections - Previous work experience involving day-to-day management of collections - Demonstrated proficiency with standard natural history database systems, (e.g. Specify, Axiell EMu, Symbiota, Arctos), and/or computer programming experience highly desired - Working knowledge of external data repositories such as Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), iDigBio, and MorphoSource - Demonstrated organizational and project management ability - Experience writing effective reports, grants, professional correspondence and/or procedure manuals - Demonstrated proficiency in presenting information to and responding to questions from individuals or groups of managers, scientists, and the general public - Demonstrated interest in collections improvement (including but not limited to data and specimen accessibility and interpretation, physical infrastructure, and workflow) - Demonstrated potential for engaging diverse students in the classroom or as a research or museum techniques mentor - Demonstrated commitment to diversity, access, and in fostering an inclusive environment - Demonstrated potential for identifying and developing collections-based research projects at the high school, college, and/or graduate level - Membership in SPNHC, and relevant vertebrate-based society memberships Application Instructions: Internal Procedure: UUP-represented employees of SUNY-ESF desiring consideration under the Advanced Internal Application Procedures should submit application materials by August 4, 2021 and contact Amy McLaughlin, Associate Director of Human Resources to request early consideration. Application Deadline: Although applications will be accepted until the position is filled, candidates should submit their application by August 30, 2021, to ensure optimal consideration. Application Procedure: Application materials are required to be submitted on-line at http://www.esf.edu/hr/. Please provide the following in a single PDF file in this order: 1) a Cover Letter explaining interest and summarizing qualifications (three pages maximum), 2) Curriculum Vitae, 3) a two-page Collections Statement, and 4) at least three employment references (we will not contact references without prior permission). In your Collections Statement, please address BOTH of the following: 1) why natural history collections are important, and 2) a recent advance or issue in the collections field and how it applies to and is important for the RWLC. Questions about the application process and document submission should be directed to the Human Resources office. Additional Information: About the College of Environmental Science and Forestry: Founded in 1911, the State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry (ESF) is the nation's oldest and most respected school dedicated to the study of the environment, developing renewable technologies, and building a sustainable future. The ESF main campus is in Syracuse, NY and has regional campuses throughout Central New York and the Adirondack Park. The Department of Environmental Biology (https://www.esf.edu/efb/envbio/), in which the Roosevelt Wild Life Station and its Roosevelt Wild Life Collections are situated, hosts the oldest, and today one of the largest combined programs in Wildlife Science and Conservation Biology in the nation. The RWLC directly supports these programs, and its early collections derive from research by ESF faculty in these areas. The department has 30 faculty, 130 graduate students, 630 undergraduate students. Other majors include Aquatics and Fisheries, Environmental Biology, Biotechnology, and Forest Health. Pursuant to Executive Order 161, no State entity, as defined by the Executive Order, is permitted to ask, or mandate, in any form, that an applicant for employment provide his or her current compensation, or any prior compensation history, until such time as the applicant is extended a conditional offer of employment with compensation. If such information has been requested from you before such time, please contact the Governor's Office of Employee Relations at (518) 474-6988 or via email at info at goer.ny.gov In accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act? institutions of higher education are required to prepare an annual report containing information on campus security policies and campus statistics. This report includes statistics for the previous three years concerning reported crimes that occurred on-campus; in certain off-campus buildings or property owned or controlled by SUNY-ESF; and on property within, or immediately adjacent to and accessible from the campus. The report also includes institutional policies concerning campus security, such as policies concerning sexual assault, and other matters. You can obtain a printed copy of this report by contacting SUNY-ESF University Police at 315-470-6667 or by accessing the following web site: http://www.esf.edu/univpolice/crimereports/ SUNY ESF is a Smoke and Tobacco Free campus and is dedicated to providing a healthy and safe environment for the entire campus. For more information you can visit our Tobacco and Smoke Free Policy at https://www.esf.edu/au/documents/ESF%20Tobacco%20Free.pdf SUNY-ESF is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religion, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, age, or any other characteristic protected by law. ___________________ Rebecca J. Rundell (her) Associate Professor Head Curator, Roosevelt Wild Life Collections SUNY-ESF | State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry Department of Environmental and Forest Biology Syracuse, New York USA | www.snailevolution.org rundell at esf.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cevans at statenislandmuseum.org Mon Aug 9 15:21:22 2021 From: cevans at statenislandmuseum.org (Colleen Evans) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 19:21:22 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] where are your ethanol collections? Message-ID: Hi everyone, Our museum is in the design phase of renovating an historic building for collections storage and eventually gallery space. Due to some architectural quirks, the floor that will house our collections is considered a basement level, even though it is not actually underground. Because of the basement classification we've run into issues with the fire code. The architecture firm we are working with is applying for a variance with the fire department so we can renovate a space on that floor for our ethanol collection. The architecture firm thinks it will be helpful to have the following information from other institutions: 1. What floor is your ethanol collection housed on? 2. Were there any special requirements for that space, such as fire rating for the walls, specific ventilation requirements, floor drainage or something else? Responses can be sent off-list. Thank you, Colleen Colleen Evans [she/her/hers] Director of Natural Science Interpretation and Collections [SI Museum Logo for email] 1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg A Staten Island, NY 10301 P: (718) 483-7104 CEvans at StatenIslandMuseum.org [cid:image005.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] [cid:image006.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] [cid:image008.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] The Staten Island Museum is open to visitors Friday - Sunday, 11am - 5pm. Jennifer Angus [cid:107f7405-6160-4bd2-9905-a5a70285aae6] [cid:caa5a506-dd12-43d2-a817-6f43dd430c36] ON VIEW NOW -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image009.png Type: image/png Size: 4701 bytes Desc: image009.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image010.png Type: image/png Size: 29155 bytes Desc: image010.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2609 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 829 bytes Desc: image004.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image006.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 824 bytes Desc: image006.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image008.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 873 bytes Desc: image008.jpg URL: From ges at umich.edu Mon Aug 9 16:08:43 2021 From: ges at umich.edu (Gregory Schneider) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 16:08:43 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] where are your ethanol collections? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: I recommend talking to the State Fire Marshal before proceeding further. Does the basement room have egress ? If there was a spill, or the sprinkler system was activated, where would everything drain? Will the fire marshall allow storage of flammable liquids in a public building (with lots of kids touring)? Greg Schneider Division of Reptiles and Amphibians Museum of Zoology Research Museums Center 3600 Varsity Drive University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 734 647 1927 ges at umich.edu [image: Description: Description: logocolor] www.ummz.lsa.umich.edu/rep_amph/index.html On Mon, Aug 9, 2021 at 3:21 PM Colleen Evans wrote: > Hi everyone, > > > > Our museum is in the design phase of renovating an historic building for > collections storage and eventually gallery space. Due to some architectural > quirks, the floor that will house our collections is considered a basement > level, even though it is not actually underground. Because of the basement > classification we?ve run into issues with the fire code. The architecture > firm we are working with is applying for a variance with the fire > department so we can renovate a space on that floor for our ethanol > collection. > > > > The architecture firm thinks it will be helpful to have the following > information from other institutions: > > 1. What floor is your ethanol collection housed on? > > 2. Were there any special requirements for that space, such as fire > rating for the walls, specific ventilation requirements, floor drainage or > something else? > > > > Responses can be sent off-list. > > > > Thank you, > > Colleen > > > > Colleen Evans > > [she/her/hers] > > Director of Natural Science Interpretation and Collections > > [image: SI Museum Logo for email] > > *1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg A* > *Staten Island, NY 10301* > > P: (718) 483-7104 > > CEvans at StatenIslandMuseum.org > [image: cid:image005.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] > [image: > cid:image006.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] [image: > cid:image008.jpg at 01D2DEE2.514BC120] > > > *The Staten Island Museum is open to visitors Friday ? Sunday, 11am ? 5pm.* > > *Jennifer Angus* > > [image: cid:107f7405-6160-4bd2-9905-a5a70285aae6] > > > [image: cid:caa5a506-dd12-43d2-a817-6f43dd430c36] > > > ON VIEW NOW > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3152 bytes Desc: not available URL: From HawksC at si.edu Mon Aug 9 17:47:33 2021 From: HawksC at si.edu (Hawks, Catharine) Date: Mon, 9 Aug 2021 21:47:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: where are your ethanol collections? In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: Sent from my iPhone Catharine Hawks ________________________________ From: Kilby, Michael Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 4:48 PM To: Hawks, Catharine Subject: RE: where are your ethanol collections? Cathy, As I?m sure you?re aware, all of the SI ethanol collection storage areas are above grade. Used to have wet collections in the basement of NMNH many, many years ago. But no longer, thank goodness! I know we have smaller ethanol collection rooms on various above grade floors at NMNH. The SI standards for ethanol collection storage spaces can be found here in Section 7.1 of the SI Fire Protection and Life Safety Design Manual. (Clink on link.) These standards include requirements for fire rated construction, automatic suppression, detection, spill control, ventilation, and explosion-proof fixtures. Feel free to share. Thanks, Michael From: Hawks, Catharine Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 3:28 PM To: Kilby, Michael Subject: Fwd: where are your ethanol collections? Sent from my iPhone Catharine Hawks ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l > on behalf of Colleen Evans > Sent: Monday, August 9, 2021 3:23 PM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] where are your ethanol collections? External Email - Exercise Caution Hi everyone, Our museum is in the design phase of renovating an historic building for collections storage and eventually gallery space. Due to some architectural quirks, the floor that will house our collections is considered a basement level, even though it is not actually underground. Because of the basement classification we?ve run into issues with the fire code. The architecture firm we are working with is applying for a variance with the fire department so we can renovate a space on that floor for our ethanol collection. The architecture firm thinks it will be helpful to have the following information from other institutions: What floor is your ethanol collection housed on? Were there any special requirements for that space, such as fire rating for the walls, specific ventilation requirements, floor drainage or something else? Responses can be sent off-list. Thank you, Colleen Colleen Evans [she/her/hers] Director of Natural Science Interpretation and Collections [SI Museum Logo for email] 1000 Richmond Terrace, Bldg A Staten Island, NY 10301 P: (718) 483-7104 CEvans at StatenIslandMuseum.org [cid:image012.jpg at 01D78D3E.4F3C4E40] [cid:image013.jpg at 01D78D3E.4F3C4E40] [cid:image014.jpg at 01D78D3E.4F3C4E40] The Staten Island Museum is open to visitors Friday ? Sunday, 11am ? 5pm. Jennifer Angus [cid:image009.png at 01D78D3C.AE61FB10] [cid:image010.png at 01D78D3C.AE61FB10] ON VIEW NOW -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image009.png Type: image/png Size: 4701 bytes Desc: image009.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image010.png Type: image/png Size: 29155 bytes Desc: image010.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image011.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2050 bytes Desc: image011.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image012.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 797 bytes Desc: image012.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image013.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 752 bytes Desc: image013.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image014.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 825 bytes Desc: image014.jpg URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Tue Aug 10 10:10:48 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2021 10:10:48 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs Message-ID: Dear all, Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to alert you to this potential funding mechanism. https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we need to do our jobs properly. It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid for NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather than genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, as a community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund an important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs during the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for digitization. Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the concept of VEROs to a broader audience. https://www.vero-nft.org/ Best wishes to you all, Sam (contact details on the above link) P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., holotypes). https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From secretary at spnhc.org Tue Aug 10 11:45:47 2021 From: secretary at spnhc.org (secretary at spnhc.org) Date: Tue, 10 Aug 2021 10:45:47 -0500 (CDT) Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: GSA Connects 2021 Registration Code Message-ID: <1628610347.80868762@apps.rackspace.com> -----Original Message----- From: "The Geological Society of America" Sent: Monday, August 2, 2021 3:00pm To: secretary at spnhc.org Subject: GSA Connects 2021 Registration Code [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MDk2/index.html ) GSA Connects 2021 [ Store ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MDk4/index.html ) | [ Donate ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MDk5/index.html ) Registration Now Open for [ GSA Connects 2021 ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTAw/index.html ) GSA is delighted to return to an in-person meeting experience on 10?13 October in Portland, Oregon, USA. Join us for a dynamic meeting that surrounds you with inspiration and engagement to advance your professional career. As a GSA Associated Society member, you can receive [ registration ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTAy/index.html ) at the GSA Member rate by using this code: AS21CODE (all caps) At [ GSA Connects 2021 ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTAw/index.html ) you will find: More than 150 trailblazing technical sessions over a wide range of disciplines Inclusive networking opportunities and fun social events Access to top contributors in your field and award-winning geoscientists Exhibitions in the Resource & Innovation Center Field trips to the geologically rich Pacific Northwest region A variety of short courses to help you develop new skills If you're not able to attend in person, we are pleased to offer online options: Online-only registration package featuring selected live-streaming sessions Recorded sessions available to all registered attendees on demand through October 2022 More than 20 online short courses that can be added to your registration package Pre-meeting GeoCareers online events, open to all attendees at no extra charge Come prepared to learn, connect, engage, and grow at GSA Connects 2021. [ Register here! ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTAy/index.html ) [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTAz/index.html ) [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTA0/index.html ) [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTA1/index.html ) [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTA3/index.html ) [ ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTA4/index.html ) [ View email as web page. ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTA5/index.html ) Geological Society of America 3300 Penrose Place | Boulder, CO 80301 [ Contact Us ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZwPTEmdT0xMTU0NzQ3NTgzJmxpPTg4NDg4MTEw/index.html ) You are receiving this email as you have provided your contact details as part of a GSA membership or program. Please see our privacy policy. Unsubscribe from [ all GSA ]( http://GSOA.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0xMDE0NjIyOSZ1PTExNTQ3NDc1ODMmbGk9ODg0ODgxMTEmbD1odHRwczovL0dTT0EuaW5mb3Jtei5uZXQvR1NPQS9wYWdlcy9VbnN1YnNjcmliZV9HU0E_X3pzPTVETTJrMXxfem1pPXg2MHM/index.html ) email. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Wed Aug 11 10:38:58 2021 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 14:38:58 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: ALERT: Tropical Storm Fred In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Wednesday, August 11, 2021 10:36 AM Subject: ALERT: Tropical Storm Fred External Email - Exercise Caution HENTF members, Potential Tropical Cyclone Six is now TROPICAL STORM FRED. Please notify your U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and Florida members and constituents to: * Prepare for the possibility of flooding. * Monitor the storm via the National Hurricane Center and territorial and state emergency management agencies. Key messages in Spanish can be accessed from that URL as well. >From the National Hurricane Center: * Heavy rainfall could lead to flash, urban, and small-stream flooding, along with possible rapid river rises and the potential for mudslides across the U.S. Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico. * The greatest threat for flooding impacts will be across eastern and southern Puerto Rico. * There is a risk of wind and rainfall impacts in Florida beginning Friday in the Keys and spreading northward through portions of the Peninsula and the Panhandle this weekend. * However, it is too soon to determine the exact timing, location, and magnitude of any potential impacts. * Interests throughout Florida should monitor Fred's progress and check updates to the forecast. The HENTF dashboard contains graphics from the National Hurricane Center as well as preparedness tips for cultural institutions and other useful links. [cid:image001.jpg at 01D78E9D.1656B5B0] Thank you! Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image003.jpg at 01D78E9D.1656B5B0] [cid:image005.jpg at 01D78E9D.1656B5B0] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 32334 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3094 bytes Desc: image003.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1974 bytes Desc: image005.jpg URL: From bethanypalumbo at gmail.com Wed Aug 11 10:49:52 2021 From: bethanypalumbo at gmail.com (Bethany Palumbo) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:49:52 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Nominations for the SPNHC Elections are now open! In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Apologies for cross-posting Dear SPNHC Members, Nominations from the membership for the positions of *PRESIDENT-ELECT, SECRETARY and 2 MEMBERS-AT-LARGE* are now open! The deadline to make a nomination is *August 31st 2021*. *A little more about these roles:* *The President* is the chief executive officer of the Society and presides at meetings of Council and Business Meetings of the general membership. This role is a 6-year commitment. Further details on this role can be found here: https://spnhc.org/what-spnhc-does/governance/leadership-manual/president-elect/ *The Secretary* role serves to assist the President, answer all general correspondence directed to the society, hold responsibility for the minutes of all meetings of Council and the Business Meeting of the general membership. This role is a 2-year commitment. Further details on this role can be found here: https://spnhc.org/what-spnhc-does/governance/leadership-manual/secretary/ *The role of Member-at-Large* is to represent the general membership in the conduct of society business and you will be asked to perform additional tasks by the President. These will include assisting with administrative duties and/or additional projects to further the work of the society. The position of Member-at-Large is a 3-year commitment. Further details on this role can be found here: https://spnhc.org/what-spnhc-does/governance/leadership-manual/member-at-large/ *Members can also self-nominate* so if you are enthusiastic, committed and inspired to make a difference to the SPNHC then please get involved! I will contact those nominated after the deadline has passed. Please send your nominations to me off-list at bethanypalumbo at gmail.com All the best, Bethany Palumbo, SPNHC Elections Committee Chair -- Bethany Palumbo, ACR Palumbo Conservation Services www.palumboconservation.com Twitter | @bethany_bug Instagram | @palumbo_conservation -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rinconrodriguezl at ufl.edu Wed Aug 11 10:57:34 2021 From: rinconrodriguezl at ufl.edu (Rincon Rodriguez,Laura) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 14:57:34 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Collections Lit Club- August meet up Message-ID: Hello everybody! Hola a todos! My name is Laura Rinc?n, a 2nd-year Museum Studies Master?s student at the University of Florida. The Collections Lit Club will have the next meet up on August 16th at 9:00 am EDT to discuss about the article titled, The Invisibility of Collections Care Work written by Kiersten Latham (she/her/hers) Download the reading from the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qEYCKcG6cRgiLORdFmr68QI5c-5RrXmw Join Zoom Meeting: https://ufl.zoom.us/j/91962666331 Meeting ID: 919 6266 6331 We encourage you to join us and meet people from other countries who are interested in collections too!! We won't continue recording our meet ups since our purpose is to offer safe places for everybody Stay tuned in our blog and check out more info about this initiative: https://collectionslitclub.wordpress.com Don't forget to bring your beverage of choice and snacks! Thanks! ?? Laura, Florencia and Chelsea Laura Rinc?n Museum Studies Graduate Student University of Florida ?I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel? Maya Angelou -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: litclub03.png Type: image/png Size: 181115 bytes Desc: litclub03.png URL: From wcrimm at waltcrimm.com Wed Aug 11 11:22:14 2021 From: wcrimm at waltcrimm.com (wcrimm at waltcrimm.com) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:22:14 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] list serve question Message-ID: Good Morning, On behalf of the RBCM, I am looking for recommendations and comments on long term storage for preservation of acetate peels taken from split fossils. 1. The current plan is that they will be stored in a humidity controlled cool vault after they are scanned. Anyone wanting to view the originals will view them in the cool vault. The cold vault concern is that they will be less accessible and need time to step down in temperature. 2. Should they be placed flat in acid free boxes with acid free separator (in individual envelopes or sheets) 3. Should they be on open shelves rather than in cabinets or will it make a difference? 4. Is any bagging recommended? Any recommendations would be appreciated. Thanks, Walt Crimm [logo] WALT CRIMM 6868 Scotforth Road Philadelphia, PA 19119 O 215-809-1115 M 215-805-4691 wcrimm at waltcrimm.com http://www.waltcrimm.com -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 6250 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From cearly at smm.org Wed Aug 11 12:48:03 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 11:48:03 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Sam, We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative solution, but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that has a large carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue because there aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are some opinion and popular press articles about it: https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the creators never seeing that money ( https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped to create? I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and ethical ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be monetizing digital models of our specimens and not the specimens themselves, but the digital models can only exist because we collect and care for the physical specimens. Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital models of the specimens? Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > Dear all, > > > > Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens > (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to > alert you to this potential funding mechanism. > > > > https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 > > > > NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few > communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I > don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. > And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, > unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we > need to do our jobs properly. > > > > It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid for > NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather than > genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, as a > community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund an > important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs during > the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for digitization. > > > > Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the concept > of VEROs to a broader audience. > > > > https://www.vero-nft.org/ > > > Best wishes to you all, > > > > Sam > > (contact details on the above link) > > > > P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 > million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were > originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the > only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting > a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it > because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and > wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., > holotypes). > > > > > https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From vdelnavaz at SBNATURE2.ORG Wed Aug 11 13:15:59 2021 From: vdelnavaz at SBNATURE2.ORG (Vanessa Delnavaz) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 17:15:59 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Temporary ventilation of alcohol storage Message-ID: Hi All, I was wondering if anyone has any solutions for temporary ventilation of an alcohol storage space while HVAC is offline for construction over a long period of time (i.e. months). Thank you, Vanessa Vanessa Delnavaz | Invertebrate Zoology Collection Manager 805-682-4711 ext. 146 | www.sbnature.org SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 805-682-4711 | Fax 805-569-3170 [SBMNH-Butterflies-Alive-728x90 (002)] Follow us: [fb][ig][twitter][youtube] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 13987 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Wed Aug 11 15:38:42 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2021 15:38:42 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Catherine, You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is why we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before we plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how that market can be responsibly sustained. *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that has a large carbon footprint. * If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be approved as VEROs through a smart contract. *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect to generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of museums. *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital models of the specimens? * Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that is not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand for long haul flights. Respectfully, Sam On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) wrote: > Hi Sam, > > We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative solution, > but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of some of the > concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that has a large > carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue because there > aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are some opinion > and popular press articles about it: > > https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 > > https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change > > There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the > media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the > creators never seeing that money ( > https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). > You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around > this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, > what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D > models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use > and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped > to create? > > I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and ethical > ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be monetizing > digital models of our specimens and not the specimens themselves, but the > digital models can only exist because we collect and care for the physical > specimens. Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a > certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? Will customs officials > accept that the specimens we import are priceless but carry no monetary > value if we then sell the rights to digital models of the specimens? > > Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of > biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and > because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before > diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. > > Best, > Catherine > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < > samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > >> Dear all, >> >> >> >> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens >> (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to >> alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >> >> >> >> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >> >> >> >> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >> need to do our jobs properly. >> >> >> >> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid for >> NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather than >> genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, as a >> community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund an >> important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs during >> the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for digitization. >> >> >> >> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the concept >> of VEROs to a broader audience. >> >> >> >> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >> >> >> Best wishes to you all, >> >> >> >> Sam >> >> (contact details on the above link) >> >> >> >> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >> holotypes). >> >> >> >> >> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From neumann at snsb.de Thu Aug 12 04:21:02 2021 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 10:21:02 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Temporary ventilation of alcohol storage In-Reply-To: <2554f3ea-dc0c-abec-8131-fabf96b0a49d@snsb.de> References: <2554f3ea-dc0c-abec-8131-fabf96b0a49d@snsb.de> Message-ID: <787b0c33-b6fb-5217-03f6-23f966e5dc79@snsb.de> Am 12.08.2021 um 09:50 schrieb Dirk Neumann: > Hi Vanessa, > > if the storage room is suited to stabilise temperature and relative > humidity, slow fluctuations are acceptable. We currently have a > similar situation here with renovations of our HVAC system, however, > because we lost the ambient air supply that was delivered through the > HVAC system into our storage spaces, we had major temperature issues > in the collection with temperatures dropping down to just 13?C in > winter - even though our collection is below surface level. > > Another issue might be cold outer walls if the HVAC is shut off, as > there could be a risk of mould growth if temperatures drop below the > Dew point and condensation appears (especially if walls are painted > with emulsion paint). Outer walls and bottom shelves should be > monitored carefully. Ventilation with normal fans to avoid > condensation and installation of dehumidifiers (which also move air) > is helpful. > > Great care should be taken with construction workers in the collection > - we had the case here that electricians tossed few jars (sad, but not > a drama), BUT they had their cable roller on the floor just below this > shelf, and there was a considerable alcohol spillage ... they were > really lucky, as was our collection. So be aware that the > subcontractor of the subcontractor is informed and adheres to safety > measures. > > Alcohol vapours should not be that much of an issue (this depends of > course on your seals and closures), but lowering the air exchange > rates and likely reducing temperatures because the HVAC is turned off > usually lowers the evaporation pressure inside jars as well. You could > think to install gas detectors that indicate and warn if alcohol > vapours would accumulate. Last winter, we opened the door to our > storage rooms when the museum was closed due to COVID and with the > exception of an emergency team staff was working from at home. We > placed the dehumidifiers in the door space to propel (warm) air into > storage spaces to at least stabilise temperatures around 14?C - which > worked fairly good. But of course, this wasn't a proper solution. > > This is a European view which might not be in line with the views and > requirements of US (fire prevention) regs, but the general concerns > are of course the same and I hope this is useful. > > > Dirk > > > Am 11.08.2021 um 19:15 schrieb Vanessa Delnavaz: >> >> Hi All, >> >> I was wondering if anyone has any solutions for temporary ventilation >> of an alcohol storage space while HVAC is offline for construction >> over a long period of time (i.e. months). >> >> Thank you, >> >> Vanessa >> >> *Vanessa Delnavaz | Invertebrate Zoology Collection Manager* >> >> 805-682-4711 ext. 146 | www.sbnature.org >> >> *SANTA BARBARA MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY* >> >> 2559 Puesta del Sol, Santa Barbara, CA 93105 >> >> 805-682-4711 | Fax 805-569-3170 >> >> SBMNH-Butterflies-Alive-728x90 (002) >> >> >> Follow us: >> fb ig >> twitter >> youtube >> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. Seehttp://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/ > -- 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... 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Name: oncbdofahmloldfc.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: bhcefcgmdblijjih.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From cearly at smm.org Thu Aug 12 09:38:10 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 08:38:10 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections Message-ID: Hi all, We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get me started? Thanks! Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From JMGAGNON at nature.ca Thu Aug 12 09:51:58 2021 From: JMGAGNON at nature.ca (Jean-Marc Gagnon) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 13:51:58 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXT] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Catherine, I encourage you to explore the resources available on the ISBER website (https://www.isber.org/) as a start, if you haven?t done so already. We also have some useful information on our Cryobank webpage (https://nature.ca/en/research-collections/collections/cryobank). Jean-Marc Jean-Marc Gagnon, Ph.D. (he/him/his) (il/lui) Curator, Invertebrate Collections / Chief Scientist Conservateur, Collection des invert?br?s / Expert scientifique en chef Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature 613 364 4066 613 851-7556 cell 613 364 4027 Fax jmgagnon at nature.ca Adresse postale / Postal Address: Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature P.O. Box 3443, Sta. D / Casier Postal 3443, Succ. D Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4 / Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4 Canada / Canada Adresse de livraison / Courier Address : 1740 Pink Road, Gatineau, QC, J9J 3N7 From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Catherine Early (she/her) Sent: August 12, 2021 9:38 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [EXT][Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections COURRIEL EXTERNE. Ne cliquez sur aucun lien ou pi?ce jointe ? moins que vous ne connaissiez l'exp?diteur. EXTERNAL EMAIL. Do not click any links or attachments unless you know the sender. Hi all, We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get me started? Thanks! Best, Catherine [https://smm.org/enews/2020/footer-2020-new.png] Catherine M. Early, PhD she/her Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. [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) [https://nature.ca/email/signatures/generic/cmn_generic.jpg] Emailfooter20201231_GetIntoEntrezDansLaNature. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From abentley at ku.edu Thu Aug 12 10:06:31 2021 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 14:06:31 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXT] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: There is also information on the SPNHC wiki on the subject: https://spnhc.biowikifarm.net/wiki/Tissue_Sample_Collection 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 Jean-Marc Gagnon Date: Thursday, August 12, 2021 at 8:53 AM To: "Catherine Early (she/her)" , "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXT] frozen tissue collections Catherine, I encourage you to explore the resources available on the ISBER website (https://www.isber.org/) as a start, if you haven?t done so already. We also have some useful information on our Cryobank webpage (https://nature.ca/en/research-collections/collections/cryobank). Jean-Marc Jean-Marc Gagnon, Ph.D. (he/him/his) (il/lui) Curator, Invertebrate Collections / Chief Scientist Conservateur, Collection des invert?br?s / Expert scientifique en chef Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature 613 364 4066 613 851-7556 cell 613 364 4027 Fax jmgagnon at nature.ca Adresse postale / Postal Address: Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature P.O. Box 3443, Sta. D / Casier Postal 3443, Succ. D Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4 / Ottawa, ON K1P 6P4 Canada / Canada Adresse de livraison / Courier Address : 1740 Pink Road, Gatineau, QC, J9J 3N7 From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Catherine Early (she/her) Sent: August 12, 2021 9:38 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [EXT][Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections COURRIEL EXTERNE. Ne cliquez sur aucun lien ou pi?ce jointe ? moins que vous ne connaissiez l'exp?diteur. EXTERNAL EMAIL. Do not click any links or attachments unless you know the sender. Hi all, We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get me started? Thanks! Best, Catherine [https://smm.org/enews/2020/footer-2020-new.png] Catherine M. Early, PhD she/her Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. [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) [https://nature.ca/email/signatures/generic/cmn_generic.jpg] Emailfooter20201231_GetIntoEntrezDansLaNature. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu Thu Aug 12 16:09:18 2021 From: cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu (Opitz, Cindy E) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 20:09:18 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] rehydrating dried bird skin: searching for old text or new resources Message-ID: Hello! Does anyone have access to this text? I can find citations but not the actual text. Summers. P. (1979). Relaxing and cleaning old cabinet bird skins. Guild of Taxidermists Newsletter, 4, 22-24. Or, can anyone suggest newer resources on rehydrating old, dried bird skin? My current application is for removing bones from a dried bird wing, without damaging the feathers. Can a 100-year-old skin be rehydrated for bone extraction? Cindy Opitz (she/her) Director of Research Collections Museum of Natural History and Old Capitol Museum Instructor, Museum Studies Certificate Program 11 Macbride Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Office: 319.335.0481 cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu pentacrestmuseums.uiowa.edu [cid:image001.png at 01D78F8C.054859A0] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 5678 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From tlabedz1 at unl.edu Thu Aug 12 17:05:08 2021 From: tlabedz1 at unl.edu (Thomas Labedz) Date: Thu, 12 Aug 2021 21:05:08 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] rehydrating dried bird skin: searching for old text or new resources In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: An annotated bibliography on preparation, taxidermy, and collection management of vertebrates with emphasis on birds. 1989. Carnegie Museum of Natural History Special Publication No. 15. Authors Stephen P. Rogers, Mary Ann Schmidt, Thomas G?tebier. Section X (pages 56-60). Washing, degreasing, relaxing, and remaking of skins. has 35 references. I think Stephen monitors this listserv and perhaps could inform if copies are still available, print or digital. And if he's collected new citations since then. Thomas Thomas E. Labedz (Mr.), Collections Manager Division of Zoology and Division of Botany University of Nebraska State Museum From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Opitz, Cindy E Sent: Thursday, August 12, 2021 3:09 PM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] rehydrating dried bird skin: searching for old text or new resources Non-NU Email ________________________________ Hello! Does anyone have access to this text? I can find citations but not the actual text. Summers. P. (1979). Relaxing and cleaning old cabinet bird skins. Guild of Taxidermists Newsletter, 4, 22-24. Or, can anyone suggest newer resources on rehydrating old, dried bird skin? My current application is for removing bones from a dried bird wing, without damaging the feathers. Can a 100-year-old skin be rehydrated for bone extraction? Cindy Opitz (she/her) Director of Research Collections Museum of Natural History and Old Capitol Museum Instructor, Museum Studies Certificate Program 11 Macbride Hall, Iowa City, Iowa 52242 Office: 319.335.0481 cindy-opitz at uiowa.edu pentacrestmuseums.uiowa.edu [cid:image001.png at 01D78F93.CB53F300] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 5678 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From cearly at smm.org Fri Aug 13 11:24:31 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 10:24:31 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Sam, I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens disappearing into private collections and has muddied the ethics of collecting. Maybe other lessons could come from that field as museums do sell casts of their specimens, and I'm not sure how that complicates things when private collectors donate specimens. Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and ethicists - perhaps even economists? - are consulted if the natural history collections community wants to explore this funding option. In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when funding is available without any of the complications that trading in NFTs may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local scientists from low GDP countries do not have the appropriate expertise to describe holotype species, which is a premise that I don't necessarily accept, then any profit from VEROs should go towards funding their training and the support of their collections, not towards digitizing more specimens so that scientists from wealthier countries can continue to build their careers on the biodiversity and work of collectors in low GDP countries. Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 2:38 PM Samuel Bolton < samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > Hi Catherine, > > You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is why > we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before we > plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how that > market can be responsibly sustained. > > *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of some > of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that has a > large carbon footprint. * > > If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and > morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should > only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens > rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot > of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small > carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close > to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable > business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a > small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should > outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. > > *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum > specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO > NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* > > We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a > reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will > therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be > approved as VEROs through a smart contract. > > *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a > certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* > > Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect to > generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to > medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to > rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing > dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of > museums. > > > *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are > priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital > models of the specimens? * > Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that is > not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. > But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it > almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. > Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater > advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which > include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to > generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. > High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an > appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are > minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in > the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be > less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of > VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand > for long haul flights. > > Respectfully, > > Sam > > On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > >> Hi Sam, >> >> We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative solution, >> but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of some of the >> concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that has a large >> carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue because there >> aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are some opinion >> and popular press articles about it: >> >> https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 >> >> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change >> >> There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the >> media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the >> creators never seeing that money ( >> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). >> You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around >> this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, >> what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D >> models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use >> and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped >> to create? >> >> I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and ethical >> ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be monetizing >> digital models of our specimens and not the specimens themselves, but the >> digital models can only exist because we collect and care for the physical >> specimens. Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a >> certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? Will customs officials >> accept that the specimens we import are priceless but carry no monetary >> value if we then sell the rights to digital models of the specimens? >> >> Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of >> biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and >> because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before >> diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. >> >> Best, >> Catherine >> >> >> >> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >> >> she/her >> >> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >> >> e: cearly at smm.org >> >> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >> >> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >> lives better, >> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >> equity. >> >> >> On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < >> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >> >>> Dear all, >>> >>> >>> >>> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens >>> (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to >>> alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >>> >>> >>> >>> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >>> >>> >>> >>> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >>> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >>> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >>> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >>> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >>> need to do our jobs properly. >>> >>> >>> >>> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid for >>> NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather than >>> genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, as a >>> community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund an >>> important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs during >>> the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for digitization. >>> >>> >>> >>> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the >>> concept of VEROs to a broader audience. >>> >>> >>> >>> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >>> >>> >>> Best wishes to you all, >>> >>> >>> >>> Sam >>> >>> (contact details on the above link) >>> >>> >>> >>> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >>> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >>> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >>> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >>> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >>> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >>> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >>> holotypes). >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >>> >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> 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. >>> >> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Fri Aug 13 12:21:25 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 12:21:25 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Catherine, My last point from my previous response was misinterpreted. I said that an expert anywhere in the world would be able to describe a 3D model once it is online, not only an expert from a wealthy country. In my field, entomology, there are estimated to be millions of undescribed species but there are not nearly enough experts within any single megadiverse country to describe them all. And in my particular field, acarology, a high proportion of the experts now live in Brazil and Iran (far more than in the USA). Given that many genera and families are globally distributed, how does an expert in Iran go about describing species from, say, Madagascar, when permits to collect in Madagascar are so hard to get? And by putting more 3D models of holotypes online from developed countries, the specialists in megadiverse countries will be able to compare their undescribed species with those holotypes. NFTs therefore could solve a major impediment in taxonomy for megadiverse countries, which is a lack of access to the vast majority of holotypes, many of which have been effectively poached from megadiverse countries by the most developed countries. I get more requests from Brazil to see my specimens than the whole of the developed world. It would be nice if I could provide them with a high-quality 3D model because loaning holotypes is a risky business. And if taxonomists attempt to be generalists that only describe fauna from their own country, this can and does result in a giant taxonomic mess, with the result being many unnecessary synonyms. It is better to allow experts anywhere in the world, including in undeveloped countries, to spread their geographical wings while also remaining as specialized as possible. VEROs provide a possible funding mechanism for this. I don?t see governments or donations providing the funding for this within a timeframe that is needed (although I don?t claim that VEROs definitely can provide the solution to this funding crisis either). We are witnessing a mass extinction and we need a way to know what is out there before much of it disappears. I hold out hope that the worst of climate change can be mitigated, but deforestation is rampant right now, and so we urgently need to find a way to fund the collection of specimens to generate 3D models or good quality 2D images so that we know what we are about to lose before we lose it. As far as fossils go, do VEROs not provide a possible solution to the monetization problem that you already possess, which is keeping specimens out of public collections so that neither academics nor the public can view them? Why would a private collector not seek to generate VEROs from their collection, assuming they can meet the requirements of the smart contract? And if they can?t meet the requirements, the VERO might be more valuable than the actual specimen because there are no storage or handling costs. Therefore, the collector might be tempted to donate the actual specimen to a public museum in exchange for the VERO. I don?t pretend VEROs provide answers to all our problems. And I am very glad we are having this discussion. This is precisely why we wrote the paper. Catherine, your input is greatly appreciated. Best wishes, Sam On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:24 AM Catherine Early (she/her) wrote: > Hi Sam, > > I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of > them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so > thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology > background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has > resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens disappearing > into private collections and has muddied the ethics of collecting. Maybe > other lessons could come from that field as museums do sell casts of their > specimens, and I'm not sure how that complicates things when private > collectors donate specimens. Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and > ethicists - perhaps even economists? - are consulted if the natural history > collections community wants to explore this funding option. > > In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the > benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D > digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when > funding is available without any of the complications that trading in NFTs > may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local scientists from > low GDP countries do not have the appropriate expertise to describe > holotype species, which is a premise that I don't necessarily accept, then > any profit from VEROs should go towards funding their training and the > support of their collections, not towards digitizing more specimens so that > scientists from wealthier countries can continue to build their careers on > the biodiversity and work of collectors in low GDP countries. > > Best, > Catherine > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 2:38 PM Samuel Bolton < > samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > >> Hi Catherine, >> >> You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is >> why we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before >> we plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how >> that market can be responsibly sustained. >> >> *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >> has a large carbon footprint. * >> >> If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and >> morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should >> only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens >> rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot >> of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small >> carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close >> to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable >> business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a >> small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should >> outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. >> >> *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum >> specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO >> NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* >> >> We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a >> reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will >> therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be >> approved as VEROs through a smart contract. >> >> *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a >> certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* >> >> Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect to >> generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to >> medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to >> rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing >> dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of >> museums. >> >> >> *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import >> are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to >> digital models of the specimens? * >> Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that is >> not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. >> But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it >> almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. >> Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater >> advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which >> include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to >> generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. >> High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an >> appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are >> minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in >> the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be >> less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of >> VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand >> for long haul flights. >> >> Respectfully, >> >> Sam >> >> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) < >> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >> >>> Hi Sam, >>> >>> We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative >>> solution, but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>> has a large carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue >>> because there aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are >>> some opinion and popular press articles about it: >>> >>> https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 >>> >>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change >>> >>> There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the >>> media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the >>> creators never seeing that money ( >>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). >>> You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around >>> this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, >>> what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D >>> models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use >>> and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped >>> to create? >>> >>> I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and ethical >>> ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be monetizing >>> digital models of our specimens and not the specimens themselves, but the >>> digital models can only exist because we collect and care for the physical >>> specimens. Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a >>> certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? Will customs officials >>> accept that the specimens we import are priceless but carry no monetary >>> value if we then sell the rights to digital models of the specimens? >>> >>> Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of >>> biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and >>> because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before >>> diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. >>> >>> Best, >>> Catherine >>> >>> >>> >>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>> >>> she/her >>> >>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>> >>> e: cearly at smm.org >>> >>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>> >>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >>> lives better, >>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >>> equity. >>> >>> >>> On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < >>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Dear all, >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens >>>> (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to >>>> alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >>>> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >>>> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >>>> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >>>> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >>>> need to do our jobs properly. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid >>>> for NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather >>>> than genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, >>>> as a community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund >>>> an important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs >>>> during the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for >>>> digitization. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the >>>> concept of VEROs to a broader audience. >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >>>> >>>> >>>> Best wishes to you all, >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> Sam >>>> >>>> (contact details on the above link) >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >>>> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >>>> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >>>> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >>>> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >>>> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >>>> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >>>> holotypes). >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >>>> >>>> >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> 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. >>>> >>> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cearly at smm.org Fri Aug 13 12:45:41 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:45:41 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Sam, Thanks very much for clarifying. I had interpreted it that way because that unfortunately is the way a lot of biodiversity research has gone. I'm very glad to see that was not your intent and that you are in fact hoping that VEROs could help balance out extractive and colonialist scientific practices. And it's clear that we agree on another important point: high-quality 3D digitization of holotypes and other rare specimens needs to be happening at a much faster rate than it currently is. I'm not sure if VEROs of fossils would ever be more valuable than the fossils themselves, even if you include the devaluation that storage and handling costs may add to fossils. Will celebrities who like decorating their homes with dinosaurs be satisfied with the rights to a digital model? If not, museums will continue to be outbid for those specimens. But I like your hopeful thinking and can understand the logic behind it. Thanks for the discussion! Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:21 AM Samuel Bolton < samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > Dear Catherine, > > My last point from my previous response was misinterpreted. I said that an > expert anywhere in the world would be able to describe a 3D model once it > is online, not only an expert from a wealthy country. In my field, > entomology, there are estimated to be millions of undescribed species but > there are not nearly enough experts within any single megadiverse country > to describe them all. And in my particular field, acarology, a high > proportion of the experts now live in Brazil and Iran (far more than in the > USA). Given that many genera and families are globally distributed, how > does an expert in Iran go about describing species from, say, Madagascar, > when permits to collect in Madagascar are so hard to get? > > And by putting more 3D models of holotypes online from developed > countries, the specialists in megadiverse countries will be able to compare > their undescribed species with those holotypes. NFTs therefore could solve > a major impediment in taxonomy for megadiverse countries, which is a lack > of access to the vast majority of holotypes, many of which have been > effectively poached from megadiverse countries by the most developed > countries. I get more requests from Brazil to see my specimens than the > whole of the developed world. It would be nice if I could provide them with > a high-quality 3D model because loaning holotypes is a risky business. > > And if taxonomists attempt to be generalists that only describe fauna from > their own country, this can and does result in a giant taxonomic mess, with > the result being many unnecessary synonyms. It is better to allow experts > anywhere in the world, including in undeveloped countries, to spread their > geographical wings while also remaining as specialized as possible. VEROs > provide a possible funding mechanism for this. I don?t see governments or > donations providing the funding for this within a timeframe that is needed > (although I don?t claim that VEROs definitely can provide the solution to > this funding crisis either). We are witnessing a mass extinction and we > need a way to know what is out there before much of it disappears. I hold > out hope that the worst of climate change can be mitigated, but > deforestation is rampant right now, and so we urgently need to find a way > to fund the collection of specimens to generate 3D models or good quality > 2D images so that we know what we are about to lose before we lose it. > > As far as fossils go, do VEROs not provide a possible solution to the > monetization problem that you already possess, which is keeping specimens > out of public collections so that neither academics nor the public can view > them? Why would a private collector not seek to generate VEROs from their > collection, assuming they can meet the requirements of the smart contract? > And if they can?t meet the requirements, the VERO might be more valuable > than the actual specimen because there are no storage or handling costs. > Therefore, the collector might be tempted to donate the actual specimen to > a public museum in exchange for the VERO. > > I don?t pretend VEROs provide answers to all our problems. And I am very > glad we are having this discussion. This is precisely why we wrote the > paper. Catherine, your input is greatly appreciated. > > Best wishes, > > Sam > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:24 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > >> Hi Sam, >> >> I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of >> them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so >> thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology >> background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has >> resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens disappearing >> into private collections and has muddied the ethics of collecting. Maybe >> other lessons could come from that field as museums do sell casts of their >> specimens, and I'm not sure how that complicates things when private >> collectors donate specimens. Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and >> ethicists - perhaps even economists? - are consulted if the natural history >> collections community wants to explore this funding option. >> >> In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the >> benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D >> digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when >> funding is available without any of the complications that trading in NFTs >> may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local scientists from >> low GDP countries do not have the appropriate expertise to describe >> holotype species, which is a premise that I don't necessarily accept, then >> any profit from VEROs should go towards funding their training and the >> support of their collections, not towards digitizing more specimens so that >> scientists from wealthier countries can continue to build their careers on >> the biodiversity and work of collectors in low GDP countries. >> >> Best, >> Catherine >> >> >> >> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >> >> she/her >> >> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >> >> e: cearly at smm.org >> >> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >> >> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >> lives better, >> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >> equity. >> >> >> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 2:38 PM Samuel Bolton < >> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >> >>> Hi Catherine, >>> >>> You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is >>> why we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before >>> we plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how >>> that market can be responsibly sustained. >>> >>> *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>> has a large carbon footprint. * >>> >>> If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and >>> morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should >>> only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens >>> rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot >>> of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small >>> carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close >>> to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable >>> business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a >>> small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should >>> outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. >>> >>> *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum >>> specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO >>> NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* >>> >>> We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a >>> reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will >>> therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be >>> approved as VEROs through a smart contract. >>> >>> *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate a >>> certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* >>> >>> Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect to >>> generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to >>> medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to >>> rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing >>> dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of >>> museums. >>> >>> >>> *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import >>> are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to >>> digital models of the specimens? * >>> Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that is >>> not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. >>> But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it >>> almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. >>> Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater >>> advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which >>> include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to >>> generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. >>> High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an >>> appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are >>> minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in >>> the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be >>> less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of >>> VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand >>> for long haul flights. >>> >>> Respectfully, >>> >>> Sam >>> >>> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) < >>> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Sam, >>>> >>>> We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative >>>> solution, but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>>> has a large carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue >>>> because there aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are >>>> some opinion and popular press articles about it: >>>> >>>> https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 >>>> >>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change >>>> >>>> There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the >>>> media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the >>>> creators never seeing that money ( >>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). >>>> You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around >>>> this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, >>>> what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D >>>> models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use >>>> and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped >>>> to create? >>>> >>>> I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and >>>> ethical ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be >>>> monetizing digital models of our specimens and not the specimens >>>> themselves, but the digital models can only exist because we collect and >>>> care for the physical specimens. Will funders and administrators expect >>>> museums to generate a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? >>>> Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are priceless >>>> but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital models of >>>> the specimens? >>>> >>>> Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of >>>> biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and >>>> because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before >>>> diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> Catherine >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>>> >>>> she/her >>>> >>>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>>> >>>> e: cearly at smm.org >>>> >>>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>>> >>>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >>>> lives better, >>>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice >>>> and equity. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < >>>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Dear all, >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible tokens >>>>> (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email is to >>>>> alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >>>>> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >>>>> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >>>>> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >>>>> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >>>>> need to do our jobs properly. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid >>>>> for NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather >>>>> than genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, >>>>> as a community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund >>>>> an important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs >>>>> during the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for >>>>> digitization. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the >>>>> concept of VEROs to a broader audience. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Best wishes to you all, >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> Sam >>>>> >>>>> (contact details on the above link) >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >>>>> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >>>>> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >>>>> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >>>>> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >>>>> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >>>>> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >>>>> holotypes). >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>> 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. >>>>> >>>> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cearly at smm.org Fri Aug 13 12:47:20 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:47:20 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Thanks to everyone who replied with resources! It's great to be part of a community of people so eager to help. Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 8:38 AM Catherine Early (she/her) wrote: > Hi all, > > We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our > specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our > collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm > really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own > research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get > me started? Thanks! > > Best, > Catherine > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dyanega at gmail.com Fri Aug 13 14:20:02 2021 From: dyanega at gmail.com (Douglas Yanega) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 11:20:02 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] caveats (was Re: VEROs) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <6be5940d-3ea9-9be2-4d5f-f7fd520f1f6a@gmail.com> Certain aspects of the discussion are a little beyond me, but other are not, so allow me to chime in: On 8/13/21 9:21 AM, Samuel Bolton wrote: > And by putting more 3D models of holotypes online from developed > countries, the specialists in megadiverse countries will be able to > compare their undescribed species with those holotypes. NFTs therefore > could solve a major impediment in taxonomy for megadiverse countries, > which is a lack of access to the vast majority of holotypes, many of > which have been effectively poached from megadiverse countries by the > most developed countries. I get more requests from Brazil to see my > specimens than the whole of the developed world. It would be nice if I > could provide them with a high-quality 3D model because loaning > holotypes is a risky business. Since I manage a collection of over 4 million arthropods, and am also an ICZN Commissioner, the process of describing new arthropod species is among my interests. There are at least two very serious issues that mitigate against the use of images as substitutes for physical specimens: (1) an increasing proportion of newly discovered and described taxa are morphologically cryptic, distinguishable from related taxa only by their DNA. Images of such species, no matter how good, will not help taxonomists; people describing new taxa in that group won't benefit from access to images, nor - in plain fact - will they benefit from traditional loans of types. Much of taxonomy is moving away from species delimitation based on externally visible characters, so the underlying premise is itself diminishing in relevance. Only groups that CAN'T use DNA (e.g. palaeontologists) are immune to this. (2) producing 3D images is not cheap or simple, nor is it guaranteed to produce images *useful* to an expert, EVEN IF external morphology is a viable diagnostic feature. For example, almost any group of organisms that is traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty certainly going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging, if only because most of the legacy specimens that one will need to use for synoptic comparison are going to be difficult or impossible to work with in this fashion (sometimes often grossly distorted in shape as well). Imagine that you want to compare several hundred unidentified specimens on slides to a holotype that is ALSO on a slide. Even if you are somehow able to generate 3D images of that type, it is actually not going to be truly helpful for what you need to do, because it's not genuinely *comparable* to the material you need to ID. A minor cautionary tale: starting about 20 or so years ago, we and a number of other collections that had begun to get swamped by bulk samples in ethanol, generated by things like malaise traps and berlese funnels, etc., found that various critical point drying techniques could give us VERY nice specimens that we could keep dry, on points, of taxa normally stored in ethanol or on slides. It seemed like something that could revolutionize taxonomy for those groups. When I showed point-mounted thrips, perfectly preserved, to one of the world's leading thrips experts, he sighed and informed me that the specimens were useless to him or anyone else, and could not be identified, until and unless they were cleared and put on slides. Our local spider expert did almost the exact same thing when confronted with point-mounted theridiids and salticids, saying that the species-level diagnostic features *couldn't be seen at all* in dry specimens. There were similar reactions to dried collembolans, aphids, etc. - basically, specimens that were *not directly comparable* to the existing reference material were nearly worthless. I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images of insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably NEVER be a major tool for the practice of taxonomy, no matter how good they are, or how cheaply they can be produced. For people managing a display-oriented natural history collection, however, they could be a FANTASTIC educational and aesthetic leap; so much biodiversity is too small to appreciate with the naked eye, but if you could make a working hologram of, say, a peacock mite, so it looks like it's 2 feet long, you can blow people away. > I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of > them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so > thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology > background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has > resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens > disappearing into private collections and has muddied the ethics of > collecting. Maybe other lessons could come from that field as museums > do sell casts of their specimens, and I'm not sure how that > complicates things when private collectors donate specimens. > Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and ethicists - perhaps even > economists? - are consulted if the natural history collections > community wants to explore this funding option. > > In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the > benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D > digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when > funding is available without any of the complications that trading in > NFTs may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local > scientists from low GDP countries do not have the appropriate > expertise to describe holotype species, which is a premise that I > don't necessarily accept, then any profit from VEROs should go towards > funding their training and the support of their collections, not > towards digitizing more specimens so that scientists from wealthier > countries can continue to build their careers on the biodiversity and > work of collectors in low GDP countries. I've given talks at international conferences about monetization of taxonomy, in the context of the selling or auctioning of "species naming rights". Most of the very significant caveats that apply in that context are universal, however, and *very* worrisome. Basically, if ANY part of the taxonomic enterprise is perceived as a source of significant revenue, then there will be pressure to *preferentially* exploit it, and this may happen even if the long-term consequences destroy the entire enterprise ("killing the golden goose"). Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of specimens or potentially new species. We collectively function as a community, for the most part, to everyone's mutual benefit. ANY pressure to monetize this work threatens that collaborative status quo, because it *will* foster increased competition. Yes, there is already some of this going on, and the system isn't perfect, but it's more than just a slippery slope; we're approaching the edge of a deep, dark pit, and we really need to be alert to the peril. Even things promoted with the best intentions, like the Nagoya Protocol, can have devastating consequences if taken to an extreme. Sincerely, -- Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 skype: dyanega phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's) https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Fri Aug 13 15:44:32 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 15:44:32 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Doug, you raise some interesting points. I must admit I disagree with some of them. *Doug Yanega: an increasing proportion of newly discovered and described taxa are morphologically cryptic?Much of taxonomy is moving away from species delimitation based on externally visible characters, so the underlying premise is itself diminishing in relevance.* I see your point about cryptic species, but if someone from Brazil can show a species that they have is clearly different from the nearest holotype in, say, North America, then there is no reason to worry about having to borrow the specimen. They might have cryptic species, but the issue of the holotype is no longer a major impediment to knowing if something is new or not. In this respect, 3D models are going to be useful. Moreover, it is not possible to readily obtain DNA from a lot of holotypes of extant species. This is a problem in my field because most of the holotypes are slide mounted mites, from which it is currently impossible to recover DNA. And if there are species that have been described based on only molecular data, that data will also be publicly available. But many people still describe species based on morphology alone, even for extant lineages. The point is that there should not be a mutually exclusive approach to the delimitation of species based on only one type of data. Morphology and molecular data actually complement each other. I also feel a little skeptical about cryptic species. I don?t deny them, but if there are no phenotypic differences that can be used to show that two geographically separate lineages are not reproductively isolated or have not diverged in terms of ecological niche, how meaningful are molecular differences (Freudenstein et al. 2017)? But perhaps most importantly of all, advances in molecular sequencing have dominated the conversation about species delimitation precisely because we don?t have good funding mechanisms for sharing morphological data. We may switch back to a more phenotypic perspective of how to delimit species once we have better morphological data to complement molecular data. *Doug Yanega: Producing 3D images is not cheap or simple? * Hence, we need a funding mechanism. Indeed, the paper is predicated on the technology being expensive, but not so expensive that the problem is definitely not possible to solve with VEROs. If you look at some of the NFTs that sell for millions of dollars, holotype VEROs seem like a bargain if they sell for 10, 000 dollars. *?nor is it guaranteed to produce images useful to an expert, EVEN IF external morphology is a viable diagnostic feature.* I must disagree. There is plenty of versatility in the way we can generate good quality 3D models. Admittedly, a lot of 3D modelling has involved substandard photogrammetry because more expensive tools such as confocal and CT are not affordable. But that?s where VEROs come in handy as a funding mechanism we hope. *Doug Yanega: *For example, almost any group of organisms that is traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty certainly going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging I must completely disagree with this, especially for freshly collected specimens. High quality 3D models can be generated from slide mounted specimens. Confocal microscopy is a good tool for this. Admittedly, for older specimens it is trickier but certainly not impossible. And I feel confident that advances will be made in this field. I am not sure why you think that specimens stored in liquid cannot be used to generate 3D models. *Doug Yanega: I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images of insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably NEVER be a major tool for the practice of taxonomy.* I don?t buy this argument. Advances in confocal z-stacking, photogrammetry, micro-CT, etc. mean that high resolution models of insects can now be generated. I admit that for insects, photogrammetry is not always ideal, but advances are definitely occurring in this field. I spend a considerable proportion of my time looking at confocal 3D models precisely because 2D (based on DIC or phase contrast) images just do not cut it. *Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of specimens or potentially new species.* But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. Thanks very much for adding your input to this discussion, Doug. Best, Sam Reference: Freudenstein, J.V., Broe, M.B., Folk, R.A. & Sinn, B.T. 2017. Biodiversity and the species concept??Lineages are not enough. Systematic Biology, 66, 644?656. On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 12:45 PM Catherine Early (she/her) wrote: > Hi Sam, > > Thanks very much for clarifying. I had interpreted it that way because > that unfortunately is the way a lot of biodiversity research has gone. I'm > very glad to see that was not your intent and that you are in fact hoping > that VEROs could help balance out extractive and colonialist scientific > practices. And it's clear that we agree on another important point: > high-quality 3D digitization of holotypes and other rare specimens needs to > be happening at a much faster rate than it currently is. > > I'm not sure if VEROs of fossils would ever be more valuable than the > fossils themselves, even if you include the devaluation that storage and > handling costs may add to fossils. Will celebrities who like decorating > their homes with dinosaurs be satisfied with the rights to a digital model? > If not, museums will continue to be outbid for those specimens. But I like > your hopeful thinking and can understand the logic behind it. > > Thanks for the discussion! > > Best, > Catherine > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:21 AM Samuel Bolton < > samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > >> Dear Catherine, >> >> My last point from my previous response was misinterpreted. I said that >> an expert anywhere in the world would be able to describe a 3D model once >> it is online, not only an expert from a wealthy country. In my field, >> entomology, there are estimated to be millions of undescribed species but >> there are not nearly enough experts within any single megadiverse country >> to describe them all. And in my particular field, acarology, a high >> proportion of the experts now live in Brazil and Iran (far more than in the >> USA). Given that many genera and families are globally distributed, how >> does an expert in Iran go about describing species from, say, Madagascar, >> when permits to collect in Madagascar are so hard to get? >> >> And by putting more 3D models of holotypes online from developed >> countries, the specialists in megadiverse countries will be able to compare >> their undescribed species with those holotypes. NFTs therefore could solve >> a major impediment in taxonomy for megadiverse countries, which is a lack >> of access to the vast majority of holotypes, many of which have been >> effectively poached from megadiverse countries by the most developed >> countries. I get more requests from Brazil to see my specimens than the >> whole of the developed world. It would be nice if I could provide them with >> a high-quality 3D model because loaning holotypes is a risky business. >> >> And if taxonomists attempt to be generalists that only describe fauna >> from their own country, this can and does result in a giant taxonomic mess, >> with the result being many unnecessary synonyms. It is better to allow >> experts anywhere in the world, including in undeveloped countries, to >> spread their geographical wings while also remaining as specialized as >> possible. VEROs provide a possible funding mechanism for this. I don?t see >> governments or donations providing the funding for this within a timeframe >> that is needed (although I don?t claim that VEROs definitely can provide >> the solution to this funding crisis either). We are witnessing a mass >> extinction and we need a way to know what is out there before much of it >> disappears. I hold out hope that the worst of climate change can be >> mitigated, but deforestation is rampant right now, and so we urgently need >> to find a way to fund the collection of specimens to generate 3D models or >> good quality 2D images so that we know what we are about to lose before we >> lose it. >> >> As far as fossils go, do VEROs not provide a possible solution to the >> monetization problem that you already possess, which is keeping specimens >> out of public collections so that neither academics nor the public can view >> them? Why would a private collector not seek to generate VEROs from their >> collection, assuming they can meet the requirements of the smart contract? >> And if they can?t meet the requirements, the VERO might be more valuable >> than the actual specimen because there are no storage or handling costs. >> Therefore, the collector might be tempted to donate the actual specimen to >> a public museum in exchange for the VERO. >> >> I don?t pretend VEROs provide answers to all our problems. And I am very >> glad we are having this discussion. This is precisely why we wrote the >> paper. Catherine, your input is greatly appreciated. >> >> Best wishes, >> >> Sam >> >> On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:24 AM Catherine Early (she/her) < >> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >> >>> Hi Sam, >>> >>> I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of >>> them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so >>> thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology >>> background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has >>> resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens disappearing >>> into private collections and has muddied the ethics of collecting. Maybe >>> other lessons could come from that field as museums do sell casts of their >>> specimens, and I'm not sure how that complicates things when private >>> collectors donate specimens. Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and >>> ethicists - perhaps even economists? - are consulted if the natural history >>> collections community wants to explore this funding option. >>> >>> In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the >>> benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D >>> digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when >>> funding is available without any of the complications that trading in NFTs >>> may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local scientists from >>> low GDP countries do not have the appropriate expertise to describe >>> holotype species, which is a premise that I don't necessarily accept, then >>> any profit from VEROs should go towards funding their training and the >>> support of their collections, not towards digitizing more specimens so that >>> scientists from wealthier countries can continue to build their careers on >>> the biodiversity and work of collectors in low GDP countries. >>> >>> Best, >>> Catherine >>> >>> >>> >>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>> >>> she/her >>> >>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>> >>> e: cearly at smm.org >>> >>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>> >>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >>> lives better, >>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >>> equity. >>> >>> >>> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 2:38 PM Samuel Bolton < >>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Catherine, >>>> >>>> You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is >>>> why we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before >>>> we plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how >>>> that market can be responsibly sustained. >>>> >>>> *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>>> has a large carbon footprint. * >>>> >>>> If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and >>>> morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should >>>> only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens >>>> rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot >>>> of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small >>>> carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close >>>> to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable >>>> business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a >>>> small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should >>>> outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. >>>> >>>> *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum >>>> specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO >>>> NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* >>>> >>>> We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a >>>> reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will >>>> therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be >>>> approved as VEROs through a smart contract. >>>> >>>> *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate >>>> a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* >>>> >>>> Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect to >>>> generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to >>>> medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to >>>> rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing >>>> dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of >>>> museums. >>>> >>>> >>>> *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import >>>> are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to >>>> digital models of the specimens? * >>>> Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that is >>>> not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. >>>> But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it >>>> almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. >>>> Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater >>>> advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which >>>> include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to >>>> generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. >>>> High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an >>>> appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are >>>> minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in >>>> the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be >>>> less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of >>>> VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand >>>> for long haul flights. >>>> >>>> Respectfully, >>>> >>>> Sam >>>> >>>> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) < >>>> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Sam, >>>>> >>>>> We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative >>>>> solution, but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>>>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>>>> has a large carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue >>>>> because there aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are >>>>> some opinion and popular press articles about it: >>>>> >>>>> https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 >>>>> >>>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change >>>>> >>>>> There have also been issues with people other than the creators of the >>>>> media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the >>>>> creators never seeing that money ( >>>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). >>>>> You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around >>>>> this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, >>>>> what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D >>>>> models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use >>>>> and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped >>>>> to create? >>>>> >>>>> I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and >>>>> ethical ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be >>>>> monetizing digital models of our specimens and not the specimens >>>>> themselves, but the digital models can only exist because we collect and >>>>> care for the physical specimens. Will funders and administrators expect >>>>> museums to generate a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? >>>>> Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are priceless >>>>> but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital models of >>>>> the specimens? >>>>> >>>>> Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of >>>>> biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and >>>>> because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before >>>>> diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. >>>>> >>>>> Best, >>>>> Catherine >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>>>> >>>>> she/her >>>>> >>>>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>>>> >>>>> e: cearly at smm.org >>>>> >>>>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>>>> >>>>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to >>>>> make lives better, >>>>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice >>>>> and equity. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < >>>>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Dear all, >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible >>>>>> tokens (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email >>>>>> is to alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >>>>>> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >>>>>> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >>>>>> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >>>>>> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >>>>>> need to do our jobs properly. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid >>>>>> for NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather >>>>>> than genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, >>>>>> as a community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund >>>>>> an important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs >>>>>> during the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for >>>>>> digitization. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the >>>>>> concept of VEROs to a broader audience. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Best wishes to you all, >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> Sam >>>>>> >>>>>> (contact details on the above link) >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >>>>>> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >>>>>> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >>>>>> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >>>>>> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >>>>>> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >>>>>> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >>>>>> holotypes). >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>> 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. >>>>>> >>>>> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From dyanega at gmail.com Fri Aug 13 17:27:38 2021 From: dyanega at gmail.com (Douglas Yanega) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 14:27:38 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <772a27d5-bcce-af48-2ef8-d04278110597@gmail.com> On 8/13/21 12:44 PM, Samuel Bolton wrote: > > /Doug Yanega: /For example, almost any group of organisms that is > traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty > certainly going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging > > I must completely disagree with this, especially for freshly collected > specimens. High quality 3D models can be generated from slide mounted > specimens. Confocal microscopy is a good tool for this. Admittedly, > for older specimens it is trickier but certainly not impossible. And I > feel confident that advances will be made in this field. I am not sure > why you think that specimens stored in liquid cannot be used to > generate 3D models. > It's a matter of practicality (and probability). A fair proportion of extant invertebrate holotypes stored in liquid are too delicate to remove from their containers, and taking images of the specimens while still in their containers is difficult enough with regular photographic tools (dealing with image distortion, movement of fluid, lighting, and other complicating factors) - I doubt that applying 3D techniques will improve matters significantly under these circumstances. Many are badly deteriorated, or bloated, or shriveled. Also, you didn't respond directly to the basic point I made about comparability, perhaps because I wasn't quite as explicit as I could have been in the following way: if a type specimen is preserved in a manner different from specimens that you want to compare to it, or if it is in poor condition, then a 3D image of that type will neither make comparisons easier, nor will it improve your ability to use the specimen as a point of reference given its condition. This is *far more likely* to be true for specimens stored in liquid or on slides than it is for dry specimens. Just because you can MAKE a 3D image doesn't mean that image will be significantly more useful than a regular photo, and if it *isn't* more useful than an regular photo, then - for taxonomy - it isn't cost-effective unless 3D images are as cheap as (or cheaper than) regular photos. By extension, this applies to ANY species for which a conventional photo of the type is suitable for taxonomic work; if a regular photo will do, then you are arguing for something that isn't *needed*, nor cost-effective. Sure, if you have money to burn, then great, but much of taxonomy is a zero-sum game, where every dollar spent on X means a dollar less to do Y. Again, I agree that a 3D image of every holotype in existence would be great, but you haven't, I think, made a convincing case that 3D images offer a unique benefit that justifies the extra expense. If we had wealthy patrons lining up to give millions of dollars for VEROs, then that money would arguably be better spent hiring people to process bulk sample backlog from biodiversity hotspots, and THAT would be the sales pitch we'd want to be making, because that's the biggest bottleneck in overall species discovery; not that images of types aren't *A* bottleneck, but that's not where the most serious impediments lie. Our biggest impediments are labor for processing, and expertise. If there are no new specimens to study, you don't need experts, and if you don't have experts, you don't need type images. > /Doug Yanega: I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images > of insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably > NEVER be a major tool for the practice of taxonomy./ > > I don?t buy this argument. Advances in confocal z-stacking, > photogrammetry, micro-CT, etc. mean that high resolution models of > insects can now be generated. I admit that for insects, photogrammetry > is not always ideal, but advances are definitely occurring in this > field. I spend a considerable proportion of my time looking at > confocal 3D models precisely because 2D (based on DIC or phase > contrast) images just do not cut it. > I didn't say that it would never be useful, just that it would never be a *major tool*. SEMs were definitely a huge advance for certain disciplines of taxonomy, but it's not a major tool used by taxonomists, even now - most campuses I know of have an SEM facility, and the costs are not outrageous, but even though the technology is readily accessible, it's still used primarily in special circumstances or *when nothing else will do what is needed*. Likewise, I can't think of many situations where *only* a 3D image would serve a taxonomist's purpose. Something that is only used by a small number of taxonomists *could* still be important for those that use it, but it's still a minor part of the collective taxonomic toolkit. > /Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just > put a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly > anywhere in the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and > no one bats an eye, including our administrators, even if it involves > thousands of specimens or potentially new species./ > > But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved > around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. > It seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. > "Better" isn't the same as "necessary". Insect specimens on pins are exceedingly fragile, and no one LIKES to put them in the mail, but - again - if that's the problem we are looking to solve, then you need to make the case that 3D images offer something that regular photos *can't*. Also, bear in mind that most loans are of unidentified material, or of synoptic material, and NOT of holotypes. You can't expect any entomology collection, when asked to send a loan of 20,000 specimens of taxon X, to take 3D images of all 20,000 specimens. We are NEVER going to be free of the need to make loans. Even if we limit the discussion to types: as it stands, only a moderate portion of the world's collections contain more than a relative handful of primary types, and of those, only a moderate portion have even been able to provide online access to ANY digital images of their holdings. Making that process *more expensive* and technically more challenging is not going to speed the process up. The insect collection I manage is the 20th largest in the US (with some 4 million specimens), and it took us until 2016 to get money to hire a grad student to take digital images of our types using an automontage system belonging to their faculty adviser, who had bought the system on a grant. Failing that, we would STILL not have any type images online. I really do get where you're coming from, but when you're fighting an uphill battle, you look for things that will make the road easier, not harder. Peace, -- Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 skype: dyanega phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's) https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From matthewbrown at utexas.edu Fri Aug 13 19:02:27 2021 From: matthewbrown at utexas.edu (Brown, Matthew A) Date: Fri, 13 Aug 2021 23:02:27 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: <772a27d5-bcce-af48-2ef8-d04278110597@gmail.com> References: <772a27d5-bcce-af48-2ef8-d04278110597@gmail.com> Message-ID: I completely agree with everything Doug says, but I wonder if the snippet below might be the most important point and I think part of it is at risk of getting lost in the discussion. Specimens will always need to be moved around, and if you?re a customs officer who sees that a similar specimen crossing an international boundary just had digital rights sold for X number of dollars, the ?scientific specimen, no monetary value? statement that we stick on the declaration form starts to look more than a little suspect. Best, Matt Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of specimens or potentially new species. But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. On Aug 13, 2021, at 4:27 PM, Douglas Yanega > wrote: On 8/13/21 12:44 PM, Samuel Bolton wrote: Doug Yanega: For example, almost any group of organisms that is traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty certainly going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging I must completely disagree with this, especially for freshly collected specimens. High quality 3D models can be generated from slide mounted specimens. Confocal microscopy is a good tool for this. Admittedly, for older specimens it is trickier but certainly not impossible. And I feel confident that advances will be made in this field. I am not sure why you think that specimens stored in liquid cannot be used to generate 3D models. It's a matter of practicality (and probability). A fair proportion of extant invertebrate holotypes stored in liquid are too delicate to remove from their containers, and taking images of the specimens while still in their containers is difficult enough with regular photographic tools (dealing with image distortion, movement of fluid, lighting, and other complicating factors) - I doubt that applying 3D techniques will improve matters significantly under these circumstances. Many are badly deteriorated, or bloated, or shriveled. Also, you didn't respond directly to the basic point I made about comparability, perhaps because I wasn't quite as explicit as I could have been in the following way: if a type specimen is preserved in a manner different from specimens that you want to compare to it, or if it is in poor condition, then a 3D image of that type will neither make comparisons easier, nor will it improve your ability to use the specimen as a point of reference given its condition. This is far more likely to be true for specimens stored in liquid or on slides than it is for dry specimens. Just because you can MAKE a 3D image doesn't mean that image will be significantly more useful than a regular photo, and if it isn't more useful than an regular photo, then - for taxonomy - it isn't cost-effective unless 3D images are as cheap as (or cheaper than) regular photos. By extension, this applies to ANY species for which a conventional photo of the type is suitable for taxonomic work; if a regular photo will do, then you are arguing for something that isn't needed, nor cost-effective. Sure, if you have money to burn, then great, but much of taxonomy is a zero-sum game, where every dollar spent on X means a dollar less to do Y. Again, I agree that a 3D image of every holotype in existence would be great, but you haven't, I think, made a convincing case that 3D images offer a unique benefit that justifies the extra expense. If we had wealthy patrons lining up to give millions of dollars for VEROs, then that money would arguably be better spent hiring people to process bulk sample backlog from biodiversity hotspots, and THAT would be the sales pitch we'd want to be making, because that's the biggest bottleneck in overall species discovery; not that images of types aren't *A* bottleneck, but that's not where the most serious impediments lie. Our biggest impediments are labor for processing, and expertise. If there are no new specimens to study, you don't need experts, and if you don't have experts, you don't need type images. Doug Yanega: I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images of insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably NEVER be a major tool for the practice of taxonomy. I don?t buy this argument. Advances in confocal z-stacking, photogrammetry, micro-CT, etc. mean that high resolution models of insects can now be generated. I admit that for insects, photogrammetry is not always ideal, but advances are definitely occurring in this field. I spend a considerable proportion of my time looking at confocal 3D models precisely because 2D (based on DIC or phase contrast) images just do not cut it. I didn't say that it would never be useful, just that it would never be a major tool. SEMs were definitely a huge advance for certain disciplines of taxonomy, but it's not a major tool used by taxonomists, even now - most campuses I know of have an SEM facility, and the costs are not outrageous, but even though the technology is readily accessible, it's still used primarily in special circumstances or when nothing else will do what is needed. Likewise, I can't think of many situations where only a 3D image would serve a taxonomist's purpose. Something that is only used by a small number of taxonomists could still be important for those that use it, but it's still a minor part of the collective taxonomic toolkit. Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of specimens or potentially new species. But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. "Better" isn't the same as "necessary". Insect specimens on pins are exceedingly fragile, and no one LIKES to put them in the mail, but - again - if that's the problem we are looking to solve, then you need to make the case that 3D images offer something that regular photos can't. Also, bear in mind that most loans are of unidentified material, or of synoptic material, and NOT of holotypes. You can't expect any entomology collection, when asked to send a loan of 20,000 specimens of taxon X, to take 3D images of all 20,000 specimens. We are NEVER going to be free of the need to make loans. Even if we limit the discussion to types: as it stands, only a moderate portion of the world's collections contain more than a relative handful of primary types, and of those, only a moderate portion have even been able to provide online access to ANY digital images of their holdings. Making that process more expensive and technically more challenging is not going to speed the process up. The insect collection I manage is the 20th largest in the US (with some 4 million specimens), and it took us until 2016 to get money to hire a grad student to take digital images of our types using an automontage system belonging to their faculty adviser, who had bought the system on a grant. Failing that, we would STILL not have any type images online. I really do get where you're coming from, but when you're fighting an uphill battle, you look for things that will make the road easier, not harder. Peace, -- Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 skype: dyanega phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's) https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82 _______________________________________________ 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. This message is from an external sender. Learn more about why this << matters at https://links.utexas.edu/rtyclf. << -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Sat Aug 14 15:01:00 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2021 15:01:00 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Doug, I fear I may have not made the main point of our paper very clear. VEROs are to make funds, not use them up. You don?t necessarily need to channel those funds into creating more 3D models if you don?t want to. But if you already have 3D models, then why not? We have the infrastructure in place (public databases, unique identifiers, etc.) and NFTs, namely the ERC-721 standard, provide the vehicle for VEROs. Setting up a smart contract will be comparatively easy compared to convincing patrons to give you tens of millions of dollars to address a bulk sample backlog. Given that Jack Dorsey?s first tweet sold for almost three million dollars, are VEROs not worth considering? Investors and collectors gravitate towards rare things, and VEROs are more interesting to collect than Bitcoin. And if it turns out we can generate more funds than many expected, we can channel that money into the production of more VEROs. And so the system becomes self perpetuating. By the way, we just added our first blog entry to our new website, for anyone that is interested. https://www.vero-nft.org/blog-1/what-exactly-is-a-vero-and-how-can-you-own-one Best, Sam P.S. Sorry I cannot respond to your email directly. My main email is not recognized for some reason by the list server. And so I am responding to an earlier part of the thread. On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 3:44 PM Samuel Bolton < samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: > Dear Doug, you raise some interesting points. I must admit I disagree with > some of them. > > *Doug Yanega: an increasing proportion of newly discovered and described > taxa are morphologically cryptic?Much of taxonomy is moving away from > species delimitation based on externally visible characters, so the > underlying premise is itself diminishing in relevance.