<div dir="ltr">Hi, Catherine! It looks like you have received a lot of good advice here. Like most, I would think twice about deaccessioning. Rather than donating, you could provide them as a permanent loan to another institution for education and outreach use.<div><br></div><div>I do have one word of caution about mammal taxidermy and fur. Depending on their vintage, arsenic and other nasty chemicals were used pretty frequently on these sorts of specimens. So, be cautious on what you donate or loan to other institutions for hands-on educational purposes.</div><div><br></div><div>Good luck,<br><div>Cody</div><div><br clear="all"><div><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr"><div dir="ltr">Cody W. Thompson, PhD<br></div></div><div dir="ltr"><div>Mammal Collections Manager</div><div>& Assistant Research Scientist<br><div>University of M<font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">ichigan</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Museum of Zoology</font></div><div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">3600 Varsity Drive</font></div><div style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108</font></div></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Office: (734) 615-2810</font></div><div>Fa<font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">x: (734) 763-4080</font></div><div><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Email: <a href="mailto:cwthomp@umich.edu" target="_blank">cwthomp@umich.edu</a></font></div><div><font size="2"><font face="arial, helvetica, sans-serif">W</font><font face="arial, sans-serif">ebsite: <a href="http://codythompson.org" target="_blank">codythompson.org</a></font></font></div><div><span style="color:rgb(0,0,0)"><font size="2" face="arial, sans-serif"><br></font></span><div><p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-weight:800;color:rgb(51,51,51)"><font face="arial, sans-serif">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.</font></span><br></p></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div><br></div></div></div><br><div class="gmail_quote"><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_attr">On Thu, Oct 14, 2021 at 1:33 PM Thomas Labedz <<a href="mailto:tlabedz1@unl.edu">tlabedz1@unl.edu</a>> wrote:<br></div><blockquote class="gmail_quote" style="margin:0px 0px 0px 0.8ex;border-left:1px solid rgb(204,204,204);padding-left:1ex">
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<p class="MsoNormal">A few months ago I posted a request for information about deaccessioning “no data” taxidermy of common game birds. As a result of the informative and positive comments from this group there has been a change in plans and we are now going
to hold these mounts as best we can. In the past I have “unmounted” smaller birds and repositioned them into study skins. Doing the same I’ll start to nibble away at these, likely beginning with the rarest. Thank you all for the advice.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Thomas<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Thomas E. Labedz (Mr.), Collections Manager</span><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Division of Zoology and Division of Botany<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">University of Nebraska State Museum<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">Morrill Hall<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif">645 North 14th Street<br>
Lincoln, NE 68588-0338<u></u><u></u></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>> <b>
On Behalf Of </b>McLaren, Suzanne<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, October 14, 2021 12:05 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Catherine Early (she/her) <<a href="mailto:cearly@smm.org" target="_blank">cearly@smm.org</a>>; <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] no data specimens<u></u><u></u></p>
</div>
</div>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:tomato">Non-NU Email</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal">I’ll just mention one mammal species that will make anyone think twice about not maintaining what we have initially accepted “in trust for the future”:
<i>Myotis lucifugus</i> – the little brown bat was the most common species of bat in eastern North America until white-nose syndrome struck in 2005. Roosts that once hosted
<u>tens of thousands</u> of ‘little browns’ have been decimated in some places to numbers in the
<u>teens</u>. It was unthinkable 20 years ago. In this changing world, the question is what species is next? It sounds so dramatic until you think about
<i>Myotis lucifugus</i>.<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Sue<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="font-size:10pt;font-family:"Lucida Handwriting";color:maroon">Suzanne B. McLaren
</span></b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:maroon">(she, her, hers)</span><b><span style="font-size:8pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif"><u></u><u></u></span></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">Collection Manager, Section of Mammals
</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">Edward O'Neil Research Center</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">(Carnegie Museum of Natural History Annex)</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">5800 Baum Blvd<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">Pittsburgh PA 15206 USA</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">Telephone 412-665-2615</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="color:maroon">Fax 412-665-2751<u></u><u></u></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Bentley, Andrew Charles<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, October 14, 2021 12:43 PM<br>
<b>To:</b> Catherine Early (she/her) <<a href="mailto:cearly@smm.org" target="_blank">cearly@smm.org</a>>;
<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> Re: [Nhcoll-l] no data specimens<u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><u></u> <u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Catherine<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
<ol style="margin-top:0in" start="1" type="1">
<li class="MsoNormal">There are all sorts of techniques like genetic, ectoparasite and environmental work that can be done on these skins that may yield data that is useful even if provenance is unknown. I agree that you have
to balance this against space and resource limitations but maybe imaging and keeping portions of the skins for genetic analysis would be doable if not keeping the whole animal<u></u><u></u></li><li class="MsoNormal">This is a slippery slope I agree and donating these to educational facilities is the way to go. There are a myriad of these in your own and area and beyond that would be grateful for the materials. Our
mission is not only to serve the research community but the educational community too. There are all sorts of negative connotations regarding deaccessioning to members of the general public etc. that I would deem fraught with issues and would not attempt.<u></u><u></u></li></ol>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal">Andy<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<br>
Andy Bentley<br>
Ichthyology Collection Manager<br>
University of Kansas<br>
Biodiversity Institute</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU">Dyche Hall<br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">1345 Jayhawk Boulevard</span></a><br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561</span></a><br>
<a><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">USA</span></a><br>
<br>
Tel: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-3863" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">(785) 864-3863</span></a><br>
Fax: <a href="tel:%28785%29%20864-5335" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">(785) 864-5335</span></a> <br>
Email: <a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">abentley@ku.edu</span></a> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span lang="EN-AU"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/linkprotect.cudasvc.com/url?a=http*3a*2f*2fichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu*2f&c=E,1,URnxGAJyoFIKt4AG4DD9Fpz-vK-KsLALD0KQdjTyTUC6nWQZ8vcAgh0E2LOIkwhRlhWz1AIJA6RpqbCfz2abnnnZXKj2Xxb7rIKVCxyoAc4UFg,,&typo=1__;JSUlJQ!!PvXuogZ4sRB2p-tU!QY9gTf7xb0omCd5iWMgxGefivXAtAVVcleRWXHYBfFo7iNYk11QDtSQbP5hVsoAx$" target="_blank"><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu</span></a></span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> A : A : A :<br>
}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><br>
V V V<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b>From:</b> Nhcoll-l <<a href="mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l-bounces@mailman.yale.edu</a>>
<b>On Behalf Of </b>Catherine Early (she/her)<br>
<b>Sent:</b> Thursday, October 14, 2021 8:18 AM<br>
<b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu" target="_blank">nhcoll-l@mailman.yale.edu</a><br>
<b>Subject:</b> [Nhcoll-l] no data specimens<u></u><u></u></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"> <u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Hello all,</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">I have a two-part question today:</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">1) Is there any
<i>scientific</i> value to tanned hides with no data? We have many large mammal hides that were purchased from fur suppliers in the 1970's that take up a lot of room but lack data. We might keep one of each species for identification, but otherwise, they do
not belong in a scientific collection (where we are constantly running out of space), correct? </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">2) Have any of your institutions developed protocols for deaccessioning no data specimens into the hands of private citizens? We will prioritize giving no data (former) specimens to education
centers, but there is a limited need for no data shell collections that previous curators accepted from donors, so we will likely need to look elsewhere. We know that we would be limited in what we could give to private citizens by permit restrictions for
owning wildlife parts, but we're also very concerned with devaluing public opinions of specimens by creating the impression that specimens can just be given away. I would love to hear any language or agreements you've developed to make it clear why items are
deaccessioned and how they differ from scientific specimens.</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif"> </span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span class="gmail-m_-4554355346257560279gmaildefault"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Thanks</span></span><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">,</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family:"Trebuchet MS",sans-serif">Catherine</span><u></u><u></u></p>
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<p style="margin:0in;line-height:13.5pt"><strong><span style="font-size:13.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)">Catherine M. Early, PhD</span></strong><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:13.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)">she/her</span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:13.5pt"><i><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)">Barbara Brown Chair of Ornithology</span></i><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:13.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)">e:
<a href="mailto:cearly@smm.org" target="_blank">cearly@smm.org</a></span><u></u><u></u></p>
<p style="margin:0in;line-height:13.5pt"><span style="font-size:10.5pt;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;color:rgb(63,63,63)"><a href="https://urldefense.com/v3/__https:/nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https*3A*2F*2Fcatherineearly.wixsite.com*2Fhome&data=04*7C01*7Cabentley*40ku.edu*7C1d55b3ed6f9542d1b64c08d98f151713*7C3c176536afe643f5b96636feabbe3c1a*7C0*7C0*7C637698143621963114*7CUnknown*7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0*3D*7C3000&sdata=EbcTjpM7bcyw2aGvPRHLTReNnLNNhpBhV25aDuRVQAc*3D&reserved=0__;JSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSUlJSU!!PvXuogZ4sRB2p-tU!QY9gTf7xb0omCd5iWMgxGefivXAtAVVcleRWXHYBfFo7iNYk11QDtSQbP6R4j0RZ$" target="_blank">https://catherineearly.wixsite.com/home</a></span><u></u><u></u></p>
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