From luisceriaco at gmail.com  Mon Feb  2 08:22:42 2026
From: luisceriaco at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?Q?Luis_Cer=C3=ADaco?=)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 13:22:42 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
Message-ID: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

-- 
_________________________________________________________
*Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/7342aba5/attachment.html>

From schaefer at amnh.org  Mon Feb  2 08:55:35 2026
From: schaefer at amnh.org (Scott A Schaefer)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 13:55:35 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>

This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/52bc1405/attachment.html>

From wpoly at calacademy.org  Mon Feb  2 09:00:31 2026
From: wpoly at calacademy.org (William Poly)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 09:00:31 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAJXW2XieVMJvnEUYeqzx_tCNVXzV8QJhtRGLYq78Dqm=nmYmpA@mail.gmail.com>

That sort of agreement doesn't seem to be in accordance with what
constitutes authorship of a publication in a traditional sense, nor would
it align with what most journals would consider to be authorship.  Such
assistance would be deserving of acknowledgement to the staff and to the
institution, which is done typically.

*William J. Poly*

*Research Associate*

*Department of Ichthyology*

*California Academy of Sciences*

*55 Music Concourse Drive, Golden Gate Park*

*San Francisco, California 94118*

*wpoly at calacademy.org <wpoly at calacademy.org>*

*https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/ichthyology/wpoly
<https://www.calacademy.org/scientists/ichthyology/wpoly>*


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear colleagues,
>
> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>
> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
> enrich the CV of staff members.
>
> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________
> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
> University of Porto, Portugal
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
> <https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco___.YXAzOmNhbGFjYWRlbXk6YTpnOmU5M2IwMmJlNDI1OWVjY2NiMDViNDU4MzgwY2VlMTFhOjc6MjYxOTo0YTA3OTAwZjYzYWRkM2VhNTkyYmJhNjc2ZTEwMzIwYTM4YWEyY2NmZDBmZjNjODNhN2RmZDQ3N2E0MzRjZDZmOmg6VDpO>
> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>
> https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l___.YXAzOmNhbGFjYWRlbXk6YTpnOmU5M2IwMmJlNDI1OWVjY2NiMDViNDU4MzgwY2VlMTFhOjc6YjExYTo2MjBjMGYzZDc3NWIxNWQ0NmJmMTA5ODA1MDExOWI2Yzk0ZmQyZDE0NTRmNGVmYmM1OGM4MmViODE0NDQzZGExOnA6VDpO
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See
> https://url.avanan.click/v2/r01/___http://www.spnhc.org___.YXAzOmNhbGFjYWRlbXk6YTpnOmU5M2IwMmJlNDI1OWVjY2NiMDViNDU4MzgwY2VlMTFhOjc6OTZiZjo4MjY4ZTY2NTZhNmYzMjYwMzM2OGFhYTA4YmIwYTQ0MTU3OGNjNWU5NzgxMWQxZGFkZjRlNWFhNjg1OGRjMjFhOnA6VDpO
> for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/0253e824/attachment.html>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Mon Feb  2 09:07:03 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 15:07:03 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <3519099c-a858-4ad2-bd34-32a2993610de@leibniz-lib.de>

it depends on the type of collection, I would argue. If access and loaning involves substantial time of the responsible curator necessary to determine or make the requested materials accessible, it is a valid point to not take this scientific input (e.g. determination) for granted.

In archaeozoological collections it is quite common that the colleague that screens and crawls through dozens of bone fragments from archaeological diggings and makes the requested material accessible for the requested research is co-authoring the paper (finding the correct bones, doing the determinations, etc.).

Also if the request would involve working through unaccessioned bulk samples which includes significant scientific input for making it accessible would justify co-authorship in my view.


Am 02.02.2026 um 14:55 schrieb Scott A Schaefer:
This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com><mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/af9b424c/attachment.html>

From sarah.taylor at uconn.edu  Mon Feb  2 09:11:49 2026
From: sarah.taylor at uconn.edu (Taylor, Sarah)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:11:49 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>

I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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> on behalf of Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections


*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*


This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/5c4f61c7/attachment.html>

From luisceriaco at gmail.com  Mon Feb  2 09:27:30 2026
From: luisceriaco at gmail.com (=?UTF-8?Q?Luis_Cer=C3=ADaco?=)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:27:30 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>

Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In
many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be
discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized
by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations,
when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the
collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that
most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus
deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the official
documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of 50
specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used
their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other
situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>
escreveu:

> I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
> after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
> perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on
> recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
> equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above
> mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer
> original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.
>
> In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
> visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to
> be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
> researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a
> pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of
> request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher
> but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of
> CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.
>
> This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
> started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.
>
> Best,
> Sarah
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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/
> <https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/>*
>
>
>
> Pronouns: she/her or they/them
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Scott A
> Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
> *To:* Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <
> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
> collections
>
>
> *External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
> system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
> attachments, or requests.*
>
> This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
> inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
> heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
> were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of
> reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates
> research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and
> processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated
> to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.
>
> I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
> agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both
> the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection
> managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to
> participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.
>
> The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
> impacted by these practices.
>
> Scott
>
> __________________________________________
>
> Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
>
> Dean of Science for Collections and the
>
>        Public Understanding of Science
>
> Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
>
> Curator and Professor
>
>
>
> *American Museum of Natural History <https://amnh.org/>*
>
> 200 Central Park West
>
> New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
>
>
>
> Office: 212-769-5652
>
> Mobile: 215-570-2943
>
> Email: *schaefer at amnh.org <schaefer at amnh.org>*
>
>
> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
> Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
> *To: *NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject: *[Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
>
> *EXTERNAL SENDER*
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>
> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
> enrich the CV of staff members.
>
> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________
> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
> University of Porto, Portugal
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>


-- 
_________________________________________________________
*Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/ac419c48/attachment.html>

From penneysd at uncw.edu  Mon Feb  2 09:28:21 2026
From: penneysd at uncw.edu (Penneys, Darin)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:28:21 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <SN6PR06MB46869150F921AFECD83B80C0B19AA@SN6PR06MB4686.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>

I previously experienced a closely related situation in which a curator demanded co-authorship solely for providing routine curatorial assistance. In this case, I personally selected the specimens for further study myself, spending a full week at the herbarium in the land of croissants doing so at significant personal expense of both time and money. Only after I had completed this work was I informed of an institutional ?policy? requiring curatorial co-authorship for the removal of fragments.

At numerous other European and international herbaria, I have been permitted to sample specimens directly, with the sole requirement being appropriate acknowledgment in resulting publications. I consulted curators at my home institution and elsewhere, and the unanimous opinion was that requiring authorship in the absence of an intellectual contribution is highly unusual and unjustified. Such a practice sets a damaging precedent, whereby any curator or assistant could claim authorship on an unlimited number of papers over time where said specimens were cited, fundamentally diluting the meaning of scientific authorship.

I cited standard journal authorship guidelines, which explicitly prohibit honorary or superfluous authorship and require substantive intellectual contributions to study conception, analysis, manuscript preparation, and final approval. Contributors who do not meet these criteria should be acknowledged rather than listed as authors.

Finally, I noted that had this requirement been communicated in advance, I would have redirected my limited research time and funds elsewhere. As a more appropriate alternative, I offered either reasonable financial compensation for curatorial time, or the future deposition of well-documented specimen sets at the herbarium; options that respect curatorial labor without compromising established standards of scientific authorship. These offers were denied.



^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Darin S. Penneys
Associate Professor, Keeper of WNC
Department of Biology and Marine Biology
University of North Carolina Wilmington
601 S. College Rd.
Wilmington, NC  28403
Office: 910.962.3046

https://sites.google.com/view/penneys-lab/home
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^



________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 9:11 AM
To: Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>; Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections


[This email originated from outside of UNCW]

I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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> on behalf of Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections


*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*


This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/b88cacce/attachment.html>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Mon Feb  2 09:41:22 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:41:22 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <SN6PR06MB46869150F921AFECD83B80C0B19AA@SN6PR06MB4686.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <SN6PR06MB46869150F921AFECD83B80C0B19AA@SN6PR06MB4686.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB99429190BB0286F0981FBC96FFC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Hard to say for sure, but my guess is: If an institution insisted on its staff becoming co-authors for having provided access to its collections, the researcher subsequently published without such authorship, and the institution then levied some kind of sanction such as barring that researcher from accessing its collections, then the institution would be breaching its duty of care and unconditional access as a publicly-funded (or at least tax-exempt) body.

In the past, I?ve added folks as extra authors who have pointed out things (such as prior publications) that I?ve missed, added more specimen information and images that substantially improved the work, or made really useful suggestions regarding the analysis. Sometimes these people have been journal reviewers; there?s nothing says you can?t add a reviewer as an author on a manuscript that was substantially revised as a result of their review, but the reviewer cannot insist on it.

This is all about fair play and decency, but converting it into institutional rules crosses a line.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
[cid:image001.png at 01DC9428.1689BB00]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/41136324/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 195140 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/41136324/attachment.png>

From abentley at ku.edu  Mon Feb  2 09:43:36 2026
From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:43:36 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <LV5PR01MB994147D687D27895C9A551F880B29AA@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Although I do agree that demanding co-authorship on publications for collections use is probably not warranted or justified in most cases, I think the attached will add to this conversation.

I also do think that if researchers were more collections advocacy aware and got into the habit of reporting publications and sequence information from specimens cited in their research to the relevant collections, this would go a long way to building advocacy and attribution metrics for collections that would ensure their longevity and their ability to showcase their worth to potential funders - more than any citation of a curator or collection manager could ever do.  There are way to many researchers who, once their analysis and subsequent paper is complete, do not bother or are just lazy.  Collections are critical infrastructure for downstream research of all types and without attribution metrics available to highlight that, collections become increasingly at risk of being sidelined and neglected by those holding the purse strings.

Andy


    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V
Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Biodiversity Institute

Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
USA

Tel: (785) 864-3863<tel:%28785%29%20864-3863>
Fax: (785) 864-5335<tel:%28785%29%20864-5335>
Email: abentley at ku.edu<mailto:abentley at ku.edu>

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258

http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu<http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>

    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V



________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:27 AM
To: Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>
Cc: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations, when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu<mailto:sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>> escreveu:
I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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 Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections


*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*


This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]


--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/6018a52d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Rouhan_et_al_2017 - The time has come for natural history collections to claim co-authorship.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 635778 bytes
Desc: Rouhan_et_al_2017 - The time has come for natural history collections to claim co-authorship.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/6018a52d/attachment.pdf>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Mon Feb  2 10:07:40 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 16:07:40 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>

Hi Luis,

the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags with the archaeological material).

Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that arises independent of the scientific input.

Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her, just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can occur.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations, when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu<mailto:sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>> escreveu:
I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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 Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*

This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]


--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/ac74a2c9/attachment.html>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Mon Feb  2 10:54:23 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 15:54:23 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Ammonium chloride equipment
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB9942914E08B8BB6CF81D02BBFCC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Folks,

I'm looking to do some whitening of small specimens with ammonium chloride for photography. Can anyone recommend a specific model of glass tube and a source of the powder?

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
[cid:image001.png at 01DC9432.498B64E0]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/fe008c8d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 195140 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/fe008c8d/attachment.png>

From dlpaul at illinois.edu  Mon Feb  2 10:59:41 2026
From: dlpaul at illinois.edu (Deborah Paul)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 09:59:41 -0600
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <LV5PR01MB994147D687D27895C9A551F880B29AA@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <LV5PR01MB994147D687D27895C9A551F880B29AA@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <0f877e07-cc8c-490f-ab04-90af78681405@illinois.edu>

Hi All,

On this sensitive topic, I'd like to add to Andy and Dirk's comments. In 
a space where collection managers and curators help to make the data -- 
-- and specimens and derivatives -- available and fit - for - research 
use, it's worth it to take a moment to think about what they get credit 
for at their own institutions. Often, it's still limited to the 
academically "traditional" grants or publications / citation. There was 
a time when lab technicians (making the research possible) and lab 
managers (orchestrating the whole endeavor) didn't get authorship 
either. Seconding Andy's point, it's citing the objects (and data from 
them) that can help collections highlight relevance of collections. 
Capturing the standardized data (who, what, where, when) and getting 
samples suitable for sequencing take both time and expertise. This work 
would need to be done by the author/s (as Luis and others point out) if 
not by the curator / collection manager. Considering it seems to be 
"policy" part that is stirring this pot, it's not surprising given the 
funding issues many collections (and staff) are facing and as a result 
-- seeking ways to ensure they are both being seen -- and heard.

I too have seen / see papers, where specimens only appear in the paper 
as a note: "specimens vouchered at [Institution]" with no mention of how 
many, or any attachment to any dataset of said specimens with their 
associated details. This too, is something we can address at the 
publishing level, if those of us reviewing papers, come back to the 
authors with the request to include the specimen records (e. g. as a 
supplemental file) or better yet, as an accompanying data paper. 
Collections need (more) ways to show relevance.

Thoughtfully,
Debbie

On 2/2/2026 8:43 AM, Bentley, Andrew Charles wrote:
> Although I do agree that demanding co-authorship on publications for 
> collections use is probably not warranted or justified in most cases, 
> I think the attached will add to this conversation.
>
> I also do think that if researchers were more collections advocacy 
> aware and got into the habit of reporting publications and sequence 
> information from specimens cited in their research to the relevant 
> collections, this would go a long way to building advocacy and 
> attribution metrics for collections that would ensure their longevity 
> and their ability to showcase their worth to potential funders - more 
> than any citation of a curator or collection manager could ever do.? 
> There are way to many researchers who, once their analysis and 
> subsequent paper is complete, do not bother or are just lazy.? 
> Collections are critical infrastructure for downstream research of all 
> types and without attribution metrics available to highlight that, 
> collections become increasingly at risk of being sidelined and 
> neglected by those holding the purse strings.

-- 
- Deborah Paul, Biodiversity Informatics Community Liaison
- Species File Group (INHS), University of Illinois
-- Natural History Collections and Museomics NHCM Editor-in-Chiefhttps://nhcm.pensoft.net
-- Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Past Chair 2021-2022
-- Florida State University Courtesy Appointment
-- Species File Group and Eventshttps://speciesfilegroup.org

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/74f1487a/attachment.html>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Mon Feb  2 11:01:54 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 16:01:54 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Access and authorship in natural history collections
In-Reply-To: <PH8PR01MB99429190BB0286F0981FBC96FFC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <SN6PR06MB46869150F921AFECD83B80C0B19AA@SN6PR06MB4686.namprd06.prod.outlook.com>
 <PH8PR01MB99429190BB0286F0981FBC96FFC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB9942911081A97A4B395AEB0F74C39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Hard to say for sure, but my guess is: If an institution insisted on its staff becoming co-authors for having provided access to its collections, the researcher subsequently published without such authorship, and the institution then levied some kind of sanction such as barring that researcher from accessing its collections, then the institution would be breaching its duty of care and unconditional access as a publicly-funded (or at least tax-exempt) body.

In the past, I?ve added folks as extra authors who have pointed out things (such as prior publications) that I?ve missed, added more specimen information and images that substantially improved the work, or made really useful suggestions regarding the analysis. Sometimes these people have been journal reviewers; there?s nothing says you can?t add a reviewer as an author on a manuscript that was substantially revised as a result of their review, but the reviewer cannot insist on it.

This is all about fair play and decency, but converting it into institutional rules crosses a line.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/6c351184/attachment.html>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Mon Feb  2 11:02:19 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 16:02:19 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FW: Ammonium chloride equipment
In-Reply-To: <PH8PR01MB9942914E08B8BB6CF81D02BBFCC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <PH8PR01MB9942914E08B8BB6CF81D02BBFCC39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB99429175AC74AEEA97A9B04DA4C39AA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Folks,

I'm looking to do some whitening of small specimens with ammonium chloride for photography. Can anyone recommend a specific model of glass tube and a source of the powder?

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/2630aae4/attachment.html>

From crawfordaj at gmail.com  Mon Feb  2 14:15:06 2026
From: crawfordaj at gmail.com (Andrew J. Crawford)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 14:15:06 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>

What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several issues
have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add one
more I haven't seen in this threat.

In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as
curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the
community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good
relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this
thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary
custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already
being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably
were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of
the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond
their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself,
we cannot offer that service at this time."

That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you
visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of
reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely
in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the
institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier
country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable
material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no
salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach,
with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.
Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for
their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship
packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from
a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget
for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are
short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than
you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)

Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in
Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the
curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do
to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards
maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity
inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If
the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future
paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true
collaborator, anyway.

And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say,
"Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's
talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity
scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"

Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much more
complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this
additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as
contexts change.

All best wishes,
  -Andrew

Andrew J. Crawford
Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
@crawfordaj.bsky.social?
IG: @craw.crawdad


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
wrote:

> Hi Luis,
>
> the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination
> of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are
> included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is
> justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA
> (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags
> with the archaeological material).
>
> Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending
> on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under
> the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In
> this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that
> arises independent of the scientific input.
>
> Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for
> co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her,
> just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can
> occur.
>
> With best wishes
> Dirk
>
>
> Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
>
> Thank you all for your input.
>
> It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
> different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In
> many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be
> discussed between the leading author and the staff.
> As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
> needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized
> by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations,
> when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the
> collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that
> most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus
> deserves authorship.
> What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the
> official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of
> 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
> I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used
> their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other
> situation...
>
> Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>
> escreveu:
>
>> I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
>> after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
>> perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on
>> recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
>> equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above
>> mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer
>> original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.
>>
>> In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
>> visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to
>> be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
>> researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a
>> pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of
>> request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher
>> but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of
>> CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.
>>
>> This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
>> started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.
>>
>> Best,
>> Sarah
>>
>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>
>> 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/
>> <https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/>*
>>
>>
>>
>> Pronouns: she/her or they/them
>>
>>
>> ------------------------------
>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Scott
>> A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
>> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
>> *To:* Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <
>> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>> collections
>>
>> *External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
>> system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
>> attachments, or requests.*
>>
>> This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
>> inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
>> heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
>> were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of
>> reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates
>> research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and
>> processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated
>> to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.
>>
>> I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
>> agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both
>> the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection
>> managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to
>> participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.
>>
>> The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
>> impacted by these practices.
>>
>> Scott
>>
>> __________________________________________
>>
>> Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
>>
>> Dean of Science for Collections and the
>>
>>        Public Understanding of Science
>>
>> Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
>>
>> Curator and Professor
>>
>>
>>
>> *American Museum of Natural History <https://amnh.org/>*
>>
>> 200 Central Park West
>>
>> New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
>>
>>
>>
>> Office: 212-769-5652
>>
>> Mobile: 215-570-2943
>>
>> Email: *schaefer at amnh.org <schaefer at amnh.org>*
>>
>>
>> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
>> Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
>> *Date: *Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
>> *To: *NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>> *Subject: *[Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>> collections
>>
>> *EXTERNAL SENDER*
>>
>> Dear colleagues,
>>
>> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
>> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
>> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
>> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
>> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
>> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>>
>> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
>> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
>> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
>> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
>> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
>> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
>> enrich the CV of staff members.
>>
>> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so
>> far?
>>
>> --
>> _________________________________________________________
>> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
>> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
>> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
>> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
>> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
>> University of Porto, Portugal
>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
>> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>>
>
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________
> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
> University of Porto, Portugal
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/9eb803d3/attachment.html>

From erika at natarajan.ca  Mon Feb  2 14:41:27 2026
From: erika at natarajan.ca (Erika Natarajan)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 11:41:27 -0800
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>

I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in
scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally
meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time, however,
institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward authorship as a
metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality, rigor, or originality
of the data. In that context, authorship risks becoming a form of currency
rather than a reflection of genuine intellectual contribution.

I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections in
?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better supported or
better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I am currently
volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country, and what I observe
daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative structures, and
institutional inertia often hinder good collection care and research access
? even when there is an excellent and highly committed curator.

Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material
constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication, deep
local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity. Their
main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a lack of
institutional recognition and structural support. These are fundamentally
different challenges.

For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a simple
dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both operate under
systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in different ways.
Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains problematic in any
context if it is not based on real intellectual contribution.
Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and
voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and
infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation. Ultimately,
what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the discovery itself and
its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps emerging tools, including
AI, can help us refocus evaluation on scientific content and impact rather
than on name accumulation.

