[Nhcoll-l] Shelf depth for EtOH jar collections

[John E Simmons]

The advice offered so far on this thread is excellent, particularly the
idea of abandoning systematic arrangements. There are two other points in
support of the advice that has already been offered that should be
mentioned:

1-Deeper shelves do allow storage of collections in dense arrangements
(assuming the containers are appropriately sized) but dense storage is a
negative, not a positive. Yes, it saves a bit of space, but what is
sacrificed is the ability to monitor the condition of the containers and
specimens. The ideal arrangement would be shelves with only one row of jars
because with that arrangement specimens and fluid level and color could
immediately be seen, enabling the correction of developing problems,
particularly loss of fluid. However, shelving with just one row of jars is
not practical, so the question becomes how many rows of jars is practical?
With two or more rows the jars in front must be moved to see the jars in
back, which takes additional time and also, each time a jar is picked up
and moved, it increases the risk of either compromising the container seal
or getting the containers out of order. With deep shelves, so that the
containers are several rows deep, the time spent monitoring the collection
(checking for problems) increases enormously. In my experience, the time
(and therefore the cost) of monitoring collections is rarely considered
when planning collection storage, which is foolish. A fluid collection
needs to be inspected regularly to avoid problems.

2-Systematic arrangements are false in the sense that they are not
phylogenetic arrangements (nobody has branching shelving). What systematic
arrangements do is simply re-create the linear *scala naturae* of
Aristotle, using scientific names. The arguments that this allows for
better exploration of the collection, etc., are silly. And as Paul points
out, containers should not be opened in the collection storage room to
examine specimens. Systematic arrangements made sense when collections were
smaller, space was available, and scientific names were more stable. In a
world of rapidly changing systematic arrangements, we should make good use
of electronic databases to both bear the current name of species and to
serve as a finding aid for containers, and arrange storage to efficiently
store specimens in a stable environment on storage furniture designed to
accommodate efficient monitoring of specimens and containers.

--John

John E. Simmons
Writer and Museum Consultant
Museologica
*and*
Associate Curator of Collections
Earth and Mineral Science Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
*and*
Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima


On Wed, Feb 15, 2023 at 2:15 AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
wrote:

> Hi Tonya,
>
> we recommend in our book
> <https://www.universityproducts.com/best-practices-in-the-preservation-and-management.html>
> (p. 94) to prefer 300 mm deep shelves. You can do deeper shelves (in Munich
> we had 450 mm), but this doesn't save space, as you cannot place more large
> jars on such such shelves.
>
> Usually, large glass cylinders are rarely deeper than 300 mm. If there are
> larger containers, it might be worth considering 1 isle with deeper shelves
> (e.g., 450 mm) for these jars, or to arrange all large jars on special
> heavy duty shelves, as for example in the tank room at the NHM in London.
>
> If you choose 440 mm deep shelves for the entire collection, you increase
> the required staff time for monitoring and maintenance, because usually the
> number of small jars is much higher, and there is a tendency that small
> jars are crowding on deeper shelves as the offer more space. Visual
> inspection of such densely packed shelves however needs more time. If staff
> time is a critical variable, 300 mm would be preferable.
>
> Another point worth considering: deep shelves usually require wider isles
> and operating areas. This may not be intuitive right from the start, but
> you need to reach deeper into the (crowded) shelf. If the isle is as narrow
> as it would be for a 300 mm deep shelf, the risk to knock other jars is
> higher.
>
> If available space in the new storage room is not the limiting factor, I
> would choose 300 mm deep shelves.
>
> Hope this helps
> Dirk
>
>
> Am 15.02.2023 um 04:26 schrieb Haff, Tonya (NCMI, Crace):
>
> Hi again everyone,
>
>
>
> We are getting down to the pointy bit of having to confirm the desired
> depth of shelving for our new ethanol vault storage. Right now our shelves
> are only about 300mm deep, which is really not deep enough for some larger
> containers. We have specified 440mm deep shelving for the new space, but
> before pushing ‘go’ I thought I would ask if any of you have thoughts or
> very strong opinions about optimal shelf depth for storing jars of various
> sizes and smaller drums.
>
>
>
> Thanks in advance for your input!
>
>
>
> Cheers,
>
>
>
> Tonya
>
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------
>
> Dr. Tonya M. Haff
>
> Collection Manager
>
> Australian National Wildlife Collection
>
> CSIRO
>
> +61(0)419569109
>
> https://www.csiro.au/en/about/facilities-collections/collections/anwc
>
>
>
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> --
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> ******
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>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
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>
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>
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> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversitätswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des öffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Grüter (Kaufm. Geschäftsführer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
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> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
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