* > > I see your point about cryptic species, but if someone from Brazil can > show a species that they have is clearly different from the nearest > holotype in, say, North America, then there is no reason to worry about > having to borrow the specimen. They might have cryptic species, but the > issue of the holotype is no longer a major impediment to knowing if > something is new or not. In this respect, 3D models are going to be useful. > > Moreover, it is not possible to readily obtain DNA from a lot of holotypes > of extant species. This is a problem in my field because most of the > holotypes are slide mounted mites, from which it is currently impossible to > recover DNA. And if there are species that have been described based on > only molecular data, that data will also be publicly available. But many > people still describe species based on morphology alone, even for extant > lineages. The point is that there should not be a mutually exclusive > approach to the delimitation of species based on only one type of data. > Morphology and molecular data actually complement each other. > > I also feel a little skeptical about cryptic species. I don?t deny them, > but if there are no phenotypic differences that can be used to show that > two geographically separate lineages are not reproductively isolated or > have not diverged in terms of ecological niche, how meaningful are > molecular differences (Freudenstein et al. 2017)? But perhaps most > importantly of all, advances in molecular sequencing have dominated the > conversation about species delimitation precisely because we don?t have > good funding mechanisms for sharing morphological data. We may switch back > to a more phenotypic perspective of how to delimit species once we have > better morphological data to complement molecular data. > > *Doug Yanega: Producing 3D images is not cheap or simple? * > > Hence, we need a funding mechanism. Indeed, the paper is predicated on the > technology being expensive, but not so expensive that the problem is > definitely not possible to solve with VEROs. If you look at some of the > NFTs that sell for millions of dollars, holotype VEROs seem like a bargain > if they sell for 10, 000 dollars. > > *?nor is it guaranteed to produce images useful to an expert, EVEN IF > external morphology is a viable diagnostic feature.* > > I must disagree. There is plenty of versatility in the way we can generate > good quality 3D models. Admittedly, a lot of 3D modelling has involved > substandard photogrammetry because more expensive tools such as confocal > and CT are not affordable. But that?s where VEROs come in handy as a > funding mechanism we hope. > > *Doug Yanega: *For example, almost any group of organisms that is > traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty certainly > going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging > > I must completely disagree with this, especially for freshly collected > specimens. High quality 3D models can be generated from slide mounted > specimens. Confocal microscopy is a good tool for this. Admittedly, for > older specimens it is trickier but certainly not impossible. And I feel > confident that advances will be made in this field. I am not sure why you > think that specimens stored in liquid cannot be used to generate 3D models. > > *Doug Yanega: I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images of > insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably NEVER be > a major tool for the practice of taxonomy.* > > I don?t buy this argument. Advances in confocal z-stacking, > photogrammetry, micro-CT, etc. mean that high resolution models of insects > can now be generated. I admit that for insects, photogrammetry is not > always ideal, but advances are definitely occurring in this field. I spend > a considerable proportion of my time looking at confocal 3D models > precisely because 2D (based on DIC or phase contrast) images just do not > cut it. > > *Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put > a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in > the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an > eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of > specimens or potentially new species.* > > But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved > around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It > seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. > > Thanks very much for adding your input to this discussion, Doug. > > Best, > > Sam > > > > Reference: > > Freudenstein, J.V., Broe, M.B., Folk, R.A. & Sinn, B.T. 2017. Biodiversity > and the species concept??Lineages are not enough. Systematic Biology, 66, > 644?656. > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 12:45 PM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > >> Hi Sam, >> >> Thanks very much for clarifying. I had interpreted it that way because >> that unfortunately is the way a lot of biodiversity research has gone. I'm >> very glad to see that was not your intent and that you are in fact hoping >> that VEROs could help balance out extractive and colonialist scientific >> practices. And it's clear that we agree on another important point: >> high-quality 3D digitization of holotypes and other rare specimens needs to >> be happening at a much faster rate than it currently is. >> >> I'm not sure if VEROs of fossils would ever be more valuable than the >> fossils themselves, even if you include the devaluation that storage and >> handling costs may add to fossils. Will celebrities who like decorating >> their homes with dinosaurs be satisfied with the rights to a digital model? >> If not, museums will continue to be outbid for those specimens. But I like >> your hopeful thinking and can understand the logic behind it. >> >> Thanks for the discussion! >> >> Best, >> Catherine >> >> >> >> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >> >> she/her >> >> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >> >> e: cearly at smm.org >> >> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >> >> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >> lives better, >> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >> equity. >> >> >> On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:21 AM Samuel Bolton < >> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >> >>> Dear Catherine, >>> >>> My last point from my previous response was misinterpreted. I said that >>> an expert anywhere in the world would be able to describe a 3D model once >>> it is online, not only an expert from a wealthy country. In my field, >>> entomology, there are estimated to be millions of undescribed species but >>> there are not nearly enough experts within any single megadiverse country >>> to describe them all. And in my particular field, acarology, a high >>> proportion of the experts now live in Brazil and Iran (far more than in the >>> USA). Given that many genera and families are globally distributed, how >>> does an expert in Iran go about describing species from, say, Madagascar, >>> when permits to collect in Madagascar are so hard to get? >>> >>> And by putting more 3D models of holotypes online from developed >>> countries, the specialists in megadiverse countries will be able to compare >>> their undescribed species with those holotypes. NFTs therefore could solve >>> a major impediment in taxonomy for megadiverse countries, which is a lack >>> of access to the vast majority of holotypes, many of which have been >>> effectively poached from megadiverse countries by the most developed >>> countries. I get more requests from Brazil to see my specimens than the >>> whole of the developed world. It would be nice if I could provide them with >>> a high-quality 3D model because loaning holotypes is a risky business. >>> >>> And if taxonomists attempt to be generalists that only describe fauna >>> from their own country, this can and does result in a giant taxonomic mess, >>> with the result being many unnecessary synonyms. It is better to allow >>> experts anywhere in the world, including in undeveloped countries, to >>> spread their geographical wings while also remaining as specialized as >>> possible. VEROs provide a possible funding mechanism for this. I don?t see >>> governments or donations providing the funding for this within a timeframe >>> that is needed (although I don?t claim that VEROs definitely can provide >>> the solution to this funding crisis either). We are witnessing a mass >>> extinction and we need a way to know what is out there before much of it >>> disappears. I hold out hope that the worst of climate change can be >>> mitigated, but deforestation is rampant right now, and so we urgently need >>> to find a way to fund the collection of specimens to generate 3D models or >>> good quality 2D images so that we know what we are about to lose before we >>> lose it. >>> >>> As far as fossils go, do VEROs not provide a possible solution to the >>> monetization problem that you already possess, which is keeping specimens >>> out of public collections so that neither academics nor the public can view >>> them? Why would a private collector not seek to generate VEROs from their >>> collection, assuming they can meet the requirements of the smart contract? >>> And if they can?t meet the requirements, the VERO might be more valuable >>> than the actual specimen because there are no storage or handling costs. >>> Therefore, the collector might be tempted to donate the actual specimen to >>> a public museum in exchange for the VERO. >>> >>> I don?t pretend VEROs provide answers to all our problems. And I am very >>> glad we are having this discussion. This is precisely why we wrote the >>> paper. Catherine, your input is greatly appreciated. >>> >>> Best wishes, >>> >>> Sam >>> >>> On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:24 AM Catherine Early (she/her) < >>> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >>> >>>> Hi Sam, >>>> >>>> I'm still unsettled by moves to monetize specimens, even 3D models of >>>> them, but I appreciate you taking the time to address my concerns so >>>> thoroughly. It could be because I come from a vertebrate paleontology >>>> background, where the monetization of beautiful or rare fossils has >>>> resulted in potentially scientifically important specimens disappearing >>>> into private collections and has muddied the ethics of collecting. Maybe >>>> other lessons could come from that field as museums do sell casts of their >>>> specimens, and I'm not sure how that complicates things when private >>>> collectors donate specimens. Regardless, I do hope that lawyers and >>>> ethicists - perhaps even economists? - are consulted if the natural history >>>> collections community wants to explore this funding option. >>>> >>>> In response to your last paragraph, I would point out that all of the >>>> benefits of VEROs that you list are actually just benefits of 3D >>>> digitization of specimens, so those benefits could and do occur when >>>> funding is available without any of the complications that trading in NFTs >>>> may introduce. If VEROs do take off, I think that if local scientists from >>>> low GDP countries do not have the appropriate expertise to describe >>>> holotype species, which is a premise that I don't necessarily accept, then >>>> any profit from VEROs should go towards funding their training and the >>>> support of their collections, not towards digitizing more specimens so that >>>> scientists from wealthier countries can continue to build their careers on >>>> the biodiversity and work of collectors in low GDP countries. >>>> >>>> Best, >>>> Catherine >>>> >>>> >>>> >>>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>>> >>>> she/her >>>> >>>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>>> >>>> e: cearly at smm.org >>>> >>>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>>> >>>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >>>> lives better, >>>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice >>>> and equity. >>>> >>>> >>>> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 2:38 PM Samuel Bolton < >>>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>>> >>>>> Hi Catherine, >>>>> >>>>> You make a lot of good points, and there are potential risks, which is >>>>> why we think the correct thing to do is to see if the market exists before >>>>> we plunge in. If there is a market, then it's important to understand how >>>>> that market can be responsibly sustained. >>>>> >>>>> *Catherine: I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>>>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>>>> has a large carbon footprint. * >>>>> >>>>> If the Blockchain networks consume more energy than is sustainable and >>>>> morally reasonable, then the endeavor should not be pursued or there should >>>>> only be a small number of VEROs based on the most important type specimens >>>>> rather than large numbers of less important specimens. This generates a lot >>>>> of monetary value for a relatively small amount of effort and a small >>>>> carbon footprint. We do not see museums generating VEROs of anything close >>>>> to a majority of their holdings. It would probably not be a sustainable >>>>> business model in addition to being environmentally unsustainable. And so a >>>>> small number of VEROs linked to scientifically important specimens should >>>>> outweigh any suboptimal energy usage of the Blockchain network as a whole. >>>>> >>>>> *Catherine: If we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum >>>>> specimens, what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO >>>>> NFT of the 3D models of museum specimens* >>>>> >>>>> We predict a non-VERO NFT is going to be more or less worthless for a >>>>> reason you allude to, which is that anyone can produce one. People will >>>>> therefore buy the VEROs instead. VEROs are NFTs that would have to be >>>>> approved as VEROs through a smart contract. >>>>> >>>>> *Catherine: Will funders and administrators expect museums to generate >>>>> a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs?* >>>>> >>>>> Monetization of collections has an initial startup cost with respect >>>>> to generating VEROS, which could bring about more funding in the short to >>>>> medium term. But in the longer term, yes, it might mean that we have to >>>>> rely on fewer government handouts, which are already diminishing >>>>> dramatically. In other words, it could improve the public perception of >>>>> museums. >>>>> >>>>> >>>>> *Catherine: Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import >>>>> are priceless but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to >>>>> digital models of the specimens? * >>>>> Well we will not be selling the rights to the specimens because that >>>>> is not how NFTs work. But yes, specimens would have greater monetary value. >>>>> But there are already too many stringent rules in place that are making it >>>>> almost impossible to obtain collection and export permits from many places. >>>>> Sure, VEROs might make this worse. But we believe there is a much greater >>>>> advantage, which is that local scientists from low GDP countries, which >>>>> include many megadiverse countries, should receive the funds needed to >>>>> generate good quality 3D models from which they can mint important VEROs. >>>>> High quality 3D models would allow holotype species to be described by an >>>>> appropriate expert anywhere in the world. Then, the moment those VEROs are >>>>> minted and put on the market, the 3D model would be available for anyone in >>>>> the world to examine. That is how this commodity works. So there would be >>>>> less reason for scientists to travel long distances. Indeed, this aspect of >>>>> VEROs actually decreases carbon emissions because it decreases the demand >>>>> for long haul flights. >>>>> >>>>> Respectfully, >>>>> >>>>> Sam >>>>> >>>>> On Wed, Aug 11, 2021 at 12:48 PM Catherine Early (she/her) < >>>>> cearly at smm.org> wrote: >>>>> >>>>>> Hi Sam, >>>>>> >>>>>> We certainly all need more funding and this would be a creative >>>>>> solution, but I want to make sure members of our community are aware of >>>>>> some of the concerns regarding NFTs. For one, they rely on a system that >>>>>> has a large carbon footprint. Perhaps your article omitted this issue >>>>>> because there aren't many peer-reviewed publications on the topic. Here are >>>>>> some opinion and popular press articles about it: >>>>>> >>>>>> https://everestpipkin.medium.com/but-the-environmental-issues-with-cryptoart-1128ef72e6a3 >>>>>> >>>>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/15/22328203/nft-cryptoart-ethereum-blockchain-climate-change >>>>>> >>>>>> There have also been issues with people other than the creators of >>>>>> the media making and profiting from NFTs of the original media, with the >>>>>> creators never seeing that money ( >>>>>> https://www.theverge.com/2021/3/20/22334527/nft-scams-artists-opensea-rarible-marble-cards-fraud-art). >>>>>> You recognize this issue in your article and propose VEROs as a way around >>>>>> this. But if we create a market for VEROs of 3D models of museum specimens, >>>>>> what will prevent anyone from creating and selling a non-VERO NFT of the 3D >>>>>> models of museum specimens that are freely available for educational use >>>>>> and making money from that, thus profiting from the demand that we helped >>>>>> to create? >>>>>> >>>>>> I also worry that monetizing our collections will have legal and >>>>>> ethical ramifications that we haven't considered. Yes, we would be >>>>>> monetizing digital models of our specimens and not the specimens >>>>>> themselves, but the digital models can only exist because we collect and >>>>>> care for the physical specimens. Will funders and administrators expect >>>>>> museums to generate a certain percent of their income from minting VEROs? >>>>>> Will customs officials accept that the specimens we import are priceless >>>>>> but carry no monetary value if we then sell the rights to digital models of >>>>>> the specimens? >>>>>> >>>>>> Given that we as a community are dedicated to the preservation of >>>>>> biodiversity (threatened by things like large carbon footprints) and >>>>>> because of the other issues I brought up, we should think hard before >>>>>> diving into the world of NFTs. I welcome further discussion. >>>>>> >>>>>> Best, >>>>>> Catherine >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >>>>>> >>>>>> she/her >>>>>> >>>>>> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >>>>>> >>>>>> e: cearly at smm.org >>>>>> >>>>>> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >>>>>> >>>>>> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to >>>>>> make lives better, >>>>>> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice >>>>>> and equity. >>>>>> >>>>>> >>>>>> On Tue, Aug 10, 2021 at 9:14 AM Samuel Bolton < >>>>>> samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com> wrote: >>>>>> >>>>>>> Dear all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Please see the link below to a paper on the use of non-fungible >>>>>>> tokens (NFTs) to help 3D digitize natural history collections. This email >>>>>>> is to alert you to this potential funding mechanism. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> https://www.mapress.com/mt/article/view/megataxa.6.2.2 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> NFTs are potentially important to us because we are one of the few >>>>>>> communities that can greatly benefit from 3D versions of our holdings. I >>>>>>> don't think the art history community is dealing with a mass extinction. >>>>>>> And every important piece of art has already been photographed. Moreover, >>>>>>> unlike the art history community, we are far short of the funds that we >>>>>>> need to do our jobs properly. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> It is truly astonishing to see the sums of money that are being paid >>>>>>> for NFTs like CryptoPunks, largely because these things are rare rather >>>>>>> than genuinely good or even deliberate art (see post script). Perhaps we, >>>>>>> as a community, can add some quality to NFTs while also using them to fund >>>>>>> an important enterprise. More than 2 billion dollars were spent on NFTs >>>>>>> during the first quarter of 2021 alone. That is a lot of money for >>>>>>> digitization. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Here is a link to a website we just developed to help explain the >>>>>>> concept of VEROs to a broader audience. >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> https://www.vero-nft.org/ >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Best wishes to you all, >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> Sam >>>>>>> >>>>>>> (contact details on the above link) >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> P.S. Below is a link to CryptoPunk 7523. It is an NFT worth over 11 >>>>>>> million dollars? It?s not valuable because it is art (cryptopunks were >>>>>>> originally intended for a smartphone app). It is valuable because it is the >>>>>>> only one of 10,000 cryptopunks to be an alien (blue skin) that is sporting >>>>>>> a surgical mask. In other words, the investor who bought this bought it >>>>>>> because it is weird and one of a kind. There is plenty of weird and >>>>>>> wonderful in our collections, and a lot of it is one of a kind (e.g., >>>>>>> holotypes). >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> https://www.sothebys.com/en/buy/auction/2021/natively-digital-cryptopunk-7523/cryptopunk-7523 >>>>>>> >>>>>>> >>>>>>> _______________________________________________ >>>>>>> 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. >>>>>>> >>>>>> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rinconrodriguezl at ufl.edu Sat Aug 14 17:45:02 2021 From: rinconrodriguezl at ufl.edu (Rincon Rodriguez,Laura) Date: Sat, 14 Aug 2021 21:45:02 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Reminder Collections Lit Club meet up- August 16th Message-ID: This is a reminder for our meet up this coming Monday, August 16th at 9:00 am EDT to discuss about the article titled, The Invisibility of Collections Care Work written by Kiersten Latham (she/her/hers) Download the reading from the following link: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1qEYCKcG6cRgiLORdFmr68QI5c-5RrXmw Join Zoom Meeting: https://ufl.zoom.us/j/91962666331 Meeting ID: 919 6266 6331 We are excited to meet you and hear from your experiences and perspectives. If you're a Spanish, Chinese or Portuguese native speaker, and you feel that your English isn't too fluent, we can help you to translate during the meet up! Thanks, Laura, Chelsea and Florencia Laura Rinc?n Museum Studies Graduate Student University of Florida ?I've learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel? Maya Angelou -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com Mon Aug 16 08:46:42 2021 From: samuel.bolton77 at googlemail.com (Samuel Bolton) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 08:46:42 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: VEROs In-Reply-To: References: <772a27d5-bcce-af48-2ef8-d04278110597@gmail.com> Message-ID: Dear Matt, In response to your post on this topic (see below), VEROs may be able to add value to specimens, but clearly specimens already have a lot of value. Museums do appraisals of their specimens for insurance purposes and to help offset taxes for donators. Specimens have value because of DNA among other reasons. The permit situation could not get much worse and countries can and will impose all kinds of draconian and whimsical rules on the international movement of specimens, regardless of what is fair. Consequently, moving specimens is becoming so difficult that any online, 3D equivalent has got to be worth considering if it also adds additional funds. These funds may be used to afford the production of high-quality 3D models from important specimens. So we may be able to have our cake and eat it if VEROs become valuable assets. But if VEROs do not become valuable assets then it becomes more certain that specimens get most of their value through their DNA rather than their appearance. This probably won?t improve the permit situation, but it means that NFTs are tried and tested and failed. Better that than having a customs officer use an untested hypothesis against you. Sam On Mon, Aug 16, 2021 at 8:41 AM Bolton, Sam wrote: > > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l * On Behalf Of *Brown, > Matthew A > *Sent:* Friday, August 13, 2021 7:02 PM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [External] Re: [Nhcoll-l] VEROs > > > > *CAUTION:** This email originated from outside of the organization. Do > not click links or open attachments unless you recognize the sender and > know the content is safe.* > > > > I completely agree with everything Doug says, but I wonder if the snippet > below might be the most important point and I think part of it is at risk > of getting lost in the discussion. Specimens will always need to be moved > around, and if you?re a customs officer who sees that a similar specimen > crossing an international boundary just had digital rights sold for X > number of dollars, the ?scientific specimen, no monetary value? statement > that we stick on the declaration form starts to look more than a little > suspect. > > > > > > > > Best, > > > > Matt > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > *Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put > a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in > the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an > eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of > specimens or potentially new species.* > > But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved > around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It > seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. > > > > > > On Aug 13, 2021, at 4:27 PM, Douglas Yanega wrote: > > > > On 8/13/21 12:44 PM, Samuel Bolton wrote: > > > > *Doug Yanega: *For example, almost any group of organisms that is > traditionally stored in liquid or on microscope slides is pretty certainly > going to be unsuitable for application of 3D imaging > > I must completely disagree with this, especially for freshly collected > specimens. High quality 3D models can be generated from slide mounted > specimens. Confocal microscopy is a good tool for this. Admittedly, for > older specimens it is trickier but certainly not impossible. And I feel > confident that advances will be made in this field. I am not sure why you > think that specimens stored in liquid cannot be used to generate 3D models. > > It's a matter of practicality (and probability). A fair proportion of > extant invertebrate holotypes stored in liquid are too delicate to remove > from their containers, and taking images of the specimens while still in > their containers is difficult enough with regular photographic tools > (dealing with image distortion, movement of fluid, lighting, and other > complicating factors) - I doubt that applying 3D techniques will improve > matters significantly under these circumstances. Many are badly > deteriorated, or bloated, or shriveled. Also, you didn't respond directly > to the basic point I made about comparability, perhaps because I wasn't > quite as explicit as I could have been in the following way: if a type > specimen is preserved in a manner different from specimens that you want to > compare to it, or if it is in poor condition, then a 3D image of that type > will neither make comparisons easier, nor will it improve your ability to > use the specimen as a point of reference given its condition. This is *far > more likely* to be true for specimens stored in liquid or on slides than > it is for dry specimens. Just because you can MAKE a 3D image doesn't mean > that image will be significantly more useful than a regular photo, and if > it *isn't* more useful than an regular photo, then - for taxonomy - it > isn't cost-effective unless 3D images are as cheap as (or cheaper than) > regular photos. By extension, this applies to ANY species for which a > conventional photo of the type is suitable for taxonomic work; if a regular > photo will do, then you are arguing for something that isn't *needed*, > nor cost-effective. Sure, if you have money to burn, then great, but much > of taxonomy is a zero-sum game, where every dollar spent on X means a > dollar less to do Y. Again, I agree that a 3D image of every holotype in > existence would be great, but you haven't, I think, made a convincing case > that 3D images offer a unique benefit that justifies the extra expense. > > If we had wealthy patrons lining up to give millions of dollars for VEROs, > then that money would arguably be better spent hiring people to process > bulk sample backlog from biodiversity hotspots, and THAT would be the sales > pitch we'd want to be making, because that's the biggest bottleneck in > overall species discovery; not that images of types aren't *A* bottleneck, > but that's not where the most serious impediments lie. Our biggest > impediments are labor for processing, and expertise. If there are no new > specimens to study, you don't need experts, and if you don't have experts, > you don't need type images. > > *Doug Yanega: I won't deny that I have often longed for nice 3D images of > insects, but I've come to recognize that such images will probably NEVER be > a major tool for the practice of taxonomy.* > > I don?t buy this argument. Advances in confocal z-stacking, > photogrammetry, micro-CT, etc. mean that high resolution models of insects > can now be generated. I admit that for insects, photogrammetry is not > always ideal, but advances are definitely occurring in this field. I spend > a considerable proportion of my time looking at confocal 3D models > precisely because 2D (based on DIC or phase contrast) images just do not > cut it. > > I didn't say that it would never be useful, just that it would never be a *major > tool*. SEMs were definitely a huge advance for certain disciplines of > taxonomy, but it's not a major tool used by taxonomists, even now - most > campuses I know of have an SEM facility, and the costs are not outrageous, > but even though the technology is readily accessible, it's still used > primarily in special circumstances or * when nothing else will do what is > needed*. Likewise, I can't think of many situations where *only* a 3D > image would serve a taxonomist's purpose. Something that is only used by a > small number of taxonomists *could* still be important for those that use > it, but it's still a minor part of the collective taxonomic toolkit. > > *Doug Yanega: Right now, with few exceptions, one institution can just put > a box of specimens in the mail to another institution, nearly anywhere in > the world, for little more than the cost of postage, and no one bats an > eye, including our administrators, even if it involves thousands of > specimens or potentially new species.* > > But this is based on the understanding that specimens need to be moved > around, which is potentially risky when dealing with type specimens. It > seems better to produce 3D models and share them online. > > "Better" isn't the same as "necessary". Insect specimens on pins are > exceedingly fragile, and no one LIKES to put them in the mail, but - again > - if that's the problem we are looking to solve, then you need to make the > case that 3D images offer something that regular photos *can't*. Also, > bear in mind that most loans are of unidentified material, or of synoptic > material, and NOT of holotypes. You can't expect any entomology collection, > when asked to send a loan of 20,000 specimens of taxon X, to take 3D images > of all 20,000 specimens. We are NEVER going to be free of the need to make > loans. > > Even if we limit the discussion to types: as it stands, only a moderate > portion of the world's collections contain more than a relative handful of > primary types, and of those, only a moderate portion have even been able to > provide online access to ANY digital images of their holdings. Making that > process *more expensive* and technically more challenging is not going to > speed the process up. The insect collection I manage is the 20th largest in > the US (with some 4 million specimens), and it took us until 2016 to get > money to hire a grad student to take digital images of our types using an > automontage system belonging to their faculty adviser, who had bought the > system on a grant. Failing that, we would STILL not have any type images > online. I really do get where you're coming from, but when you're fighting > an uphill battle, you look for things that will make the road easier, not > harder. > > Peace, > > -- > > Doug Yanega Dept. of Entomology Entomology Research Museum > > Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314 skype: dyanega > > phone: (951) 827-4315 (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's) > > https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html > > "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness > > is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82 > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > > This message is from an external sender. Learn more about why this << > matters at https://links.utexas.edu/rtyclf. << > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From monotomidae at gmail.com Mon Aug 16 10:41:24 2021 From: monotomidae at gmail.com (Tommy McElrath) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 09:41:24 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] INHS Seeking Fluid Collections Specialist Message-ID: <45333FEF-DE0A-4CC8-ADF2-3630712428B2@gmail.com> Seeking: Scientific Specialist, Fluid Collections To learn more or apply click here: https://bit.ly/3CRSUFu INHS is seeking a Collections Specialist who will be responsible for managing nationally and internationally significant collections of reptiles and amphibians, fishes, and crustaceans and their associated tissue collections and databases. This position will also be responsible for providing collections-related support for fluid collection Curators as well as Curators of the Survey?s mammal and bird collections. Field sampling for fishes, crayfishes, or reptiles will also be a function of this job. This position will be located in Champaign, Illinois. The Illinois Natural History Survey (INHS) investigates and documents the biological resources of Illinois and other areas, and acquires and provides natural history information that can be used to promote the common understanding, conservation, and management of these resources. INHS is part of the Prairie Research Institute (PRI) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which is centrally located between Chicago, St. Louis, and Indianapolis. Learn more at go.illinois.edu/PRIjobs . The University of Illinois is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability or veteran status. For more information, visit http://go.illinois.edu/EEO . ? TOMMY MCELRATH Insect Collection Manager Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1816 S. Oak Street | M/C 652 Champaign, IL 61820 217-300-5938 | tcm at illinois.edu insect.inhs.illinois.edu Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cearly at smm.org Mon Aug 16 14:46:16 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 13:46:16 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi all, I've dug into some of the very helpful resources you shared and would appreciate some further input. At this point, we are focusing our efforts on working through a 20 year backlog of carcasses stored in -20C freezers awaiting more traditional specimen preps, rather than collecting new specimens. Most of these specimens are relatively common species that were salvaged or were put into coolers during field surveys and then frozen. I thought it would be good to also preserve tissues for genomic studies as we prepare these specimens, but after reading the papers you shared, it seems like these specimens have little to no chance of yielding useful genetic material given their storage history so we shouldn't bother preserving tissue samples from them. Is that correct? Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:47 AM Catherine Early (she/her) wrote: > Thanks to everyone who replied with resources! It's great to be part of a > community of people so eager to help. > > Best, > Catherine > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 8:38 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > >> Hi all, >> >> We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of >> our specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our >> collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm >> really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own >> research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get >> me started? Thanks! >> >> Best, >> Catherine >> >> >> >> *Catherine M. Early, PhD* >> >> she/her >> >> *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* >> >> e: cearly at smm.org >> >> https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home >> >> We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make >> lives better, >> and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and >> equity. >> > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From abentley at ku.edu Mon Aug 16 15:06:22 2021 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Mon, 16 Aug 2021 19:06:22 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5853AB92-E854-42F6-8AE1-0B6F281DFFF3@ku.edu> Catherine No, I would not say that is the case. It very much depends on how these have been treated over the years as to whether viable DNA can be extracted from them. DNA has been extracted from worse. If they have been frozen at -20 consistently since collecting then there is every possibility that viable DNA may still be present. If they have all been treated the same way it may be useful to test a couple of them to see if you can get DNA out of them and then progress from there. 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 "Catherine Early (she/her)" Date: Monday, August 16, 2021 at 1:47 PM To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections Hi all, I've dug into some of the very helpful resources you shared and would appreciate some further input. At this point, we are focusing our efforts on working through a 20 year backlog of carcasses stored in -20C freezers awaiting more traditional specimen preps, rather than collecting new specimens. Most of these specimens are relatively common species that were salvaged or were put into coolers during field surveys and then frozen. I thought it would be good to also preserve tissues for genomic studies as we prepare these specimens, but after reading the papers you shared, it seems like these specimens have little to no chance of yielding useful genetic material given their storage history so we shouldn't bother preserving tissue samples from them. Is that correct? Best, Catherine [https://smm.org/enews/2020/footer-2020-new.png] Catherine M. Early, PhD she/her Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:47 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: Thanks to everyone who replied with resources! It's great to be part of a community of people so eager to help. Best, Catherine [https://smm.org/enews/2020/footer-2020-new.png] Catherine M. Early, PhD she/her Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 8:38 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: Hi all, We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get me started? Thanks! Best, Catherine [https://smm.org/enews/2020/footer-2020-new.png] Catherine M. Early, PhD she/her Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee Tue Aug 17 10:34:38 2021 From: Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee (Joosep Sarapuu) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:34:38 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee Tue Aug 17 10:40:04 2021 From: Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee (Joosep Sarapuu) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:40:04 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94@loodusmuuseum.ee> Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From carrie at geology.wisc.edu Tue Aug 17 10:47:41 2021 From: carrie at geology.wisc.edu (Carrie A. Eaton) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:47:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94@loodusmuuseum.ee> References: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94@loodusmuuseum.ee> Message-ID: Hi Joosep, The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! Cheers, Carrie Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator UW Geology Museum 1215 West Dayton Street Madison, WI 53706 608.262.4912 twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM To: Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il Tue Aug 17 11:13:41 2021 From: gali.beiner at mail.huji.ac.il (Gali Beiner) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:13:41 +0300 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: References: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94@loodusmuuseum.ee> Message-ID: Hello Joosep, Adding to Carrie's notes: 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated floor carrying capacity. 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum load per square meter. 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum weight capacity guideline. Hope this helps, Gali ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?