[Nhcoll-l] Seeking information on the multiple stacking of natural history cabinets

[Rob Robins]

Unspoken but probably understood in this conversation about specimen cabinet stacking height and access issues, is that while staff time/inconvenience has a measurable cost, that cost is rarely quantified.

When measured, it may be found to be far less than the cost of a new building and the moves to (and within) it.

Put another way, "higher/max density" approaches such as stacking cabinets higher than before may be favorable - extending the life of the facility and thereby reducing one of the greatest costs of having collections (while also reducing the likelihood a collection becomes relinquished or orphaned).

When historical circulation rates of collection objects are studied - often found to be lower than imagined - the choice may become clearer still.

(To say nothing of modern digital media that provide remote access to specimen information that formerly required the specimen to be located and retrieved).

Pairing the denser arrangement of items with novel technologies and more imaginative workflows can help staff find a happy nexus between specimen access and maximal use of space.

Large University libraries and library consortia have long understood this.

Best wishes,

Rob

Robert H. Robins
Collection Manager
Division of Ichthyology
[FLMNH Fishes logo email small]
Florida Museum
1659 Museum Rd.
Gainesville, FL 32611-7800
Office: (352) 273-1957
rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu<mailto:rhrobins at flmnh.ufl.edu>

The UF Fish Collection is moving:
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/fish/

Search the Collection:
http://specifyportal.flmnh.ufl.edu/fishes/

Search samples suitable for dna analysis:
https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/grr/holdings/

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Taylor, Sarah
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2024 2:39 PM
To: Donald McAlpine <Donald.McAlpine at nbm-mnb.ca>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Seeking information on the multiple stacking of natural history cabinets

[External Email]
All our cabinets (botany, paleo, insects, and vertebrates) are double-stacked Delta Designs cabinets. I believe the very highest cubbies/drawers are empty across the collections (we are organized to move up vertically into our empty "expansion" space as needed). I'm not very tall (64" or 1.6m) and I can reach *almost* all the herbarium specimens with a 1-m stepstool. I occasionally use our WAV to access things up high; I think our vertebrates manager uses the WAV the most, because the tray is very handy for fetching multiple specimens rather than going up and down the stepstool for each one. It can maneuver in fairly tight spaces (tight turns) so it fits in our compactor aisles pretty easily after some practice.

Cheers,
Sarah

(sorry I don't have a scale for this  photo, but for reference, I can walk along the compactor aisle without ducking when the upper cabinets are open. VERY convenient and I've never conked my head!)
[cid:image003.jpg at 01DA8C20.3B0757B0]

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Sarah Taylor, PhD


Scientific Collections Manager

George Safford Torrey Herbarium (CONN)
Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
University of Connecticut
75 North Eagleville Road, Unit 3043
Storrs, Connecticut 06269-3043
U.S.A.

P: 860.486.1889
F: 860.486.4320
https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/

Pronouns: she/her or they/them

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> On Behalf Of Donald McAlpine
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2024 12:34 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Seeking information on the multiple stacking of natural history cabinets

*Message sent from a system outside of UConn.*

The New Brunswick Museum is undergoing a $150 M building expansion that will include some new collections space.  There is currently a plan (proposed by architects) to double stack botany and entomology cabinets (each on a separate shelf) on compactors.  Zoology cabinets will be stacked 4 high, again, on shelves and compactors.  I would be interested in hearing from anyone that is double stacking botany or entomology cabinets and triple or quadruple stacking zoology cabinets.  We can get access to cabinets using WAV 60 (Work Assist Vehicle), but removing trays from zoology cabinets to accommodate rearrangement of collections is very awkward and time consuming.  I would be interested  and grateful to hear of any others who are stacking specimens cabinets more than 2 high and the process around managing collections in these circumstances.


Donald F. McAlpine, Ph.D.
Head, Department of Natural History
Research Curator and Head, Zoology Section
New Brunswick Museum
277 Douglas Avenue,
Saint John, New Brunswick,
Canada E2K 1E5
Phone (cell) 506-343-4432
fax 506-643-2360
www.nbm-mnb.ca<http://www.nbm-mnb.ca/>

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