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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Hi Sarah,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">This perennial chestnut just won’t give up!
</span><span style="font-family:Wingdings;color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">L</span><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> In my experience it has usually come from well-meaning people who are ignorant of the what & why of natural history
collections, or (more sinister) managers who have an addenda of wanting to get rid of them. The former are easier to deal with than the latter.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">I usually counter by pointing out that our role (amongst other things) is to answer the two key questions of biological science: “What species am I studying?” and “How do I tell it
apart from ones that look like it?”. This can only be done properly when it is derived from actual specimens. More specimens = more information. Species are split or lost as more material becomes available for research. These other ‘alternatives’ are great
but they’re what has been mined from working on the specimens and can never replace them.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">In this new age, science is just being considered another opinion in a sea of tweeting ignorance. Against that what we have are the specimens that are empirical facts that can be visited
and visited again and again.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Good luck with your push-back!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">Ng</span><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US">â</span><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"> mihi<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><br>
Andrew Stewart<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">>><<<)o><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Assistant Curator Vertebrates (Fishes)<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">Museum of New Zealand<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">04 381 7314<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:#1F497D">027 7339363<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_MailEndCompose"><span style="color:#1F497D;mso-fareast-language:EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></a></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span lang="EN-US">From:</span></b><span lang="EN-US"> Nhcoll-l [mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu]
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Sarah K. Huber<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Friday, 27 September 2019 6:00 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu<br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] Why retain physical specimens<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Recently I’ve been fielding a lot of questions about why our collection should retain a physical specimen once it has been digitized (e.g., CT-scanned, photographed, x-rayed, etc.). I’m curious how often other museum
professionals are asked this question and what your general responses are for justifying the retention of a physical specimen. Why do you tell people it’s important to retain a specimen?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">If anyone knows of article that have addressed this specific question I would appreciate references so that I can have them on hand for particularly curious visitors.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US">Sarah<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US" style="font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;background:white">Sarah K. Huber, Ph.D.</span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black;background:white"><br>
Curatorial Associate, VIMS Nunnally Ichthyology Collection<br>
Office 804.684.7104 | Collection 804.684.7285<br>
<a href="mailto:skhuber@vims.edu">skhuber@vims.edu</a> | <a href="http://www.vims.edu/research/facilities/fishcollection/index.php">
http://www.vims.edu/research/facilities/fishcollection/index.php</a></span><span lang="EN-US" style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma",sans-serif;color:black"><br>
<span style="background:white">PO Box 1346 | 1370 Greate Rd., Gloucester Pt., VA 23062<o:p></o:p></span></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-US"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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