< carrie at geology.wisc.edu>: > Hi Joosep, > > The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf > is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s > carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the > shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take > in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb > capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold > 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate > load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the > manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity > before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of > having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! > > Cheers, > > Carrie > > > > Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator > > UW Geology Museum > > 1215 West Dayton Street > > Madison, WI 53706 > > 608.262.4912 > > *twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum > * > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf Of > *Joosep Sarapuu > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM > *To:* Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new < > nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity > > > > Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these > shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and > for fluid collections. > > > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu > ] *On Behalf Of *Joosep Sarapuu > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM > *To:* NHCOLL-new > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity > > > > Dear all, > > I think some of you have been already had this situation before. > > We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would > like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves > sizes are 100x59cm. > > Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? > > > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From simmons.johne at gmail.com Tue Aug 17 11:23:20 2021 From: simmons.johne at gmail.com (John E Simmons) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 11:23:20 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: References: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94@loodusmuuseum.ee> Message-ID: In addition to the excellent advice already offered about shelf material, floor loading, etc., there is also the issue of how weight is distributed on the shelf. When the weight is more or less evenly distributed (e.g., in boxes of similar shape) shelves may behave differently than when the weight is concentrated on one end or in the middle. We encountered this problem in selecting shelving for the Fluid Collections Research Facility at the University of Kansas back in the 1990s when we discovered that despite the weight capacity rating of the shelves, some shelves bent when loaded with jars of specimens if the weight was not evenly distributed. Therefore, in the specifications for shelving, we specified both a weight capacity (we selected 500 pounds per shelf, based on the maximum potential weight of the jars we could fit on the shelf) and also that the shelves must not flex (bend) more than 1/8 of an inch when fully loaded. We were able to purchase shelves that met these requirements and they worked fine. I have heard stories from other collections that had steel shelves bend under unevenly distributed weight loads. --John John E. Simmons Writer and Museum Consultant Museologica *and* Associate Curator of Collections Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery Penn State University *and* Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima On Tue, Aug 17, 2021 at 11:14 AM Gali Beiner wrote: > Hello Joosep, > > Adding to Carrie's notes: > > 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is > planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity > will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the > building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of > that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided > us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific > locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new > so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated > floor carrying capacity. > > 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) > shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying > capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum > load per square meter. > > 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement > floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old > collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves > to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required > to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) > weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could > do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, > weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum > weight capacity guideline. > > > Hope this helps, > > Gali > > ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?< > carrie at geology.wisc.edu>: > >> Hi Joosep, >> >> The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf >> is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s >> carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the >> shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take >> in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb >> capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold >> 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate >> load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the >> manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity >> before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of >> having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! >> >> Cheers, >> >> Carrie >> >> >> >> Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator >> >> UW Geology Museum >> >> 1215 West Dayton Street >> >> Madison, WI 53706 >> >> 608.262.4912 >> >> *twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum >> * >> >> >> >> *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf >> Of *Joosep Sarapuu >> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM >> *To:* Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new < >> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> >> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity >> >> >> >> Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these >> shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and >> for fluid collections. >> >> >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joosep Sarapuu >> >> >> >> *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu >> ] *On Behalf Of *Joosep Sarapuu >> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM >> *To:* NHCOLL-new >> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity >> >> >> >> Dear all, >> >> I think some of you have been already had this situation before. >> >> We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would >> like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves >> sizes are 100x59cm. >> >> Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? >> >> >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joosep Sarapuu >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. >> > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From prc44 at drexel.edu Tue Aug 17 12:50:33 2021 From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul) Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 16:50:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves vs. racking Message-ID: Another consideration is the difference between cantilever shelves and racking. The former are only supported on one side, so adding weight to them creates a rotational stress at the point where the horizontal spur meets the vertical support. This can fail well before the nominal maximum loading of either the shelf or the support is reached. With racking, the shelves are supported on two sides (back and front), so all stresses are simple. In addition, the number of load-bearing points is doubled, so the load on each is halved. If you anticipate heavy loads, increasing the number of vertical elements in a given length of racking can compensate for that. Finally, racking can be placed on feet that further distribute the load. It?s the best way to go. Paul Callomon Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates ________________________________ Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA prc44 at drexel.edu Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170 From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of John E Simmons Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 11:23 AM To: Gali Beiner Cc: NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity External. In addition to the excellent advice already offered about shelf material, floor loading, etc., there is also the issue of how weight is distributed on the shelf. When the weight is more or less evenly distributed (e.g., in boxes of similar shape) shelves may behave differently than when the weight is concentrated on one end or in the middle. We encountered this problem in selecting shelving for the Fluid Collections Research Facility at the University of Kansas back in the 1990s when we discovered that despite the weight capacity rating of the shelves, some shelves bent when loaded with jars of specimens if the weight was not evenly distributed. Therefore, in the specifications for shelving, we specified both a weight capacity (we selected 500 pounds per shelf, based on the maximum potential weight of the jars we could fit on the shelf) and also that the shelves must not flex (bend) more than 1/8 of an inch when fully loaded. We were able to purchase shelves that met these requirements and they worked fine. I have heard stories from other collections that had steel shelves bend under unevenly distributed weight loads. --John John E. Simmons Writer and Museum Consultant Museologica and Associate Curator of Collections Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery Penn State University and Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima On Tue, Aug 17, 2021 at 11:14 AM Gali Beiner > wrote: Hello Joosep, Adding to Carrie's notes: 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated floor carrying capacity. 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum load per square meter. 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum weight capacity guideline. Hope this helps, Gali ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?>: Hi Joosep, The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! Cheers, Carrie Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator UW Geology Museum 1215 West Dayton Street Madison, WI 53706 608.262.4912 twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM To: Joosep Sarapuu >; NHCOLL-new > Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu _______________________________________________ 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. _______________________________________________ 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From studor at nature.ca Wed Aug 18 07:55:53 2021 From: studor at nature.ca (Sean Tudor) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:55:53 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Employment Opportunity - Conservation Technician Canadian Museum of Nature Message-ID: Apologies for Cross-posting https://nature.ca/en/about-us/careers-volunteering/careers/conservation-technician https://nature.ca/fr/sujet-musee/emplois-benevolat/emplois/technicienne-en-conservation CLOSING DATE: September 6, 2021 at 4 p.m. Conservation Technician Conservation Technician Research and Collections ME-03 - $26.87 to $32.31 per hour Temporary part-time position (30 hours/week) ________________________________ DUTIES: Under the general supervision of the Conservator as part of the Conservation Team, works in cross-disciplinary project teams to contribute to the safe keeping of the CMN collections by providing technical support for conservation and conservation research and for collection projects including collection maintenance, re-housing and data entry; contributes to the overall success of CMN programming by implementing approved collection care measures; monitoring collections for pests and environmental standards; conducting data entry, analysis and extraction; supporting exhibition processes and assisting other team members in the conduct of conservation practice. LOCATION OF WORK: Natural Heritage Campus (NHC) in Gatineau (Aylmer sector). ________________________________ Technicien(ne) en conservation Technicien(ne) en conservation Recherche et collections ME-03 ? 26,87$ ? 32,31$ par heure Poste temporaire ? temps partiel (30 heures/semaine) ________________________________ FONCTIONS: Sous la supervision g?n?rale du conservateur en chef, travailler au sein d??quipes de projet interdisciplinaires pour contribuer ? la conservation s?curitaire des collections du MCN en fournissant un soutien technique ? la recherche sur la conservation et aux projets de collections, y compris l?entretien des collections, le relogement et la saisie de donn?es?; contribuer au succ?s global de la programmation du MCN par la mise en ?uvre de mesures approuv?es d?entretien des collections?; surveiller les collections pour conna?tre les normes relatives aux animaux nuisibles et ? l?environnement?; effectuer la saisie, l?analyse et l?extraction des donn?es?; soutenir le processus d?exposition et aider les autres membres de l??quipe ? mener des pratiques de conservation. ________________________________ Sean Tudor Head, Collection Services and Information Management Chef, Service des collections et gestion de l?information Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature 613-364-4122 343-542-8122 cell studor at nature.ca [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) [https://nature.ca/email/signatures/generic/cmn_generic.jpg] Emailfooter20201231_GetIntoEntrezDansLaNature. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cearly at smm.org Wed Aug 18 10:44:09 2021 From: cearly at smm.org (Catherine Early (she/her)) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:44:09 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections In-Reply-To: <5853AB92-E854-42F6-8AE1-0B6F281DFFF3@ku.edu> References: <5853AB92-E854-42F6-8AE1-0B6F281DFFF3@ku.edu> Message-ID: Hi Andy, They haven't all been treated the same way and there is little if any record-keeping on how they were treated, especially the salvage specimens brought to us by members of the public. But the feedback I'm getting is that it would still be worth taking tissue samples, and worth writing a small grant to cover some test extractions to see how they do. Thanks! Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Mon, Aug 16, 2021 at 2:06 PM Bentley, Andrew Charles wrote: > Catherine > > > > No, I would not say that is the case. It very much depends on how these > have been treated over the years as to whether viable DNA can be extracted > from them. DNA has been extracted from worse. If they have been frozen at > -20 consistently since collecting then there is every possibility that > viable DNA may still be present. If they have all been treated the same > way it may be useful to test a couple of them to see if you can get DNA out > of them and then progress from there. > > > > 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 > "Catherine Early (she/her)" > *Date: *Monday, August 16, 2021 at 1:47 PM > *To: *"nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" > *Subject: *Re: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections > > > > Hi all, > > > > I've dug into some of the very helpful resources you shared and would > appreciate some further input. At this point, we are focusing our efforts > on working through a 20 year backlog of carcasses stored in -20C freezers > awaiting more traditional specimen preps, rather than collecting new > specimens. Most of these specimens are relatively common species that were > salvaged or were put into coolers during field surveys and then frozen. I > thought it would be good to also preserve tissues for genomic studies as we > prepare these specimens, but after reading the papers you shared, it seems > like these specimens have little to no chance of yielding useful genetic > material given their storage history so we shouldn't bother preserving > tissue samples from them. Is that correct? > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:47 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > > Thanks to everyone who replied with resources! It's great to be part of a > community of people so eager to help. > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 8:38 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our > specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our > collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm > really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own > research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get > me started? Thanks! > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From drowsey at asu.edu Wed Aug 18 12:37:35 2021 From: drowsey at asu.edu (Dakota Rowsey) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:37:35 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins Message-ID: Hello all, I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed to languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not in great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life in a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. Thank you, Dakota -- *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) Vertebrate Collections Manager Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections Arizona State University Biocollections 734 W Alameda Dr. Tempe, AZ 85282 (480)727-5870 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From ewommack at uwyo.edu Wed Aug 18 12:40:59 2021 From: ewommack at uwyo.edu (Elizabeth Wommack) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:40:59 -0600 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Dakota, Just checking before diving into any thoughts, do you mean stuffed bird skin specimens, or frozen unstuffed flat skins bird specimens? cheers, Beth Wommack On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 10:38 AM Dakota Rowsey wrote: > ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution > when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. > > Hello all, > > I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed to > languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not in > great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life in > a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as > some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to > ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for > tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely > neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice > on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. > > Thank you, > Dakota > > -- > *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) > Vertebrate Collections Manager > Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections > Arizona State University Biocollections > 734 W Alameda Dr. > Tempe, AZ 85282 > (480)727-5870 > -- Elizabeth Wommack, PhD Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 ewommack@ uwyo.edu www.uwymv. org UWYMV Collection Use Policy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From drowsey at asu.edu Wed Aug 18 12:41:59 2021 From: drowsey at asu.edu (Dakota Rowsey) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:41:59 -0700 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Yes, happy to clarify - stuffed bird skin specimens. On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 9:41 AM Elizabeth Wommack wrote: > Hi Dakota, > > Just checking before diving into any thoughts, do you mean stuffed bird > skin specimens, or frozen unstuffed flat skins bird specimens? > > cheers, > Beth Wommack > > On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 10:38 AM Dakota Rowsey wrote: > >> ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution >> when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. >> >> Hello all, >> >> I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed >> to languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not >> in great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life >> in a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as >> some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to >> ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for >> tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely >> neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice >> on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. >> >> Thank you, >> Dakota >> >> -- >> *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) >> Vertebrate Collections Manager >> Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections >> Arizona State University Biocollections >> 734 W Alameda Dr. >> Tempe, AZ 85282 >> (480)727-5870 >> > > > -- > Elizabeth Wommack, PhD > Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates > University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates > Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center > University of Wyoming, > Laramie, WY 82071 > ewommack@ uwyo.edu > > www.uwymv. > > org > UWYMV Collection Use Policy > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From cwthomp at umich.edu Wed Aug 18 16:40:41 2021 From: cwthomp at umich.edu (Cody Thompson) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:40:41 -0400 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Faculty search: Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U. Michigan In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Colleagues: Please see the advertisement below for an upcoming faculty position in the University of Michigan Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology . The job posting can also be found here . This is a broad search, but there are opportunities for successful applicants to integrate their research programs with our world-class museum collections and field stations. Take care, Cody Assistant Professor of Ecology and/or Evolutionary Biology The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in any area of ecology or evolutionary biology. This is a university-year appointment at the level of Assistant Professor with an expected start date of August 29, 2022. A successful candidate will be expected to establish a thriving research program, to effectively teach and mentor both undergraduate and graduate students, and to contribute to an equitable and inclusive departmental climate. They might also leverage University of Michigan and EEB facilities including world class biodiversity collections (Museum of Zoology and Herbarium), a local field research facility (the Edwin S. George Reserve), and a large educational and research facility in northern Michigan (the University of Michigan Biological Station). The university is located in Ann Arbor, which is a vibrant community with excellent schools and proximity to both natural areas and Detroit. Applications must be submitted https://webapps.lsa.umich.edu/Apply/1441. You will be asked to upload a cover letter, CV, a concise (2-4 pg) statement describing current and future research plans, a statement of teaching philosophy and experience, a statement of commitment and contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion in academia, and contact information for three references. Application review will begin October 1, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Questions about this search should be directed to mollyiz at umich.edu, executive assistant for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. *EEB is committed to fostering diversity throughout the department, including with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status of faculty members. Women and members of other groups underrepresented in science are particularly encouraged to apply. The university supports the needs of dual career couples. The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.* Cody W. Thompson, PhD Mammal Collections Manager & Assistant Research Scientist University of Michigan Museum of Zoology 3600 Varsity Drive Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 Office: (734) 615-2810 Fax: (734) 763-4080 Email: cwthomp at umich.edu Website: codythompson.org In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UMMZ/Herbarium has limited personnel available working onsite. No loan returns should be shipped without prior notification, and collection visits, loan requests, gifts, exchanges, etc. should be coordinated with the appropriate curatorial staff. Please expect delayed responses. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From wsimpson at fieldmuseum.org Thu Aug 19 11:40:47 2021 From: wsimpson at fieldmuseum.org (William Simpson) Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:40:47 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <30c61796-cd64-73ec-7eed-fe59623585b8@fieldmuseum.org> Hi Joosep, Ask the manufacturer what the load capacity is, then if possible get a sample and test it.? We buy bags of salt and load up shelves to test them.? We've had one model collapse under a load of salt matching the manufacturer's stated capacity. Best, Bill On 8/17/21 9:34 AM, Joosep Sarapuu wrote: > > Dear all, > > I think some of you have been already had this situation before. > > We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we > would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our > shelves sizes are 100x59cm. > > Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. -- * William F. Simpson (he)* Head of Geological Collections McCarter Collections Manager, Fossil Vertebrates Gantz Family Collections Center Primarily Working from Home *Field Museum of Natural History* 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL. 60605 fieldmuseum.org Field Museum Logo -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: field-museum-logo_2018.png Type: image/png Size: 3117 bytes Desc: not available URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Thu Aug 19 12:17:51 2021 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2021 16:17:51 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: ALERT: Tropical Storm Henri In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 12:16 PM Subject: ALERT: Tropical Storm Henri External Email - Exercise Caution HENTF members, The potential impacts of Tropical Storm Henri may be felt from North Carolina north through the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Please notify your members and constituents, especially those in New York and New England (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont), to: * Prepare for the possibility of flooding and/or tropical storm-force winds. * Monitor the storm via the National Hurricane Center and their state emergency management agency. >From the National Hurricane Center: 1. Henri is forecast to be near the northeast coast of the U.S. on Sunday and Monday, and the risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing. Watches will likely be required for portions of this area on Friday. 1. Swells from Henri will begin to reach much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada by the end of the week and continue through the weekend. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents. The HENTF dashboard contains graphics from the National Hurricane Center as well as preparedness tips for cultural institutions and other useful links. [Map Description automatically generated] [cid:image003.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] Thank you! Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image005.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] [cid:image007.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 24364 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 21344 bytes Desc: image003.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3089 bytes Desc: image005.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image007.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1948 bytes Desc: image007.jpg URL: From phwimberger at pugetsound.edu Wed Aug 18 18:37:15 2021 From: phwimberger at pugetsound.edu (Peter H Wimberger) Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 22:37:15 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Message-ID: Dear NHCollers, Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for an inventory of specimens and equipment. The adjusters are not sure how to deal with natural history collection specimens. What experience do people have valuating their collections? Are there conventions that natural history collections or their parent institutions use for insuring collections? If folks could point me in the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would be very appreciative! Thanks, Peter Peter Wimberger Director, Slater Museum of Natural History Professor, Biology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 98406 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From naturalhistory at museum.ie Fri Aug 20 10:21:33 2021 From: naturalhistory at museum.ie (naturalhistory) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 14:21:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Everything you need has been discussed before and published here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Value-Valuation-Natural-Science-Collections/dp/1897799764 There are more recent articles and advice but this is a great starting point (including discussion of how meaningless the concept can be!) Nigel Mr Nigel T. Monaghan, Keeper, Natural History Division, National Museum of Ireland, Merrion Street, Dublin D02 F627, IRELAND +353-1-6486354 (phone) nmonaghan at museum.ie www.museum.ie Museums are open but with restrictions, book online to arrange your visit The National Museum of Ireland ? Natural History remains closed for essential works Group Bookings have been suspended ? see our website at www.museum.ie for details Research visitors must make appointments in advance of any proposed visit. Virtual Visit: See our 3-D interactive tour at www.museum.ie/nh3d Watch: We are one of the Dublin stories on www.storymap.ie also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunX2u_mQWw Read: Guide to the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History, ?5.95 from Museum Shops Poetry: Dead Zoo ? a whole book of poetry http://www.gallerypress.com/shop/#!/~/product/id=28033815 Member: Merrion Square Network www.merrionsquare.ie From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Peter H Wimberger Sent: 18 August 2021 23:37 To: nhcoll Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Dear NHCollers, Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for an inventory of specimens and equipment. The adjusters are not sure how to deal with natural history collection specimens. What experience do people have valuating their collections? Are there conventions that natural history collections or their parent institutions use for insuring collections? If folks could point me in the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would be very appreciative! Thanks, Peter Peter Wimberger Director, Slater Museum of Natural History Professor, Biology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 98406 https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/National-Museum-of-Ireland-invites-schools-to-lear -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nseiden at fau.edu Fri Aug 20 16:25:28 2021 From: nseiden at fau.edu (Nicole Seiden) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:25:28 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From abentley at ku.edu Fri Aug 20 16:37:05 2021 From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:37:05 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Nicole I would not rinse in water of any kind as this may pose a risk of osmotic changes in the specimens. I would presume they are in some kind of alcohol unless a formalin test strip proves otherwise and would transfer into new preservative as is without any washing. Andy From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Nicole Seiden Sent: Friday, August 20, 2021 3:25 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been "ignored" for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I've been addressing. Currently, I'm working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it's very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From luisceriaco at gmail.com Fri Aug 20 16:50:39 2021 From: luisceriaco at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?Q?Luis_Cer=C3=ADaco?=) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 21:50:39 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Nicole, Check our recent paper. It seems to be a similar situation https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=64607&journal_name=zookeys Best! Luis A sexta, 20/08/2021, 21:37, Bentley, Andrew Charles escreveu: > Nicole > > > > I would not rinse in water of any kind as this may pose a risk of osmotic > changes in the specimens. I would presume they are in some kind of alcohol > unless a formalin test strip proves otherwise and would transfer into new > preservative as is without any washing. > > > > Andy > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l *On Behalf Of *Nicole > Seiden > *Sent:* Friday, August 20, 2021 3:25 PM > *To:* NHCOLL-new > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown > preservative? > > > > Hello and happy Friday! > > I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of > digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been > ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have > numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working > with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some > advice. > > A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown > fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to > larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely > that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant > misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. > > Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the > fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known > preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water > and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens > (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? > > > > Many thanks in advanced, > > Nicki > > > > *Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc.* > > She/Her/Hers > > *Research Collection Manager* > > Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute > > nseiden at fau.edu > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From prc44 at drexel.edu Fri Aug 20 16:57:43 2021 From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul) Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:57:43 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Nicki, If you can, get some device for measuring fluid concentration. This could be a simple glass hydrometer (Traille-type) or a more expensive electronic device like the Anton Paar Snap-41. As long as what you have is ethanol, you should be able to find the concentration. That's important in deciding what to do next; if you move something from 50% to 80%, for example, it might well shrink as more water is driven out of it. Paul Callomon Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates ________________________________ Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA prc44 at drexel.edu Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170 From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Nicole Seiden Sent: Friday, August 20, 2021 4:25 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? External. Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been "ignored" for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I've been addressing. Currently, I'm working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it's very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From nscharff at snm.ku.dk Sat Aug 21 07:58:46 2021 From: nscharff at snm.ku.dk (Nikolaj Scharff) Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2021 11:58:46 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Employment opportunity - Project Leader of the Danish System of Scientific Collections (DaSSCo) Message-ID: <5a17d57ec348432381252b1d757a9a60@snm.ku.dk> The Natural History Museum of Denmark (NHMD), Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen is leading a new project to digitize Danish natural history collections and is looking for a fixed-term Project Leader to manage the Project Team. The position is available from 1 October 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter and will run for 5 years. An exciting opportunity to be part of the new museum project. Check the job announcement below! Deadline is September 16, 2021. https://snm.ku.dk/ledige-stillinger/all-jobs/2021/project-leader-of-the-danish-system-of-scientific-collections/ Best wishes Nikolaj Scharff ---------------------------------------------------------- Nikolaj Scharff, PhD Deputy Museum Director Professor, Head of Collections & Research Natural History Museum of Denmark Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen DENMARK E-mail: nscharff at snm.ku.dk Webpage: http://snm.ku.dk/people/nscharff ---------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee Mon Aug 23 02:16:06 2021 From: Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee (Joosep Sarapuu) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:16:06 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity In-Reply-To: <30c61796-cd64-73ec-7eed-fe59623585b8@fieldmuseum.org> References: <30c61796-cd64-73ec-7eed-fe59623585b8@fieldmuseum.org> Message-ID: <75629eedd8e04f5589b1b94cd45b2fb0@loodusmuuseum.ee> Thanks for your replies. I will discuss it and follow your instructions. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of William Simpson Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 6:41 PM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Hi Joosep, Ask the manufacturer what the load capacity is, then if possible get a sample and test it. We buy bags of salt and load up shelves to test them. We've had one model collapse under a load of salt matching the manufacturer's stated capacity. Best, Bill On 8/17/21 9:34 AM, Joosep Sarapuu wrote: Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu _______________________________________________ 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. -- William F. Simpson (he) Head of Geological Collections McCarter Collections Manager, Fossil Vertebrates Gantz Family Collections Center Primarily Working from Home Field Museum of Natural History 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL. 60605 fieldmuseum.org [Field Museum Logo] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3117 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: From neumann at snsb.de Mon Aug 23 04:39:42 2021 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:39:42 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <5d2d06dc-310d-4868-4e32-28dc21906eac@snsb.de> Dear Peter, I am not sure in what direction "valuating" exactly points: the historic and cultural value of the allocated museum objects, or the replacement costs in case of a (fatal) loss (e.g., through a major fire, like in Rio, Butantan or Cape Town)? There have been various approached to valuate collections and objects, but from a pragmatic point of view you cannot replace them, because you cannot re-collect the same specimens and objects back in time. Thus, any loss of these cultural objects is irreversible. They are not just specimens sitting in a jar, drawer or cardboard box awaiting to be viewed and studied. Museum items are unique objects that cannot be replaced. A digital representation or re-collected specimens may may carry information or to some extent represent the same species, but they cannot provide the same cultural history under which the specimens were originally collected in the field,? were acquired by the museum, the cultural meaning and value they added to the collection and institution. We lost nearly our entire fish collection in WW II, only 300 jars survived. Our fish collection now is a modern post-war collection that is (largely) deprived from its historic value with individual exceptions, such as the few Spix specimens from the famous expedition on the Amazon 1817-1820. This is an irreversible loss - even though we kindly received historic material (including syntypes) to restore our collection after the war from other museums supporting us to rebuild our collections. A different question (specifically in terms of insurance coverage) is what would it cost to restore a collection after it got affected, e.g., by a severe weather event, which becomes increasingly relevant our days. To cover "insured losses", it would be relevant to have a good estimate of the costs to replace containers, seals and (partly) objects (e.g. partial coverage of travel costs if re-collecting is an option and still possible). The most expensive bit in this surely are staff costs (additional well trained staff to mitigate damage and required help to support local staff to restore affected collection objects), assuming that costs to restore the building would be covered by a building insurance or would come from different sources. Another relevant factor is replacement costs for storage containers, furniture, specific preparations, etc. It would be good to have a good proxy to roughly calculate these costs, e.g., by establishing? estimate value for a given amount of objects on storage, i.e. a specific amount of containers, storage furniture and work time to prepare them (i.e. average costs to replace jars, drawers etc. per cupboard or otherwise defined subunit), that can then be scaled up for the entire collection. This should accommodate different needs / requirements in different collections, for example the costs to remove mould and mould spores from dry specimens like corals are much higher than the removing mould from the outside of jars in a fluid collection. In general, cleaning of museum objects (not only the storage rooms) is a major costs factor that should be sufficiently covered by an insurance, because mould outbreaks due to a malfunctioning climate HVAC system, accumulation of dirt and dust due to renovation works, burst pipes or sprinkler systems installed in collection etc are no so rare incidents. Also covered should be costs needed equipment or relevant auxiliary support, such as temporary installation of refrigeration containers, and replacement of storage furniture and storage containers, preservation fluids etc. are relevant cost factors that must be considered. The Preventive Conservation book gives an good overview on relevant topics, and even though it does not address insurance or collections in an separate chapter, chapters 3 (Preventive Conservation approach), 4 (Risk Assessment) and especially 16 (Emergency Management) give useful keywords that surely are worth considering. Hope this helps, Dirk Am 19.08.2021 um 00:37 schrieb Peter H Wimberger: > > Dear NHCollers, > > Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for > an inventory of specimens and equipment.? The adjusters are not sure > how to deal with natural history collection specimens.? What > experience do people have valuating their collections?? Are there > conventions that natural history collections or their parent > institutions use for insuring collections?? If folks could point me in > the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would > be very appreciative! > > Thanks, > > Peter > > Peter Wimberger > > Director, Slater Museum of Natural History > > Professor, Biology > > University of Puget Sound > > Tacoma, WA 98406 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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: difmmkaapaclcfne.