Erika Isabel Natarajan

On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford <crawfordaj at gmail.com>
wrote:

> What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several
> issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add
> one more I haven't seen in this threat.
>
> In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as
> curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the
> community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good
> relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this
> thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary
> custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already
> being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably
> were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of
> the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond
> their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself,
> we cannot offer that service at this time."
>
> That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you
> visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of
> reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely
> in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the
> institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier
> country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable
> material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no
> salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach,
> with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.
> Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for
> their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship
> packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from
> a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget
> for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are
> short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than
> you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)
>
> Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in
> Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the
> curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do
> to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards
> maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity
> inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If
> the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future
> paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true
> collaborator, anyway.
>
> And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say,
> "Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's
> talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity
> scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"
>
> Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much more
> complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this
> additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as
> contexts change.
>
> All best wishes,
>   -Andrew
>
> Andrew J. Crawford
> Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
> Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
> Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
> @crawfordaj.bsky.social?
> IG: @craw.crawdad
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
> wrote:
>
>> Hi Luis,
>>
>> the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination
>> of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are
>> included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is
>> justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA
>> (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags
>> with the archaeological material).
>>
>> Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending
>> on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under
>> the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In
>> this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that
>> arises independent of the scientific input.
>>
>> Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for
>> co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her,
>> just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can
>> occur.
>>
>> With best wishes
>> Dirk
>>
>>
>> Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
>>
>> Thank you all for your input.
>>
>> It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
>> different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In
>> many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be
>> discussed between the leading author and the staff.
>> As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
>> needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized
>> by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations,
>> when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the
>> collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that
>> most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus
>> deserves authorship.
>> What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the
>> official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of
>> 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
>> I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used
>> their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other
>> situation...
>>
>> Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <
>> sarah.taylor at uconn.edu> escreveu:
>>
>>> I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
>>> after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
>>> perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on
>>> recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
>>> equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above
>>> mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer
>>> original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.
>>>
>>> In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
>>> visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to
>>> be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
>>> researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a
>>> pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of
>>> request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher
>>> but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of
>>> CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.
>>>
>>> This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
>>> started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.
>>>
>>> Best,
>>> Sarah
>>>
>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>>
>>> 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/
>>> <https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/>*
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Pronouns: she/her or they/them
>>>
>>>
>>> ------------------------------
>>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Scott
>>> A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
>>> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
>>> *To:* Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <
>>> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>>> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>>> collections
>>>
>>> *External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
>>> system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
>>> attachments, or requests.*
>>>
>>> This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
>>> inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
>>> heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
>>> were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of
>>> reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates
>>> research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and
>>> processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated
>>> to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.
>>>
>>> I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
>>> agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both
>>> the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection
>>> managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to
>>> participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.
>>>
>>> The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
>>> impacted by these practices.
>>>
>>> Scott
>>>
>>> __________________________________________
>>>
>>> Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
>>>
>>> Dean of Science for Collections and the
>>>
>>>        Public Understanding of Science
>>>
>>> Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
>>>
>>> Curator and Professor
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *American Museum of Natural History <https://amnh.org/>*
>>>
>>> 200 Central Park West
>>>
>>> New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Office: 212-769-5652
>>>
>>> Mobile: 215-570-2943
>>>
>>> Email: *schaefer at amnh.org <schaefer at amnh.org>*
>>>
>>>
>>> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
>>> Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
>>> *Date: *Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
>>> *To: *NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>>> *Subject: *[Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>>> collections
>>>
>>> *EXTERNAL SENDER*
>>>
>>> Dear colleagues,
>>>
>>> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
>>> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
>>> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
>>> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
>>> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
>>> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>>>
>>> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
>>> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
>>> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
>>> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
>>> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
>>> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
>>> enrich the CV of staff members.
>>>
>>> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so
>>> far?
>>>
>>> --
>>> _________________________________________________________
>>> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
>>> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
>>> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
>>> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
>>> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
>>> University of Porto, Portugal
>>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
>>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
>>> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> _________________________________________________________
>> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
>> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
>> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
>> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
>> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
>> University of Porto, Portugal
>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
>> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
>>
>> --
>>
>> ******
>>
>>
>>
>> *Dirk Neumann*
>>
>> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>>
>>
>>
>> Postal address:
>>
>> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
>> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>>
>> of Biodiversity Change
>>
>> Dirk Neumann
>>
>> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>>
>> 20146 Hamburg
>> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>>
>> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>>
>> www.leibniz-lib.de
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>
>> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>>
>>
>> --
>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>
>> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/0b84a5bb/attachment.html>

From MDean at cincymuseum.org  Mon Feb  2 15:45:32 2026
From: MDean at cincymuseum.org (Makayla Dean)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 20:45:32 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] USFWS closing migratory bird salvage permits
In-Reply-To: <CY5PR11MB623404C16CF856182255CFB0F29FA@CY5PR11MB6234.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CY5PR11MB623404C16CF856182255CFB0F29FA@CY5PR11MB6234.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CO1PR10MB4738645E4E32213C47D33F44A59AA@CO1PR10MB4738.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>

Hi all,

I wanted to add to the conversation with the information we received when emailing about our permit status. I hope it helps another museum in a similar position to us. It seems that because we are removing and storing tissue samples, as well as accepting birds from intentional salvage efforts, we need a Scientific Collecting and Research permit. We emailed migratorybirdpermits at fws.org the following:

Hello,
I am the Zoology Collections Manager at the Cincinnati Museum Center located in Cincinnati, Ohio. We are a 501(c)(3) non-profit museum that contains biological collections for use in education and research. Salvage of dead animals is the main source of our specimens. I am writing to inquire about a new exception to obtaining a USFWS permit for the salvage of migratory birds that is outlined in the Code of Federal Regulations (50CFR Part 21.12(b)). We need to confirm that we do not need a federal permit for migratory birds at this time. Historically, we have obtained the Migratory Bird Special Purpose ? Salvage permit for salvaging birds, which has since expired. I have included more information about our institution and our practices below.
Our institution accepts deceased birds from museum staff members, members of the public, university professors, wildlife rehabilitators, Audubon Society members, and Lights Out members. These birds are salvaged both opportunistically and intentionally, such as members of the public finding a deceased bird by happenstance (opportunistic) or Audubon Societies and Lights Out programs sending out members to document and collect window strikes during migration (intentional). Our institution is not collecting live birds nor euthanizing birds for research. We only accept previously deceased birds from outside sources.
During our preparation process, in which we prepare the bird for public archive, we remove muscle and organ tissue samples from already deceased birds and store those at -80C. We also clean and retain all skeletal material from each bird. Unaffiliated researchers may also request the removal of tissues or feathers from a preserved skin for destructive analysis, which we approve on a case-by-case basis. Our institution is not taking tissue samples or feathers from live birds. All of our work is completed on deceased birds.
I would be happy to share with you copies of our previous federal permits if those would be helpful, as well as answer any questions you may have. Given the above information about our institution, will you please clarify the new regulations in regards to salvaging for our institution so we may proceed accordingly? Does our institution need a 3-200-7: Migratory Bird ? Scientific Collecting Permit?
If we do not need a permit for the above activities, what types of records do we need to maintain about birds we bring into our collection?
We received the following in response:

The simple answer is "yes", because you are taking samples from the bird carcasses you will nee a scientific collection permit.  If you were simply preserving the birds or their parts as educational or reference specimens, then you would not need a permit, that action is cover under an Regulatory Authorization. And, Audubon and Lights Out, if they are intentionally searching for and collecting bird carcasses need a scientific collection permit, too. Our salvage authorization only applies to incidental salvage and not intentional salvage.

I hope that helps.

Rocky Montgomery
Permits and Operations Unit Lead
Migratory Birds Program




Makayla Dean | they/them

Manager, Zoology Collections & DNA Lab

Cincinnati Museum Center

1301 Western Avenue, Cincinnati, Ohio 45203
MDean at cincymuseum

C: (513) 549-6251

O: (513) 287-7000 ext 7307

cincymuseum.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/0ce9d3bc/attachment.html>

From simmons.johne at gmail.com  Mon Feb  2 15:55:10 2026
From: simmons.johne at gmail.com (John E Simmons)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 15:55:10 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>

This is a very interesting discussion, and I appreciate all of the
viewpoints expressed so far. It is an important discussion to have.

I have worked with natural history collections for nearly six decades
(since my freshman year in college in 1969) so I have seen a lot of changes
in the field, particularly in who collects specimens, who has collections,
and who uses collections. I was a full-time collections manager at the
California Academy of Sciences (4 years), at the Natural History Museum at
the University of Kansas (26 years), I have been an independent collections
consultant since 2008, and I have published widely on collections and
collection care.

FIRST--the idea that a staff member of an institution should be
automatically included as an author simplify for making a loan of specimens
or access to specimens possible is hogwash. If that was a standard, I would
have an astounding publication record. A simple acknowledgement is
appropriate, but nothing more. The very idea seems to go along with the
ridiculous trend of having 15 or 20 authors on a single publication. Enough
with authorship inflation already.

SECOND--Back in the Pleistocene when I first started working collections,
there was an informal quid pro quo among collecting institutions. Staff or
students from institution A would borrow B, who would loan to C, and so
forth so that the costs of preparing loans or providing access  (which can
be very high) were evened out over time. This has not been true since the
advent of molecular systematics in the late 1980s. Most (but not all) of
the people borrowing specimens or accessing specimens in collections today
do not work for collecting institutions and do not collect specimens that
others might use, so the system is out of balance. Passing along the costs
of borrowing specimens, in particular, is reasonable. Most curators can
easily determine which institutions are reciprocal  (e.g., offer collection
access or loans themselves) and which are not. This is only fair. The
collecting institutions are already burdened with the cost of upkeep of
collections; they should not be expected to bear the cost of loans to
researchers who do not have collections to loan. Researchers without
collections would not expect cost-free use of scanning electron
microscopes, etc., and should not expect cost-free collection loans,
either.

Yes, collections belong to all of us, but no, we do not all help support
collections, do we?

--John

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


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:42?PM Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca> wrote:

> I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in
> scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally
> meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time, however,
> institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward authorship as a
> metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality, rigor, or originality
> of the data. In that context, authorship risks becoming a form of currency
> rather than a reflection of genuine intellectual contribution.
>
> I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections in
> ?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better supported or
> better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I am currently
> volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country, and what I observe
> daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative structures, and
> institutional inertia often hinder good collection care and research access
> ? even when there is an excellent and highly committed curator.
>
> Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material
> constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication, deep
> local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity. Their
> main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a lack of
> institutional recognition and structural support. These are fundamentally
> different challenges.
>
> For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a
> simple dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both
> operate under systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in
> different ways. Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains
> problematic in any context if it is not based on real intellectual
> contribution.
> Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and
> voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and
> infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation. Ultimately,
> what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the discovery itself and
> its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps emerging tools, including
> AI, can help us refocus evaluation on scientific content and impact rather
> than on name accumulation.
>
> Erika Isabel Natarajan
>
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford <crawfordaj at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
>> What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several
>> issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add
>> one more I haven't seen in this threat.
>>
>> In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as
>> curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the
>> community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good
>> relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this
>> thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary
>> custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already
>> being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably
>> were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of
>> the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond
>> their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself,
>> we cannot offer that service at this time."
>>
>> That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you
>> visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of
>> reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely
>> in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the
>> institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier
>> country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable
>> material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no
>> salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach,
>> with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.
>> Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for
>> their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship
>> packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from
>> a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget
>> for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are
>> short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than
>> you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)
>>
>> Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in
>> Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the
>> curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do
>> to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards
>> maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity
>> inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If
>> the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future
>> paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true
>> collaborator, anyway.
>>
>> And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say,
>> "Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's
>> talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity
>> scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"
>>
>> Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much
>> more complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this
>> additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as
>> contexts change.
>>
>> All best wishes,
>>   -Andrew
>>
>> Andrew J. Crawford
>> Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
>> Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
>> Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
>> @crawfordaj.bsky.social?
>> IG: @craw.crawdad
>>
>>
>> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> Hi Luis,
>>>
>>> the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination
>>> of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are
>>> included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is
>>> justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA
>>> (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags
>>> with the archaeological material).
>>>
>>> Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified.
>>> Depending on the contractual conditions the material war originally
>>> accessioned under the respective access laws of the Provider Country /
>>> Nagoya Protocol. In this case, it can be that co-authorship is a
>>> contractual requirement that arises independent of the scientific input.
>>>
>>> Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for
>>> co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her,
>>> just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can
>>> occur.
>>>
>>> With best wishes
>>> Dirk
>>>
>>>
>>> Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
>>>
>>> Thank you all for your input.
>>>
>>> It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
>>> different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In
>>> many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be
>>> discussed between the leading author and the staff.
>>> As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
>>> needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized
>>> by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations,
>>> when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the
>>> collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that
>>> most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus
>>> deserves authorship.
>>> What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the
>>> official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of
>>> 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
>>> I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used
>>> their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other
>>> situation...
>>>
>>> Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <
>>> sarah.taylor at uconn.edu> escreveu:
>>>
>>>> I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
>>>> after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
>>>> perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on
>>>> recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
>>>> equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above
>>>> mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer
>>>> original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.
>>>>
>>>> In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
>>>> visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to
>>>> be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
>>>> researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a
>>>> pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of
>>>> request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher
>>>> but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of
>>>> CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.
>>>>
>>>> This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
>>>> started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.
>>>>
>>>> Best,
>>>> Sarah
>>>>
>>>> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>>>>
>>>> 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/
>>>> <https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/>*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Pronouns: she/her or they/them
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> ------------------------------
>>>> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of
>>>> Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
>>>> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
>>>> *To:* Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <
>>>> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>>>> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>>>> collections
>>>>
>>>> *External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
>>>> system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
>>>> attachments, or requests.*
>>>>
>>>> This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
>>>> inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
>>>> heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
>>>> were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of
>>>> reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates
>>>> research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and
>>>> processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated
>>>> to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.
>>>>
>>>> I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
>>>> agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both
>>>> the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection
>>>> managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to
>>>> participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.
>>>>
>>>> The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
>>>> impacted by these practices.
>>>>
>>>> Scott
>>>>
>>>> __________________________________________
>>>>
>>>> Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
>>>>
>>>> Dean of Science for Collections and the
>>>>
>>>>        Public Understanding of Science
>>>>
>>>> Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
>>>>
>>>> Curator and Professor
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *American Museum of Natural History <https://amnh.org/>*
>>>>
>>>> 200 Central Park West
>>>>
>>>> New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Office: 212-769-5652
>>>>
>>>> Mobile: 215-570-2943
>>>>
>>>> Email: *schaefer at amnh.org <schaefer at amnh.org>*
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
>>>> Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
>>>> *Date: *Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
>>>> *To: *NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
>>>> *Subject: *[Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
>>>> collections
>>>>
>>>> *EXTERNAL SENDER*
>>>>
>>>> Dear colleagues,
>>>>
>>>> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
>>>> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
>>>> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
>>>> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
>>>> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
>>>> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>>>>
>>>> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
>>>> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
>>>> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
>>>> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
>>>> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
>>>> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
>>>> enrich the CV of staff members.
>>>>
>>>> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so
>>>> far?
>>>>
>>>> --
>>>> _________________________________________________________
>>>> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
>>>> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
>>>> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
>>>> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
>>>> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
>>>> University of Porto, Portugal
>>>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
>>>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
>>>> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> _________________________________________________________
>>> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
>>> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
>>> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
>>> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
>>> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
>>> University of Porto, Portugal
>>> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
>>> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
>>> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nhcoll-l mailing listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>>
>>> ******
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> *Dirk Neumann*
>>>
>>> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Postal address:
>>>
>>> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
>>> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>>>
>>> of Biodiversity Change
>>>
>>> Dirk Neumann
>>>
>>> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>>>
>>> 20146 Hamburg
>>> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>>>
>>> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>>>
>>> www.leibniz-lib.de
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
>>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>>
>>> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
>>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>>> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
>>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
>>> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>>>
>>> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
>>> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
>>> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
>>> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
>>> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/aed09229/attachment.html>

From james.mickley at oregonstate.edu  Mon Feb  2 18:39:27 2026
From: james.mickley at oregonstate.edu (Mickley, James)
Date: Mon, 2 Feb 2026 23:39:27 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <PH0P222MB0318C982F4EC2F0301CC80D6EB9AA@PH0P222MB0318.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Dear all:

I have also heard of institutions in the USA requiring authorship as a loan condition. We have also discussed charging a fee for loans, and this at a major herbarium. There are obvious reciprocity issues with both, and we have opted not to do this for now. However, these discussions may come from a position of necessity and perhaps survival rather than simply padding CVs. My institution values publications and cashflow; they don't otherwise value loans fulfilled, or collections as a public good, especially given that our faculty do not often request loans from other institutions for their research. Even pointing to the large number of outside publications that cite our collections seems to get a lukewarm response.

We often caution each other about not undervaluing ourselves as a collections community, and I think that's a worthwhile conversation to have. I'd suggest that authorship or fees are maybe not the best way to accomplish this, but looking across campus at similar service providers (e.g., imaging, genomic, diagnostic), the standard is to charge for time, data, access, and the like.

Cheers
- James Mickley


-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Dr. James Mickley (he/him/his)

Assistant Professor of Practice (Herbarium Curator)

Senior Instructor

Oregon State University | Botany and Plant Pathology

Office: 2511 Cordley Hall | OSU Herbarium<https://bpp.oregonstate.edu/herbarium> | OregonFlora<https://oregonflora.org/>

[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4zIfq0ClZNu1aSuk1IPrE7BPe2aqa_lXxtMZTEd999j8LYGXr7OPZ4pZNRJZXIajvnGir7oyQU]



________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of John E Simmons <simmons.johne at gmail.com>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 12:55 PM
To: Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca>
Cc: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural history collections


[This email originated from outside of OSU. Use caution with links and attachments.]

This is a very interesting discussion, and I appreciate all of the viewpoints expressed so far. It is an important discussion to have.

I have worked with natural history collections for nearly six decades (since my freshman year in college in 1969) so I have seen a lot of changes in the field, particularly in who collects specimens, who has collections, and who uses collections. I was a full-time collections manager at the California Academy of Sciences (4 years), at the Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas (26 years), I have been an independent collections consultant since 2008, and I have published widely on collections and collection care.

FIRST--the idea that a staff member of an institution should be automatically included as an author simplify for making a loan of specimens or access to specimens possible is hogwash. If that was a standard, I would have an astounding publication record. A simple acknowledgement is appropriate, but nothing more. The very idea seems to go along with the ridiculous trend of having 15 or 20 authors on a single publication. Enough with authorship inflation already.

SECOND--Back in the Pleistocene when I first started working collections, there was an informal quid pro quo among collecting institutions. Staff or students from institution A would borrow B, who would loan to C, and so forth so that the costs of preparing loans or providing access  (which can be very high) were evened out over time. This has not been true since the advent of molecular systematics in the late 1980s. Most (but not all) of the people borrowing specimens or accessing specimens in collections today do not work for collecting institutions and do not collect specimens that others might use, so the system is out of balance. Passing along the costs of borrowing specimens, in particular, is reasonable. Most curators can easily determine which institutions are reciprocal  (e.g., offer collection access or loans themselves) and which are not. This is only fair. The collecting institutions are already burdened with the cost of upkeep of collections; they should not be expected to bear the cost of loans to researchers who do not have collections to loan. Researchers without collections would not expect cost-free use of scanning electron microscopes, etc., and should not expect cost-free collection loans, either.

Yes, collections belong to all of us, but no, we do not all help support collections, do we?

--John

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


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:42?PM Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca<mailto:erika at natarajan.ca>> wrote:

I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time, however, institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward authorship as a metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality, rigor, or originality of the data. In that context, authorship risks becoming a form of currency rather than a reflection of genuine intellectual contribution.

I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections in ?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better supported or better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I am currently volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country, and what I observe daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative structures, and institutional inertia often hinder good collection care and research access ? even when there is an excellent and highly committed curator.

Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication, deep local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity. Their main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a lack of institutional recognition and structural support. These are fundamentally different challenges.

For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a simple dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both operate under systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in different ways. Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains problematic in any context if it is not based on real intellectual contribution.

Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation. Ultimately, what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the discovery itself and its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps emerging tools, including AI, can help us refocus evaluation on scientific content and impact rather than on name accumulation.

Erika Isabel Natarajan

On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford <crawfordaj at gmail.com<mailto:crawfordaj at gmail.com>> wrote:
What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add one more I haven't seen in this threat.

In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself, we cannot offer that service at this time."

That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach, with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.  Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)

Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true collaborator, anyway.

And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say, "Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"

Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much more complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as contexts change.

All best wishes,
  -Andrew

Andrew J. Crawford
Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
@crawfordaj.bsky.social?
IG: @craw.crawdad


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>> wrote:
Hi Luis,

the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags with the archaeological material).

Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that arises independent of the scientific input.

Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her, just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can occur.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations, when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu<mailto:sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>> escreveu:
I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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 Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*

This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]


--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--

****



Dirk Neumann

Collection Manager, Hamburg



Postal address:

Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis

of Biodiversity Change

Dirk Neumann

Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3

20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628

d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>

www.leibniz-lib.de



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260202/931edec0/attachment.html>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Tue Feb  3 01:48:09 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 07:48:09 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <851b3031-7b7a-4830-a8a0-96319885d5f8@leibniz-lib.de>

... and further emphasising what John points out, there is an increasing trend that researcher leave their samples behind; either after large field campaigns, or their projects. This applies not only to stranded freezer drawers of molecular biologists.

As has been pointed out in this thread so far, collections are critical research infrastructures, which are under increased (budgetary) but also scientific pressure, when curation - in the original Latin meaning of this word - no longer is the core requirement to fill this position, but cutting edge publications and research.

At the same time, research activities and projects increase, and as a direct result, scientific use of the collections - which is brilliant, because collections should be facilitators of biodiversity research - but this creates additional demand and costs.

Unlike the 1980ies or 1990ies, collections also have to increasingly observe legal use of 'their' specimens or parts thereof, which they give on loan - or permanently transfer for destructive DNA or stable isotopes analysis (which is not a loan, because the material is completely consumed and nothing is returned).

As Andy pointed out already, many researchers seem to overlook that natural history collections should maintain collections for scientific research. This is more than just serving as sample supplier for one's project.

Sadly, there are many examples where it is impossible to trace back samples of the cutting-edge super phylogeny to the individual sample and specimen. This not only is a fundamental violation of scientific principles, but it poses serious questions and challenges when it comes to biodiversity monitoring, when the underlying molecular reference specimens are unclear.

Last but not least, collection holding institutions are confronted with increased reputational and liability risks, especially when it comes to sequencing.

Whether we like it, or not, the Nagoya Protocol was a game changer, and emphasised what we already knew: we need to collect, access and transfer materials legally. However, there have been several articles e.g. in Science that accused collections to facilitate biopiracy (e.g. https://www.science.org/content/article/amazing-blue-tarantula-new-spider-species-did-researchers-break-law-when-they-studied).

All this massively increased the transactional but also liability and reputational costs of collections as critical research infrastructures within the last ten years.

I guess, we are all well advised if we have the necessary understanding how crucial and how essential collections are for us, and our research - and which challenges these infrastructures are confronted with to serve our research.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 02.02.2026 um 21:55 schrieb John E Simmons:
This is a very interesting discussion, and I appreciate all of the viewpoints expressed so far. It is an important discussion to have.

I have worked with natural history collections for nearly six decades (since my freshman year in college in 1969) so I have seen a lot of changes in the field, particularly in who collects specimens, who has collections, and who uses collections. I was a full-time collections manager at the California Academy of Sciences (4 years), at the Natural History Museum at the University of Kansas (26 years), I have been an independent collections consultant since 2008, and I have published widely on collections and collection care.

FIRST--the idea that a staff member of an institution should be automatically included as an author simplify for making a loan of specimens or access to specimens possible is hogwash. If that was a standard, I would have an astounding publication record. A simple acknowledgement is appropriate, but nothing more. The very idea seems to go along with the ridiculous trend of having 15 or 20 authors on a single publication. Enough with authorship inflation already.

SECOND--Back in the Pleistocene when I first started working collections, there was an informal quid pro quo among collecting institutions. Staff or students from institution A would borrow B, who would loan to C, and so forth so that the costs of preparing loans or providing access  (which can be very high) were evened out over time. This has not been true since the advent of molecular systematics in the late 1980s. Most (but not all) of the people borrowing specimens or accessing specimens in collections today do not work for collecting institutions and do not collect specimens that others might use, so the system is out of balance. Passing along the costs of borrowing specimens, in particular, is reasonable. Most curators can easily determine which institutions are reciprocal  (e.g., offer collection access or loans themselves) and which are not. This is only fair. The collecting institutions are already burdened with the cost of upkeep of collections; they should not be expected to bear the cost of loans to researchers who do not have collections to loan. Researchers without collections would not expect cost-free use of scanning electron microscopes, etc., and should not expect cost-free collection loans, either.

Yes, collections belong to all of us, but no, we do not all help support collections, do we?

--John

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


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:42?PM Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca<mailto:erika at natarajan.ca>> wrote:

I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time, however, institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward authorship as a metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality, rigor, or originality of the data. In that context, authorship risks becoming a form of currency rather than a reflection of genuine intellectual contribution.

I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections in ?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better supported or better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I am currently volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country, and what I observe daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative structures, and institutional inertia often hinder good collection care and research access ? even when there is an excellent and highly committed curator.

Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication, deep local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity. Their main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a lack of institutional recognition and structural support. These are fundamentally different challenges.

For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a simple dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both operate under systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in different ways. Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains problematic in any context if it is not based on real intellectual contribution.

Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation. Ultimately, what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the discovery itself and its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps emerging tools, including AI, can help us refocus evaluation on scientific content and impact rather than on name accumulation.

Erika Isabel Natarajan

On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford <crawfordaj at gmail.com<mailto:crawfordaj at gmail.com>> wrote:
What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add one more I haven't seen in this threat.

In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself, we cannot offer that service at this time."

That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach, with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.  Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)

Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true collaborator, anyway.

And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say, "Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"

Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much more complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as contexts change.

All best wishes,
  -Andrew

Andrew J. Crawford
Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
@crawfordaj.bsky.social?
IG: @craw.crawdad


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>> wrote:
Hi Luis,

the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags with the archaeological material).

Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that arises independent of the scientific input.

Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her, just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can occur.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations, when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu<mailto:sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>> escreveu:
I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers' perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah


-----------------------------------------------------------------

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 Scott A Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>; NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links, attachments, or requests.*

This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been impacted by these practices.

Scott


__________________________________________

Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.

Dean of Science for Collections and the

       Public Understanding of Science

Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics

Curator and Professor



American Museum of Natural History<https://amnh.org/>

200 Central Park West

New York, NY 10024-5192 USA



Office: 212-769-5652

Mobile: 215-570-2943

Email: schaefer at amnh.org<mailto:schaefer at amnh.org>



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu>> on behalf of Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com<mailto:luisceriaco at gmail.com>>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members.

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]


--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4wZ5SeVd89_kAncItat_P1VY9QpO0E_pfBtJDOS8YDqfC4o6bfR6sQQNFdyg9UEAJsit-B2tQU]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/8a07da65/attachment.html>

From Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de  Tue Feb  3 01:49:51 2026
From: Joachim.Haendel at zns.uni-halle.de (=?UTF-8?Q?Hans-Joachim=20H=C3=A4ndel?=)
Date: Tue, 03 Feb 2026 07:49:51 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Antw: Re: [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <69819A8F020000B3000DE738@gwia0.itz.uni-halle.de>

Hello all,,
I would also like to add my comments here ? both as a collection
employee and as the publisher and editor of a entomological journal.
Such an approach is highly questionable.
A co-author should make an essential contribution to the content of a
publication. 

Supporting work is not part of this. In the worst case, this could even
lead to someone becoming a co-author of a publication with which they do
not agree in terms of content.

Such information belongs in the acknowledgements. These
acknowledgements are an expression of respect and gratitude!


A side note:
This practice is (unfortunately) occasionally used in Nagoya Protocol
procedures.
Here, scientists, administrators or politicians from the giving
countries or institutions become co-authors in order to ensure a fair
Benefit-sharing.
I once discussed this with employees of the German Research Foundation:
it was clearly stated that this approach clearly violates good
scientific practice and could potentially lead to the discontinuation of
research funding.

All the best
Joachim

--  
Joachim Haendel
 
Center of Natural Science Collections
of the Martin Luther University (ZNS)
- Zoological Collection -

Domplatz 4
D-06099 Halle (Saale)
Germany

Phone:  +49 345 - 55 26 447
Email: joachim.haendel at zns.uni-halle.de




>>> John E Simmons <simmons.johne at gmail.com> schrieb am 02.02.2026 um
21:55:
This is a very interesting discussion, and I appreciate all of the
viewpoints expressed so far. It is an important discussion to have.

I have worked with natural history collections for nearly six decades
(since my freshman year in college in 1969) so I have seen a lot of
changes in the field, particularly in who collects specimens, who has
collections, and who uses collections. I was a full-time collections
manager at the California Academy of Sciences (4 years), at the Natural
History Museum at the University of Kansas (26 years), I have been an
independent collections consultant since 2008, and I have published
widely on collections and collection care.

FIRST--the idea that a staff member of an institution should be
automatically included as an author simplify for making a loan of
specimens or access to specimens possible is hogwash. If that was a
standard, I would have an astounding publication record. A simple
acknowledgement is appropriate, but nothing more. The very idea seems to
go along with the ridiculous trend of having 15 or 20 authors on a
single publication. Enough with authorship inflation already.

SECOND--Back in the Pleistocene when I first started working
collections, there was an informal quid pro quo among collecting
institutions. Staff or students from institution A would borrow B, who
would loan to C, and so forth so that the costs of preparing loans or
providing access  (which can be very high) were evened out over time.
This has not been true since the advent of molecular systematics in the
late 1980s. Most (but not all) of the people borrowing specimens or
accessing specimens in collections today do not work for collecting
institutions and do not collect specimens that others might use, so the
system is out of balance. Passing along the costs of borrowing
specimens, in particular, is reasonable. Most curators can easily
determine which institutions are reciprocal  (e.g., offer collection
access or loans themselves) and which are not. This is only fair. The
collecting institutions are already burdened with the cost of upkeep of
collections; they should not be expected to bear the cost of loans to
researchers who do not have collections to loan. Researchers without
collections would not expect cost-free use of scanning electron
microscopes, etc., and should not expect cost-free collection loans,
either.  

Yes, collections belong to all of us, but no, we do not all help
support collections, do we?

--John

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


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:42?PM Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca>
wrote:


I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in
scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally
meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time,
however, institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward
authorship as a metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality,
rigor, or originality of the data. In that context, authorship risks
becoming a form of currency rather than a reflection of genuine
intellectual contribution.
I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections
in ?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better
supported or better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I
am currently volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country,
and what I observe daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative
structures, and institutional inertia often hinder good collection care
and research access ? even when there is an excellent and highly
committed curator.
Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material
constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication,
deep local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity.
Their main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a
lack of institutional recognition and structural support. These are
fundamentally different challenges.
For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a
simple dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both
operate under systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in
different ways. Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains
problematic in any context if it is not based on real intellectual
contribution.
Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and
voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and
infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation.
Ultimately, what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the
discovery itself and its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps
emerging tools, including AI, can help us refocus evaluation on
scientific content and impact rather than on name accumulation.

Erika Isabel Natarajan

On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford
<crawfordaj at gmail.com> wrote:


What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several
issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will
add one more I haven't seen in this threat. 

In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as
curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to
the community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and
maintain good relationships with other collections, as someone already
mentioned in this thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only
the temporary custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most
curators are already being paid to support the collections and increase
their use, and probably were hired without the expectation of being on
papers developed by users of the collection.  If the visitor is asking
too much of the curator, beyond their normal duties, the curator can
always say "No, come do that yourself, we cannot offer that service at
this time."  

That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and
you visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the
principle of reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in
Colombia, and likely in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC)
generally, just do not have the institutional support you find at a
larger institution in a wealthier country. 	In Colombia, I know of
collections with really valuable material that receive basically no
institutional support with literally no salaries -- functioning by
student volunteers and professors paid to teach, with no institutional
recognition of their curatorial dedication.  Sometimes the curator is
not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for their expertise, or to
process permits, take measurements, or ship packages. The individual
grant paying for the research by the visitor from a wealthy country is
likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget for many
collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are
short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less
than you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)

Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in
Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the
curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can
do to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards
maintaining these valuable regional collections that support
biodiversity inventories & systematics, and train a population of
deserving students. If the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have
experience with, my future paper will only be that much improved by
having them on board as a true collaborator, anyway.    

And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say,
"Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now
let's talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity
scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"  

Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much
more complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this
additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as
contexts change. 

All best wishes, 
  -Andrew

Andrew J. Crawford
Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
@crawfordaj.bsky.social
IG: @craw.crawdad


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
wrote:


 
Hi Luis,

the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior
determination of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested
species are included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are
correct). This is justified, especially if this material is used for
stable isotopes or aDNA (because the bones are previously undetermined
and unrecognised in the bags with the archaeological material).

Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified.
Depending on the contractual conditions the material war originally
accessioned under the respective access laws of the Provider Country /
Nagoya Protocol. In this case, it can be that co-authorship is a
contractual requirement that arises independent of the scientific
input.

Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for
co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case
her, just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue
request can occur.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:


Thank you all for your input.

It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors.
In many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can
be discussed between the leading author and the staff.
As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be
recognized by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In
other situations, when someone cannot physically visit the collection
and request the collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of
200 lizards, that most likely can turn into what we envision as a
collaboration and thus deserves authorship.
What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the
official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand
of 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff. 
I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that
used their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole
other situation...

Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah
<sarah.taylor at uconn.edu> escreveu:


I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise
on recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition
above mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I
didn't offer original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the
resulting papers.

In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely
to be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send
a pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate
of request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems
higher but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use
images of CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere
in the paper.

This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.

Best,
Sarah

-----------------------------------------------------------------

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> on behalf of Scott A
Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
Sent: Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
To: Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new
<nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
collections
 
*External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
attachments, or requests.*

This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding
of reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what
facilitates research use of museum collections and extends from loan
approvals and processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this
example is isolated to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.

I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for
both the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and
collection managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by
refusing to participate? both in borrowing and lending to these
institutions.

The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
impacted by these practices.

Scott

__________________________________________
Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
Dean of Science for Collections and the 
	   Public Understanding of Science
Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
Curator and Professor
 
American Museum of Natural History
( https://amnh.org/) 
200 Central Park West
New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
 
Office: 212-769-5652
Mobile: 215-570-2943
Email:schaefer at amnh.org
 
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
Date: Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
To: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
collections

EXTERNAL SENDER

Dear colleagues,

Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in
the authorship of any research that would come from that access,
especially if the access was above a certain number of specimens. This
is apparently now part of the official loan/access agreement of that
institution.

I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
management work, in different countries and different continents, and
I've never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand.
Collections have been built with public money and are kept through
public money (most of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public
good, not a way to enrich the CV of staff members. 

That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so
far?

--
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de

Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100


-- 
_________________________________________________________
Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.,
Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de

Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
University of Porto, Portugal
https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
Scopus Author ID: 51260938100


_______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing
listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
_______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to
you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections
(SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the
preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections
to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org
for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
-- 
****
 
Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg
 
Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146Hamburg
+49 40238 317 ?628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de
www.leibniz-lib.de
 
-- 
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
 
-- 
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
_______________________________________________

Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/7eb3f36a/attachment.html>

From battermann at snsb.de  Tue Feb  3 10:21:20 2026
From: battermann at snsb.de (Battermann, Nora)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 15:21:20 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] AI-based bone identification
Message-ID: <cc30a6e97b524a97b69edfe2e96213d9@snsb.de>

Dear all,


Apologies for cross-posting.


I?m interested to find out whether anyone has experience using AI-based tools/approaches to identify bones or skeletal elements from photographs.


The specific context is zooarchaeological assemblages, and I?m particularly interested in whether AI has been used (successfully or unsuccessfully) to determine if images of mixed bones/fragments contain certain element types (e.g., phalanges, teeth, long bone fragments, etc.), rather than to species level.

If you?ve worked with any relevant software, models, workflows, or pilot projects?or know of published or ongoing work in this area?I?d be very grateful for any pointers or insights.


Many thanks in advance,
Nora


---------
Dr. Nora Battermann
Koordination Sammlungsmanagement

[cid:10255132-1bc4-4e5b-bace-efc30be18a28]

SNSB ? Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
Zentrale Einrichtungen

Tel.: +49 (0)174 2762445

www.snsb.de


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/1c4adb2b/attachment.html>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Tue Feb  3 11:09:31 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 16:09:31 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] February Sustaining Digitization webinars
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB5334324FF2EE6736AEC8B1A5EE9BA@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

Join us for our February webinars in the Sustaining Collections Digitization Beyond NSF Funding webinar series! These sessions highlight practical tools, research-driven digitization approaches, and community perspectives on sustaining biodiversity digitization efforts. All February webinar registrations are now open, and we hope to see you there!

February 10, 2026: The Digitization Knowledgebase, a Tool for Discovering Digitization Strategies (2:00-3:00pm ET)

Speakers:
Fritz Pichardo Marcano (Florida State University, iDigBio)

Abstract: The iDigBio digitization resources knowledge base is a central hub for resources related to the digitization of biodiversity collections. The knowledge base serves a wide spectrum of users, from museum professionals and researchers to those engaged in participatory science. We enrich the aggregated resources with tailored metadata, making it easier and faster to find relevant materials. The knowledge base also fosters a collaborative environment by enabling community discussion around resources through a commenting system. During the webinar, we will showcase how you can use the knowledge base to its full potential to find relevant resources for your digitization projects; the webinar will cover how to navigate resources using the faceted search and full-text search capabilities, registering as a user, using the commenting system, and creating custom groups of relevant resources.


February 17, 2026: The Importance of Digital Data for Entomological Research (2:00-3:00pm Eastern)

Speakers:
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)

Abstract: Insects underpin terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet many of the questions most urgent to entomological research, including drivers of decline, shifts in phenology, biogeography, and trait evolution, cannot be addressed efficiently without robust digital data. Natural history collections provide the long term, vouchered evidence base for these analyses, but their value scales dramatically when specimens are translated into interoperable, machine readable datasets that can be discovered, linked, and reused across projects and disciplines. In this talk, I discuss ?digital data? in an entomological context and move beyond the common shorthand of occurrence records. While georeferenced occurrences are foundational, digitally enabled collections also encompass high resolution images and 3D models, ecological interactions, trait measurements, and determination histories. When these components are structured using shared standards and persistent identifiers, collections become not just archives but analytical infrastructure. Using examples from the Big Bee project, I highlight digitization strategies that explicitly anticipate research use, capturing data at the right resolution for downstream questions, integrating imaging with trait extraction, and building pipelines that connect specimens to interactions, traits, and derived products. The central argument is straightforward. Digital data do not merely document insect diversity. They enable the next generation of entomological science by making specimens computable, comparable, and actionable at scale. I also invite discussion of how these approaches align with the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate?s recently released cross cutting thematic areas: Foundations of Life, Living Systems, and Bioinnovation and Infrastructure.


February 24, 2026: Sustaining Digitization: A Community Perspective (2:00-4:00pm ET)

Speakers:
Libby Ellwood (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, iDigBio)
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)
Regina Wetzer (National History Museum of LA County)
Jason Best (Botanical Research Institute of Texas)

Abstract: In this webinar, we?ll highlight the work of go-getters in the digitization community who have found creative solutions to common challenges in the creation and maintenance of digitization activities. Presenters will share innovative approaches to such topics as funding, e.g., beyond NSF and stretching the budget; staffing digitization activities with work study students, volunteers, and community scientists; cost effective and/or time efficient digitization workflows; outreach to new audiences; within-institution inreach; and sustaining activities beyond the timeframe of funding. Presentations will be followed by time for discussion and Q&A.


Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series




Gil Nelson PhD, Director

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)

Immediate Past President, Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA)

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu<mailto:gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu>

[FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/9f15b59c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10269 bytes
Desc: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/9f15b59c/attachment.png>

From bradbredehoft at museumstudy.com  Tue Feb  3 11:17:19 2026
From: bradbredehoft at museumstudy.com (Brad Bredehoft)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 11:17:19 -0500 (EST)
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Keeping Historic Houses & Museums Clean 4 week online
 course begins March 2 on Museum Study
Message-ID: <445111864.185288.1770135439069@mailbusiness.ionos.com>

An unkempt museum or historic house is not appealing to the visitor nor is it healthy for the staff and collection. In this 4 week online professional development course instructor Gretchen Anderson will lay a foundation as to how to clean objects and facilities safely. We will explore a variety of subjects, including health and safety for the staff and the objects, cleaning methods for a large variety of collection types common in art & cultural institutions and the importance of documenting what you do.
One former participant said, "This class was so helpful! This was such a great resource! For the first time since I started working here, my staff really seems to understand why I ask them to do what we do. It has really been the start of some great conversations on site and we will 100% use the techniques learned."
Cleaning and sterilizing the museum is in the news these days. Once we get back in to our museums and historic houses we will need to be extra careful. Please join us for this timely class to look at methods to protect both the collection and your visitors.
For more information visit our website: https://www.museumstudy.com/keeping-historic-houses-and-museums-clean
Regular cleaning is an integral component of pest management which Gretchen will teach in April https://www.museumstudy.com/introduction-to-integrated-pest-management
Contact us if you have any questions about this or other of our professional development courses.
Brad Bredehoft
Museum Study
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/28ba2ce0/attachment.html>

From sulliv55 at miamioh.edu  Tue Feb  3 11:29:24 2026
From: sulliv55 at miamioh.edu (Sullivan, Steven)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 11:29:24 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] AI-based bone identification
In-Reply-To: <cc30a6e97b524a97b69edfe2e96213d9@snsb.de>
References: <cc30a6e97b524a97b69edfe2e96213d9@snsb.de>
Message-ID: <CABdPs6Vu6uHy63GezHVu2jg41D5GAVx2y4fT-cCekmn9nN+rDg@mail.gmail.com>

As part of a class assignment, my students occasionally use their
preferred AI to ID specimens, including bones.  Results have been very
mixed.

