[NHCOLL-L:4354] RE: Fw: collection organization

[Thomas Labedz]

George,

 

Not infrequent among the herbarium specimens I manage are sheets with
multiple specimens of the same species from different locations or sheets
with multiple species from the same location.  Since I want these sheets
cataloged and filed in the herbarium where each record belongs they pose a
problem very similar to your situation.  What we have done is make an image
of the complete sheet for each specimen that we want filed elsewhere.  That
image is mounted, assigned an appropriate catalog number, databased, and
filed where it should be in the herbarium.  The sheet containing the image
is annotated to cross reference to the sheet containing the actual specimen
it references.  And the sheet containing the actual specimen is annotated as
to the catalog numbers for each specimen or species on the sheet and that a
"dummy" sheet containing the image is filed in the appropriate spot.
Presumably someone wanting to examine the specimen would find the "dummy"
sheet and then know where to go to the actual sheet with the specimen.  And
someone loaning, exchanging, or otherwise manipulating the actual sheet
would know to go find the "dummy" sheet(s) and annotate them as well.
Perhaps you could consider a similar arrangement for your paleo materials. 

 

Thomas E. Labedz, Collections Manager

Division of Zoology and Division of Botany

University of Nebraska State Museum

W-436 Nebraska Hall

900 N. 16th St.

Lincoln, NE  68588-0514

402/472-8366   fax 402/472-8949

tlabedz1 at unl.edu    <http://www.museum.unl.edu/> www.museum.unl.edu

 

 

 

  _____  

From: owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu [mailto:owner-nhcoll-l at lists.yale.edu]
On Behalf Of George Bennett
Sent: Friday, June 12, 2009 8:26 AM
To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu
Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4353] Fw: collection organization

 

Thanks to all who responded!

 

 

----- Original Message ----- 

From: George <mailto:gbennett at discoverymuseum.net>  Bennett 

To: NHCOLL-L at lists.yale.edu 

Sent: Thursday, June 11, 2009 9:58 AM

Subject: [NHCOLL-L:4348] collection organization

 

All:

 

We have separate collections for vertebrate and invertebrate paleontology
and paleobotany.  I am interested in how other museums handle specimens that
contain fossils from more than one of these groups.  For example, we have
specimens containing plant material, bivalves, potentially insects, and
fish, some all in the same rock.  Are these specimens given individual
catalog numbers even though they are in the same rock?  Or simply kept as
one cataloged specimen with a note in the database that the rock contains
other things.  And how about physical storage - keeping them in the
collection of the most important fossil in the rock seems appropriate, but
maybe there are other options.  Perhaps keeping all of the fossils in a
location unto themselves. Thoughts?

 

Geb

 

 

George E. Bennett, III
Collection Manager/Fossil Preparator
Shenandoah Valley Discovery Museum
54 S. Loundoun St.
Winchester, VA 22601
p (540) 722-2020
f (540) 722-2189

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