[Nhcoll-l] Pringle Herbarium update and request for recommendations on fire protection systems.

[Michael Sundue]

Hi everyone,

I would like to ask the list for advice on installing fire prevention
systems for natural history collections. This of course is in direct
response to our fire this summer!

To update you, following the fire in Torrey Hall at UVM this summer, all
350,000+ species of the the Pringle Herbarium (VT), as well as the Zadock
Thomson animal collections, have been moved across campus to Jeffords Hall.
This temporary home is a new building with ample space and climate control.
In order to move the specimens quickly before mold set in, we ended up
cutting a hole in the roof of Torrey and hoisting them in their cabinets
with a crane. The herbarium is in good shape in its new home, arranged in
APGIII order. We happy to report that we are fully functional--we have been
processing loans and exchange and have already hosted international
visitors.

Although fire damage to Torrey Hall was limited to the roof, the massive
water damage has led to all floors of the building being gutted with plans
for full renovation. This is expected to take 18-24 months.One piece of
good news is that we now have an opportunity to install a fire prevention
system, which the building previously lacked.

What are your recommendations for installing a new fire prevention system
for a natural history collections? Our holdings comprise an herbarium in
cabinets, a pinned insect collection in cabinets, a skin collection in
cabinets, a digitization lab that is in a separate isolated wing from the
main collection space, and a small library that is also isolated from the
main collection space.

Happy to hear your recommendation on or off list.

Thanks!

Michael Sundue
The Pringle Herbarium
University of Vermont
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