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From neumann at snsb.de Mon Aug 23 05:10:43 2021 From: neumann at snsb.de (Dirk Neumann) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 11:10:43 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear Nicole, the first articles of the first Fluid Preservation congress in Paris in 2018 published in Collection Forum are available online . Among these is Irene Finkelde's and Asher Newsome's salting-out article which is a nice an cost-efficient way to check fluids, and the article of Irene and Rob Waller to determine formaldehyde concentrations in preserving fluids. Besides the well recognisable smell of formaldehyde, density differences between the water-based formaldehyde solution and alcohol should be easy to detect. Be aware that if you have historic specimens (pre 1900), different salts could have been used to increase the preserving strength of the alcohol. Many of these salts are not too healthy, and necessary precautions should be taken when handling such objects. Transfer: Not in all cases it is recommended to transfer specimens form formalin into alcohol, Paul pointed to this already. Especially some marine invertebrates like jelly fish or tunicates may suffer if they are moved from their original preservative fluid (often formalin). You should be careful with distilled water, as this is very acidic. Tap water should be fine if there are not additives in it (e.g. chlorinated), and slow stepping with more steps (e.g. 20/40/60/75) should be preferred for delicate specimens. Highly recommended reference and bed-lecture for all people working with fluid preserved specimens is the masterpiece John (Simmons) put together: https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659 It is the reference I love to consult and I am very happy to have this valuable book in reach on the shelf behind me. Hope this helps Dirk Am 20.08.2021 um 22:25 schrieb Nicole Seiden: > > Hello and happy Friday! > > I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks > of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have > been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the > database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. > Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to > ask the community for some advice. > > A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown > fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or > rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and > it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have > had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. > > Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the > fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known > preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI > water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the > specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should > follow? > > > Many thanks in advanced, > Nicki > > *Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc.* > > She/Her/Hers > > /Research Collection Manager/ > > Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute > > nseiden at fau.edu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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: ajhghjgfakiokfgk.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: From Sabine.Stohr at nrm.se Mon Aug 23 05:11:23 2021 From: Sabine.Stohr at nrm.se (=?utf-8?B?U2FiaW5lIFN0w7Zocg==?=) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:11:23 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Weird data in bird collection Message-ID: Dear Colleagues, we have some weird data in our old bird collection database and I wonder if any of you have come across this acronym. In the field for inventory status of bird skins it says "C?U? in some records. We have been puzzled by it for years. It may be an obscure local shorthand from the days when computers could only handle very short strings. I?m hoping, it is something more general that someone recognizes. We cannot be sure which language this may be either, it could be Swedish or English words that are abbreviated like this. Both languages occur in our databases. Thank you for any suggestions. Best regards, Sabine St?hr Sabine St?hr Swedish Museum of Natural History Dept of Zoology Box 50007 S-10405 Stockholm Sweden sabine.stohr at nrm.se -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From couteaufin at btinternet.com Mon Aug 23 05:25:19 2021 From: couteaufin at btinternet.com (Simon Moore) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:25:19 +0100 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <7FCA63CA-BC45-4A6A-95B3-AADE736C7E4D@btinternet.com> Just to put in my extra bit as Dirk has comprehensively covered the topic. People often forget, when using formalin that solution for fixing should be at 10% but 5% for preserving (storing). Translucent invertebrates such as jellies and tunicates maintain their translucency is aqueous preservatives but become opaque in alcohol, which is why so may are still stored in the former. Distilled water can be very low in pH and unsuitable - I have measured it down to 3.5! So always ?test the waters? before use! With all good wishes, Simon Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, www.natural-history-conservation.com > On 23 Aug 2021, at 10:10, Dirk Neumann wrote: > > Dear Nicole, > > the first articles of the first Fluid Preservation congress in Paris in 2018 published in Collection Forum are available online. Among these is Irene Finkelde's and Asher Newsome's salting-out article which is a nice an cost-efficient way to check fluids, and the article of Irene and Rob Waller to determine formaldehyde concentrations in preserving fluids. > > Besides the well recognisable smell of formaldehyde, density differences between the water-based formaldehyde solution and alcohol should be easy to detect. Be aware that if you have historic specimens (pre 1900), different salts could have been used to increase the preserving strength of the alcohol. Many of these salts are not too healthy, and necessary precautions should be taken when handling such objects. > > Transfer: Not in all cases it is recommended to transfer specimens form formalin into alcohol, Paul pointed to this already. Especially some marine invertebrates like jelly fish or tunicates may suffer if they are moved from their original preservative fluid (often formalin). > > You should be careful with distilled water, as this is very acidic. Tap water should be fine if there are not additives in it (e.g. chlorinated), and slow stepping with more steps (e.g. 20/40/60/75) should be preferred for delicate specimens. > > Highly recommended reference and bed-lecture for all people working with fluid preserved specimens is the masterpiece John (Simmons) put together: https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659 > > It is the reference I love to consult and I am very happy to have this valuable book in reach on the shelf behind me. > > Hope this helps > Dirk > > > > Am 20.08.2021 um 22:25 schrieb Nicole Seiden: >> Hello and happy Friday! >> >> I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. >> >> A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. >> >> Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? >> >> >> Many thanks in advanced, >> Nicki >> >> Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. >> She/Her/Hers >> Research Collection Manager >> Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute >> nseiden at fau.edu >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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/ > > _______________________________________________ > 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: PastedGraphic-2.tiff Type: image/tiff Size: 38900 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: MA logo.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 19375 bytes Desc: not available URL: From HollisK at si.edu Mon Aug 23 10:00:02 2021 From: HollisK at si.edu (Hollis, Kathy A.) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:00:02 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Contracting Opportunities: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello Colleagues, The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology is seeking five (5) independent contractors to pack, stage, move, and organize fossil collections and associated material within and between NMNH facilities in support of the Paleobiology Collections Defragmentation Project. The contract period is for 12 months with options to extend. The Paleo Collections Defragmentation Project will implement a?decades overdue,?long-term?comprehensive physical?curation strategy. The project will resolve pervasive physical organization deficiencies that limit the collections? accessibility and care. The project ensures the collections are out of imminent risk due to below-grade storage and will allow a physical?organization to be realized among the?near 11,000 collection cabinets?distributed among?three?separate?facilities. Qualified individuals are invited to review the attached Request for Quotes (RFQ) and Statement of Work (SOW) for specifics. Details on what to include in the quote package and how to submit it are available in the RFQ. Responses are due Friday, September 17th, 12pm EST. Applicants should register as a federal contractor in the System for Award Management (SAM) concurrently to responding to the RFQ. Please forward this announcement to any qualified candidates who might be interested. Feel free to contact me if there are any questions. Thank you, Kathy Hollis Kathy Hollis (she/her/hers) Paleobiology Collections Manager Department of Paleobiology w 202.633.1357 c 330.634.6505 hollisk at si.edu SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Facebook | Twitter | Instagram While the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History exhibition spaces partially opened to the public on June 18th, our collections remain closed to all visiting researchers, and the museum?s COVID-19 loan moratorium remains in effect. Please check the Paleobiology website for the current operating status for collections activities https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/paleobiology -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: SI_Terms_&_Clauses.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 572683 bytes Desc: SI_Terms_&_Clauses.pdf URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Mon Aug 23 10:05:04 2021 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:05:04 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: ACTION REQUIRED: Outreach to your constituents for Henri and TN flooding In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Monday, August 23, 2021 10:00 AM Subject: ACTION REQUIRED: Outreach to your constituents for Henri and TN flooding External Email - Exercise Caution Dear HENTF members, This past weekend has been a busy one when it comes to disasters. The devastating flooding in Middle Tennessee this weekend, along with Tropical Storm Henri in NY, NJ, and New England, mean that outreach to cultural institutions as well as the public is critical. Please share the following HENTF resources with your members and constituents in TN, NY, NJ, CT, RI, MA, NH, VT, and ME: Save Your Family Treasures Fact sheet: Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Treasures (fema.gov) Fact sheet: After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures (fema.gov) The above two fact sheets are also available in additional languages at Heritage Emergency National Task Force | FEMA.gov. Reach out to your members and constituents to find out whether they are safe and whether their facility and/or collections have suffered damage. They can report back to you or they can email hentf at si.edu with any reports of damage. Cultural institutions and arts organizations that have been affected by flooding and/or other impacts can contact the National Heritage Responders for assistance: 202.661.8068 Thank you for your help as hurricane season steps up. I'm counting on you. Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image001.jpg at 01D79806.5765BCF0] [cid:image002.jpg at 01D79806.5765BCF0] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3094 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1977 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: From nseiden at fau.edu Tue Aug 24 08:14:15 2021 From: nseiden at fau.edu (Nicole Seiden) Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2021 12:14:15 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Nhcoll-l Digest, Vol 111, Issue 4 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi everyone, Thank you very much for the feedback, resources, and advice! I'll spend some time reading these papers before moving forward with this snag. Greatly appreciated, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu ________________________________ From: Nhcoll-l on behalf of nhcoll-l-request at mailman.yale.edu Sent: Monday, August 23, 2021 10:00 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Nhcoll-l Digest, Vol 111, Issue 4 EXTERNAL EMAIL : Exercise caution when responding, opening links, or opening attachments. Send Nhcoll-l mailing list submissions to nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu To subscribe or unsubscribe via the World Wide Web, visit https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l or, via email, send a message with subject or body 'help' to nhcoll-l-request at mailman.yale.edu You can reach the person managing the list at nhcoll-l-owner at mailman.yale.edu When replying, please edit your Subject line so it is more specific than "Re: Contents of Nhcoll-l digest..." Today's Topics: 1. Shelves load capasity (Joosep Sarapuu) 2. Re: Shelves load capasity (Joosep Sarapuu) 3. Re: Shelves load capasity (Carrie A. Eaton) 4. Re: Shelves load capasity (Gali Beiner) 5. Re: Shelves load capasity (John E Simmons) 6. Shelves vs. racking (Callomon,Paul) 7. Employment Opportunity - Conservation Technician Canadian Museum of Nature (Sean Tudor) 8. Re: frozen tissue collections (Catherine Early (she/her)) 9. Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins (Dakota Rowsey) 10. Re: Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins (Elizabeth Wommack) 11. Re: Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins (Dakota Rowsey) 12. Fwd: Faculty search: Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U. Michigan (Cody Thompson) 13. Re: Shelves load capasity (William Simpson) 14. FW: ALERT: Tropical Storm Henri (Palmer, Lisa) 15. Insurance question for collections (Peter H Wimberger) 16. Re: Insurance question for collections (naturalhistory) 17. How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Nicole Seiden) 18. Re: How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Bentley, Andrew Charles) 19. Re: How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Luis Cer?aco) 20. Re: How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Callomon,Paul) 21. Re: Employment opportunity - Project Leader of the Danish System of Scientific Collections (DaSSCo) (Nikolaj Scharff) 22. Re: Shelves load capasity (Joosep Sarapuu) 23. Re: Insurance question for collections (Dirk Neumann) 24. Re: How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Dirk Neumann) 25. Weird data in bird collection (Sabine St?hr) 26. Re: How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? (Simon Moore) 27. Contracting Opportunities: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology (Hollis, Kathy A.) ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Message: 1 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:34:38 +0000 From: Joosep Sarapuu To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 2 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:40:04 +0000 From: Joosep Sarapuu To: Joosep Sarapuu , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: <139d038d2188427ea04620b58dd5ed94 at loodusmuuseum.ee> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 3 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 14:47:41 +0000 From: "Carrie A. Eaton" To: Joosep Sarapuu , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi Joosep, The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! Cheers, Carrie Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator UW Geology Museum 1215 West Dayton Street Madison, WI 53706 608.262.4912 twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM To: Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 4 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 18:13:41 +0300 From: Gali Beiner To: "Carrie A. Eaton" Cc: Joosep Sarapuu , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hello Joosep, Adding to Carrie's notes: 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated floor carrying capacity. 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum load per square meter. 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum weight capacity guideline. Hope this helps, Gali ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?< carrie at geology.wisc.edu>: > Hi Joosep, > > The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf > is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s > carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the > shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take > in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb > capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold > 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate > load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the > manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity > before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of > having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! > > Cheers, > > Carrie > > > > Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator > > UW Geology Museum > > 1215 West Dayton Street > > Madison, WI 53706 > > 608.262.4912 > > *twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum > * > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf Of > *Joosep Sarapuu > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM > *To:* Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new < > nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> > *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity > > > > Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these > shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and > for fluid collections. > > > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu > ] *On Behalf Of *Joosep Sarapuu > *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM > *To:* NHCOLL-new > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity > > > > Dear all, > > I think some of you have been already had this situation before. > > We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would > like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves > sizes are 100x59cm. > > Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? > > > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 5 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 11:23:20 -0400 From: John E Simmons To: Gali Beiner Cc: "Carrie A. Eaton" , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" In addition to the excellent advice already offered about shelf material, floor loading, etc., there is also the issue of how weight is distributed on the shelf. When the weight is more or less evenly distributed (e.g., in boxes of similar shape) shelves may behave differently than when the weight is concentrated on one end or in the middle. We encountered this problem in selecting shelving for the Fluid Collections Research Facility at the University of Kansas back in the 1990s when we discovered that despite the weight capacity rating of the shelves, some shelves bent when loaded with jars of specimens if the weight was not evenly distributed. Therefore, in the specifications for shelving, we specified both a weight capacity (we selected 500 pounds per shelf, based on the maximum potential weight of the jars we could fit on the shelf) and also that the shelves must not flex (bend) more than 1/8 of an inch when fully loaded. We were able to purchase shelves that met these requirements and they worked fine. I have heard stories from other collections that had steel shelves bend under unevenly distributed weight loads. --John John E. Simmons Writer and Museum Consultant Museologica *and* Associate Curator of Collections Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery Penn State University *and* Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima On Tue, Aug 17, 2021 at 11:14 AM Gali Beiner wrote: > Hello Joosep, > > Adding to Carrie's notes: > > 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is > planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity > will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the > building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of > that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided > us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific > locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new > so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated > floor carrying capacity. > > 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) > shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying > capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum > load per square meter. > > 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement > floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old > collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves > to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required > to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) > weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could > do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, > weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum > weight capacity guideline. > > > Hope this helps, > > Gali > > ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?< > carrie at geology.wisc.edu>: > >> Hi Joosep, >> >> The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf >> is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s >> carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the >> shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take >> in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb >> capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold >> 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate >> load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the >> manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity >> before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of >> having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! >> >> Cheers, >> >> Carrie >> >> >> >> Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator >> >> UW Geology Museum >> >> 1215 West Dayton Street >> >> Madison, WI 53706 >> >> 608.262.4912 >> >> *twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum >> * >> >> >> >> *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] *On Behalf >> Of *Joosep Sarapuu >> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM >> *To:* Joosep Sarapuu ; NHCOLL-new < >> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> >> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity >> >> >> >> Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these >> shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and >> for fluid collections. >> >> >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joosep Sarapuu >> >> >> >> *From:* Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu >> ] *On Behalf Of *Joosep Sarapuu >> *Sent:* Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM >> *To:* NHCOLL-new >> *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity >> >> >> >> Dear all, >> >> I think some of you have been already had this situation before. >> >> We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would >> like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves >> sizes are 100x59cm. >> >> Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? >> >> >> >> Sincerely, >> >> Joosep Sarapuu >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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. >> > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 6 Date: Tue, 17 Aug 2021 16:50:33 +0000 From: "Callomon,Paul" To: John E Simmons , Gali Beiner Cc: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves vs. racking Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="cp1255" Another consideration is the difference between cantilever shelves and racking. The former are only supported on one side, so adding weight to them creates a rotational stress at the point where the horizontal spur meets the vertical support. This can fail well before the nominal maximum loading of either the shelf or the support is reached. With racking, the shelves are supported on two sides (back and front), so all stresses are simple. In addition, the number of load-bearing points is doubled, so the load on each is halved. If you anticipate heavy loads, increasing the number of vertical elements in a given length of racking can compensate for that. Finally, racking can be placed on feet that further distribute the load. It?s the best way to go. Paul Callomon Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates ________________________________ Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA prc44 at drexel.edu Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170 From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of John E Simmons Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 11:23 AM To: Gali Beiner Cc: NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity External. In addition to the excellent advice already offered about shelf material, floor loading, etc., there is also the issue of how weight is distributed on the shelf. When the weight is more or less evenly distributed (e.g., in boxes of similar shape) shelves may behave differently than when the weight is concentrated on one end or in the middle. We encountered this problem in selecting shelving for the Fluid Collections Research Facility at the University of Kansas back in the 1990s when we discovered that despite the weight capacity rating of the shelves, some shelves bent when loaded with jars of specimens if the weight was not evenly distributed. Therefore, in the specifications for shelving, we specified both a weight capacity (we selected 500 pounds per shelf, based on the maximum potential weight of the jars we could fit on the shelf) and also that the shelves must not flex (bend) more than 1/8 of an inch when fully loaded. We were able to purchase shelves that met these requirements and they worked fine. I have heard stories from other collections that had steel shelves bend under unevenly distributed weight loads. --John John E. Simmons Writer and Museum Consultant Museologica and Associate Curator of Collections Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery Penn State University and Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima On Tue, Aug 17, 2021 at 11:14 AM Gali Beiner > wrote: Hello Joosep, Adding to Carrie's notes: 1. The floor carrying capacity is also important. If your shelving is planned for a floor other than the basement, the floor carrying capacity will vary considerably, depnding on the consruction specifics of the building. A consrtuction engineer should be able to give you an estimate of that. In our case, the university construction maintenance personnel guided us re: possibility of setting up this or that type of shelving in specific locations. It wasn't as simple as it sounds because our building wasn't new so we had to change some of our original shelving plans due to estimated floor carrying capacity. 2. Type of shelving matters also in terms of static vs. moving (compactor) shelving. The way the type of shelving interacts with the floor carrying capacity is what you need to know so you can determine the safe maximum load per square meter. 3. Prior to installing new shelving (in our case, compactors in basement floors) I chose several shelves with extra heavy loads in our old collection storage system and actually weighed everything on these shelves to determine real numbers of maximum weight our shelves would be required to carry. We dealt both with wet and dry collections, so the (maximum) weight per shelf in each collection type could vary considerably. You could do the same to determine your own requirements, take 10 shelves or so, weigh their contents and round upward the highest numbers as your minimum weight capacity guideline. Hope this helps, Gali ?????? ??? ??, 17 ????? 2021, 17:47, ??? Carrie A. Eaton ?>: Hi Joosep, The load capacity is largely driven by the material from which the shelf is made (steel, I assume?) but a big portion of what controls the shelf?s carrying capacity is the post construction (the uprights that hold the shelf) and how that load is transferred to the floor. You also have to take in account the weight of the shelf itself. So a steel shelf with a 500lb capacity and 100lb of steel decking that makes up the shelf would only hold 400lb of objects. Having just dealt with some difficulties with inadequate load capacities, I would highly encourage you to inquire with the manufacturer and get a good estimate of the shelf?s carrying capacity before putting objects on it. This was also save your back the trouble of having to lift objects multiple times. Best of luck! Cheers, Carrie Carrie Eaton, Museum Curator UW Geology Museum 1215 West Dayton Street Madison, WI 53706 608.262.4912 twitter @uwgeologymuseum facebook.com/uwgeologymuseum From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 9:40 AM To: Joosep Sarapuu >; NHCOLL-new > Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Sorry, I forgot to add what collections are on the shelves. We need these shelves for bones and horns. And the other ones are for stuffed animals and for fluid collections. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu Sent: Tuesday, August 17, 2021 5:35 PM To: NHCOLL-new > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu _______________________________________________ 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. _______________________________________________ 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 7 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:55:53 +0000 From: Sean Tudor Cc: "CANMUSE-L at LST.PCH.GC.CA" , "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" , "natsca at jiscmail.ac.uk" Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Employment Opportunity - Conservation Technician Canadian Museum of Nature Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Apologies for Cross-posting https://nature.ca/en/about-us/careers-volunteering/careers/conservation-technician https://nature.ca/fr/sujet-musee/emplois-benevolat/emplois/technicienne-en-conservation CLOSING DATE: September 6, 2021 at 4 p.m. Conservation Technician Conservation Technician Research and Collections ME-03 - $26.87 to $32.31 per hour Temporary part-time position (30 hours/week) ________________________________ DUTIES: Under the general supervision of the Conservator as part of the Conservation Team, works in cross-disciplinary project teams to contribute to the safe keeping of the CMN collections by providing technical support for conservation and conservation research and for collection projects including collection maintenance, re-housing and data entry; contributes to the overall success of CMN programming by implementing approved collection care measures; monitoring collections for pests and environmental standards; conducting data entry, analysis and extraction; supporting exhibition processes and assisting other team members in the conduct of conservation practice. LOCATION OF WORK: Natural Heritage Campus (NHC) in Gatineau (Aylmer sector). ________________________________ Technicien(ne) en conservation Technicien(ne) en conservation Recherche et collections ME-03 ? 26,87$ ? 32,31$ par heure Poste temporaire ? temps partiel (30 heures/semaine) ________________________________ FONCTIONS: Sous la supervision g?n?rale du conservateur en chef, travailler au sein d??quipes de projet interdisciplinaires pour contribuer ? la conservation s?curitaire des collections du MCN en fournissant un soutien technique ? la recherche sur la conservation et aux projets de collections, y compris l?entretien des collections, le relogement et la saisie de donn?es?; contribuer au succ?s global de la programmation du MCN par la mise en ?uvre de mesures approuv?es d?entretien des collections?; surveiller les collections pour conna?tre les normes relatives aux animaux nuisibles et ? l?environnement?; effectuer la saisie, l?analyse et l?extraction des donn?es?; soutenir le processus d?exposition et aider les autres membres de l??quipe ? mener des pratiques de conservation. ________________________________ Sean Tudor Head, Collection Services and Information Management Chef, Service des collections et gestion de l?information Canadian Museum of Nature / Mus?e canadien de la nature 613-364-4122 343-542-8122 cell studor at nature.ca [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) [https://nature.ca/email/signatures/generic/cmn_generic.jpg] Emailfooter20201231_GetIntoEntrezDansLaNature. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 8 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:44:09 -0500 From: "Catherine Early (she/her)" To: "Bentley, Andrew Charles" Cc: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi Andy, They haven't all been treated the same way and there is little if any record-keeping on how they were treated, especially the salvage specimens brought to us by members of the public. But the feedback I'm getting is that it would still be worth taking tissue samples, and worth writing a small grant to cover some test extractions to see how they do. Thanks! Best, Catherine *Catherine M. Early, PhD* she/her *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* e: cearly at smm.org https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make lives better, and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and equity. On Mon, Aug 16, 2021 at 2:06 PM Bentley, Andrew Charles wrote: > Catherine > > > > No, I would not say that is the case. It very much depends on how these > have been treated over the years as to whether viable DNA can be extracted > from them. DNA has been extracted from worse. If they have been frozen at > -20 consistently since collecting then there is every possibility that > viable DNA may still be present. If they have all been treated the same > way it may be useful to test a couple of them to see if you can get DNA out > of them and then progress from there. > > > > 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 > "Catherine Early (she/her)" > *Date: *Monday, August 16, 2021 at 1:47 PM > *To: *"nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" > *Subject: *Re: [Nhcoll-l] frozen tissue collections > > > > Hi all, > > > > I've dug into some of the very helpful resources you shared and would > appreciate some further input. At this point, we are focusing our efforts > on working through a 20 year backlog of carcasses stored in -20C freezers > awaiting more traditional specimen preps, rather than collecting new > specimens. Most of these specimens are relatively common species that were > salvaged or were put into coolers during field surveys and then frozen. I > thought it would be good to also preserve tissues for genomic studies as we > prepare these specimens, but after reading the papers you shared, it seems > like these specimens have little to no chance of yielding useful genetic > material given their storage history so we shouldn't bother preserving > tissue samples from them. Is that correct? > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > > > On Fri, Aug 13, 2021 at 11:47 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > > Thanks to everyone who replied with resources! It's great to be part of a > community of people so eager to help. > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > > > On Thu, Aug 12, 2021 at 8:38 AM Catherine Early (she/her) > wrote: > > Hi all, > > > > We're going to start taking tissue samples for genomic work as part of our > specimen preparations. I'm currently writing a grant to upgrade our > collections and will include a request for a tissue sample freezer, but I'm > really struggling to write that section since I don't use tissues in my own > research. Can you recommend good books, papers, or other resources to get > me started? Thanks! > > > > Best, > > Catherine > > > > > > > *Catherine M. Early, PhD* > > she/her > > *Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology* > > e: cearly at smm.org > > https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home > > > > > We envision a world where everyone has the power to use science to make > lives better, > and we are committed to using STEM as a tool to advocate for justice and > equity. > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 9 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:37:35 -0700 From: Dakota Rowsey To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hello all, I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed to languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not in great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life in a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. Thank you, Dakota -- *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) Vertebrate Collections Manager Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections Arizona State University Biocollections 734 W Alameda Dr. Tempe, AZ 85282 (480)727-5870 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 10 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 10:40:59 -0600 From: Elizabeth Wommack To: Dakota Rowsey Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi Dakota, Just checking before diving into any thoughts, do you mean stuffed bird skin specimens, or frozen unstuffed flat skins bird specimens? cheers, Beth Wommack On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 10:38 AM Dakota Rowsey wrote: > ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution > when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. > > Hello all, > > I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed to > languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not in > great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life in > a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as > some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to > ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for > tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely > neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice > on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. > > Thank you, > Dakota > > -- > *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) > Vertebrate Collections Manager > Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections > Arizona State University Biocollections > 734 W Alameda Dr. > Tempe, AZ 85282 > (480)727-5870 > -- Elizabeth Wommack, PhD Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center University of Wyoming, Laramie, WY 82071 ewommack@ uwyo.edu www.uwymv. org UWYMV Collection Use Policy -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 11 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 09:41:59 -0700 From: Dakota Rowsey To: Elizabeth Wommack Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Tips for Repairing Damaged Bird Study Skins Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Yes, happy to clarify - stuffed bird skin specimens. On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 9:41 AM Elizabeth Wommack wrote: > Hi Dakota, > > Just checking before diving into any thoughts, do you mean stuffed bird > skin specimens, or frozen unstuffed flat skins bird specimens? > > cheers, > Beth Wommack > > On Wed, Aug 18, 2021 at 10:38 AM Dakota Rowsey wrote: > >> ? This message was sent from a non-UWYO address. Please exercise caution >> when clicking links or opening attachments from external sources. >> >> Hello all, >> >> I have recently unearthed a series of bird skins that have been allowed >> to languish in a chest freezer for far too long and the specimens are not >> in great condition: they got frozen together over the course of their life >> in a cold, damp cardboard box. I would like to save the specimens I can, as >> some of them are unique in our collection. I know that I am unlikely to >> ever get these specimens looking great, but nevertheless I am looking for >> tips and advice on how to control the damage to these specimens, safely >> neutralize any mold or mildew if possible, preen the feathers, etc. Advice >> on techniques, tools, and any cleaning agents would all be appreciated. >> >> Thank you, >> Dakota >> >> -- >> *Dakota M. Rowsey, Ph.D.