Sometimes the AI is surprisingly accurate.  Results are best if the photo
is clear, with a plain, contrasting  background  and the specimen is
presented with minimal distortion from perspective or other compositional
errors.  However, it is possible for three students to use the same photo
and get different IDs, even if they use the same AI.  Similarly, simply
asking for an accurately IDed bone to be IDed again after some intervening
IDs may result in a misID the second time.

We have a giraffe metatarsal scrimshawed with cape buffalo images that is
often, but not always, IDed correctly to species, even in images without
scale or other reference objects.  In contrast, deer cow, and other
metacarpals are often IDed as the correct bone but not the correct
species.

The more articulated or jumbled the collection, the less accurate the ID.
(eg articulated hands or paws are less often in the ballpark than are
articulated ungulate lower limbs.)  With these specimens, while the
anatomical ID may be more or less accurate, the species is pretty random,
trending towards domesticated species or those that every little American
kid learns (eg fox or deer, never jackal or antelope).  Similarly, the more
complex the bones, the less accurate the ID. (eg Articulated cheetah
vertebrae may be IDed as a fish spine).

Since this is an optional part of an assignment, I have not approached any
of this systematically but it seems that the more bones in the image, the
less useful the AI is.  Image quality and composition always matters but,
with bones, this is far less important than insects, plants, and field
observations.  At this point, I'd say bone ID is correct often enough to be
a neat thing that computers can do.  It is incorrect often enough (while
still seeming to assert accuracy) that it is not very useful in helping
people learn.  Nor does it provide enough discussion or rationalization of
its assessment to help knowledgeable people use it to make decisions.  In
contrast, AI is accurate enough at IDing manufactured items, even from
pretty bad images, that I have adapted my assignments.

Though none of the readily available, off-the-shelf AIs are really useful
in my experience on bones, I can imagine that some kind of AI could be
trained to be really accurate.

--Steve

On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 10:21?AM Battermann, Nora <battermann at snsb.de> wrote:

> Dear all,
>
>
> Apologies for cross-posting.
>
>
> I?m interested to find out whether anyone has experience using AI-based
> tools/approaches to identify bones or skeletal elements from photographs.
>
>
> The specific context is zooarchaeological assemblages, and I?m
> particularly interested in whether AI has been used (successfully or
> unsuccessfully) to determine if images of mixed bones/fragments contain
> certain element types (e.g., phalanges, teeth, long bone fragments, etc.),
> rather than to species level.
>
> If you?ve worked with any relevant software, models, workflows, or pilot
> projects?or know of published or ongoing work in this area?I?d be very
> grateful for any pointers or insights.
>
>
> Many thanks in advance,
> Nora
>
>
> ---------
> Dr. Nora Battermann
> Koordination Sammlungsmanagement
>
>
> SNSB ? Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
> Zentrale Einrichtungen
>
> Tel.: +49 (0)174 2762445
>
> www.snsb.de
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>


-- 

<http://miamioh.edu/>

Steven M. Sullivan

Director | Hefner Museum of Natural History
<http://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/centers/hefner-museum/>

Miami University

100 Upham Hall

100 Bishop Circle

Oxford, OH 45056

Museum: 513-529-4617

Cell: 708-937-6253


The Museum is open to the public weekdays 9-4, free admission.

Support the Museum today!
<https://securelb.imodules.com/s/916/lg21/form.aspx?sid=916&gid=1&pgid=6010&cid=11236&dids=292&bledit=1>


*Connecting you to the nature in your neighborhood...and the world.*


Miami's many museums and collections
<https://www.miamioh.edu/cca/museums-miami/index.html> provide unique,
cross-disciplinary opportunities for students, educators, and the public.


The Hefner Museum recognizes the Myaamia and Shawnee people who, along with
other indigenous groups, were the first stewards of this land's
biodiversity. <http://miamioh.edu/diversity-inclusion/land/index.html>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/a7a85c1f/attachment.html>

From srushing at lindsaywildlife.org  Tue Feb  3 12:05:03 2026
From: srushing at lindsaywildlife.org (Sariah Rushing)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 09:05:03 -0800
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] AI-based bone identification
In-Reply-To: <CABdPs6Vu6uHy63GezHVu2jg41D5GAVx2y4fT-cCekmn9nN+rDg@mail.gmail.com>
References: <cc30a6e97b524a97b69edfe2e96213d9@snsb.de>
 <CABdPs6Vu6uHy63GezHVu2jg41D5GAVx2y4fT-cCekmn9nN+rDg@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CACBY_vBg0hKC8XeWU8ZGZ6f9Lkhr3Zt=xr1Ejgimhz3eejB17g@mail.gmail.com>

I am curious to hear if others have tried AI programs that you can train to
identify skeletal remains correctly. I have heard chatter about this, but
haven't heard anyone doing it yet. I identify bones fairly frequently and
so far have not found any of the free AI platforms to be accurate or useful
for this purpose. The best one so far has been iNaturalist/Seek, but even
that can often provide inaccurate identifications for species and will not
provide the specific bone.

While I do not do this often, I find using several AI platforms to help
narrow down the possibilities to be helpful. Using several platforms can
let me quickly see what trends they are picking up, which I can then use to
narrow down what family, genus, or species I should focus in on. That said,
I have seen many of the same issues that Steve mentioned, and will throw
out several of the suggestions as they are very clearly incorrect. I do
also want to note that I do not use AI frequently for this purpose and
typically only when I come across something that is outside of what I can
quickly narrow down myself. As far as the photos themselves, what Steve
already mentioned is what my experience has been as well.

Right now, what I find AI most helpful with is transcription of the field
notes or getting a description of the object. Just like with the bone
identifications, these are not always the most accurate and have issues,
but it can help speed things up. You will have to edit what the AI
generates, and you will have to be careful not to blindly follow what is
output, especially for transcriptions.

Best,


*Sariah Rushing*

Pronouns: she/her/hers

Natural History Collections Specialist

Lindsay Wildlife Experience

*Celebrating 70 Years Wild!*

925-627-2937 | srushing at lindsaywildlife.org

193
<https://maps.google.com/?q=1931+First+Avenue,+Walnut+Creek+94597&entry=gmail&source=g>1
First Avenue, Walnut Creek 94597
<https://maps.google.com/?q=1931+First+Avenue,+Walnut+Creek+94597&entry=gmail&source=g>
*M**y working hours are Sunday **- Thursday **from 9 AM - 5 PM. I will get
back to you as soon as possible, thank you.*


On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 8:29?AM Sullivan, Steven <sulliv55 at miamioh.edu>
wrote:

> As part of a class assignment, my students occasionally use their
> preferred AI to ID specimens, including bones.  Results have been very
> mixed.
>
> Sometimes the AI is surprisingly accurate.  Results are best if the photo
> is clear, with a plain, contrasting  background  and the specimen is
> presented with minimal distortion from perspective or other compositional
> errors.  However, it is possible for three students to use the same photo
> and get different IDs, even if they use the same AI.  Similarly, simply
> asking for an accurately IDed bone to be IDed again after some intervening
> IDs may result in a misID the second time.
>
> We have a giraffe metatarsal scrimshawed with cape buffalo images that is
> often, but not always, IDed correctly to species, even in images without
> scale or other reference objects.  In contrast, deer cow, and other
> metacarpals are often IDed as the correct bone but not the correct
> species.
>
> The more articulated or jumbled the collection, the less accurate the ID.
> (eg articulated hands or paws are less often in the ballpark than are
> articulated ungulate lower limbs.)  With these specimens, while the
> anatomical ID may be more or less accurate, the species is pretty random,
> trending towards domesticated species or those that every little American
> kid learns (eg fox or deer, never jackal or antelope).  Similarly, the more
> complex the bones, the less accurate the ID. (eg Articulated cheetah
> vertebrae may be IDed as a fish spine).
>
> Since this is an optional part of an assignment, I have not approached any
> of this systematically but it seems that the more bones in the image, the
> less useful the AI is.  Image quality and composition always matters but,
> with bones, this is far less important than insects, plants, and field
> observations.  At this point, I'd say bone ID is correct often enough to be
> a neat thing that computers can do.  It is incorrect often enough (while
> still seeming to assert accuracy) that it is not very useful in helping
> people learn.  Nor does it provide enough discussion or rationalization of
> its assessment to help knowledgeable people use it to make decisions.  In
> contrast, AI is accurate enough at IDing manufactured items, even from
> pretty bad images, that I have adapted my assignments.
>
> Though none of the readily available, off-the-shelf AIs are really useful
> in my experience on bones, I can imagine that some kind of AI could be
> trained to be really accurate.
>
> --Steve
>
> On Tue, Feb 3, 2026 at 10:21?AM Battermann, Nora <battermann at snsb.de>
> wrote:
>
>> Dear all,
>>
>>
>> Apologies for cross-posting.
>>
>>
>> I?m interested to find out whether anyone has experience using AI-based
>> tools/approaches to identify bones or skeletal elements from photographs.
>>
>>
>> The specific context is zooarchaeological assemblages, and I?m
>> particularly interested in whether AI has been used (successfully or
>> unsuccessfully) to determine if images of mixed bones/fragments contain
>> certain element types (e.g., phalanges, teeth, long bone fragments, etc.),
>> rather than to species level.
>>
>> If you?ve worked with any relevant software, models, workflows, or pilot
>> projects?or know of published or ongoing work in this area?I?d be very
>> grateful for any pointers or insights.
>>
>>
>> Many thanks in advance,
>> Nora
>>
>>
>> ---------
>> Dr. Nora Battermann
>> Koordination Sammlungsmanagement
>>
>>
>> SNSB ? Staatliche Naturwissenschaftliche Sammlungen Bayerns
>> Zentrale Einrichtungen
>>
>> Tel.: +49 (0)174 2762445
>>
>> www.snsb.de
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
>
>
> --
>
> <http://miamioh.edu/>
>
> Steven M. Sullivan
>
> Director | Hefner Museum of Natural History
> <http://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/centers/hefner-museum/>
>
> Miami University
>
> 100 Upham Hall
>
> 100 Bishop Circle
>
> Oxford, OH 45056
>
> Museum: 513-529-4617
>
> Cell: 708-937-6253
>
>
> The Museum is open to the public weekdays 9-4, free admission.
>
> Support the Museum today!
> <https://securelb.imodules.com/s/916/lg21/form.aspx?sid=916&gid=1&pgid=6010&cid=11236&dids=292&bledit=1>
>
>
> *Connecting you to the nature in your neighborhood...and the world.*
>
>
> Miami's many museums and collections
> <https://www.miamioh.edu/cca/museums-miami/index.html> provide unique,
> cross-disciplinary opportunities for students, educators, and the public.
>
>
> The Hefner Museum recognizes the Myaamia and Shawnee people who, along
> with other indigenous groups, were the first stewards of this land's
> biodiversity. <http://miamioh.edu/diversity-inclusion/land/index.html>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/43ae20d2/attachment.html>

From laurabiesoc at gmail.com  Tue Feb  3 11:41:57 2026
From: laurabiesoc at gmail.com (Laura Bies)
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2026 11:41:57 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] USFWS closing migratory bird salvage permits
In-Reply-To: <CO1PR10MB4738645E4E32213C47D33F44A59AA@CO1PR10MB4738.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>
References: <CY5PR11MB623404C16CF856182255CFB0F29FA@CY5PR11MB6234.namprd11.prod.outlook.com>
 <CO1PR10MB4738645E4E32213C47D33F44A59AA@CO1PR10MB4738.namprd10.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CAAdpv4jf1m-yvDd+QyXvBmc+Rk8R6zDprCBU8JFnH8PwWsvi9A@mail.gmail.com>

I've been in touch with Mig Bird permit folks about who needs which permit
now that USFWS is canceling salvage permits because the new regulatory
authorization is in place

If public museums are using the specimens for public conservation-education
programs or public archival purposes, then they can possess under the
regulatory authorization and do not need to obtain a scientific collecting
permit.  However, if they are using the specimens for any kind of research
projects, then they will need to obtain a separate scientific collecting
permit.  USFWS can issue more of a blanket scientific collecting permit
that authorizes use of salvaged birds for research purposes.

If the salvaged specimens may be used for future research but aren't yet,
it will likely depend on if the specimens would be accessible by the public
upon request while they are awaiting the future scientific research.  If
so, they can likely be held under the regulatory authorization until they
are used for research.  If they will not be accessible by the public for
whatever reason, possessing them under a scientific collecting permit is
best.  She recommends that, if you know you'll be conducting research on
specimens at some point, you just go ahead and apply for the scientific
collecting permit to have on hand ahead of time.

Hope that helps a bit - I'm sure questions will continue to arise as this
all gets sorted out...



*  Laura Bies*

  Executive Director

  202.905.9141

  www.birdnet.org

  www.ornithologyexchange.org


>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260203/43a9f4fc/attachment.html>

From jda26 at cam.ac.uk  Wed Feb  4 04:25:05 2026
From: jda26 at cam.ac.uk (Jack Ashby)
Date: Wed, 4 Feb 2026 09:25:05 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] FINAL call for papers: NatSCA 2026
Message-ID: <LO2P265MB089606D01CAFE99DF3D72086E298A@LO2P265MB0896.GBRP265.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hi all
The deadline for the call for papers for this year's Natural Sciences Collections Association conference is this Sunday!

Collaborating and Connecting with Natural History
The Annual Conference & AGM of the Natural Sciences Collections Association (NatSCA) will be held on Thursday 14th and Friday 15th May 2026 at The Ulster Museum in Belfast, Northern Ireland.

Natural history collections are involved in a huge range of work that creates partnerships and fosters collaborations - this is a conference to share these stories. The NatSCA 2026 conference invites proposals for presentations looking at impact: how we work in partnership, including for example, with our community partners, NGOs, industry or communities of origin; how our work is making a difference; how we generate enthusiasm; and how we advocate for collections in a rapidly changing world. We are also interested in learning how our community can reconnect and recharge in the modern world.
We are interested in practical lessons, unique solutions, new collaborations, and to show what has and hasn't worked. We are particularly looking for presentations that share the differences museums are making by using collections and programmes in:

  *   facing global challenges such as the biodiversity and climate crises, and environmental issues
  *   improving people's lives, both within the museum community and without
  *   collaborations with external partners
  *   changing laws
  *   social justice, restitution, and addressing colonial legacies
We will prioritise papers that focus on sharing ideas, tools, and guidance rather than simply reporting results. We want to make this conference practical and useful, so please try to reflect this in your abstract.
While we have a focus on people that work with natural science collections, we recognise that we can learn from researchers and others in the wider museum sector. We welcome submissions from anyone who wishes to share techniques and ideas with broader relevance and application.
Papers can be presented as: A 20-minute presentation (consisting of a 15-minute talk followed by 5 minutes of Q&A), a 5-minute lightning talk, or a poster stand. Talks can be presented in person or by submission of a pre-recorded presentation, with the option of Q&A then being conducted over live video stream (Zoom).
Deadline for submission: 5pm GMT Sunday 8th February

The form for submitting proposals can be found here: https://www.natsca.org/natsca-2026

All the best
Jack

Assistant Director
University Museum of Zoology
Downing Street
Cambridge
CB2 3EJ
+44 (0)1223 761344<tel:+441223761344>
Bluesky:  @JackDAshby<https://bsky.app/profile/jackdashby.bsky.social>
President, Society for the History of Natural History<http://www.shnh.org.uk/>
Nature's Memory: Behind the Scenes at the World's Natural History Museums<https://www.penguin.co.uk/books/458203/natures-memory-by-ashby-jack/9780241656884> by Jack Ashby was published in April 2025.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260204/cc497fad/attachment.html>

From vanessa.pitusi at uit.no  Thu Feb  5 06:31:15 2026
From: vanessa.pitusi at uit.no (Vanessa Pitusi)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 11:31:15 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fish with mould
Message-ID: <SVZP279MB07964AEB77CF166785C04B95EC99A@SVZP279MB0796.NORP279.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hi all,

I was going through the fish collection at our museum and found an individual that is not in the best state.

80% of the ethanol had evaporated from the jar and it looks like the specimen has been exposed for some time, as a layer of black mould has formed on the left side of the fish.

Any tips/advice?

Should I let it dry out or just place it back in ethanol?

I will try to remove the mould where possible, but the specimen is not in a good state.

All the best,
Vanessa

[cid:image001.png at 01DC969B.00C4B160]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/abc2bc07/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 23483 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/abc2bc07/attachment.png>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Thu Feb  5 07:02:05 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 13:02:05 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Fish with mould
In-Reply-To: <SVZP279MB07964AEB77CF166785C04B95EC99A@SVZP279MB0796.NORP279.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
References: <SVZP279MB07964AEB77CF166785C04B95EC99A@SVZP279MB0796.NORP279.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
Message-ID: <248486a6-085b-427c-b6c3-7da705899b9f@leibniz-lib.de>

Hi Vanessa,

I would bring it back to slightly above 50%EtOH first (ethanol acts as biocide above 50%) and leave it in 50% for some time (depending on the size of the fish 1-2 days or several days) until the mould dies off.

Depending on the condition of the fish, you can lower the concentration in a second step to support rehydration (which again takes time), or directly but slowly increase the concentration.

Cleaning should be done very carefully (mild brush) after the initial treatment, as the tissue of the scale pockets might have been damaged.

Hope this helps
Dirk


Am 05.02.2026 um 12:31 schrieb Vanessa Pitusi:
Hi all,

I was going through the fish collection at our museum and found an individual that is not in the best state.

80% of the ethanol had evaporated from the jar and it looks like the specimen has been exposed for some time, as a layer of black mould has formed on the left side of the fish.

Any tips/advice?

Should I let it dry out or just place it back in ethanol?

I will try to remove the mould where possible, but the specimen is not in a good state.

All the best,
Vanessa

[cid:part1.EyB0kZj0.ZRZvGx6r at leibniz-lib.de]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ee13b76b/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 23483 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ee13b76b/attachment.png>

From shoobs.1 at osu.edu  Thu Feb  5 07:10:49 2026
From: shoobs.1 at osu.edu (Shoobs, Nate)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 12:10:49 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Fish with mould
In-Reply-To: <248486a6-085b-427c-b6c3-7da705899b9f@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <SVZP279MB07964AEB77CF166785C04B95EC99A@SVZP279MB0796.NORP279.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
 <248486a6-085b-427c-b6c3-7da705899b9f@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <PH0PR01MB6633D9ECA4496895B6711EB7DC99A@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Hey Vanessa,
Dirk?s advice is good, and also if you search the NHColl archive for the US english spelling (mold) you?ll find a few other threads. I asked a similar question a few years back, the thread is called ?What do you do with failed wet lots??
Best,
Nate

-
Nathaniel F. Shoobs, Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
Museum of Biological Diversity
1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu<http://mbd.osu.edu/>
________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
Sent: Thursday, February 5, 2026 7:02:05 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Fish with mould

Hi Vanessa, I would bring it back to slightly above 50%EtOH first (ethanol acts as biocide above 50%) and leave it in 50% for some time (depending on the size of the fish 1-2 days or several days) until the mould dies off. Depending on the condition

Hi Vanessa,

I would bring it back to slightly above 50%EtOH first (ethanol acts as biocide above 50%) and leave it in 50% for some time (depending on the size of the fish 1-2 days or several days) until the mould dies off.

Depending on the condition of the fish, you can lower the concentration in a second step to support rehydration (which again takes time), or directly but slowly increase the concentration.

Cleaning should be done very carefully (mild brush) after the initial treatment, as the tissue of the scale pockets might have been damaged.

Hope this helps
Dirk


Am 05.02.2026 um 12:31 schrieb Vanessa Pitusi:

Hi all,



I was going through the fish collection at our museum and found an individual that is not in the best state.



