<div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">Prepare a simple, friendly, one-page list of handling instructions for specimens that says tags cannot be removed, fur cannot be rubbed the wrong way, feathers cannot be separated, etc. Assume that none of the students or instructors have ever handled specimens before and take this opportunity to teach them how to do it right. You might also include a few statements about the importance of preserved specimens. On the bottom of the sheet include a place for each person to sign and date it to verify that they have read and will follow the directions.<br><br>Personally, I would also require students (and everyone else) working with the specimens to wear nitrile or neoprene gloves while handling specimens and include cautions about washing hand after due to possible contact with arsenic or other pesticides. <br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="font-family:tahoma,sans-serif;font-size:small;color:rgb(0,0,0)">--John<br><br></div></div><div class="gmail_extra"><br clear="all"><div><div class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><div dir="ltr">John E. Simmons<br>Museologica<br>128 E. Burnside Street<br>Bellefonte, Pennsylvania 16823-2010<br><a href="mailto:simmons.johne@gmail.com" target="_blank">simmons.johne@gmail.com</a><br>303-681-5708<br><a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.museologica.com&d=DwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=dSIAqzwYwiaV2mEtOR6ZNBDHtSi25pp7VTMIgvGinLo&s=V4NgosyOXbWTm4lcqLGDALf-l8Z9DMsfM9dcaY2hNLM&e=" target="_blank">www.museologica.com</a><br>and<br>Adjunct Curator of Collections<br>Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery<br>Penn State University<br>University Park, Pennsylvania<br>and<br>Instructor, Museum Studies<br>School of Library and Information Science<br>Kent State University<br></div></div></div></div></div>
<br><div class="gmail_quote">On Thu, Feb 23, 2017 at 2:48 PM, Dawn Lawson <span dir="ltr"><<a href="mailto:dmlawson@ualberta.ca" target="_blank">dmlawson@ualberta.ca</a>></span> wrote:<br><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0 0 0 .8ex;border-left:1px #ccc solid;padding-left:1ex"><div dir="ltr"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">Hello! I'm new to the list, and as part of my job duties, I manage a small zoology museum on a small campus.<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">In the last few years, use of the museum is increasing due to the influx of ecology survey type courses, and other uses, and I need to be able to protect specimens from handling (both generally, and to avoid such behaviour as "pulling apart the tail feathers to look for field marks" type manipulations.)<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">I have some acrylic cylinders which I temporarily seal with a glue gun, and some sheet plastic formed into tubes which can be opened, and some small birds in large test tubes...but I cannot find midsize tubes that are suitable for duck/jay/groundsquirrel-sized skins.<br><br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">I have two questions for the list members: <br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">1) What might be some good ways to reduce loss/damage from handling on this type of collection and<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">2) Where can I source display materials that are economical, varied sizes, and appropriate to use?<span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><br><br></font></span></div><span class="HOEnZb"><font color="#888888"><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">Dawn Lawson<br></div><div class="gmail_default" style="color:rgb(68,68,68)">University of Alberta, Augustana<br></div></font></span></div>
<br>______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
Nhcoll-l mailing list<br>
<a href="mailto:Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu">Nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<a href="http://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://mailman.yale.edu/<wbr>mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l</a><br>
<br>
______________________________<wbr>_________________<br>
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of<br>
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose<br>
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of<br>
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to<br>
society. See <a href="https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.spnhc.org&d=DwMFaQ&c=-dg2m7zWuuDZ0MUcV7Sdqw&r=CLFZJ3fvGSmDp7xK1dNZfh6uGV_h-8NVlo3fXNoRNzI&m=dSIAqzwYwiaV2mEtOR6ZNBDHtSi25pp7VTMIgvGinLo&s=LLMStHNvaqrIU0gKwNPYz62bRRE9iktXa-lt7bEie0Q&e=" rel="noreferrer" target="_blank">http://www.spnhc.org</a> for membership information.<br>
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.<br>
<br></blockquote></div><br></div>