[Nhcoll-l] Tracking in-house specimen usage

[Dirk Neumann]

Hi Sarah,

we developed a standardised Excel-sheet for consumptive tissue sampling 
that also collect extraction and DNA data, or consumption of DNA 
samples, respectively. These support workflows for picking samples 
directly i.e., via simple print-outs with key data such as tube number, 
tube position on extraction plate, etc. that are conveyed from of the 
long Excel table with formulas to a second tab, which is supported by 
additional fields for required database updates to be done.

Import schemes for our database are matching to respective field on the 
first tab containing all data, and thus, by running different import 
schemes over the same excel sheet, we can easily update database entries 
after tubes have been picked, DNA has been extracted, and DNA aliquots 
to be added to tissue tube entries after extraction.

This made life a lot easier. Similar systems might be useful for other 
sorts of destructive sampling as well.

For removal of jars, we started to add placeholder cards to shelves 
similar to those John suggested, however, we didn't standardise them so 
far, which resulted in that sort of "individualism" John mentioned and 
that you definitely want to avoid.

Our bottleneck to record how many specimens were used is the returning 
of jars, when we record number of jars and included individuals, which 
are used for our annual report.

Hope this helps
Dirk




Am 28.01.2022 um 18:05 schrieb Sarah K. Huber:
>
> I would be curious how different collections track in-house usage of 
> specimens. I have tried many different protocols for doing this in our 
> collection, and none have been completely successful. I would also be 
> curious, given your protocol, how compliant users are. (We do not have 
> our specimens bar-coded, so this is not an option for tracking at this 
> time.)
>
> I do record when specimens get re-shelved, but without knowing when 
> they left the collection, I am unable to determine the amount of time 
> (months, years, decades) that they were used. Therefore, my annual 
> reporting statistics don’t necessarily reflect actual specimen usage.
>
> Thanks,
>
> Sarah
>
> Sarah K. Huber, Ph.D.
> Curatorial Associate, VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection
> Office 804.684.7104 | Collection 804.684.7285
> skhuber at vims.edu <mailto:skhuber at vims.edu> | 
> http://www.vims.edu/research/facilities/fishcollection/index.php 
> <https://nam11.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.vims.edu%2Fresearch%2Ffacilities%2Ffishcollection%2Findex.php&data=04%7C01%7Cskhuber%40vims.edu%7C1063bb0e1daf4ab0024f08d897b1267f%7C8cbcddd9588d4e3b9c1e2367dbdf1740%7C0%7C0%7C637426134417674979%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000&sdata=OEa%2F3y6PHz5lBFNRFMSFFSdxbyTq%2BBGC5PculkLg7nc%3D&reserved=0>
> PO Box 1346 | 1370 Greate Rd., Gloucester Pt., VA 23062
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> 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 München
Dirk Neumann, Sektion Ichthyologie / DNA-Storage
Münchhausenstr. 21
81247 München

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: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20220128/49a58248/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: oyVTbSDRudC0ognl.png
Type: image/png
Size: 23308 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20220128/49a58248/attachment.png>