80% of the ethanol had evaporated from the jar and it looks like the specimen has been exposed for some time, as a layer of black mould has formed on the left side of the fish.



Any tips/advice?



Should I let it dry out or just place it back in ethanol?



I will try to remove the mould where possible, but the specimen is not in a good state.



All the best,

Vanessa



[cid:part1.EyB0kZj0.ZRZvGx6r at leibniz-lib.de]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l__;!!KGKeukY!2RHw-lBsqXP0K6U225KX9hKVaxps8d-7ONQSZeDxh5thUAGHy0O5jzVCJfXp8SD9VoYFTosLli3D5wrZNfZmKOnPpQ$>

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.spnhc.org__;!!KGKeukY!2RHw-lBsqXP0K6U225KX9hKVaxps8d-7ONQSZeDxh5thUAGHy0O5jzVCJfXp8SD9VoYFTosLli3D5wrZNfZgq3FHlg$> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--

****



Dirk Neumann

Collection Manager, Hamburg



Postal address:

Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis

of Biodiversity Change

Dirk Neumann

Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3

20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628

d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>

www.leibniz-lib.de



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ede47fcc/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 23483 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ede47fcc/attachment.png>

From simmons.johne at gmail.com  Thu Feb  5 09:40:50 2026
From: simmons.johne at gmail.com (John E Simmons)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 09:40:50 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Fish with mould
In-Reply-To: <248486a6-085b-427c-b6c3-7da705899b9f@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <SVZP279MB07964AEB77CF166785C04B95EC99A@SVZP279MB0796.NORP279.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
 <248486a6-085b-427c-b6c3-7da705899b9f@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <CAF7GCDbY7m-0B3y7oDUEi1TZom1Bfvp-qJ7BQRAtZFW_jKxrMg@mail.gmail.com>

Just to add to Dirk's good advice, once you have the alcohol concentration
raised to a level that will kill the mould it will stop damaging the fish
and you can clean it up later. When you are ready to remove the mould, I
recommend starting with the most gentle method to minimize damage, which
would be rolling a cotton swab over the mould to see if it comes off easily
(that will cause the least amount of surface damage). If that does not
work, then you will have to try using a soft brush.

--John

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


On Thu, Feb 5, 2026 at 7:02?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
wrote:

> Hi Vanessa,
>
> I would bring it back to slightly above 50%EtOH first (ethanol acts as
> biocide above 50%) and leave it in 50% for some time (depending on the size
> of the fish 1-2 days or several days) until the mould dies off.
>
> Depending on the condition of the fish, you can lower the concentration in
> a second step to support rehydration (which again takes time), or directly
> but slowly increase the concentration.
>
> Cleaning should be done very carefully (mild brush) after the initial
> treatment, as the tissue of the scale pockets might have been damaged.
>
> Hope this helps
> Dirk
>
>
> Am 05.02.2026 um 12:31 schrieb Vanessa Pitusi:
>
> Hi all,
>
>
>
> I was going through the fish collection at our museum and found an
> individual that is not in the best state.
>
>
>
> 80% of the ethanol had evaporated from the jar and it looks like the
> specimen has been exposed for some time, as a layer of black mould has
> formed on the left side of the fish.
>
>
>
> Any tips/advice?
>
>
>
> Should I let it dry out or just place it back in ethanol?
>
>
>
> I will try to remove the mould where possible, but the specimen is not in
> a good state.
>
>
>
> All the best,
>
> Vanessa
>
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/14ce5c26/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 23483 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/14ce5c26/attachment.png>

From Bo.Delling at nrm.se  Thu Feb  5 11:54:56 2026
From: Bo.Delling at nrm.se (Bo Delling)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 16:54:56 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Sprinkler system in wet collections
Message-ID: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>

Dear all

I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities, especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with the questions, followed by some background information

1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet collection? (Y/N)
2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals added?
3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH in your collection?

At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000 litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming chemicals added.

We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system, especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.

Best Regards,
Bo


Bo Delling Ph. D

Curator of fishes
Zoology
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
+46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978


[Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
[Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar, NRM.SE]

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/8a3c9944/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/8a3c9944/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: image002.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/8a3c9944/attachment-0001.png>

From voraghl at gmail.com  Thu Feb  5 14:24:57 2026
From: voraghl at gmail.com (Sebastien Enault)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 20:24:57 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Kaiserling III/glycerol and DNA preservation question
Message-ID: <CABi6RTsrCj_oiO7XUTzxy_t9FrzhGwrJ8n3aWzr-nS9jNoA_jA@mail.gmail.com>

Dear all,
I have a couple of questions regarding fluid collections on behalf of some
colleagues (that do not work in the same country/institution) who are not
on NHCOLL and don't speak good english. They are looking into transferring
a collection, mostly ichthyological in nature, currently being held in
formaldehyde (no data on the concentration, buffer etc) to kaiserling III
or glycerol (concentration of the latter to be determined, but mentions
have been made of 65% (based on the publications of McLeod) to pure
glycerol). The collection has been mostly untouched for at least 50 years.
While I understand there are many issues associated with such a choice and
such a strategy has been repeatedly advised against, I'm not making the
decisions here and from what I understood ethanol is out of the question
for safety, volume and infrastructure issues.

What I'm mostly interested in is the following: is there any data regarding
the conservation of DNA in kaiserling of glycerol preserved specimens?
While I know that formaldehyde does a lot of damage to DNA, various papers
have reported some degree of success in extracting genetic data from such
preserved specimens. Considering there might still be something to salvage
after 50+ years in formaldehyde, and if they do indeed go ahead with the
project, would it be of any interest to sample a small piece of muscle
tissue on the specimens for separate storage in ethanol, and if so, what
would be the best way to do it? Or is it a lost cause?

Many thanks in advance and best,
Sebastien
======================
Sebastien Enault, PhD
www.kraniata.com
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/f8b2df66/attachment.html>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Thu Feb  5 15:04:06 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 21:04:06 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Sprinkler system in wet collections
In-Reply-To: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
References: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
Message-ID: <c792f811-3386-49c9-8dbb-5854a4e32c85@leibniz-lib.de>

Hi Bo,

the allowed quantity usually is not the point, but the total air volume of the room; for the renovation of the air-handling system while I was still in Munich, I did a calculation how much jars I would need to knock of the shelves to create a combustible atmosphere. This depends on the total air volume in cubic metres of the respective room (which differs from room to room). The assumption was that the entire air handling/safety systems fail and that ignitable alcohol fumes can build up. Even in this scenario, the next relevant question to answer is the nearest ignition source.

We had a similar discussion with the fire safety people for the new infrastructure in Hamburg, and there was some sort of (early) consent, that the alcohol is not the problem, but alcohol fumes and ignition sources.

Also with regard to compartmentalisation and designated fire zones, total room volume usually is the more critical factor than total alcohol volume stored (others may correct me if I am wrong).

For our new infrastructure in Hamburg, we will have sprinklers; water mist systems can be an alternative. But just pure water without additives. Water reduces the heat and thus lowers the temperature and flash point, however, it may disperse the (burning) ethanol (even though sprinklers convey a lot of water on the floor fast, which helps to dilute the 70% ethanol, and thus also lowers the vapour pressure of the off-gasing alcohol vapour).

Maybe these are some useful thoughts for your considerations.

All the best
Dirk


Am 05.02.2026 um 17:54 schrieb Bo Delling:
Dear all

I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities, especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with the questions, followed by some background information

1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet collection? (Y/N)
2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals added?
3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH in your collection?

At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000 litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming chemicals added.

We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system, especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.

Best Regards,
Bo


Bo Delling Ph. D

Curator of fishes
Zoology
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
+46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978


[Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
[Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar, NRM.SE]




_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ae75142c/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ae75142c/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/ae75142c/attachment-0001.png>

From abentley at ku.edu  Thu Feb  5 15:25:52 2026
From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles)
Date: Thu, 5 Feb 2026 20:25:52 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Sprinkler system in wet collections
In-Reply-To: <c792f811-3386-49c9-8dbb-5854a4e32c85@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
 <c792f811-3386-49c9-8dbb-5854a4e32c85@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <LV5PR01MB994147B9EA55C56A9C43892A98B299A@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>

The biggest problem we have is that there are no fire regulations specifically for our tap of storage and so the existing regs are up for interpretation and are interpreted in multiple different ways at different institutions and in different countries.

Andy


    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V
Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Biodiversity Institute

Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>
USA<x-apple-data-detectors://9/>

Tel: (785) 864-3863<tel:%28785%29%20864-3863>
Fax: (785) 864-5335<tel:%28785%29%20864-5335>
Email: abentley at ku.edu<mailto:abentley at ku.edu>

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258

http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu<http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>

    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V



From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
Date: Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 2:04?PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Sprinkler system in wet collections

Hi Bo,

the allowed quantity usually is not the point, but the total air volume of the room; for the renovation of the air-handling system while I was still in Munich, I did a calculation how much jars I would need to knock of the shelves to create a combustible atmosphere. This depends on the total air volume in cubic metres of the respective room (which differs from room to room). The assumption was that the entire air handling/safety systems fail and that ignitable alcohol fumes can build up. Even in this scenario, the next relevant question to answer is the nearest ignition source.

We had a similar discussion with the fire safety people for the new infrastructure in Hamburg, and there was some sort of (early) consent, that the alcohol is not the problem, but alcohol fumes and ignition sources.

Also with regard to compartmentalisation and designated fire zones, total room volume usually is the more critical factor than total alcohol volume stored (others may correct me if I am wrong).

For our new infrastructure in Hamburg, we will have sprinklers; water mist systems can be an alternative. But just pure water without additives. Water reduces the heat and thus lowers the temperature and flash point, however, it may disperse the (burning) ethanol (even though sprinklers convey a lot of water on the floor fast, which helps to dilute the 70% ethanol, and thus also lowers the vapour pressure of the off-gasing alcohol vapour).

Maybe these are some useful thoughts for your considerations.

All the best
Dirk


Am 05.02.2026 um 17:54 schrieb Bo Delling:
Dear all

I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities, especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with the questions, followed by some background information

1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet collection? (Y/N)
2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals added?
3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH in your collection?

At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000 litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming chemicals added.

We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system, especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.

Best Regards,
Bo


Bo Delling Ph. D

Curator of fishes
Zoology
Swedish Museum of Natural History
Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
+46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978


[Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
[Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar, NRM.SE]



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/4d8fe21d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: image001.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/4d8fe21d/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: image002.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260205/4d8fe21d/attachment-0001.png>

From ajvandam at alcomon.com  Fri Feb  6 03:07:59 2026
From: ajvandam at alcomon.com (Andries J. van Dam)
Date: Fri, 06 Feb 2026 09:07:59 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Kaiserling III/glycerol and DNA preservation question
In-Reply-To: <CABi6RTsrCj_oiO7XUTzxy_t9FrzhGwrJ8n3aWzr-nS9jNoA_jA@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CABi6RTsrCj_oiO7XUTzxy_t9FrzhGwrJ8n3aWzr-nS9jNoA_jA@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <1B497F5E-0CCA-447F-BACA-8E79E5E08C63@alcomon.com>

Dear Sebastien,

 

Transferring specimens held in formaldehyde to Kaiserling III or glycerol 65% will significantly diminish further damage to DNA. Techniques of extracting genetic data from such specimens will likely further improve and therefore it should not be seen as ?a lost cause?.

 

The article titled Fluid preservation in brain banking: a review might be of interest to you:

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC11058410/#S4.4

 

Kind regards,

 

Dries

 

Andries J. van Dam

 

Conservator (1983-2024) - Anatomical Museum Leiden University Medical Centre 

Consultant fluid preservation - Alcomon Company

CEO & founder - Fix for Life BV

 

 

Van: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> namens Sebastien Enault <voraghl at gmail.com>
Datum: donderdag 5 februari 2026 om 20:30
Aan: NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Onderwerp: [Nhcoll-l] Kaiserling III/glycerol and DNA preservation question

 

Dear all,

I have a couple of questions regarding fluid collections on behalf of some colleagues (that do not work in the same country/institution) who are not on NHCOLL and don't speak good english. They are looking into transferring a collection, mostly ichthyological in nature, currently being held in formaldehyde (no data on the concentration, buffer etc) to kaiserling III or glycerol (concentration of the latter to be determined, but mentions have been made of 65% (based on the publications of McLeod) to pure glycerol). The collection has been mostly untouched for at least 50 years.

While I understand there are many issues associated with such a choice and such a strategy has been repeatedly advised against, I'm not making the decisions here and from what I understood ethanol is out of the question for safety, volume and infrastructure issues.

 

What I'm mostly interested in is the following: is there any data regarding the conservation of DNA in kaiserling of glycerol preserved specimens? While I know that formaldehyde does a lot of damage to DNA, various papers have reported some degree of success in extracting genetic data from such preserved specimens. Considering there might still be something to salvage after 50+ years in formaldehyde, and if they do indeed go ahead with the project, would it be of any interest to sample a small piece of muscle tissue on the specimens for separate storage in ethanol, and if so, what would be the best way to do it? Or is it a lost cause?

 

Many thanks in advance and best,

Sebastien

======================
Sebastien Enault, PhD
www.kraniata.com

_______________________________________________ Nhcoll-l mailing list Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l _______________________________________________ NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information. Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate. 

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/a5cf513e/attachment.html>

From esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl  Fri Feb  6 03:56:30 2026
From: esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl (Esther Dondorp)
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2026 09:56:30 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Sprinkler system in wet collections
In-Reply-To: <LV5PR01MB994147B9EA55C56A9C43892A98B299A@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
 <c792f811-3386-49c9-8dbb-5854a4e32c85@leibniz-lib.de>
 <LV5PR01MB994147B9EA55C56A9C43892A98B299A@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <CAGaR2xcWForGB2oGKEF_cq4otpfbjy4sFB22eR-3WOXOQ1OqAw@mail.gmail.com>

For our fluid collection rooms we have an Argon gas extinguishing system.
The system contains High-pressure cylinders containing argon which will
release the gas when fire is detected (there is also a possibility to
activate it yourself with a secured button). Because argon is heavier than
air, it displaces oxygen by pushing it out of the room. This will put out
the fire very quickly and leaves no or less damage to the collection.

Best wishes,



Esther Dondorp
Senior Collectiebeheerder
<https://naturalis-public-media-assets.s3.eu-central-1.amazonaws.com/Naturalis-mail-signature/logo.png>






+31648704107 - +31648704107
esther.dondorp at naturalis.nl - www.naturalis.nl
Darwinweg 2, 2333 CR Leiden
Postbus 9517, 2300 RA Leiden


Op do 5 feb 2026 om 21:26 schreef Bentley, Andrew Charles <abentley at ku.edu>:

> The biggest problem we have is that there are no fire regulations
> specifically for our tap of storage and so the existing regs are up for
> interpretation and are interpreted in multiple different ways at different
> institutions and in different countries.
>
> Andy
>
>     A  :             A  :             A  :
>  }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
>     V                V                V
> Andy Bentley
> Ichthyology Collection Manager
> University of Kansas
> Biodiversity Institute
>
> Dyche Hall
> 1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
> Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
> USA
>
> Tel: (785) 864-3863 <%28785%29%20864-3863>
> Fax: (785) 864-5335 <%28785%29%20864-5335>
> Email: abentley at ku.edu
>
> ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258
>
> http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu
>
>     A  :             A  :             A  :
>  }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
>     V                V                V
>
>
> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk
> Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
> *Date: *Thursday, February 5, 2026 at 2:04?PM
> *To: *nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject: *Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Sprinkler system in wet collections
>
> Hi Bo,
>
> the allowed quantity usually is not the point, but the total air volume of
> the room; for the renovation of the air-handling system while I was still
> in Munich, I did a calculation how much jars I would need to knock of the
> shelves to create a combustible atmosphere. This depends on the total air
> volume in cubic metres of the respective room (which differs from room to
> room). The assumption was that the entire air handling/safety systems fail
> and that ignitable alcohol fumes can build up. Even in this scenario, the
> next relevant question to answer is the nearest ignition source.
>
> We had a similar discussion with the fire safety people for the new
> infrastructure in Hamburg, and there was some sort of (early) consent, that
> the alcohol is not the problem, but alcohol fumes and ignition sources.
>
> Also with regard to compartmentalisation and designated fire zones, total
> room volume usually is the more critical factor than total alcohol volume
> stored (others may correct me if I am wrong).
>
> For our new infrastructure in Hamburg, we will have sprinklers; water mist
> systems can be an alternative. But just pure water without additives. Water
> reduces the heat and thus lowers the temperature and flash point, however,
> it may disperse the (burning) ethanol (even though sprinklers convey a lot
> of water on the floor fast, which helps to dilute the 70% ethanol, and thus
> also lowers the vapour pressure of the off-gasing alcohol vapour).
>
> Maybe these are some useful thoughts for your considerations.
>
> All the best
> Dirk
>
>
> Am 05.02.2026 um 17:54 schrieb Bo Delling:
>
> Dear all
>
>
>
> I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities,
> especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with
> the questions, followed by some background information
>
>
>
> 1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet
> collection? (Y/N)
>
> 2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals
> added?
>
> 3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH
> in your collection?
>
>
>
> At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000
> litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the
> fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced
> ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable
> concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming
> chemicals added.
>
>
>
> We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system,
> especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a
> dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of
> the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.
>
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Bo
>
>
>
> *Bo Delling Ph. D*
>
> Curator of fishes
> Zoology
> Swedish Museum of Natural History
> Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
> +46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
>
> [image: Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar, NRM.SE]
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list*Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>**https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l <https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l>*
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See *http://www.spnhc.org <http://www.spnhc.org/>* for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> *www.leibniz-lib.de <http://www.leibniz-lib.de>*
>
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/6d2174d1/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/6d2174d1/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/6d2174d1/attachment-0001.png>

From simmons.johne at gmail.com  Fri Feb  6 05:46:33 2026
From: simmons.johne at gmail.com (John E Simmons)
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2026 05:46:33 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Sprinkler system in wet collections
In-Reply-To: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
References: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
Message-ID: <CAF7GCDavr+ZfPe0WojJrsZ=SpMnmTd-VgzMjSOht5CYRpz8bmw@mail.gmail.com>

You have gotten some very good advice so far. Building on what Dirk said, I
want to point out that there are several drawbacks with gas and foam fire
suppression systems:

1-The storage tanks required to store the gas or foam take up a lot of
room, room that could otherwise be used for collections, labs or offices.

2-Recharging the tanks after an incident is very expensive. The failure
rate (meaning a false release of foam or gas) is a little higher than that
of water sprinklers, but the main problem is that a small fire or heat
source will trigger the release of all of the foam or gas, whereas with a
water system only the sprinkles near the heat source will be triggered.

3-The amount of foam or gas available is limited to the amount in the
storage tanks, but a water system will be able to function as long as it is
connected to the water supply, and a water system can be easily shut off in
the event of a false release, but this is much more difficult with foam and
gas.

4-Foam and gas systems are best in situations where the majority of
the objects and materials will be severely damaged by water. In a fluid
preserved collection, there are much less of those objects and materials.

5-It is difficult to clean up after a fire, but a water system leaves
behind less contaminants than most foam or gas systems if the pipes are
regularly flushed.

6-A water system has the added advantage of diluting alcohol to a safer
level very quickly, which foam and gas do not do.

7-Arguably the best type of system is water mist, which uses far less water
than a sprinkler system:

https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2022/06/24/water-mist-systems-overview

https://www.bluelightsafety.co.uk/whats-the-difference-between-a-sprinkler-system-a-water-mist-system/
--John

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


On Thu, Feb 5, 2026 at 11:55?AM Bo Delling <Bo.Delling at nrm.se> wrote:

> Dear all
>
>
>
> I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities,
> especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with
> the questions, followed by some background information
>
>
>
> 1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet
> collection? (Y/N)
>
> 2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals
> added?
>
> 3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH
> in your collection?
>
>
>
> At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000
> litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the
> fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced
> ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable
> concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming
> chemicals added.
>
>
>
> We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system,
> especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a
> dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of
> the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.
>
>
>
> Best Regards,
>
> Bo
>
>
>
> *Bo Delling Ph. D*
>
> Curator of fishes
> Zoology
> Swedish Museum of Natural History
> Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
> +46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978
>
>
>
>
>
> [image: Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
>
> [image: Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar, NRM.SE]
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/fa78c567/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/fa78c567/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/fa78c567/attachment-0001.png>

From cwthomp at umich.edu  Fri Feb  6 13:42:29 2026
From: cwthomp at umich.edu (Cody Thompson)
Date: Fri, 6 Feb 2026 13:42:29 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Sprinkler system in wet collections
In-Reply-To: <CAF7GCDavr+ZfPe0WojJrsZ=SpMnmTd-VgzMjSOht5CYRpz8bmw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <2098140c4d374581a7d4873dcd5a9c5a@nrm.se>
 <CAF7GCDavr+ZfPe0WojJrsZ=SpMnmTd-VgzMjSOht5CYRpz8bmw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAMaB+fELsdcFqR-KiOZz7xp=K9rZqhOq40js=RTwEWHfeLBX6Q@mail.gmail.com>

Hi, Bo!  I am copying our recently retired collection manager for
reptiles and amphibians, Greg Schneider.  Greg was heavily involved in the
design of our wet collection spaces, and probably could tell you a lot
about the decision-making process for those spaces.