* (he/his) >> Vertebrate Collections Manager >> Portal Manager, Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections >> Arizona State University Biocollections >> 734 W Alameda Dr. >> Tempe, AZ 85282 >> (480)727-5870 >> > > > -- > Elizabeth Wommack, PhD > Curator and Collections Manager of Vertebrates > University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates > Berry Biodiversity Conservation Center > University of Wyoming, > Laramie, WY 82071 > ewommack@ uwyo.edu > > www.uwymv. > > org > UWYMV Collection Use Policy > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 12 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 16:40:41 -0400 From: Cody Thompson To: nhcoll Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Faculty search: Assistant Professor in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at U. Michigan Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Colleagues: Please see the advertisement below for an upcoming faculty position in the University of Michigan Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology . The job posting can also be found here . This is a broad search, but there are opportunities for successful applicants to integrate their research programs with our world-class museum collections and field stations. Take care, Cody Assistant Professor of Ecology and/or Evolutionary Biology The Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at the University of Michigan invites applications for a full-time, tenure-track position in any area of ecology or evolutionary biology. This is a university-year appointment at the level of Assistant Professor with an expected start date of August 29, 2022. A successful candidate will be expected to establish a thriving research program, to effectively teach and mentor both undergraduate and graduate students, and to contribute to an equitable and inclusive departmental climate. They might also leverage University of Michigan and EEB facilities including world class biodiversity collections (Museum of Zoology and Herbarium), a local field research facility (the Edwin S. George Reserve), and a large educational and research facility in northern Michigan (the University of Michigan Biological Station). The university is located in Ann Arbor, which is a vibrant community with excellent schools and proximity to both natural areas and Detroit. Applications must be submitted https://webapps.lsa.umich.edu/Apply/1441. You will be asked to upload a cover letter, CV, a concise (2-4 pg) statement describing current and future research plans, a statement of teaching philosophy and experience, a statement of commitment and contributions to diversity, equity and inclusion in academia, and contact information for three references. Application review will begin October 1, 2021 and continue until the position is filled. Questions about this search should be directed to mollyiz at umich.edu, executive assistant for the Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology. *EEB is committed to fostering diversity throughout the department, including with respect to race, ethnicity, gender, and disability status of faculty members. Women and members of other groups underrepresented in science are particularly encouraged to apply. The university supports the needs of dual career couples. The University of Michigan is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer.* Cody W. Thompson, PhD Mammal Collections Manager & Assistant Research Scientist University of Michigan Museum of Zoology 3600 Varsity Drive Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108 Office: (734) 615-2810 Fax: (734) 763-4080 Email: cwthomp at umich.edu Website: codythompson.org In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the UMMZ/Herbarium has limited personnel available working onsite. No loan returns should be shipped without prior notification, and collection visits, loan requests, gifts, exchanges, etc. should be coordinated with the appropriate curatorial staff. Please expect delayed responses. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 13 Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2021 10:40:47 -0500 From: William Simpson To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: <30c61796-cd64-73ec-7eed-fe59623585b8 at fieldmuseum.org> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed" Hi Joosep, Ask the manufacturer what the load capacity is, then if possible get a sample and test it.? We buy bags of salt and load up shelves to test them.? We've had one model collapse under a load of salt matching the manufacturer's stated capacity. Best, Bill On 8/17/21 9:34 AM, Joosep Sarapuu wrote: > > Dear all, > > I think some of you have been already had this situation before. > > We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we > would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our > shelves sizes are 100x59cm. > > Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? > > Sincerely, > > Joosep Sarapuu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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. -- * William F. Simpson (he)* Head of Geological Collections McCarter Collections Manager, Fossil Vertebrates Gantz Family Collections Center Primarily Working from Home *Field Museum of Natural History* 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL. 60605 fieldmuseum.org > Field Museum Logo > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: field-museum-logo_2018.png Type: image/png Size: 3117 bytes Desc: not available URL: ------------------------------ Message: 14 Date: Thu, 19 Aug 2021 16:17:51 +0000 From: "Palmer, Lisa" To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Cc: Nana Kaneko Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: ALERT: Tropical Storm Henri Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 12:16 PM Subject: ALERT: Tropical Storm Henri External Email - Exercise Caution HENTF members, The potential impacts of Tropical Storm Henri may be felt from North Carolina north through the mid-Atlantic states to New England. Please notify your members and constituents, especially those in New York and New England (Connecticut, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Maine, and Vermont), to: * Prepare for the possibility of flooding and/or tropical storm-force winds. * Monitor the storm via the National Hurricane Center and their state emergency management agency. >From the National Hurricane Center: 1. Henri is forecast to be near the northeast coast of the U.S. on Sunday and Monday, and the risks of storm surge, wind, and rain impacts in portions of southern New England and eastern Long Island are increasing. Watches will likely be required for portions of this area on Friday. 1. Swells from Henri will begin to reach much of the east coast of the U.S. and Atlantic Canada by the end of the week and continue through the weekend. These swells could cause life-threatening surf and rip currents. The HENTF dashboard contains graphics from the National Hurricane Center as well as preparedness tips for cultural institutions and other useful links. [Map Description automatically generated] [cid:image003.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] Thank you! Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image005.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] [cid:image007.jpg at 01D794F4.3A15FE90] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 24364 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 21344 bytes Desc: image003.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3089 bytes Desc: image005.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image007.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1948 bytes Desc: image007.jpg URL: ------------------------------ Message: 15 Date: Wed, 18 Aug 2021 22:37:15 +0000 From: Peter H Wimberger To: nhcoll Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Dear NHCollers, Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for an inventory of specimens and equipment. The adjusters are not sure how to deal with natural history collection specimens. What experience do people have valuating their collections? Are there conventions that natural history collections or their parent institutions use for insuring collections? If folks could point me in the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would be very appreciative! Thanks, Peter Peter Wimberger Director, Slater Museum of Natural History Professor, Biology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 98406 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 16 Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 14:21:33 +0000 From: naturalhistory To: Peter H Wimberger , nhcoll Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Everything you need has been discussed before and published here: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Value-Valuation-Natural-Science-Collections/dp/1897799764 There are more recent articles and advice but this is a great starting point (including discussion of how meaningless the concept can be!) Nigel Mr Nigel T. Monaghan, Keeper, Natural History Division, National Museum of Ireland, Merrion Street, Dublin D02 F627, IRELAND +353-1-6486354 (phone) nmonaghan at museum.ie www.museum.ie Museums are open but with restrictions, book online to arrange your visit The National Museum of Ireland ? Natural History remains closed for essential works Group Bookings have been suspended ? see our website at www.museum.ie for details Research visitors must make appointments in advance of any proposed visit. Virtual Visit: See our 3-D interactive tour at www.museum.ie/nh3d Watch: We are one of the Dublin stories on www.storymap.ie also at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VunX2u_mQWw Read: Guide to the National Museum of Ireland - Natural History, ?5.95 from Museum Shops Poetry: Dead Zoo ? a whole book of poetry http://www.gallerypress.com/shop/#!/~/product/id=28033815 Member: Merrion Square Network www.merrionsquare.ie> From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Peter H Wimberger Sent: 18 August 2021 23:37 To: nhcoll Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Dear NHCollers, Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for an inventory of specimens and equipment. The adjusters are not sure how to deal with natural history collection specimens. What experience do people have valuating their collections? Are there conventions that natural history collections or their parent institutions use for insuring collections? If folks could point me in the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would be very appreciative! Thanks, Peter Peter Wimberger Director, Slater Museum of Natural History Professor, Biology University of Puget Sound Tacoma, WA 98406 https://www.museum.ie/en-IE/News/National-Museum-of-Ireland-invites-schools-to-lear -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 17 Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:25:28 +0000 From: Nicole Seiden To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252" Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 18 Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:37:05 +0000 From: "Bentley, Andrew Charles" To: Nicole Seiden , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Nicole I would not rinse in water of any kind as this may pose a risk of osmotic changes in the specimens. I would presume they are in some kind of alcohol unless a formalin test strip proves otherwise and would transfer into new preservative as is without any washing. Andy From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Nicole Seiden Sent: Friday, August 20, 2021 3:25 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been "ignored" for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I've been addressing. Currently, I'm working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it's very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 19 Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 21:50:39 +0100 From: Luis Cer?aco To: "Bentley, Andrew Charles" Cc: Nicole Seiden , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hi Nicole, Check our recent paper. It seems to be a similar situation https://zookeys.pensoft.net/articles.php?id=64607&journal_name=zookeys Best! Luis A sexta, 20/08/2021, 21:37, Bentley, Andrew Charles escreveu: > Nicole > > > > I would not rinse in water of any kind as this may pose a risk of osmotic > changes in the specimens. I would presume they are in some kind of alcohol > unless a formalin test strip proves otherwise and would transfer into new > preservative as is without any washing. > > > > Andy > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l *On Behalf Of *Nicole > Seiden > *Sent:* Friday, August 20, 2021 3:25 PM > *To:* NHCOLL-new > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown > preservative? > > > > Hello and happy Friday! > > I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of > digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been > ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have > numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working > with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some > advice. > > A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown > fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to > larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely > that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant > misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. > > Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the > fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known > preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water > and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens > (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? > > > > Many thanks in advanced, > > Nicki > > > > *Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc.* > > She/Her/Hers > > *Research Collection Manager* > > Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute > > nseiden at fau.edu > _______________________________________________ > 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. > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 20 Date: Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:57:43 +0000 From: "Callomon,Paul" To: Nicole Seiden , NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Hi Nicki, If you can, get some device for measuring fluid concentration. This could be a simple glass hydrometer (Traille-type) or a more expensive electronic device like the Anton Paar Snap-41. As long as what you have is ethanol, you should be able to find the concentration. That's important in deciding what to do next; if you move something from 50% to 80%, for example, it might well shrink as more water is driven out of it. Paul Callomon Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates ________________________________ Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University 1900 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, Philadelphia PA 19103-1195, USA prc44 at drexel.edu Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170 From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Nicole Seiden Sent: Friday, August 20, 2021 4:25 PM To: NHCOLL-new Subject: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? External. Hello and happy Friday! I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been "ignored" for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I've been addressing. Currently, I'm working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it's very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? Many thanks in advanced, Nicki Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. She/Her/Hers Research Collection Manager Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute nseiden at fau.edu -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 21 Date: Sat, 21 Aug 2021 11:58:46 +0000 From: Nikolaj Scharff To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Employment opportunity - Project Leader of the Danish System of Scientific Collections (DaSSCo) Message-ID: <5a17d57ec348432381252b1d757a9a60 at snm.ku.dk> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" The Natural History Museum of Denmark (NHMD), Faculty of SCIENCE, University of Copenhagen is leading a new project to digitize Danish natural history collections and is looking for a fixed-term Project Leader to manage the Project Team. The position is available from 1 October 2021 or as soon as possible thereafter and will run for 5 years. An exciting opportunity to be part of the new museum project. Check the job announcement below! Deadline is September 16, 2021. https://snm.ku.dk/ledige-stillinger/all-jobs/2021/project-leader-of-the-danish-system-of-scientific-collections/ Best wishes Nikolaj Scharff ---------------------------------------------------------- Nikolaj Scharff, PhD Deputy Museum Director Professor, Head of Collections & Research Natural History Museum of Denmark Zoological Museum, University of Copenhagen Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen DENMARK E-mail: nscharff at snm.ku.dk Webpage: http://snm.ku.dk/people/nscharff ---------------------------------------------------------- -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 22 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 06:16:06 +0000 From: Joosep Sarapuu To: "simpson at fieldmuseum.org" , "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Message-ID: <75629eedd8e04f5589b1b94cd45b2fb0 at loodusmuuseum.ee> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Thanks for your replies. I will discuss it and follow your instructions. Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu From: Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu] On Behalf Of William Simpson Sent: Thursday, August 19, 2021 6:41 PM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Shelves load capasity Hi Joosep, Ask the manufacturer what the load capacity is, then if possible get a sample and test it. We buy bags of salt and load up shelves to test them. We've had one model collapse under a load of salt matching the manufacturer's stated capacity. Best, Bill On 8/17/21 9:34 AM, Joosep Sarapuu wrote: Dear all, I think some of you have been already had this situation before. We are going to have a new shelves for our collection rooms and we would like to know what should be the load capasity for shelves. Our shelves sizes are 100x59cm. Can somebody give me estimate load capasity for these ones? Sincerely, Joosep Sarapuu _______________________________________________ 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. -- William F. Simpson (he) Head of Geological Collections McCarter Collections Manager, Fossil Vertebrates Gantz Family Collections Center Primarily Working from Home Field Museum of Natural History 1400 South Lake Shore Drive Chicago, IL. 60605 fieldmuseum.org> [Field Museum Logo]> -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.png Type: image/png Size: 3117 bytes Desc: image001.png URL: ------------------------------ Message: 23 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:39:42 +0200 From: Dirk Neumann To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Insurance question for collections Message-ID: <5d2d06dc-310d-4868-4e32-28dc21906eac at snsb.de> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8"; Format="flowed" Dear Peter, I am not sure in what direction "valuating" exactly points: the historic and cultural value of the allocated museum objects, or the replacement costs in case of a (fatal) loss (e.g., through a major fire, like in Rio, Butantan or Cape Town)? There have been various approached to valuate collections and objects, but from a pragmatic point of view you cannot replace them, because you cannot re-collect the same specimens and objects back in time. Thus, any loss of these cultural objects is irreversible. They are not just specimens sitting in a jar, drawer or cardboard box awaiting to be viewed and studied. Museum items are unique objects that cannot be replaced. A digital representation or re-collected specimens may may carry information or to some extent represent the same species, but they cannot provide the same cultural history under which the specimens were originally collected in the field,? were acquired by the museum, the cultural meaning and value they added to the collection and institution. We lost nearly our entire fish collection in WW II, only 300 jars survived. Our fish collection now is a modern post-war collection that is (largely) deprived from its historic value with individual exceptions, such as the few Spix specimens from the famous expedition on the Amazon 1817-1820. This is an irreversible loss - even though we kindly received historic material (including syntypes) to restore our collection after the war from other museums supporting us to rebuild our collections. A different question (specifically in terms of insurance coverage) is what would it cost to restore a collection after it got affected, e.g., by a severe weather event, which becomes increasingly relevant our days. To cover "insured losses", it would be relevant to have a good estimate of the costs to replace containers, seals and (partly) objects (e.g. partial coverage of travel costs if re-collecting is an option and still possible). The most expensive bit in this surely are staff costs (additional well trained staff to mitigate damage and required help to support local staff to restore affected collection objects), assuming that costs to restore the building would be covered by a building insurance or would come from different sources. Another relevant factor is replacement costs for storage containers, furniture, specific preparations, etc. It would be good to have a good proxy to roughly calculate these costs, e.g., by establishing? estimate value for a given amount of objects on storage, i.e. a specific amount of containers, storage furniture and work time to prepare them (i.e. average costs to replace jars, drawers etc. per cupboard or otherwise defined subunit), that can then be scaled up for the entire collection. This should accommodate different needs / requirements in different collections, for example the costs to remove mould and mould spores from dry specimens like corals are much higher than the removing mould from the outside of jars in a fluid collection. In general, cleaning of museum objects (not only the storage rooms) is a major costs factor that should be sufficiently covered by an insurance, because mould outbreaks due to a malfunctioning climate HVAC system, accumulation of dirt and dust due to renovation works, burst pipes or sprinkler systems installed in collection etc are no so rare incidents. Also covered should be costs needed equipment or relevant auxiliary support, such as temporary installation of refrigeration containers, and replacement of storage furniture and storage containers, preservation fluids etc. are relevant cost factors that must be considered. The Preventive Conservation book gives an good overview on relevant topics, and even though it does not address insurance or collections in an separate chapter, chapters 3 (Preventive Conservation approach), 4 (Risk Assessment) and especially 16 (Emergency Management) give useful keywords that surely are worth considering. Hope this helps, Dirk Am 19.08.2021 um 00:37 schrieb Peter H Wimberger: > > Dear NHCollers, > > Our university is revisiting their insurance coverage and asked us for > an inventory of specimens and equipment.? The adjusters are not sure > how to deal with natural history collection specimens.? What > experience do people have valuating their collections?? Are there > conventions that natural history collections or their parent > institutions use for insuring collections?? If folks could point me in > the direction of resources or let me know what they have done, I would > be very appreciative! > > Thanks, > > Peter > > Peter Wimberger > > Director, Slater Museum of Natural History > > Professor, Biology > > University of Puget Sound > > Tacoma, WA 98406 > > > _______________________________________________ > 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: difmmkaapaclcfne.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: ------------------------------ Message: 24 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 11:10:43 +0200 From: Dirk Neumann To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="windows-1252"; Format="flowed" Dear Nicole, the first articles of the first Fluid Preservation congress in Paris in 2018 published in Collection Forum are available online . Among these is Irene Finkelde's and Asher Newsome's salting-out article which is a nice an cost-efficient way to check fluids, and the article of Irene and Rob Waller to determine formaldehyde concentrations in preserving fluids. Besides the well recognisable smell of formaldehyde, density differences between the water-based formaldehyde solution and alcohol should be easy to detect. Be aware that if you have historic specimens (pre 1900), different salts could have been used to increase the preserving strength of the alcohol. Many of these salts are not too healthy, and necessary precautions should be taken when handling such objects. Transfer: Not in all cases it is recommended to transfer specimens form formalin into alcohol, Paul pointed to this already. Especially some marine invertebrates like jelly fish or tunicates may suffer if they are moved from their original preservative fluid (often formalin). You should be careful with distilled water, as this is very acidic. Tap water should be fine if there are not additives in it (e.g. chlorinated), and slow stepping with more steps (e.g. 20/40/60/75) should be preferred for delicate specimens. Highly recommended reference and bed-lecture for all people working with fluid preserved specimens is the masterpiece John (Simmons) put together: https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659 It is the reference I love to consult and I am very happy to have this valuable book in reach on the shelf behind me. Hope this helps Dirk Am 20.08.2021 um 22:25 schrieb Nicole Seiden: > > Hello and happy Friday! > > I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks > of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have > been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the > database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. > Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to > ask the community for some advice. > > A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown > fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or > rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and > it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have > had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. > > Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the > fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known > preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI > water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the > specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should > follow? > > > Many thanks in advanced, > Nicki > > *Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc.* > > She/Her/Hers > > /Research Collection Manager/ > > Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute > > nseiden at fau.edu > > > _______________________________________________ > 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: ajhghjgfakiokfgk.png Type: image/png Size: 23308 bytes Desc: not available URL: ------------------------------ Message: 25 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 09:11:23 +0000 From: Sabine St?hr To: "Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Weird data in bird collection Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Dear Colleagues, we have some weird data in our old bird collection database and I wonder if any of you have come across this acronym. In the field for inventory status of bird skins it says "C?U? in some records. We have been puzzled by it for years. It may be an obscure local shorthand from the days when computers could only handle very short strings. I?m hoping, it is something more general that someone recognizes. We cannot be sure which language this may be either, it could be Swedish or English words that are abbreviated like this. Both languages occur in our databases. Thank you for any suggestions. Best regards, Sabine St?hr Sabine St?hr Swedish Museum of Natural History Dept of Zoology Box 50007 S-10405 Stockholm Sweden sabine.stohr at nrm.se -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: ------------------------------ Message: 26 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 10:25:19 +0100 From: Simon Moore To: Dirk Neumann Cc: NHCOLL-new Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] How to transfer specimens out of an unknown preservative? Message-ID: <7FCA63CA-BC45-4A6A-95B3-AADE736C7E4D at btinternet.com> Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Just to put in my extra bit as Dirk has comprehensively covered the topic. People often forget, when using formalin that solution for fixing should be at 10% but 5% for preserving (storing). Translucent invertebrates such as jellies and tunicates maintain their translucency is aqueous preservatives but become opaque in alcohol, which is why so may are still stored in the former. Distilled water can be very low in pH and unsuitable - I have measured it down to 3.5! So always ?test the waters? before use! With all good wishes, Simon Simon Moore MIScT, RSci, FLS, ACR Conservator of Natural Sciences and Cutlery Historian, www.natural-history-conservation.com > On 23 Aug 2021, at 10:10, Dirk Neumann wrote: > > Dear Nicole, > > the first articles of the first Fluid Preservation congress in Paris in 2018 published in Collection Forum are available online. Among these is Irene Finkelde's and Asher Newsome's salting-out article which is a nice an cost-efficient way to check fluids, and the article of Irene and Rob Waller to determine formaldehyde concentrations in preserving fluids. > > Besides the well recognisable smell of formaldehyde, density differences between the water-based formaldehyde solution and alcohol should be easy to detect. Be aware that if you have historic specimens (pre 1900), different salts could have been used to increase the preserving strength of the alcohol. Many of these salts are not too healthy, and necessary precautions should be taken when handling such objects. > > Transfer: Not in all cases it is recommended to transfer specimens form formalin into alcohol, Paul pointed to this already. Especially some marine invertebrates like jelly fish or tunicates may suffer if they are moved from their original preservative fluid (often formalin). > > You should be careful with distilled water, as this is very acidic. Tap water should be fine if there are not additives in it (e.g. chlorinated), and slow stepping with more steps (e.g. 20/40/60/75) should be preferred for delicate specimens. > > Highly recommended reference and bed-lecture for all people working with fluid preserved specimens is the masterpiece John (Simmons) put together: https://www.amazon.com/Fluid-Preservation-Comprehensive-John-Simmons/dp/1442229659 > > It is the reference I love to consult and I am very happy to have this valuable book in reach on the shelf behind me. > > Hope this helps > Dirk > > > > Am 20.08.2021 um 22:25 schrieb Nicole Seiden: >> Hello and happy Friday! >> >> I was recently hired as a collections manager with the initial tasks of digitizing and re-opening the collections. The collections have been ?ignored? for some time now and both the specimens and the database have numerous discrepancies that I?ve been addressing. Currently, I?m working with our wet-preserved specimens and want to ask the community for some advice. >> >> A large portion of our specimens (> 4,000) are preserved in an unknown fluid (listed as N/A), and many of which require topping up or rehousing to larger jars. Our most common preservative is ethanol, and it?s very likely that most are in ethanol or isopropyl, though I have had the unpleasant misfortune of opening a few preserved in formalin. >> >> Previous discussions indicated there is not a method to determine the fluid type, but is there a way to transfer the specimens into a known preservative? My initial thought is to rinse (or soak?) them in DI water and then transfer into ethanol. Does this pose any risk to the specimens (i.e., lead to damage)? Are there any precautions I should follow? >> >> >> Many thanks in advanced, >> Nicki >> >> Nicki L. Seiden, M.Sc. >> She/Her/Hers >> Research Collection Manager >> Harbor Branch Oceanographic Institute >> nseiden at fau.edu >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> 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/ > > _______________________________________________ > 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: PastedGraphic-2.tiff Type: image/tiff Size: 38900 bytes Desc: not available URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: MA logo.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 19375 bytes Desc: not available URL: ------------------------------ Message: 27 Date: Mon, 23 Aug 2021 14:00:02 +0000 From: "Hollis, Kathy A." To: "nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu" Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Contracting Opportunities: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology Message-ID: Content-Type: text/plain; charset="utf-8" Hello Colleagues, The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History Department of Paleobiology is seeking five (5) independent contractors to pack, stage, move, and organize fossil collections and associated material within and between NMNH facilities in support of the Paleobiology Collections Defragmentation Project. The contract period is for 12 months with options to extend. The Paleo Collections Defragmentation Project will implement a?decades overdue,?long-term?comprehensive physical?curation strategy. The project will resolve pervasive physical organization deficiencies that limit the collections? accessibility and care. The project ensures the collections are out of imminent risk due to below-grade storage and will allow a physical?organization to be realized among the?near 11,000 collection cabinets?distributed among?three?separate?facilities. Qualified individuals are invited to review the attached Request for Quotes (RFQ) and Statement of Work (SOW) for specifics. Details on what to include in the quote package and how to submit it are available in the RFQ. Responses are due Friday, September 17th, 12pm EST. Applicants should register as a federal contractor in the System for Award Management (SAM) concurrently to responding to the RFQ. Please forward this announcement to any qualified candidates who might be interested. Feel free to contact me if there are any questions. Thank you, Kathy Hollis Kathy Hollis (she/her/hers) Paleobiology Collections Manager Department of Paleobiology w 202.633.1357 c 330.634.6505 hollisk at si.edu SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Facebook | Twitter | Instagram While the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History exhibition spaces partially opened to the public on June 18th, our collections remain closed to all visiting researchers, and the museum?s COVID-19 loan moratorium remains in effect. Please check the Paleobiology website for the current operating status for collections activities https://naturalhistory.si.edu/research/paleobiology -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: SI_Terms_&_Clauses.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 572683 bytes Desc: SI_Terms_&_Clauses.pdf URL: ------------------------------ Subject: Digest Footer _______________________________________________ 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. ------------------------------ End of Nhcoll-l Digest, Vol 111, Issue 4 **************************************** -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From Melissa.Bechhoefer at dmns.org Tue Aug 24 13:31:02 2021 From: Melissa.Bechhoefer at dmns.org (Melissa Bechhoefer) Date: Tue, 24 Aug 2021 17:31:02 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] IPM Freezer recommendations Message-ID: Hello, IPM minds ? Our trusted upright two-door Kelvinator is about to retire against our wishes, and we are looking at options to replace it. Looking for one- or two-door upright freezers that can hang in the -30/-35C range. We?ve found a number online, but would be curious to hear if anyone has recent models or companies they can recommend (or suggest we avoid). Much thanks in advance. Melissa Bechhoefer Director of Integrative Collections she/her/hers [DMNS 2 Line RGB small.jpg] melissa.bechhoefer at dmns.org Work 303.370.6401 2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205 www.dmns.org/science/ [FacebookIcon (1)] [TwitterLogo] We are OPEN! Explore ancient mysteries and modern discoveries in "Stonehenge" the exhibition. And investigate patterns?and numbers?hiding in plain sight in??Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze.? ? ?El museo est? ABIERTO! Explora los misterios antiguos y los descubrimientos modernos en la exhibici?n "Stonehenge". Y descubre los patrones y los n?meros que se esconden a simple vista en "Los N?meros en la Naturaleza: Un Laberinto de Espejos". -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 2894 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.png Type: image/png Size: 420 bytes Desc: image002.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.png Type: image/png Size: 534 bytes Desc: image003.png URL: From Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de Wed Aug 25 01:48:33 2021 From: Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de (=?UTF-8?Q?Joachim=20H=C3=A4ndel?=) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 07:48:33 +0200 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Antw: IPM Freezer recommendations In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <6125F5D1020000B300093715@zuv12.verwaltung.uni-halle.de> Hello Melissa, it depends on which objects you want to freeze. For insects, we have had very good experience with LIEBHERR freezers. https://home.liebherr.com/en/usa/ncsa/commercial/research-and-laboratory/details/lgpv-8420.html https://home.liebherr.com/external/products/products-assets/294681/SP_LGPv8420_137_40.pdf There fit the Insect drawers exactly in. (In Europe, there is also an inexpensive version for bakeries in this temperature range - but I have not found it on the US website). Good luck Joachim -- Joachim Haendel Center of Natural Sciences Collections 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 >>> Melissa Bechhoefer 24.08.21 19.32 Uhr >>> p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal { margin: 0.0in; font-size: 11.0pt; font-family: Calibri , sans-serif; } a:link, span.MsoHyperlink { color: rgb(5,99,193); text-decoration: underline; } a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed { color: rgb(149,79,114); text-decoration: underline; } span.EmailStyle17 { font-family: Calibri , sans-serif; color: windowtext; } *.MsoChpDefault { font-family: Calibri , sans-serif; } div.WordSection1 { page: WordSection1; } Hello, IPM minds ? Our trusted upright two-door Kelvinator is about to retire against our wishes, and we are looking at options to replace it. Looking for one- or two-door upright freezers that can hang in the -30/-35C range. We?ve found a number online, but would be curious to hear if anyone has recent models or companies they can recommend (or suggest we avoid). Much thanks in advance. Melissa Bechhoefer Director of Integrative Collections she/her/hers melissa.bechhoefer at dmns.org Work 303.370.6401 2001 Colorado Blvd. Denver, CO 80205 www.dmns.org/science/ We are OPEN! Explore ancient mysteries and modern discoveries in "Stonehenge" the exhibition. And investigate patterns?and numbers?hiding in plain sight in??Numbers in Nature: A Mirror Maze.? ? ?El museo est? ABIERTO! Explora los misterios antiguos y los descubrimientos modernos en la exhibici?n "Stonehenge". Y descubre los patrones y los n?meros que se esconden a simple vista en "Los N?meros en la Naturaleza: Un Laberinto de Espejos". -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMAGE3.img Type: image/png Size: 534 bytes Desc: Portable Network Graphics Format URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMAGE2.img Type: image/jpg Size: 2894 bytes Desc: JPEG image URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMAGE1.img Type: image/png Size: 420 bytes Desc: Portable Network Graphics Format URL: From BarkerK at si.edu Wed Aug 25 10:09:33 2021 From: BarkerK at si.edu (Barker, Katharine B.) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 14:09:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Contracting Opportunity: Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, GGBN Secretariat Office Message-ID: Hello, The Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History is seeking an independent contractor to provide administrative and project management support to the GGBN General Secretariat Office for all GGBN activities. The contract period is for 12 months with options to extend. Qualified individuals are invited to review the attached Request for Quotes (RFQ) and Statement of Work (SOW) for specifics. Details on what to include in the quote package and how to submit it are available in the RFQ. Responses are due Tuesday August 31. Applicants should register as a federal contractor in the System for Award Management (SAM) concurrently to responding to the RFQ. Please forward this announcement to any qualified candidates who might be interested. Feel free to contact me if there are any questions. Thank you, Katie Barker Katharine B. Barker Program Manager, Global Genome Initiative and Global Genome Biodiversity Network w 202.633.2460 c 202.286.1390 e barkerk at si.edu SMITHSONIAN INSTITUTION NATIONAL MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY Facebook | Twitter | Instagram -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: GGBN Admin RFQ_August 23 2021.pdf Type: application/pdf Size: 1240677 bytes Desc: GGBN Admin RFQ_August 23 2021.pdf URL: From jessica.bazeley at yale.edu Wed Aug 25 14:08:41 2021 From: jessica.bazeley at yale.edu (Utrup, Jessica) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 18:08:41 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Job Posting: Museum Designer & Preparator, McClung Museum, University of Tennessee Message-ID: Museum Designer & Preparator, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, University of Tennessee Regular, Full-time - MR06 Apply online: https://ut.taleo.net/careersection/ut_system/jobdetail.ftl?job=21000001N7&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York The Museum Designer and Preparator, reporting to the Coordinator of Exhibitions and Physical Experiences, is responsible for supporting the museum's mission through design, preparation, and installation of exhibitions, collections installations, and building projects. In coordination with members of the Exhibition and Physical Experiences Team (EPE) and other staff and collaborators, the Museum Designer and Preparator will produce graphics and drawings for museum project components accounting for available space, visitor experience, object and visitor safety, project budget and timeline, and institutional mission and quality standards. 60%, Design and Preparation 1. Works with the Coordinator of Exhibitions and Physical Experiences (EPE), curators, educators, and others to organize objects and interpretive elements into exciting and engaging exhibition plans suitable for public display. 2. Designs and constructs object mounts, museum furniture, interpretive materials and museum graphics, and other related exhibition elements. Arranges for framing as needed. 3. Generates scaled computer renderings, as well as models, prototypes, design drawings, and mockups, to communicate design concepts (including museum furniture, object layouts, materials/paint colors, floor treatments) for exhibitions and projects. 4. Installs, and supervises installation, of objects for museum exhibitions and collections installations utilizing museum best practices. 5. Handles, prepares, and transports art and museum objects as needed. 25%, Project Management 1. Manages budget expenditures for the assigned area. Works with the Coordinator of EPE in budget planning for other areas, ensuring elements are completed on schedule, on scope, and within budget. 2. Oversees and evaluates external vendors and contractors as needed in direct consultation with the Coordinator of EPE, providing clear budgets, deliverables, and schedules as needed. 3. Attends and participates in project-based meetings and ongoing communication between relevant parties, as needed. 4. Archives final exhibition drawings, installation views, and other relevant materials. 15%, Operational Duties 1. Provides general maintenance and monitors the condition of exhibitions and physical installations, in consultation with the Coordinator of EPE. 2. Oversees the use, inventory, and maintenance of the OSHA-compliant museum workshop, and maintains all workshop tools, machinery, and materials. 3. Keeps track of inventories and orders supplies as needed. 4. Other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications * Demonstrated ability to work independently, collaboratively, and effectively with others under pressure amidst shifting priorities, managing time, staying organized, and meeting deadlines effectively. * Knowledge of museum exhibit design and best practices, construction, carpentry, and finish work. * Ability to manipulate heavy and/or large objects and to climb ladders. * Proficient skill in 3D (3 Dimensional) modeling tools such as Google Sketchup (preferred), AutoCAD, or other or other industry accepted software as well as Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office Suite. * Knowledge of museum standards for handling, installing, and packing museum objects and art. * Ability to safely use power tools, specialized equipment, and/or heavy machinery. * Ability to determine labor, equipment, and material costs on projects. * Ability to work occasional nights and weekends. Preferred Qualifications * Knowledge of video editing software for exhibition audiovisual elements. * Knowledge of lighting design. * Knowledge of the principles and benefits of Universal Design. * Knowledge of object mount-making, lighting, soldering, and audiovisual equipment. Required Experience Bachelor's Degree and minimum 3 years of experience working in a similar position at a museum, gallery, or other similar cultural institution. Preferred Experience Five years of relevant experience in a museum, gallery, or similar cultural organization. Additional 2-D graphics, environmental graphics, interactive media, or wayfinding design experience is preferred. [ttp://images.utk.edu/images/interface/ut-emailsignature.gif] Catherine Shteynberg Assistant Director / Curator The University of Tennessee, Knoxville McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture 1327 Circle Park Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 cshteynb at utk.edu cell: 202-341-1488 office: 865-974-6921 mcclungmuseum.utk.edu I acknowledge these ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples of East Tennessee and extend my respect and gratitude to the many tribes who call this area home. The McClung Museum has reopened on a limited basis. Learn more and plan your visit! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 4514 bytes Desc: image001.gif URL: From shoobs.1 at osu.edu Thu Aug 26 13:12:05 2021 From: shoobs.1 at osu.edu (Shoobs, Nate) Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:12:05 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preservation of invertebrate collections in AGW [Alcohol + Glycerin + Water] Message-ID: Hi all, I?m looking for advice on best practices for maintaining my collection?s fluid preserved mollusk specimens. It has come to my attention, that the preservative fluid used in the majority of the wet collection (approximately 50,000 gallons by volume) is not ethanol, but an apparently proprietary solution called ?AGW? which is a mixture of ethyl alcohol, glycerin, and water, sometimes with phenopthalein and methyl red pH indicators added (end result is purportedly 80% ethanol, 5% glycerin, 15% water, with <.1% of the pH indicator dyes.) According to interviews with former curatorial staff, AGW was developed by the first curator of the collection in the 1960s as an alternative to normal 70% ethanol for invertebrate collections, as it supposedly had a greater resistance to evaporation, improved tissue flexibility for morphological study (this part seems true based on my observations of the collection), and coated specimens with glycerin to keep them moist in cases of jar lid failure. The phenopthalein and methyl red were apparently only added to provide color to distinguish the solution from ETOH. Does anyone else have any experience managing alcohol-glycerin solutions like this? Is it safe to rehouse specimens in new jars with 80% ETOH? This is my current plan for lots in jars that need topping off. Given the heterogeneity of the solution, does anyone know of a possible method to measure the concentration of ethanol present in jars? It seems to me that glycerin would interfere with both traditional hydrometers (different buoyancy in glycerin than water) and electronic concentration meters such as those made by Anton-parr. But please correct me if I?m wrong. Thanks! Nate ? Nathaniel F. Shoobs, B.A., M.Sc. Curator of Mollusks Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University Museum of Biological Diversity, Columbus, OH -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From rw at protectheritage.com Thu Aug 26 13:36:33 2021 From: rw at protectheritage.com (Robert Waller) Date: Thu, 26 Aug 2021 17:36:33 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preservation of invertebrate collections in AGW [Alcohol + Glycerin + Water] In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Nate, The glycerin will not appreciably effect ethanol concentration measurements based on density. See: N. Boase and Robert Waller, The effect of propylene glycol on ethanol concentrations determined by density measurement. Collection Forum 10(2), 41-49, 1994. The part of the solution being lost (expecting glycerin to have minor effect on ethanol and water partial pressure ratios) will be 90%v/v ethanol See: Robert Waller and Tom Strang, Physical-chemical properties of preservative solutions I: Ethanol-water solutions. Collection Forum 12(2), 70-85, 1996. You may want to simply top up jars with, more than say half, fluid remaining with 90%v/v ethanol. Rob From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Shoobs, Nate Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2021 1:12 PM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preservation of invertebrate collections in AGW [Alcohol + Glycerin + Water] Hi all, I'm looking for advice on best practices for maintaining my collection's fluid preserved mollusk specimens. It has come to my attention, that the preservative fluid used in the majority of the wet collection (approximately 50,000 gallons by volume) is not ethanol, but an apparently proprietary solution called 'AGW' which is a mixture of ethyl alcohol, glycerin, and water, sometimes with phenopthalein and methyl red pH indicators added (end result is purportedly 80% ethanol, 5% glycerin, 15% water, with <.1% of the pH indicator dyes.) According to interviews with former curatorial staff, AGW was developed by the first curator of the collection in the 1960s as an alternative to normal 70% ethanol for invertebrate collections, as it supposedly had a greater resistance to evaporation, improved tissue flexibility for morphological study (this part seems true based on my observations of the collection), and coated specimens with glycerin to keep them moist in cases of jar lid failure. The phenopthalein and methyl red were apparently only added to provide color to distinguish the solution from ETOH. Does anyone else have any experience managing alcohol-glycerin solutions like this? Is it safe to rehouse specimens in new jars with 80% ETOH? This is my current plan for lots in jars that need topping off. Given the heterogeneity of the solution, does anyone know of a possible method to measure the concentration of ethanol present in jars? It seems to me that glycerin would interfere with both traditional hydrometers (different buoyancy in glycerin than water) and electronic concentration meters such as those made by Anton-parr. But please correct me if I'm wrong. Thanks! Nate - Nathaniel F. Shoobs, B.A., M.Sc. Curator of Mollusks Dept. of Evolution, Ecology and Organismal Biology The Ohio State University Museum of Biological Diversity, Columbus, OH -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From gonencgocmengil at gmail.com Fri Aug 27 06:16:32 2021 From: gonencgocmengil at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?Z8O2bmVuw6cgZ8O2w6dtZW5naWw=?=) Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:16:32 +0300 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] about preservation of halite minerals in an antique colleciton Message-ID: Dear all, A couple of years ago, I handled the curation of an old mineral collection in Istanbul Turkey. Minerals are exhibited in a semi-closed exhibition area on the ground covered with thick glass. 2-3 years later after the establishment of the collection (some specimens collected around 1890-the 1900s), one of the big halite samples getting started dissolved suddenly. There is no indication of interaction with a fluid, the humidity level is fixed around 70% and temperature around 20-22 ?C, I suspect maybe it contains some fluid inclusions and after a while, they dissolved? or NaCl character is not suitable for that microclimate conditions? Did anyone experience a similar problem before? with my best wishes G?nen? G??mengil (PhD in geology) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Projects Departments Istanbul, Turkey. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: IMG_20210826_120635(1).jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 206274 bytes Desc: not available URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Fri Aug 27 07:15:55 2021 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2021 11:15:55 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: HENTF ALERT: Tropical Storm Ida In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Thursday, August 26, 2021 9:38 PM Subject: HENTF ALERT: Tropical Storm Ida External Email - Exercise Caution Note: This is an updated version of the email you may have received at 9:30 pm EDT, 8/26/21. Dear HENTF members, Hurricanes don't observe weekends. Before you observe yours, please reach out to your members and constituents along the Gulf Coast, from Texas to the Florida Panhandle (TX, LA, MS, AL, FL), and encourage them to: * Prepare NOW for the possibility of storm surge along the coast, strong winds, and flooding. Preparedness tips for cultural institutions can be found on the HENTF dashboard<*%09https:/fema.connectsolutions.com/hentf/>. * Monitor the storm via the National Hurricane Center and their state emergency management agency. >From the National Hurricane Center, 5 pm EDT, 26 August: The system is forecast to approach the northern Gulf coast at or near major hurricane intensity on Sunday, where there is an increasing risk of life-threatening storm surge, damaging hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall Sunday and Monday, especially along the coast of Louisiana. Storm Surge and Hurricane Watches will likely be issued for a portion of this area later tonight or Friday morning. Interests in these areas should closely monitor the progress of this system and follow any advice given by local officials. [Map Description automatically generated] Thank you, Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image005.jpg at 01D79B13.5FCB93A0] [cid:image006.jpg at 01D79B13.5FCB93A0] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image004.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 33491 bytes Desc: image004.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image005.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3092 bytes Desc: image005.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image006.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1973 bytes Desc: image006.jpg URL: From rw at protectheritage.com Fri Aug 27 09:44:40 2021 From: rw at protectheritage.com (Robert Waller) Date: Fri, 27 Aug 2021 13:44:40 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] about preservation of halite minerals in an antique colleciton In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi G?nen?, Halite dissolves spontaneously (deliquesces) at relative humidity of 75% or higher. Halite is unusual in that 75% limit holds regardless of temperature. I don?t think escaping fluid inclusions could be responsible, if for no other reason, that the fluid would already be saturated with NaCl. In my experience, the most likely cause is that a higher than normal RH was caused by placing a washed but not completely dried specimen or material into the case causing a temporary high RH situation. There may be other reasons but that is the first scenario that I would seek to eliminate as a possibility. Best, Rob Robert Waller, PhD, CAPC, FIIC President and Senior Risk Analyst Protect Heritage Corp. 622 Simoneau Way Ottawa ON K4A 1P4 email: rw at protectheritage.com internet: www.protectheritage.com phone: 613-883-2707 (Canada) phone: 303-872-9739 (USA) [cid:image001.gif at 01D79B28.26D15890]http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9500-4113 skype: rrwaller and, Research Associate, Canadian Museum of Nature and, Adjunct Assistant Professor, Queen?s University [iic_fellowship_logo_2019] [cid:image003.png at 01D79B28.26D15890] [cid:image004.png at 01D79B28.26D15890] [ProtectHeritage_logo] [QueensLogo_colour] [cmn_logo] [image007] [image009] From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of g?nen? g??mengil Sent: Friday, August 27, 2021 6:17 AM To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu Subject: [Nhcoll-l] about preservation of halite minerals in an antique colleciton Dear all, A couple of years ago, I handled the curation of an old mineral collection in Istanbul Turkey. Minerals are exhibited in a semi-closed exhibition area on the ground covered with thick glass. 2-3 years later after the establishment of the collection (some specimens collected around 1890-the 1900s), one of the big halite samples getting started dissolved suddenly. There is no indication of interaction with a fluid, the humidity level is fixed around 70% and temperature around 20-22 ?C, I suspect maybe it contains some fluid inclusions and after a while, they dissolved? or NaCl character is not suitable for that microclimate conditions? Did anyone experience a similar problem before? with my best wishes G?nen? G??mengil (PhD in geology) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Projects Departments Istanbul, Turkey. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Name: image007.png Type: image/png Size: 22085 bytes Desc: image007.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image008.png Type: image/png Size: 24715 bytes Desc: image008.png URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image009.png Type: image/png Size: 34674 bytes Desc: image009.png URL: From gonencgocmengil at gmail.com Mon Aug 30 06:41:28 2021 From: gonencgocmengil at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?B?Z8O2bmVuw6cgZ8O2w6dtZW5naWw=?=) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:41:28 +0300 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] about preservation of halite minerals in an antique colleciton In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Dear all, thanks a lot for the valuable information, I'll forward your answers to the person responsible of the mineral collection, I hope they can fix this issue, with my best wishes G?nen? G??mengil (PhD in geology) Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Projects Departments Istanbul, Turkey. Robert Waller , 27 A?u 2021 Cum, 16:44 tarihinde ?unu yazd?: > Hi G?nen?, > > Halite dissolves spontaneously (deliquesces) at relative humidity of 75% > or higher. Halite is unusual in that 75% limit holds regardless of > temperature. > > I don?t think escaping fluid inclusions could be responsible, if for no > other reason, that the fluid would already be saturated with NaCl. > > In my experience, the most likely cause is that a higher than normal RH > was caused by placing a washed but not completely dried specimen or > material into the case causing a temporary high RH situation. There may be > other reasons but that is the first scenario that I would seek to eliminate > as a possibility. > > Best, > > Rob > > > > > > Robert Waller, PhD, CAPC, FIIC > President and Senior Risk Analyst > Protect Heritage Corp. > 622 Simoneau Way > Ottawa ON K4A 1P4 > email: rw at protectheritage.com > internet: www.protectheritage.com > phone: 613-883-2707 (Canada) > phone: 303-872-9739 (USA) > http://orcid.org/0000-0002-9500-4113 > > skype: rrwaller > > *and, *Research Associate, Canadian Museum of Nature > *and,* Adjunct Assistant Professor, Queen?s University > [image: iic_fellowship_logo_2019] > [image: ProtectHeritage_logo] [image: > QueensLogo_colour] [image: cmn_logo] > > [image: image007] > [image: > image009] > > > > > > > > > > > > *From:* Nhcoll-l * On Behalf Of *g?nen? > g??mengil > *Sent:* Friday, August 27, 2021 6:17 AM > *To:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu > *Subject:* [Nhcoll-l] about preservation of halite minerals in an antique > colleciton > > > > Dear all, > > > > A couple of years ago, I handled the curation of an old mineral collection > in Istanbul Turkey. Minerals are exhibited in a semi-closed exhibition area > on the ground covered with thick glass. 2-3 years later after the > establishment of the collection (some specimens collected around 1890-the > 1900s), one of the big halite samples getting started dissolved suddenly. > There is no indication of interaction with a fluid, the humidity level is > fixed around 70% and temperature around 20-22 ?C, I suspect maybe it > contains some fluid inclusions and after a while, they dissolved? or NaCl > character is not suitable for that microclimate conditions? Did anyone > experience a similar problem before? > > > > with my best wishes > > > > G?nen? G??mengil (PhD in geology) > > Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality, Projects Departments > > Istanbul, Turkey. > > > > > -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... 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Date: October 4, 2021 Time: 2:00-3:00 PM EST (program will be recorded) Event Partners: American Institute of Biological Sciences Biodiversity Collections Network Natural Science Collections Alliance Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections United States Culture Collection Network Moderator: Jyotsna Pandey, AIBS, NSC Alliance, and BCoN Speakers from NSF: Reed Beaman, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Peter McCartney, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Roland Roberts, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Discussion: The National Science Foundation (NSF) plays an important role in protecting, supporting, and expanding access to our nation's scientific collections, which include preserved specimens in natural history museums and herbaria; fossilized specimens; living collections in zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens; tissues, DNA and stock collections; and media collections. NSF supports research that uses existing collections as well as studies that gather new specimens. Importantly, it also provides critical support for national biological research infrastructure that houses biodiversity collections as well as digitization initiatives through the Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC), Thematic Collections Networks (TCN), and Partner to Existing Networks (PEN) programs. The collections community and stakeholders, including collection and data managers, curators, Sponsored Research Officers (SROs), and other administrators are invited to join us for a virtual learning session that will explore recent structural changes to NSF programs that support collections and how these might impact the community. There will also be a discussion of new opportunities that currently exist or may be available in the near future. The program will start with a presentation from NSF program directors responsible for collections-related programs at the agency followed by an opportunity for the community to ask questions. Register here: https://tinyurl.com/3y9hucda 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 -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 30141 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: From cshteynb at utk.edu Wed Aug 25 14:02:57 2021 From: cshteynb at utk.edu (Shteynberg, Catherine Roberts) Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2021 18:02:57 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Job Posting: Museum Designer & Preparator, McClung Museum, University of Tennessee Message-ID: Hi- I don?t know if it?s appropriate to email you regarding job listings, but if so, please see the posting below at our natural history museum. Best, Cat Museum Designer & Preparator, McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, University of Tennessee Regular, Full-time - MR06 Apply online: https://ut.taleo.net/careersection/ut_system/jobdetail.ftl?job=21000001N7&tz=GMT-04%3A00&tzname=America%2FNew_York The Museum Designer and Preparator, reporting to the Coordinator of Exhibitions and Physical Experiences, is responsible for supporting the museum?s mission through design, preparation, and installation of exhibitions, collections installations, and building projects. In coordination with members of the Exhibition and Physical Experiences Team (EPE) and other staff and collaborators, the Museum Designer and Preparator will produce graphics and drawings for museum project components accounting for available space, visitor experience, object and visitor safety, project budget and timeline, and institutional mission and quality standards. 60%, Design and Preparation 1. Works with the Coordinator of Exhibitions and Physical Experiences (EPE), curators, educators, and others to organize objects and interpretive elements into exciting and engaging exhibition plans suitable for public display. 2. Designs and constructs object mounts, museum furniture, interpretive materials and museum graphics, and other related exhibition elements. Arranges for framing as needed. 3. Generates scaled computer renderings, as well as models, prototypes, design drawings, and mockups, to communicate design concepts (including museum furniture, object layouts, materials/paint colors, floor treatments) for exhibitions and projects. 4. Installs, and supervises installation, of objects for museum exhibitions and collections installations utilizing museum best practices. 5. Handles, prepares, and transports art and museum objects as needed. 25%, Project Management 1. Manages budget expenditures for the assigned area. Works with the Coordinator of EPE in budget planning for other areas, ensuring elements are completed on schedule, on scope, and within budget. 2. Oversees and evaluates external vendors and contractors as needed in direct consultation with the Coordinator of EPE, providing clear budgets, deliverables, and schedules as needed. 3. Attends and participates in project-based meetings and ongoing communication between relevant parties, as needed. 4. Archives final exhibition drawings, installation views, and other relevant materials. 15%, Operational Duties 1. Provides general maintenance and monitors the condition of exhibitions and physical installations, in consultation with the Coordinator of EPE. 2. Oversees the use, inventory, and maintenance of the OSHA-compliant museum workshop, and maintains all workshop tools, machinery, and materials. 3. Keeps track of inventories and orders supplies as needed. 4. Other duties as assigned. Required Qualifications * Demonstrated ability to work independently, collaboratively, and effectively with others under pressure amidst shifting priorities, managing time, staying organized, and meeting deadlines effectively. * Knowledge of museum exhibit design and best practices, construction, carpentry, and finish work. * Ability to manipulate heavy and/or large objects and to climb ladders. * Proficient skill in 3D (3 Dimensional) modeling tools such as Google Sketchup (preferred), AutoCAD, or other or other industry accepted software as well as Adobe Creative Suite and Microsoft Office Suite. * Knowledge of museum standards for handling, installing, and packing museum objects and art. * Ability to safely use power tools, specialized equipment, and/or heavy machinery. * Ability to determine labor, equipment, and material costs on projects. * Ability to work occasional nights and weekends. Preferred Qualifications * Knowledge of video editing software for exhibition audiovisual elements. * Knowledge of lighting design. * Knowledge of the principles and benefits of Universal Design. * Knowledge of object mount-making, lighting, soldering, and audiovisual equipment. Required Experience Bachelor?s Degree and minimum 3 years of experience working in a similar position at a museum, gallery, or other similar cultural institution. Preferred Experience Five years of relevant experience in a museum, gallery, or similar cultural organization. Additional 2-D graphics, environmental graphics, interactive media, or wayfinding design experience is preferred. [ttp://images.utk.edu/images/interface/ut-emailsignature.gif] Catherine Shteynberg Assistant Director / Curator The University of Tennessee, Knoxville McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture 1327 Circle Park Drive Knoxville, TN 37996 cshteynb at utk.edu cell: 202-341-1488 office: 865-974-6921 mcclungmuseum.utk.edu I acknowledge these ancestral lands of the indigenous peoples of East Tennessee and extend my respect and gratitude to the many tribes who call this area home. The McClung Museum has reopened on a limited basis. Learn more and plan your visit! -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.gif Type: image/gif Size: 4514 bytes Desc: image001.gif URL: From membership at spnhc.org Mon Aug 30 13:06:00 2021 From: membership at spnhc.org (membership at spnhc.org) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 13:06:00 -0400 (EDT) Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Funding Opportunities for Scientific Collections at NSF Message-ID: <1630343160.190427175@apps.rackspace.com> Join us for a webinar with program directors from the National Science Foundation (NSF) about structural changes to collections-related funding opportunities at the agency. Date: October 4, 2021 Time: 2:00-3:00 PM EST (program will be recorded) Event Partners: American Institute of Biological Sciences Biodiversity Collections Network Natural Science Collections Alliance Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections United States Culture Collection Network Moderator: Jyotsna Pandey, AIBS, NSC Alliance, and BCoN Speakers from NSF: Reed Beaman, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Peter McCartney, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Roland Roberts, Program Director, Division of Biological Infrastructure Discussion: The National Science Foundation (NSF) plays an important role in protecting, supporting, and expanding access to our nation?s scientific collections, which include preserved specimens in natural history museums and herbaria; fossilized specimens; living collections in zoos, aquaria, and botanical gardens; tissues, DNA and stock collections; and media collections. NSF supports research that uses existing collections as well as studies that gather new specimens. Importantly, it also provides critical support for national biological research infrastructure that houses biodiversity collections as well as digitization initiatives through the Advancing Digitization of Biodiversity Collections (ADBC), Thematic Collections Networks (TCN), and Partner to Existing Networks (PEN) programs. The collections community and stakeholders, including collection and data managers, curators, Sponsored Research Officers (SROs), and other administrators are invited to join us for a virtual learning session that will explore recent structural changes to NSF programs that support collections and how these might impact the community. There will also be a discussion of new opportunities that currently exist or may be available in the near future. The program will start with a presentation from NSF program directors responsible for collections-related programs at the agency followed by an opportunity for the community to ask questions. Register here: [ https://tinyurl.com/3y9hucda ]( https://tinyurl.com/3y9hucda ) -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From katrina.menard at uconn.edu Mon Aug 30 16:57:18 2021 From: katrina.menard at uconn.edu (Menard, Katrina) Date: Mon, 30 Aug 2021 20:57:18 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Best adhesive for re-adhering slide labels Message-ID: Hi Everyone, This might have been a question that was asked before, but does anyone have a preferred glue to re-attach slide labels? We have a large collection of slides that are starting to have the labels fall off, and most of the adhesive information I can find is for generating new labels, not retaining original ones. Thank you for any insight you might have, and I hope everyone is doing well, Katrina ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Katrina Menard Collection Manager, Invertebrates Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Unit 3043, 75 N. Eagleville Rd. Storrs, CT 06269-3043 email: katrina.menard at uconn.edu Zootaxa Section Editor: Miroidea -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu Tue Aug 31 11:09:59 2021 From: glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu (Tocci, Genevieve E.) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 15:09:59 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Best adhesive for re-adhering slide labels In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hi Katrina, We have used Elmers Glue-All and Jade 403N in a pinch, but would also love to know about better options. (For botany slides like diatoms, fungi, etc.) Best, Genevieve ================================================= Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) Senior Curatorial Technician Harvard University Herbaria 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Menard, Katrina Sent: Monday, August 30, 2021 4:57 PM To: NH-COLL listserv Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Best adhesive for re-adhering slide labels Hi Everyone, This might have been a question that was asked before, but does anyone have a preferred glue to re-attach slide labels? We have a large collection of slides that are starting to have the labels fall off, and most of the adhesive information I can find is for generating new labels, not retaining original ones. Thank you for any insight you might have, and I hope everyone is doing well, Katrina ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Dr. Katrina Menard Collection Manager, Invertebrates Ecology & Evolutionary Biology University of Connecticut Unit 3043, 75 N. Eagleville Rd. Storrs, CT 06269-3043 email: katrina.menard at uconn.edu Zootaxa Section Editor: Miroidea -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From monotomidae at gmail.com Tue Aug 31 11:29:43 2021 From: monotomidae at gmail.com (Tommy McElrath) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 10:29:43 -0500 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Best adhesive for re-adhering slide labels In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <95A11792-1540-4FE5-ACD5-5F133E023B80@gmail.com> Hey all, I was just responding to Katrina but since there is larger interest: We use GE Clear Window Sealant: e.g. https://thd.co/3mKCol7 We?ve used something like this for over 20 years at INHS in our extensive thrips collection and have seen no ill effects, on both new and old labels. It is best to let it off-gas for a few hours after attaching, and generally a little bit goes a long way (we use paintbrushes or scrap pins/paper to attach it to labels rather than slathering on directly). The only downside is that if you aren?t using it constantly, the larger tubes tend to solidify over time, so we generally don?t end up using the whole tube. That said, the stuff is fairly cheap and widely available so it isn?t a huge deal. Best, -- TOMMY MCELRATH Insect Collection Manager Illinois Natural History Survey Prairie Research Institute University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign 1816 S. Oak Street | M/C 652 Champaign, IL 61820 217-300-5938 | tcm at illinois.edu insect.inhs.illinois.edu Under the Illinois Freedom of Information Act any written communication to or from university employees regarding university business is a public record and may be subject to public disclosure. > On Aug 31, 2021, at 10:09 AM, Tocci, Genevieve E. wrote: > > Hi Katrina, > > We have used Elmers Glue-All and Jade 403N in a pinch, but would also love to know about better options. (For botany slides like diatoms, fungi, etc.) > > Best, > Genevieve > > ================================================= > Genevieve E. Tocci (she, her, hers) > Senior Curatorial Technician > Harvard University Herbaria > 22 Divinity Ave., Cambridge, MA 02138 U.S.A. > Phone: 617-495-1057 Fax: 617-495-9484 > glewis-g at oeb.harvard.edu > > From: Nhcoll-l On Behalf Of Menard, Katrina > Sent: Monday, August 30, 2021 4:57 PM > To: NH-COLL listserv > Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Best adhesive for re-adhering slide labels > > Hi Everyone, > > This might have been a question that was asked before, but does anyone have a preferred glue to re-attach slide labels? We have a large collection of slides that are starting to have the labels fall off, and most of the adhesive information I can find is for generating new labels, not retaining original ones. > > Thank you for any insight you might have, and I hope everyone is doing well, > > Katrina > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------------ > Dr. Katrina Menard > Collection Manager, Invertebrates > Ecology & Evolutionary Biology > University of Connecticut > Unit 3043, 75 N. Eagleville Rd. > Storrs, CT 06269-3043 > email: katrina.menard at uconn.edu > > Zootaxa Section Editor: Miroidea > _______________________________________________ > 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. -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: From PALMERL at si.edu Tue Aug 31 14:04:36 2021 From: PALMERL at si.edu (Palmer, Lisa) Date: Tue, 31 Aug 2021 18:04:36 +0000 Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Action required: Dissemination of HENTF salvage resources In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: fyi From: Foley, Lori Sent: Tuesday, August 31, 2021 1:47 PM Subject: Action required: Dissemination of HENTF salvage resources External Email - Exercise Caution Dear HENTF members, Although Hurricane Ida is now Tropical Depression Ida, a wide swath of the country, from the Gulf Coast up to New England, will be subject to heavy rainfall and flooding. To help the public salvage cherished photographs, letters, and other irreplaceable objects, please help disseminate this important information before flood survivors throw away their precious belongings. Save Your Family Treasures Fact sheet: Salvaging Water-Damaged Family Valuables and Treasures (fema.gov) Fact sheet: After the Flood: Advice for Salvaging Damaged Family Treasures (fema.gov) These two fact sheets are available in additional languages at Heritage Emergency National Task Force | FEMA.gov. According to the 10am CDT NWS Weather Prediction Center: * Flood and Flash Flood Watches extend from the Gulf Coast Region across the Tennessee and Ohio Valleys, central and southern Appalachians, into the Mid-Atlantic and southern New England. * Additional widespread moderate and isolated major river flooding impacts are forecast from northern West Virginia and western Maryland into southern Pennsylvania and New Jersey. * Widespread minor to isolated major river flooding is occurring or forecast from the Lower Mississippi Valley into far western Alabama. Rivers will remain elevated into next week. [cid:image001.jpg at 01D79E71.20F13250] Thank you for your help, Lori Lori Foley Coordinator | Heritage Emergency National Task Force Office of Environmental Planning & Historic Preservation Federal Insurance and Mitigation Administration | Resilience Mobile: (202) 826-6303 lori.foley at fema.dhs.gov culturalrescue.si.edu/hentf Federal Emergency Management Agency fema.gov [cid:image002.jpg at 01D79E71.20F13250] [cid:image003.jpg at 01D79E71.20F13250] -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image001.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 35494 bytes Desc: image001.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image002.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 3094 bytes Desc: image002.jpg URL: -------------- next part -------------- A non-text attachment was scrubbed... Name: image003.jpg Type: image/jpeg Size: 1974 bytes Desc: image003.jpg URL: