[NHCOLL-L:3571] RE: Mammoth Posting for a Colleague

[Demouthe, Jean]

We use a single catalog number for such a specimen, with two decimals after
the number.  So you can get 100 specimens on one catalog entry.  Then you
have a choice as to whether you enter the individual bones as separate
records in the database.  If a specimen has over 100 pieces, then you will
have to use two catalog numbers, beginning again with xxxxx.01
 
If you use letters mixed with numbers, a computer database will have trouble
seeing it as a number and as a result attempts to sort or search that field
may not be completely successful.  Numbers containing dashes or more than one
periods will have the same problem.
 
You could also use two separate fields to describe the parts of a specimen.
The first field contains the catalog or accession number (an integer, with no
decimals), and the second can contain integers beginning with one, which
would be assigned along with the first number to each specimens.  The two
fields together would constitute a unique number for each specimen piece.
 
Jean DeMouthe
Senior Collections Manager for Geology
California Academy of Sciences
875 Howard St
San Francisco, CA 94103
415-321-8258
 
 

________________________________

From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu on behalf of Del Re, Christine
Sent: Tue 9/11/2007 8:26 AM
To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:3570] Mammoth Posting for a Colleague



	Our museum just purchased a disarticulated mammoth skeleton.  My
primary question for those of you who work with vertebrate collections is how
do you label such a behemoth? (There are over 100 bones.) What is your
system?  For example, do you use one catalog number and then follow with
either numbers or letters? I understand that whatever is suggested will have
to be consistent with our current catalog system but I am interested in any
current thoughts and standards related to this procedure. 

	Also, what material do you use to label/tag the item(s)? 

	Responses can be sent to thomae at mpm.edu instead of the entire
listserv. 

	Many thanks 

	Dawn Scher Thomae 
	Milwaukee Public Museum 


Christine Del Re                Voice:  (414) 278-2780 
Senior Conservator              Fax:    (414) 278-6100 
Milwaukee Public Museum e-mail: delre at mpm.edu 
800 W. Wells St. 
Milwaukee, WI  53233-1478 


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