That said, here are some quick responses to your specific questions:


   1. Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet collection? (Y/N)
      1. *CWT -- Yes*
   2. If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals added?
      1. *CWT -- Pure water*
   3. What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80% EtOH in your
   collection?
      1. *CWT -- As already noted, this is a bit complicated.  We have wet
      collection rooms of various sizes and with differing proximity to an
      outside wall.  At least in Michigan, this matters.  Our rooms with an
      outside (blowout) wall are much bigger than our interior rooms, and hold
      more jars and tanks, i.e., ethanol volume.  I would need to
check the specs
      for exact volume details, but I suspect we are not even close.
However, we
      also have in-floor trenches that are meant to handle all liquid
      (ethanol plus sprinkler water) in the case of a catastrophic event and
      transfer that liquid to an underground, external holding tank
away from the
      building.*


I hope that helps!

Take care,
Cody

Cody W. Thompson, PhD
Mammal Collections Manager
& Associate Research Scientist
University of Michigan
Museum of Zoology
3600 Varsity Drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
Office: (734) 615-2810
Fax: (734) 763-4080
Email: cwthomp at umich.edu
Website: codythompson.org

*Please click here to support the UMMZ Mammal Division, its collections,
and research mission!!!*
<https://lsa.umich.edu/ummz/mammals/donate-to-the-mammal-division.html>


On Fri, Feb 6, 2026 at 5:47?AM John E Simmons <simmons.johne at gmail.com>
wrote:

> You have gotten some very good advice so far. Building on what Dirk said,
> I want to point out that there are several drawbacks with gas and foam fire
> suppression systems:
>
> 1-The storage tanks required to store the gas or foam take up a lot of
> room, room that could otherwise be used for collections, labs or offices.
>
> 2-Recharging the tanks after an incident is very expensive. The failure
> rate (meaning a false release of foam or gas) is a little higher than that
> of water sprinklers, but the main problem is that a small fire or heat
> source will trigger the release of all of the foam or gas, whereas with a
> water system only the sprinkles near the heat source will be triggered.
>
> 3-The amount of foam or gas available is limited to the amount in the
> storage tanks, but a water system will be able to function as long as it is
> connected to the water supply, and a water system can be easily shut off in
> the event of a false release, but this is much more difficult with foam and
> gas.
>
> 4-Foam and gas systems are best in situations where the majority of
> the objects and materials will be severely damaged by water. In a fluid
> preserved collection, there are much less of those objects and materials.
>
> 5-It is difficult to clean up after a fire, but a water system leaves
> behind less contaminants than most foam or gas systems if the pipes are
> regularly flushed.
>
> 6-A water system has the added advantage of diluting alcohol to a safer
> level very quickly, which foam and gas do not do.
>
> 7-Arguably the best type of system is water mist, which uses far less
> water than a sprinkler system:
>
>
> https://www.nfpa.org/news-blogs-and-articles/blogs/2022/06/24/water-mist-systems-overview
>
>
> https://www.bluelightsafety.co.uk/whats-the-difference-between-a-sprinkler-system-a-water-mist-system/
> --John
>
> John E. Simmons
> Writer and Museum Consultant
> Museologica
> *and*
> Research Associate, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> *and*
> Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
> Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima
>
>
> On Thu, Feb 5, 2026 at 11:55?AM Bo Delling <Bo.Delling at nrm.se> wrote:
>
>> Dear all
>>
>>
>>
>> I have a few questions about fire safety in wet collection facilities,
>> especially regarding sprinkler systems with or without foam. I start with
>> the questions, followed by some background information
>>
>>
>>
>> 1.                   Do you have a sprinkler system in your wet
>> collection? (Y/N)
>>
>> 2.                   If yes, is it pure water or are foaming chemicals
>> added?
>>
>> 3.                   What is the allowed quantity in litres of 70-80%
>> EtOH in your collection?
>>
>>
>>
>> At NRM in Stockholm, we have an underground storage room with max 200 000
>> litres of EtOH. Security includes different alarm systems connected to the
>> fire brigade. We also have sensors for EtOH vapour, starting forced
>> ventilation, already at a concentration of 10% of the ignitable
>> concentration. Finally, we also have a water sprinkler with foaming
>> chemicals added.
>>
>>
>>
>> We have some problems with the maintenance of the sprinkler system,
>> especially the system supplying foaming chemicals. We are about to start a
>> dialogue with the fire safety authorities in Sweden, to perhaps get rid of
>> the foam, and it would be great to have some international feedback.
>>
>>
>>
>> Best Regards,
>>
>> Bo
>>
>>
>>
>> *Bo Delling Ph. D*
>>
>> Curator of fishes
>> Zoology
>> Swedish Museum of Natural History
>> Box 50007 | SE-104 05 Stockholm | Sweden
>> +46 8-5195 4240 | +46 723970978
>>
>>
>>
>>
>>
>> [image: Logotyp f?r Naturhistoriska Riksmuseet]
>>
>> [image: Naturhistoriska riksmuseet, Forskar, Bevarar och F?rklarar,
>> NRM.SE]
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> Nhcoll-l mailing list
>> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
>> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
>> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
>> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
>> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
>> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
>> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/aaae304b/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5007 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/aaae304b/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 5896 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260206/aaae304b/attachment-0001.png>

From spnhc.ncdc at gmail.com  Sun Feb  8 11:33:30 2026
From: spnhc.ncdc at gmail.com (Networking and Career Development Committee)
Date: Sun, 8 Feb 2026 11:33:30 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] SPNHC - NCDC February 11th Committee Meeting
Message-ID: <CADEOd6UmWSvRgXGiKkPianvTMtv5xK3ruo5fA46WmhbJoaf1CQ@mail.gmail.com>

Hello all,

The SPNHC - Networking and Career Development Committee is having its next
meeting, *Wednesday, February 11th from 3-4pm EST *(Time Zone Converter
Website
<https://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html?iso=20250203T220000&p1=396&p2=224&p3=64&p4=860>
).

*Meeting Presentation: Fluid Specimens 101*

Summary: Abbey Hines is the Collections Assistant of Zoology & Go Fish!
Project Manager at the Buffalo Museum of Science, Tifft Nature Preserve and
will be providing us with "the most brief overview of the ins and outs of
wet specimens and managing fluid collections ever!", so please join us if
you're interested in knowing more about fluid preservation or even have
some tips and tricks to add to the conversation.

To join us, please email *spnhc.ncdc at gmail.com <spnhc.ncdc at gmail.com>* to
receive the zoom link!

*NEXT MEETING: TBD*

*If you?re interested in joining our mailing list, an upcoming meeting,
etc. feel free to fill out our general interest
form: https://forms.gle/zkSp3ZrZygQU633j9
<https://forms.gle/zkSp3ZrZygQU633j9>*

Megan, Hannah and Meg
SPNHC NCDC Co-Chairs
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260208/4d9c7f9f/attachment.html>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Mon Feb  9 08:53:17 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Mon, 9 Feb 2026 13:53:17 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Upcoming Webinar
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB5334954A84BE82F39838DE10EE65A@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

Join us on February 10 for our first February webinar in the Sustaining Collections Digitization Beyond NSF Funding webinar series featuring Frita Marcano of Florida State University with an overview and tips for using The Digitization Knowledgebase, a Tool for Discovering Digitization Strategies. See abstract and registration link, below.

February 10, 2026: The Digitization Knowledgebase, a Tool for Discovering Digitization Strategies (2:00-3:00pm ET)

Speakers:
Fritz Pichardo Marcano (Florida State University, iDigBio)

Abstract: The iDigBio digitization resources knowledge base is a central hub for resources related to the digitization of biodiversity collections. The knowledge base serves a wide spectrum of users, from museum professionals and researchers to those engaged in participatory science. We enrich the aggregated resources with tailored metadata, making it easier and faster to find relevant materials. The knowledge base also fosters a collaborative environment by enabling community discussion around resources through a commenting system. During the webinar, we will showcase how you can use the knowledge base to its full potential to find relevant resources for your digitization projects; the webinar will cover how to navigate resources using the faceted search and full-text search capabilities, registering as a user, using the commenting system, and creating custom groups of relevant resources.

Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series




Gil Nelson PhD, Director

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)

Immediate Past President, Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA)

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu<mailto:gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu>

[FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260209/a954e9ef/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10269 bytes
Desc: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260209/a954e9ef/attachment.png>

From kj23v at fsu.edu  Tue Feb 10 12:41:45 2026
From: kj23v at fsu.edu (Kalina Jakymec)
Date: Tue, 10 Feb 2026 17:41:45 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] =?windows-1252?q?Digitization_Academy=3A_Online_Digit?=
 =?windows-1252?q?ization_Courses_=96_Cursos_en_L=EDnea_de_Digitalizaci=F3?=
 =?windows-1252?q?n_=7C_Applications_Open_=96_Solicitudes_Abiertas?=
Message-ID: <SJ2P220MB162000DFDABB84AC5602D756B662A@SJ2P220MB1620.NAMP220.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hola - Greetings from the Digitization Academy<https://digitizationacademy.org/>! ?Saludos desde la Digitization Academy!

ENGLISH: The Digitization Academy is pleased to announce our Spring 2026 course offerings! See below for more information, and please consider sharing this announcement with others who may benefit from it!

ESPA?OL: ?La Digitization Academy se complace en anunciar nuestra oferta de cursos para la primavera de 2026! Consulta la informaci?n a continuaci?n y, por favor, considera compartir este anuncio con otras personas que puedan beneficiarse de ?l.

Digital Imaging for Biodiversity Collections
April 6?29, 2026; Mondays and Wednesdays, 3?4:30p ET (US)
(English language offering)

Introducci?n a la Digitalizaci?n de Espec?menes de Biodiversidad
April 7?30, 2026; Tuesdays and Thursdays, 3?4:30p ET (US)
(Spanish language offering)

-Kalina

Kalina Jakymec
iDigBio Workforce Development Manager
Florida State University
digitizationacademy.org | idigbio.org

________________________________
Digital Imaging for Biodiversity Collections<https://www.idigbio.org/content/digital-imaging-biodiversity-collections-3>
April 6?29, 2026; Mondays and Wednesdays, 3?4:30p ET (US)
(English language offering)

The aim of this free, online Digitization Academy course is to empower participants with the knowledge and skills to (1) identify and describe relevant facets of biodiversity specimens that can be captured and shared with common digital imaging modalities, (2) identify sources of digital imaging protocols and best practices, (3) identify and prioritize major differences among digital image file formats, hardware, and software options, (4) explain the workings of a digital SLR or mirrorless camera/lens, camera control software, and image processing software, (5) archive and share digital images, and (6) anticipate new uses for digital images of biodiversity specimens, such as in artificial intelligence and immersive media.  Participation will require access to a digital camera.

The course will be delivered in English. Those from outside the U.S. may apply.

Applications are due by 9pm ET on Friday, March 6.
Click here to apply!<https://forms.gle/Hbg4nm2p9ihH8wc69>
_________________________________________

Introducci?n a la Digitalizaci?n de Espec?menes de Biodiversidad<https://www.idigbio.org/content/introducci%C3%B3n-la-digitalizaci%C3%B3n-de-espec%C3%ADmenes-de-biodiversidad-2>
Del 7 al 30 de abril de 2026; martes y jueves, de 3:00 a 4:30 p. m. (ET, EE. UU.)
(Ofrecido en espa?ol)

El objetivo de este curso gratuito y en l?nea, ofrecido por el Digitization Academy, es capacitar a los participantes con el conocimiento y habilidades para: (1) identificar y describir facetas relevantes de la informaci?n o informaci?n potencial relacionada a espec?menes de biodiversidad, (2) identificar y describir protocolos de digitalizaci?n comunes y las mejores pr?cticas relacionadas con la transcripci?n, toma de imagen, y la georreferenciaci?n, (3) identificar usos posteriores relevantes para la toma de decisiones de digitaci?n, (4) reconocer los principios b?sicos de la gesti?n de datos, incluyendo la importancia de los identificadores ?nicos, (5) identificar opciones de sistemas de gesti?n de colecciones y las principales diferencias entre estos, y (6) esbozar un proyecto de digitalizaci?n, incluyendo control de calidad y un plan de gesti?n de datos que incluya el intercambio posterior de los datos. El curso tambi?n incluye una conversaci?n con representantes de algunos de los principales proyectos de sistemas de gesti?n de colecciones.

El curso se impartir? principalmente en espa?ol, aunque algunos aspectos pueden estar en ingl?s. Aquellos interesados en participar fuera de EE.UU. pueden aplicar.

Las solicitudes deben enviarse antes de las 9 p. m. (ET) del viernes 6 de marzo.
?Haz clic aqu? para postularte!<https://forms.gle/s9D56Rr67HyHN6L9A>

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260210/fd5689d7/attachment.html>

From jbirnbach at sfsu.edu  Tue Feb 10 19:34:28 2026
From: jbirnbach at sfsu.edu (Julian Alexander Birnbach)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 00:34:28 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Label Printer Recommendations
Message-ID: <IA1PR02MB9159E3749DFF77158DADD42BC663A@IA1PR02MB9159.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>

Hello All,
I am looking at purchasing a label printer for collections use. As the collection I steward is small but broad in materials and preservation types, I am looking for a printer that can print both adhesive and non-adhesive/ tied labels if possible. I have a system for wet collection labeling that works well, so I am not worried about having labels that need to withstand preservatives.
My main goal is to increase labeling speed (I am still handwriting most labels) and begin adding barcodes.

It seems like a thermal label printer with a resin ribbon would be best but I am curious what others are using and why/ how they are working out for their needs?

If anyone has recommendations for label printer setups or other insights, it would be greatly appreciated.


--

Julian Birnbach

Natural History Collection Specialist

San Francisco Zoo and Gardens

jbirnbach at sfsu.edu<mailto:jbirnbach at sfsu.edu> | julianb at sfzoo.org<mailto:julianb at sfzoo.org>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/68292422/attachment.html>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Wed Feb 11 01:42:07 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 07:42:07 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Label Printer Recommendations
In-Reply-To: <IA1PR02MB9159E3749DFF77158DADD42BC663A@IA1PR02MB9159.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
References: <IA1PR02MB9159E3749DFF77158DADD42BC663A@IA1PR02MB9159.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <4afd7f64-1d5b-4ad7-9d9f-5bb7f0f2d3d9@leibniz-lib.de>

Hi Julian,

I am not sure if you have checked this, but there is a very comprehensive resource on the SPHNC Wiki on labels: https://spnhc.org/labeling-natural-history-collections/

Label printing has two main components, the printer, and the printing medium. Both should meet archival standards. The problem with printers is, that they are usually have a (technically) limited life span (planned obsolescence), so it might be worth looking into industry-rated solutions or contacting major archives or libraries in your area which kind of printers and printing media they use for dry labels.

In general, thermal label printer and laser printer can produce labels of archival quality. For laser printers, the roughness and coating of the paper surface is decisive for the label quality. Sadly, standards for archival paper only refer to the upper and lower surface layer of the paper, but not necessarily for the pulp.

If you opt for an laser printer rather than a thermal printer, it would be worth testing this printer with different archival papers first. Ideally, the paper should have a higher paper weight and long fibres and be lignin-free / be without wood pulp. The disadvantage of some archival acid-free cotton papers however is, that they use starch-based glues for the pulp, which might created an IPM issue (e.g. silverfish and paper fish (sic!) love paper - and starch).

The international standard for "permanent paper" is ISO 9706, for "archival" paper ISO 11108. Apparently in the US, there are also recommendations for permanent paper issued by the library of Congress and the National Archives, which might be worth looking at.

Depending on the storage situation and collection, it might be worth specific papers for different dry collections.

As often, not straight forward, but hopefully useful.
Dirk




Am 11.02.2026 um 01:34 schrieb Julian Alexander Birnbach:
Hello All,
I am looking at purchasing a label printer for collections use. As the collection I steward is small but broad in materials and preservation types, I am looking for a printer that can print both adhesive and non-adhesive/ tied labels if possible. I have a system for wet collection labeling that works well, so I am not worried about having labels that need to withstand preservatives.
My main goal is to increase labeling speed (I am still handwriting most labels) and begin adding barcodes.

It seems like a thermal label printer with a resin ribbon would be best but I am curious what others are using and why/ how they are working out for their needs?

If anyone has recommendations for label printer setups or other insights, it would be greatly appreciated.


--

Julian Birnbach

Natural History Collection Specialist

San Francisco Zoo and Gardens

jbirnbach at sfsu.edu<mailto:jbirnbach at sfsu.edu> | julianb at sfzoo.org<mailto:julianb at sfzoo.org>



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5980374d/attachment.html>

From Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee  Wed Feb 11 07:14:29 2026
From: Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee (Joosep Sarapuu)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 12:14:29 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish
Message-ID: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>

"Hi everyone,

I'm seeking advice on preparing crayfish (like Astacus astacus) for a museum display. My goal is to produce dried, painted exhibits.

Do you follow a process similar to pinning insects, or does the meat need to be removed beforehand? I'd appreciate any tips on the best techniques for achieving a beautiful final specimen."

Sincerely,
Joosep Sarapuu
Estonian Museum of Natural History
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/43b2ae66/attachment.html>

From houellette at fau.edu  Wed Feb 11 08:47:37 2026
From: houellette at fau.edu (Heather Ouellette)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:47:37 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Label Printer Recommendations
In-Reply-To: <4afd7f64-1d5b-4ad7-9d9f-5bb7f0f2d3d9@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <IA1PR02MB9159E3749DFF77158DADD42BC663A@IA1PR02MB9159.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
 <4afd7f64-1d5b-4ad7-9d9f-5bb7f0f2d3d9@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <SA0PR04MB7193F650709AFE81B37488F4C563A@SA0PR04MB7193.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>

Hi Julian,
Harbor Branch uses a TSC TTP-244CE label printer with labels and ink manufactured by Electronic Imaging Materials (https://barcode-labels.com/). The label paper is made of XyResist, which is chemically resistant, and the ink is resin based and also chemically resistant. We get them already cut to a standard size that fits the barcode and basic taxonomy information (see attached picture). They also have adhesive on the back, but I'm sure you can order some without adhesive for your tie on labels. The company is very accommodating when it comes to specialty labels.
We use the software BarTender to make the labels and generate the barcodes for us.
I hope this helps.

Heather Ouellette
Research Collections Manager
FAU Harbor Branch


From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Dirk Neumann
Sent: Wednesday, 11 February 2026 1:42 am
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Label Printer Recommendations



EXTERNAL EMAIL : Exercise caution when responding, opening links, or opening attachments.

Hi Julian,

I am not sure if you have checked this, but there is a very comprehensive resource on the SPHNC Wiki on labels: https://spnhc.org/labeling-natural-history-collections/

Label printing has two main components, the printer, and the printing medium. Both should meet archival standards. The problem with printers is, that they are usually have a (technically) limited life span (planned obsolescence), so it might be worth looking into industry-rated solutions or contacting major archives or libraries in your area which kind of printers and printing media they use for dry labels.

In general, thermal label printer and laser printer can produce labels of archival quality. For laser printers, the roughness and coating of the paper surface is decisive for the label quality. Sadly, standards for archival paper only refer to the upper and lower surface layer of the paper, but not necessarily for the pulp.

If you opt for an laser printer rather than a thermal printer, it would be worth testing this printer with different archival papers first. Ideally, the paper should have a higher paper weight and long fibres and be lignin-free / be without wood pulp. The disadvantage of some archival acid-free cotton papers however is, that they use starch-based glues for the pulp, which might created an IPM issue (e.g. silverfish and paper fish (sic!) love paper - and starch).

The international standard for "permanent paper" is ISO 9706, for "archival" paper ISO 11108. Apparently in the US, there are also recommendations for permanent paper issued by the library of Congress and the National Archives, which might be worth looking at.

Depending on the storage situation and collection, it might be worth specific papers for different dry collections.

As often, not straight forward, but hopefully useful.
Dirk




Am 11.02.2026 um 01:34 schrieb Julian Alexander Birnbach:
Hello All,
I am looking at purchasing a label printer for collections use. As the collection I steward is small but broad in materials and preservation types, I am looking for a printer that can print both adhesive and non-adhesive/ tied labels if possible. I have a system for wet collection labeling that works well, so I am not worried about having labels that need to withstand preservatives.
My main goal is to increase labeling speed (I am still handwriting most labels) and begin adding barcodes.

It seems like a thermal label printer with a resin ribbon would be best but I am curious what others are using and why/ how they are working out for their needs?

If anyone has recommendations for label printer setups or other insights, it would be greatly appreciated.


--

Julian Birnbach

Natural History Collection Specialist

San Francisco Zoo and Gardens

jbirnbach at sfsu.edu<mailto:jbirnbach at sfsu.edu> | julianb at sfzoo.org<mailto:julianb at sfzoo.org>



_______________________________________________

Nhcoll-l mailing list

Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>

https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l



_______________________________________________

NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of

Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose

mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of

natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to

society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.

Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.


--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 - 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/33638e4f/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: PXL_20260211_133352374.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2728050 bytes
Desc: PXL_20260211_133352374.jpg
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/33638e4f/attachment-0001.jpg>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Wed Feb 11 08:58:54 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:58:54 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish
In-Reply-To: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>
References: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB9942918E323F53BE0B7F3A0ED4C363A@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Dear Joseph,

My experience in such preparations is limited, but I think your main choice is between a form of preservation that maintains flexibility in the specimen, such as oiling, and full drying followed by painting. The latter probably works best if drying is preceded by immersion in some kind of surface stabilizer, such as an aqueous solution of PVA, which will ?plasticize? the surface and create a better substrate for paint. I?m sure other folks here know of more suitable stabilizers. There is relatively little ?meat? in most crustaceans, so depending on the size of the specimen and your drying technique you may not have to remove it first.
Retaining flexibility by immersing the specimen in e. g. mineral oil (or painting/spraying it on) will preserve more natural shapes, particularly with things like antenna and tail fans, but you won?t then get the predictable, stable color of paint. On the other hand, many crustaceans are iridescent, so an oiled specimen with proper lighting (such as an LED array that constantly changes hue and/or position, with a UV filter) might be more attractive to look at than an obviously painted one.
One thing to think about with paint is gloss. Although it seems logical to use gloss paint, animals in water are not shiny (though they may be iridescent), so to give a ?natural? impression it might be best to use matte paint. Folks who do this a lot use airbrushes and can get very realistic results.

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170


From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 7:14 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish


External.
"Hi everyone,

I'm seeking advice on preparing crayfish (like Astacus astacus) for a museum display. My goal is to produce dried, painted exhibits.

Do you follow a process similar to pinning insects, or does the meat need to be removed beforehand? I'd appreciate any tips on the best techniques for achieving a beautiful final specimen."

Sincerely,
Joosep Sarapuu
Estonian Museum of Natural History
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/158c644b/attachment.html>

From shoobs.1 at osu.edu  Wed Feb 11 09:07:51 2026
From: shoobs.1 at osu.edu (Shoobs, Nate)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:07:51 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish
In-Reply-To: <PH8PR01MB9942918E323F53BE0B7F3A0ED4C363A@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>
 <PH8PR01MB9942918E323F53BE0B7F3A0ED4C363A@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <PH0PR01MB6633B7A531E5510E2A39E1C2DC63A@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>

We have several specimens of crayfish that were pinned like insects and dried, but they tend to be very brittle.
Eric Lazo-Wasem at Yale Peabody told me about preparing some crustaceans, including a large lobster, for dry displays a year or two ago when I was visiting the newly renovated museum. The specimens looked great!

You might want to reach out to him directly (if he doesn?t see this post himself). His email is eric.lazo-wasem at yale.edu
-N

-
Nathaniel F. Shoobs, Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University
Museum of Biological Diversity
1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu<http://mbd.osu.edu/>
________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Callomon,Paul <prc44 at drexel.edu>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 8:58:54 AM
To: Joosep Sarapuu <Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish

Dear Joseph, My experience in such preparations is limited, but I think your main choice is between a form of preservation that maintains flexibility in the specimen, such as oiling, and full drying followed by painting. The latter probably


Dear Joseph,



My experience in such preparations is limited, but I think your main choice is between a form of preservation that maintains flexibility in the specimen, such as oiling, and full drying followed by painting. The latter probably works best if drying is preceded by immersion in some kind of surface stabilizer, such as an aqueous solution of PVA, which will ?plasticize? the surface and create a better substrate for paint. I?m sure other folks here know of more suitable stabilizers. There is relatively little ?meat? in most crustaceans, so depending on the size of the specimen and your drying technique you may not have to remove it first.

Retaining flexibility by immersing the specimen in e. g. mineral oil (or painting/spraying it on) will preserve more natural shapes, particularly with things like antenna and tail fans, but you won?t then get the predictable, stable color of paint. On the other hand, many crustaceans are iridescent, so an oiled specimen with proper lighting (such as an LED array that constantly changes hue and/or position, with a UV filter) might be more attractive to look at than an obviously painted one.

One thing to think about with paint is gloss. Although it seems logical to use gloss paint, animals in water are not shiny (though they may be iridescent), so to give a ?natural? impression it might be best to use matte paint. Folks who do this a lot use airbrushes and can get very realistic results.



Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates

________________________________

Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170





From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Joosep Sarapuu
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 7:14 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish



External.

"Hi everyone,



I'm seeking advice on preparing crayfish (like Astacus astacus) for a museum display. My goal is to produce dried, painted exhibits.



Do you follow a process similar to pinning insects, or does the meat need to be removed beforehand? I'd appreciate any tips on the best techniques for achieving a beautiful final specimen."



Sincerely,

Joosep Sarapuu

Estonian Museum of Natural History
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/1794bed1/attachment.html>

From pwf5120 at psu.edu  Wed Feb 11 09:16:55 2026
From: pwf5120 at psu.edu (Finkle, Patti Wood)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:16:55 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Destructive analysis on geologic specimens
Message-ID: <DS4PR02MB112645BA148A721268AB8AD0FB163A@DS4PR02MB11264.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>

A question for the collective:

We are reviewing our destructive analysis request policy, and I have a question for all geology, mineralogy, or museums with rocks in their collections who work with researchers. What is your process for working through destructive analysis requests? Do you have a vague guiding document or a solid process/ set of guidelines? Is the decision made by an individual or a committee? Is there a list of automatic "no" situations? If your museum doesn't allow destructive analysis on your collections,(only non-destructive methods) do you help the researchers in other ways (non-destructive analysis or curating their voucher specimen)?

Any ideas, policies, guidelines, advise, or experience that you have is appreciated!

Thanks!

Patti



Patti Wood Finkle
Curator
Earth and Minerals Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
Penn State University
She/Her/Hers
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/6132dabe/attachment.html>

From abentley at ku.edu  Wed Feb 11 10:18:50 2026
From: abentley at ku.edu (Bentley, Andrew Charles)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 15:18:50 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN]  Label Printer Recommendations
In-Reply-To: <4afd7f64-1d5b-4ad7-9d9f-5bb7f0f2d3d9@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <IA1PR02MB9159E3749DFF77158DADD42BC663A@IA1PR02MB9159.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
 <4afd7f64-1d5b-4ad7-9d9f-5bb7f0f2d3d9@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <LV5PR01MB99414753368798AEE817CD8F80B263A@LV5PR01MB994147.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Hi Alexander

We have been using a thermal transfer printer with spun-bound polyester medium and wax/resin ribbon for about 25 years now in our wet collections as well as our tissue collections (where we use cryo-safe adhesive labels).

Our printer has been extremely reliable and is networked so that it can be printed to by any and all of our divisions here at the BI.  A built in cutter and label tray allows for labels to be individually cut and collected on the printer for pickup.  The 600-dpi version of the printer will print down to 4 point font perfectly legibly and will also support barcodes.  You can print to these printers like any other printer from Word, Excel or your CMS.

I have attached the specs on the printer (ours is no longer available but I have heard good things about the CAB SQUIX printers) as well as a pricing sheet from a company here in the US that sells a museum solution (pricing may be out of date).

Happy to answer any other questions you may have

Andy


    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V
Andy Bentley
Ichthyology Collection Manager
University of Kansas
Biodiversity Institute

Dyche Hall
1345 Jayhawk Boulevard
Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561
USA

Tel: (785) 864-3863<tel:%28785%29%20864-3863>
Fax: (785) 864-5335<tel:%28785%29%20864-5335>
Email: abentley at ku.edu<mailto:abentley at ku.edu>

ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3093-1258

http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu<http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/>

    A  :             A  :             A  :
 }<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<(((_?>.,.,.,.}<)))_?>
    V                V                V



________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
Sent: Wednesday, February 11, 2026 12:42 AM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Label Printer Recommendations

Hi Julian,

I am not sure if you have checked this, but there is a very comprehensive resource on the SPHNC Wiki on labels: https://spnhc.org/labeling-natural-history-collections/

Label printing has two main components, the printer, and the printing medium. Both should meet archival standards. The problem with printers is, that they are usually have a (technically) limited life span (planned obsolescence), so it might be worth looking into industry-rated solutions or contacting major archives or libraries in your area which kind of printers and printing media they use for dry labels.

In general, thermal label printer and laser printer can produce labels of archival quality. For laser printers, the roughness and coating of the paper surface is decisive for the label quality. Sadly, standards for archival paper only refer to the upper and lower surface layer of the paper, but not necessarily for the pulp.

If you opt for an laser printer rather than a thermal printer, it would be worth testing this printer with different archival papers first. Ideally, the paper should have a higher paper weight and long fibres and be lignin-free / be without wood pulp. The disadvantage of some archival acid-free cotton papers however is, that they use starch-based glues for the pulp, which might created an IPM issue (e.g. silverfish and paper fish (sic!) love paper - and starch).

The international standard for "permanent paper" is ISO 9706, for "archival" paper ISO 11108. Apparently in the US, there are also recommendations for permanent paper issued by the library of Congress and the National Archives, which might be worth looking at.

Depending on the storage situation and collection, it might be worth specific papers for different dry collections.

As often, not straight forward, but hopefully useful.
Dirk




Am 11.02.2026 um 01:34 schrieb Julian Alexander Birnbach:
Hello All,
I am looking at purchasing a label printer for collections use. As the collection I steward is small but broad in materials and preservation types, I am looking for a printer that can print both adhesive and non-adhesive/ tied labels if possible. I have a system for wet collection labeling that works well, so I am not worried about having labels that need to withstand preservatives.
My main goal is to increase labeling speed (I am still handwriting most labels) and begin adding barcodes.

It seems like a thermal label printer with a resin ribbon would be best but I am curious what others are using and why/ how they are working out for their needs?

If anyone has recommendations for label printer setups or other insights, it would be greatly appreciated.


--

Julian Birnbach

Natural History Collection Specialist

San Francisco Zoo and Gardens

jbirnbach at sfsu.edu<mailto:jbirnbach at sfsu.edu> | julianb at sfzoo.org<mailto:julianb at sfzoo.org>



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<http://www.spnhc.org/> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--

****



Dirk Neumann

Collection Manager, Hamburg



Postal address:

Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis

of Biodiversity Change

Dirk Neumann

Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3

20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628

d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>

www.leibniz-lib.de



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst



--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5ed4bbbf/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: CAB Squix printer.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 4087059 bytes
Desc: CAB Squix printer.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5ed4bbbf/attachment-0004.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: SDR-5_Plus_Chemical_Resistance_Ribbon.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 124666 bytes
Desc: SDR-5_Plus_Chemical_Resistance_Ribbon.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5ed4bbbf/attachment-0005.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Labelling material.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 269844 bytes
Desc: Labelling material.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5ed4bbbf/attachment-0006.pdf>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Museum Tag Solution 2021-2022 Price Guide.pdf
Type: application/pdf
Size: 162669 bytes
Desc: Museum Tag Solution 2021-2022 Price Guide.pdf
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/5ed4bbbf/attachment-0007.pdf>

From sulliv55 at miamioh.edu  Wed Feb 11 10:36:22 2026
From: sulliv55 at miamioh.edu (Sullivan, Steven)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 10:36:22 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Preparation of crayfish
In-Reply-To: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>
References: <92b610ebe05f49eab46bcd08467682f3@loodusmuuseum.ee>
Message-ID: <CABdPs6VDpmZg2CbGh9pL6pWpOAEiuGWyPfZwDRHdvnBNQYFWMA@mail.gmail.com>

I've mounted a few large lobsters and some big insects and spiders (small
things just get dried).  I last saw one really big specimen about 20 years
after the work and it was in reasonable condition.  This may not be the
best method (and it's not a method that conservators like) but it worked
using standard taxidermy materials that are likely found in most of your
other display mounts.  Here's a summary of the process:

Prep the specimen
-Disarticulate the tail, carapace, claws, and legs and remove all the meat
from everything but the legs.
--Insert light wire into the legs (for later attachment to the mount) then
pose and freeze dried them (or just air dry, maybe.) Air dry does work on
insects and small things (crayfish are probably fine.)  I worry about so
much meat in a big specimen.)  Follow similar methods for the long
antennae.  The short ones can just be supported and dried while attached to
the carapace.
-Carve urethane foam to support the carapace and tail.  (If they dry
without support, they shrink and curl up).  The foam and shell were bonded
together by an epoxy clay. I think this was an important part because dry
crustaceans get pretty brittle and can be affected by humidity.  I coated
every accessible interior surface with the clay, essentially creating an
internal plastic shell that was several mm thick, bonded to the real shell,
supported by the foam.  The tail was articulated in a way that the
swimmeretts were not very visible, requiring minimal ventral modeling. You
can always dry and plug swimmeretts into a modeled surface of epoxy clay.
Put an attachment wire in the tail.
-The claws were filled with a low density liquid urethane.  Like the epoxy,
this glued the real shell to the foam.  Use care with this method!!  The
foam can ooze out of any gaps and bond to the show surface.  Worse, it can
expand too fast and explode the shell. Before adding the urethane, I
installed some heavy wire to support the arms and provide an attachment
point.  Wire should extend from the claw tip, extending out of the arm the
length of the carapace..

Once all the parts are posed then dried/cured, rearticulate.
-Make the mount base with a little hill to support the carapace at the
right height above the ground.  This is bearing all of the weight of the
specimen, including the extended claws so it needs to be the right height
and structurally strong.
-Position the carapace and secure to the base.  (I'd use epoxy and
superglue)  paint a bit of black to provide a shadow and obscure the
touching points.  (Superglue is mostly used to hold parts while the
structural epoxy cures.  Make sure to give enough time between each stage
for the epoxy to cure completely.  I would use a slow cure epoxy, and most
useful clay is very slow cure.)
-Insert the arm wires and position appropriately for the pose and to
articulate with the carapace. Secure with liquid epoxy and superglue.  (If
you used heavy, long wire, even the most extreme poses can be accommodated
because all the weight is borne by the wire and the base,not the specimen
itself.)
-Use epoxy clay to re-sculpt the joints (The "skin" between the joints is
easily damaged during the drying process, especially in any unsupported
areas and it is likely that there will be some inaccurate spacing between
the arms and carapace.  This is all accounted for by careful epoxy
sculpting.)
--Plug in the tail into the base, as with the claws.  Once these three
sections are connected and the basic attachments are secure and cured,
spend some time sculpting the visible parts of the joints.  You might do
some painting at this point, too, since getting into some visible areas
will be challenging once the legs are attached.
--Fix any cracks from the drying process or pre-existing damage with epoxy
clay.  (Use a brand with good body so it won't sag and will take texturing
or water smoothing.)
--Now add the legs (note that they are only supporting their own weight.)
Also antennae or any other bits you prepared separately.  Superglue is
sufficient to attach these but some epoxy lay may be necessary to smooth
joints.  (You can pre-paint these before attaching.)

Paint.
-I use lacquers with an airbrush but acrylics with a bristle brush can
work, too.  The exoskeleton of crustacea and usually insects will be
discolored (spiders are often hairy enough that they don't need much paint)
but the depth of the color will be useful.  So, use a light hand as you
paint.  Let the darkness and light areas influence the depth of color on
the final product.  Too much paint, especially if it's too thick, makes the
specimen look fake.
-Finish with a high-solids-content spray lacquer,  I prefer medium gloss or
even matte.


All the best!


On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 7:14?AM Joosep Sarapuu <
Joosep.Sarapuu at loodusmuuseum.ee> wrote:

> "Hi everyone,
>
>
>
> I'm seeking advice on preparing crayfish (like Astacus astacus) for a
> museum display. My goal is to produce dried, painted exhibits.
>
>
>
> Do you follow a process similar to pinning insects, or does the meat need
> to be removed beforehand? I'd appreciate any tips on the best techniques
> for achieving a beautiful final specimen."
>
>
>
> Sincerely,
>
> Joosep Sarapuu
>
> Estonian Museum of Natural History
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>


-- 

<http://miamioh.edu/>

Steven M. Sullivan

Director | Hefner Museum of Natural History
<http://miamioh.edu/cas/academics/centers/hefner-museum/>

Miami University

100 Upham Hall

100 Bishop Circle

Oxford, OH 45056

Museum: 513-529-4617

Cell: 708-937-6253


The Museum is open to the public weekdays 9-4, free admission.

Support the Museum today!
<https://securelb.imodules.com/s/916/lg21/form.aspx?sid=916&gid=1&pgid=6010&cid=11236&dids=292&bledit=1>


*Connecting you to the nature in your neighborhood...and the world.*


Miami's many museums and collections
<https://www.miamioh.edu/cca/museums-miami/index.html> provide unique,
cross-disciplinary opportunities for students, educators, and the public.


The Hefner Museum recognizes the Myaamia and Shawnee people who, along with
other indigenous groups, were the first stewards of this land's
biodiversity. <http://miamioh.edu/diversity-inclusion/land/index.html>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/ea521b80/attachment.html>

From bauerjen at umich.edu  Wed Feb 11 13:47:04 2026
From: bauerjen at umich.edu (Jennifer Bauer)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 13:47:04 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Destructive analysis on geologic specimens
In-Reply-To: <DS4PR02MB112645BA148A721268AB8AD0FB163A@DS4PR02MB11264.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
References: <DS4PR02MB112645BA148A721268AB8AD0FB163A@DS4PR02MB11264.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CAC3ZwDnXfM=avddWw=_tsC85tj-0G2wmcnUddcR48VRRvaxGDA@mail.gmail.com>

Hi Patti,
The Museum of Paleontology typically follows the Bureau of Land
Management's questions that are required for their material to be sampled
as our baseline questions for a destructive sampling request. We have the
researcher write up the responses as a proposal for us to evaluate. My
current process is: (1) collection manager (CM; =me) identifies boundaries
of what can and cannot be sampled (or what would require outside agency
approval); (2) researcher select samples following parameters outlined by
CM; (3) researcher drafts proposal and sends to CM for feedback; (4) I add
in information regarding how samples were selected; (5) finalize proposal
to be sent to faculty curator/director for final approval.

This has worked well for the invertebrate division. If you'd like to chat
more about my parameters or process, let me know. I'll paste the relevant
questions below.
Best,
Jen

1) A description of the work proposed to be done.
2) A list of specimens (e.g., taxa, elements) to be sampled.
3) A discussion of the procedures proposed for sampling.
4) The size of samples planned to be taken.
5) Names and experience of those doing the sampling (e.g., reference previous
projects).
6) Dates when the sampling will be done.
7) Location(s) of where work will be done.
8) A discussion of why the sampling needs to be done.
9) A description of how the fossils will be documented (e.g., photographed,
scanned, and/or molded) prior to sampling and repaired (if necessary) after
sampling.


On Wed, Feb 11, 2026 at 9:17?AM Finkle, Patti Wood <pwf5120 at psu.edu> wrote:

> A question for the collective:
>
> We are reviewing our destructive analysis request policy, and I have a
> question for all geology, mineralogy, or museums with rocks in their
> collections who work with researchers. What is your process for working
> through destructive analysis requests? Do you have a vague guiding document
> or a solid process/ set of guidelines? Is the decision made by an
> individual or a committee? Is there a list of automatic "no" situations? If
> your museum doesn't allow destructive analysis on your collections,(only
> non-destructive methods) do you help the researchers in other ways
> (non-destructive analysis or curating their voucher specimen)?
>
> Any ideas, policies, guidelines, advise, or experience that you have is
> appreciated!
>
> Thanks!
>
> Patti
>
>
>
> Patti Wood Finkle
> Curator
> Earth and Minerals Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> She/Her/Hers
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>


-- 
Jennifer Bauer, Ph.D.
She/Her/Hers
Research Museum Collection Manager
University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
Office phone: 734-615-2735
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/4e92fbf6/attachment.html>

From ellwoodlibby at gmail.com  Wed Feb 11 14:19:34 2026
From: ellwoodlibby at gmail.com (Libby Ellwood)
Date: Wed, 11 Feb 2026 14:19:34 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Save the Date: Digital Data 2026
Message-ID: <CANq1+HwkrBALKV15KFjx+_mSB6Bwa1wZBySFZ8Ytuk+e8W-gCw@mail.gmail.com>

Mark Your Calendars!

After strong community interest, the Digital Data in Biodiversity Research
Conference is back.

*Digital Data 2026: Enabling Science Through Integrated Biodiversity Data
<https://www.idigbio.org/content/digital-data-2026>* (
https://www.idigbio.org/content/digital-data-2026) will be held as a *virtual
event, June 2-4, 2026*.

The conference will again bring the community together to explore how
integrated biodiversity data enable research, innovation, and impact across
disciplines. More information, including the program, speakers, and
registration details, will be coming soon.

For now, please plan to attend and help us spread the word. We are excited
to continue the conversation and build momentum around data-driven
biodiversity science.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260211/85270807/attachment.html>

From mvart333 at gmail.com  Thu Feb 12 12:50:44 2026
From: mvart333 at gmail.com (Michelle Varteresian)
Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2026 12:50:44 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Metadata and Digitization Specialist in the Natural
 Sciences Seeking a New Opportunity
Message-ID: <CABN=FuksAOqbJEZOMkzgDzPR1B4og4d3zCN3Gn5y727sT_PALw@mail.gmail.com>

Good Afternoon All,

My name is Michelle Varteresian, and I am a metadata and digitization
specialist seeking a new role.

Although my last position focused on working with historical resources, I
have 5 years experience working with natural history collections at The
University of Michigan Research Museums Center.  I served as a metadata
specialist at The UM Herbarium, Museum of Paleontology, and Museum of
Zoology, with additional experience in the digitization of plant, lichen,
bryophyte, and fungi specimens, as well as slide-mounted parasite specimens.

My career goal is to return to the natural sciences.  I am interested in
any number of roles in a museum or science setting, and am seeking a role
in southeast Michigan.

I have just joined the Metadata Support Group through the Digital Library
Federation, as well, and am looking for more communities to join in the
sciences.

Looking forward to connecting!

Michelle
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260212/788b15b9/attachment.html>

From HBROWN at mailbox.sc.edu  Fri Feb 13 10:31:24 2026
From: HBROWN at mailbox.sc.edu (Brown, Herrick)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 15:31:24 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Certificate of Scientific Exchange COSE permit
 application process
In-Reply-To: <CAAdpv4jOO1=ZvhoGEtZ-6VYpd3WWRkjuq7AUpm1_3gs8n6o3gw@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CH3PR19MB84063368379003278AD7DCD8EC94A@CH3PR19MB8406.namprd19.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAAdpv4jOO1=ZvhoGEtZ-6VYpd3WWRkjuq7AUpm1_3gs8n6o3gw@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CH3PR19MB84061C6EC20089621419FF8AEC61A@CH3PR19MB8406.namprd19.prod.outlook.com>

Laura and colleagues,
After nearly 10 months our COSE application was processed and a permit issued. I was notified by USFWS of the status with an email that contained minimal information beyond the permit number. I inquired if there was some sort of official document that was to be issued (as none was evident in the ePermits portal). This is part of the response that I received:

"The delay in processing this request was due to a need to change the format of the issued COSE documents within our ePermitting system.  In this regard, the COSE must be printed on special CITES security paper, and then physically mailed. "

Best,
Herrick


__

Herrick Brown, Ph.D., FLS
Curator
Andrew Charles Moore Herbarium (USCH)

803-777-8175
HBrown at mailbox.sc.edu<mailto:HBrown at mailbox.sc.edu> | www.herbarium.org<https://www.herbarium.org/>

Department of Biological Sciences
McCausland College of Arts and Sciences
University of South Carolina
Coker Life Science room 208
Columbia, SC 29208

[cid:3f5fe008-6b99-401c-a5ef-ee34b2c41aca]

Support your local herbarium!  www.herbarium.org/support.html<http://www.herbarium.org/support.html>




________________________________
From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Laura Bies <laurabiesoc at gmail.com>
Sent: Friday, January 23, 2026 2:07 PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] Certificate of Scientific Exchange COSE permit application process


I?ve been tracking delays in COSE renewals for a couple years now. I met with some folks from USFWS International Affairs in fall 2025. They were aware of the delays and offered the following tips:

  *   make sure you?re submitting your annual reports on time (even if you don?t have any exchanges to report) - if your file is up to date, renewal processing is faster
  *   respond quickly to any requests for additional information
  *   Submit your renewal 60-90 days ahead of expiration
  *   If you haven?t heard back, feel free to check in with staff about your renewal status after a month or 2


I?ll keep this one on my radar screen and continue to bring it up with FWS staff as appropriate.


Laura


[https://ci3.googleusercontent.com/mail-sig/AIorK4zvEmLg1bk410qm126-3wD99Dp8dCo0nuDIDGED_jxj91Doh0xTKWHTlXOrLU9Wf5H7L4CRdOP5r9RF]

  Laura Bies

  Executive Director

  202.905.9141

  www.birdnet.org<http://www.birdnet.org/>

  www.ornithologyexchange.org<http://www.ornithologyexchange.org/>


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260213/530ea7dd/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-1x2atshp
Type: image/jpg
Size: 31215 bytes
Desc: Outlook-1x2atshp
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260213/530ea7dd/attachment.jpg>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Fri Feb 13 14:59:27 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Fri, 13 Feb 2026 19:59:27 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Entomological Research Webinar upcoming on 17 Feb at
 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB533452E0BD20D7CB45B42686EE61A@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

iDigBio is exceedingly pleased to welcome Dr. Katja Seltmann, who has accomplished entomological research to conduct next week?s webinar. Katja has been deeply involved in digitization and research, ECN, and iDigBio activities since the beginning of the ADBC program in 2011. You will not want to miss her talk. See below for the registration link.

February 17, 2026: The Importance of Digital Data for Entomological Research (2:00-3:00pm Eastern)

Speakers:
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)

Abstract: Insects underpin terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet many of the questions most urgent to entomological research, including drivers of decline, shifts in phenology, biogeography, and trait evolution, cannot be addressed efficiently without robust digital data. Natural history collections provide the long term, vouchered evidence base for these analyses, but their value scales dramatically when specimens are translated into interoperable, machine readable datasets that can be discovered, linked, and reused across projects and disciplines. In this talk, I discuss ?digital data? in an entomological context and move beyond the common shorthand of occurrence records. While georeferenced occurrences are foundational, digitally enabled collections also encompass high resolution images and 3D models, ecological interactions, trait measurements, and determination histories. When these components are structured using shared standards and persistent identifiers, collections become not just archives but analytical infrastructure. Using examples from the Big Bee project, I highlight digitization strategies that explicitly anticipate research use, capturing data at the right resolution for downstream questions, integrating imaging with trait extraction, and building pipelines that connect specimens to interactions, traits, and derived products. The central argument is straightforward. Digital data do not merely document insect diversity. They enable the next generation of entomological science by making specimens computable, comparable, and actionable at scale. I also invite discussion of how these approaches align with the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate?s recently released cross cutting thematic areas: Foundations of Life, Living Systems, and Bioinnovation and Infrastructure.

Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series




Gil Nelson PhD, Director

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)

Immediate Past President, Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA)

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu<mailto:gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu>

[FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260213/d2bc1353/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10269 bytes
Desc: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260213/d2bc1353/attachment.png>

From shoobs.1 at osu.edu  Mon Feb 16 15:41:33 2026
From: shoobs.1 at osu.edu (Shoobs, Nate)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:41:33 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author
 mentions the lot has more than one specimen?
Message-ID: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>

This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/#art-75-7> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/82abfe6d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[28].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: image001[28].png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/82abfe6d/attachment.png>

From prc44 at drexel.edu  Mon Feb 16 15:57:31 2026
From: prc44 at drexel.edu (Callomon,Paul)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 20:57:31 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author
 mentions the lot has more than one specimen?
In-Reply-To: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <PH8PR01MB99429125A19F1CB5ED0C86D4C8C36CA@PH8PR01MB994291.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Not only do neotype selections have to be individual and intentional, there are other stipulations. Among them are that the author must show why the original figure and/or description are inadequate to define a taxon, and also what steps she or he took to locate the original type material. Quite what is an acceptable amount of sleuthing the Code does not say, but "I can't find it" is not enough. There cannot be multiple neotypes for a name, nor "paraneotypes."

Paul Callomon
Collection Manager, Malacology and General Invertebrates
________________________________
Academy of Natural Sciences of Drexel University, Philadelphia
callomon at ansp.org<mailto:callomon at ansp.org> Tel 215-405-5096 - Fax 215-299-1170
[cid:image002.png at 01DC9F5C.F461CCD0]

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Shoobs, Nate
Sent: Monday, February 16, 2026 3:42 PM
To: Natural History Collections Listserv <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?


External.
This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/#art-75-7> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/f24b6cf5/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image002.png
Type: image/png
Size: 195140 bytes
Desc: image002.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/f24b6cf5/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image003.png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: image003.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/f24b6cf5/attachment-0001.png>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Mon Feb 16 16:01:42 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:01:42 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Is a neotype designation still valid if the
 author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?
In-Reply-To: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <56499acb-6d9a-4125-952a-d30996239939@leibniz-lib.de>

Hi Nate,

if the figure legend includes the word "neotype" (singular, not plural), you could argue acting as a first revisor that the depicted specimens can be identified as neotype (Art.75.3.3). If that specimen is recognisable and can be positively identified in the lot that specimen would be eligible as the neotype and could be confirmed by the revisionary act.

However, from what you describe it seems that none of the other articles 75.3 apply, which renders the entire designation questionable, especially the usage of neotypes (plural), which disagrees also with article 73.1.

Art. 75.7 says "a neotype designation" (singluar); a neotype must be unambiguous, which does not seem to be the case here. From what you state I would say no, that the original designation agrees with the code.

My two cents.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 16.02.2026 um 21:41 schrieb Shoobs, Nate:
ACHTUNG/ATTENTION: Diese E-Mail stammt von einem externen Absender. / This e-mail comes from an external sender.


This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/#art-75-7> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>



_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/0ce3ad43/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[28].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/0ce3ad43/attachment.png>

From shoobs.1 at osu.edu  Mon Feb 16 16:07:52 2026
From: shoobs.1 at osu.edu (Shoobs, Nate)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 21:07:52 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Is a neotype designation still valid if the
 author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?
In-Reply-To: <56499acb-6d9a-4125-952a-d30996239939@leibniz-lib.de>
References: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
 <56499acb-6d9a-4125-952a-d30996239939@leibniz-lib.de>
Message-ID: <PH0PR01MB663385FA79FD4CD2A3859C1FDC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Thanks Dirk and Paul!
In this particular case the designation fails to meet multiple criteria, not just the requirement that there only be one unambiguous selection, so I'm afraid there's no saving it without publishing a new designation.
But I suppose that's what Recommendation 75D is for, since the specimens figured in that paper were not a bad choice.
-Nate

--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
Date: Monday, February 16, 2026 at 4:01?PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?

This Message Is From an External Sender
This message came from outside your organization.
Report Suspicious<https://us-phishalarm-ewt.proofpoint.com/EWT/v1/KGKeukY!s6QTHUbAIswqAPqR1Q-uVODmQ5jj_LK9902NbfwIvxAAtLVXPgKBBcr1hH4vCOMD47_H7IpnXt9ehWcBKgOKPy1YAjaxGSp3DVjrg7nU$>

Hi Nate,

if the figure legend includes the word "neotype" (singular, not plural), you could argue acting as a first revisor that the depicted specimens can be identified as neotype (Art.75.3.3). If that specimen is recognisable and can be positively identified in the lot that specimen would be eligible as the neotype and could be confirmed by the revisionary act.

However, from what you describe it seems that none of the other articles 75.3 apply, which renders the entire designation questionable, especially the usage of neotypes (plural), which disagrees also with article 73.1.

Art. 75.7 says "a neotype designation" (singluar); a neotype must be unambiguous, which does not seem to be the case here. From what you state I would say no, that the original designation agrees with the code.

My two cents.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 16.02.2026 um 21:41 schrieb Shoobs, Nate:
ACHTUNG/ATTENTION: Diese E-Mail stammt von einem externen Absender. / This e-mail comes from an external sender.


This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/*art-75-7__;Iw!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPHW4BgaXw$> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>


_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l__;!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPFEm1czvQ$>

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.spnhc.org__;!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPHrfmKX6w$> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/68d6395d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[28].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: image001[28].png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/68d6395d/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[66].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: image001[66].png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/68d6395d/attachment-0001.png>

From d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de  Mon Feb 16 16:24:45 2026
From: d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de (Dirk Neumann)
Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2026 22:24:45 +0100
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Is a neotype designation still valid if the
 author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?
In-Reply-To: <PH0PR01MB663385FA79FD4CD2A3859C1FDC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <PH0PR01MB66335B77FD448AA43E702614DC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
 <56499acb-6d9a-4125-952a-d30996239939@leibniz-lib.de>
 <PH0PR01MB663385FA79FD4CD2A3859C1FDC6CA@PH0PR01MB6633.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <cebd0371-8a46-4061-990c-c787d6da2553@leibniz-lib.de>

With pleasure, Nate.

I share your thought on 75D and to resolve the situation, you would need to act as first revisor. But the revisionary act in the sense of 75D requires that you are able to positively identify the depicted specimen. If not, you would need to argue why a different specimen form this lot qualifies. For this revisionary act, you should clarify all another issue of the faulty original designation as well to make sure that all requirements are fully met through the revisionary act.

Cheers,
Dirk


Am 16.02.2026 um 22:07 schrieb Shoobs, Nate:
Thanks Dirk and Paul!
In this particular case the designation fails to meet multiple criteria, not just the requirement that there only be one unambiguous selection, so I'm afraid there's no saving it without publishing a new designation.
But I suppose that's what Recommendation 75D is for, since the specimens figured in that paper were not a bad choice.
-Nate

--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>

From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de><mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
Date: Monday, February 16, 2026 at 4:01?PM
To: nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu><mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
Subject: Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Is a neotype designation still valid if the author mentions the lot has more than one specimen?

This Message Is From an External Sender
This message came from outside your organization.
Report Suspicious<https://us-phishalarm-ewt.proofpoint.com/EWT/v1/KGKeukY!s6QTHUbAIswqAPqR1Q-uVODmQ5jj_LK9902NbfwIvxAAtLVXPgKBBcr1hH4vCOMD47_H7IpnXt9ehWcBKgOKPy1YAjaxGSp3DVjrg7nU$>

Hi Nate,

if the figure legend includes the word "neotype" (singular, not plural), you could argue acting as a first revisor that the depicted specimens can be identified as neotype (Art.75.3.3). If that specimen is recognisable and can be positively identified in the lot that specimen would be eligible as the neotype and could be confirmed by the revisionary act.

However, from what you describe it seems that none of the other articles 75.3 apply, which renders the entire designation questionable, especially the usage of neotypes (plural), which disagrees also with article 73.1.

Art. 75.7 says "a neotype designation" (singluar); a neotype must be unambiguous, which does not seem to be the case here. From what you state I would say no, that the original designation agrees with the code.

My two cents.

With best wishes
Dirk


Am 16.02.2026 um 21:41 schrieb Shoobs, Nate:
ACHTUNG/ATTENTION: Diese E-Mail stammt von einem externen Absender. / This e-mail comes from an external sender.


This one is for all the ICZN buffs out there:

I'm a bit rusty. I'm checking the type status of a specific lot and an author (prior to 1961) refers to a multi-specimen lot by catalog number collectively as "neotypes" for a species with a lost syntype series. The author illustrates an individual specimen in the publication as well, but does not unambiguously state that one specimen from the cited museum lot in particular is the neotype.

Do neotype designations need to be individual and unambiguous in an original publication to be valid?
My gut says yes due to the way ICZN Art. 75.7<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://code.iczn.org/types-in-the-species-group/article-75-neotypes/*art-75-7__;Iw!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPHW4BgaXw$> is worded, but I wanted to double check.


--

[The Ohio State University]
Nathaniel F. Shoobs
Curator of Mollusks
College of Arts & Sciences Dept. of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology
Museum of Biological Diversity, 1315 Kinnear Rd, Columbus, OH 43212
614-688-1342 (Office)
mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates<https://mbd.osu.edu/collections/invertebrates>


_______________________________________________
Nhcoll-l mailing list
Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l<https://urldefense.com/v3/__https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l__;!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPFEm1czvQ$>

_______________________________________________
NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
society. See http://www.spnhc.org<https://urldefense.com/v3/__http://www.spnhc.org__;!!KGKeukY!2zvI4Dqvu__LnoTllxoMqz8dTRBzIhfLL7s0rn7Rto6wErBCVQ8COHli-LLpaFYgdawX5jdvwC1QqZmjYPHrfmKX6w$> for membership information.
Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.



--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<http://www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst


--
****

Dirk Neumann
Collection Manager, Hamburg

Postal address:
Museum of Nature Hamburg
Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
of Biodiversity Change
Dirk Neumann
Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
20146 Hamburg
+49 40 238 317 ? 628
d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de<mailto:d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
www.leibniz-lib.de<imap://dneumann at webmail.leibniz-lib.de:993/fetch%3EUID%3E/INBOX/Privat/www.leibniz-lib.de>

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst

--
Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany

Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/b44a192d/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[66].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/b44a192d/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: image001[28].png
Type: image/png
Size: 3607 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260216/b44a192d/attachment-0001.png>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Tue Feb 17 08:22:21 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 13:22:21 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Reminder: Webinar today at 2:00 p.m. Eastern
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB5334D09B7E95DD894EC8BE97EE6DA@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

iDigBio is exceedingly pleased to welcome Dr. Katja Seltmann, an accomplished entomological researcher and collections professional, to present today's webinar: The Importance of Digital Data for Entomological Research. Katja has been deeply involved in digitization, research, the Entomological Collections Network, and iDigBio activities since the beginning of the ADBC program in 2011 and is currently affiliated with the NSF-funded Big Bee Project (https://library.big-bee.net/portal/index.php). You will not want to miss her talk. See below for the registration link.

February 17, 2026: The Importance of Digital Data for Entomological Research (2:00-3:00pm Eastern)

Speakers:
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)

Abstract: Insects underpin terrestrial biodiversity and ecosystem function, yet many of the questions most urgent to entomological research, including drivers of decline, shifts in phenology, biogeography, and trait evolution, cannot be addressed efficiently without robust digital data. Natural history collections provide the long term, vouchered evidence base for these analyses, but their value scales dramatically when specimens are translated into interoperable, machine readable datasets that can be discovered, linked, and reused across projects and disciplines. In this talk, I discuss ?digital data? in an entomological context and move beyond the common shorthand of occurrence records. While georeferenced occurrences are foundational, digitally enabled collections also encompass high resolution images and 3D models, ecological interactions, trait measurements, and determination histories. When these components are structured using shared standards and persistent identifiers, collections become not just archives but analytical infrastructure. Using examples from the Big Bee project, I highlight digitization strategies that explicitly anticipate research use, capturing data at the right resolution for downstream questions, integrating imaging with trait extraction, and building pipelines that connect specimens to interactions, traits, and derived products. The central argument is straightforward. Digital data do not merely document insect diversity. They enable the next generation of entomological science by making specimens computable, comparable, and actionable at scale. I also invite discussion of how these approaches align with the NSF Biological Sciences Directorate?s recently released cross cutting thematic areas: Foundations of Life, Living Systems, and Bioinnovation and Infrastructure.

Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series

Best,
Gil



Gil Nelson PhD, Director

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)

Immediate Past President, Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA)

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu<mailto:gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu>

[FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260217/f0a65e34/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10269 bytes
Desc: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260217/f0a65e34/attachment.png>

From jldunnum at unm.edu  Tue Feb 17 12:16:09 2026
From: jldunnum at unm.edu (Jonathan Dunnum)
Date: Tue, 17 Feb 2026 17:16:09 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Category B bat NH specimen imports through FEDEX
Message-ID: <BN0PR07MB8879EFBDE35EA95E91A3B3E0D96DA@BN0PR07MB8879.namprd07.prod.outlook.com>

Hi All,
Wondering if anyone has done one of these imports into the US within the last year? We have done them prior to current administration but wondering about potential new tariffs or regs.
Thanks much, Jon

______________________________________________________________
Jonathan L. Dunnum Ph.D. (he, him, his)
Senior Collection Manager
Division of Mammals, Museum of Southwestern Biology
Research Assistant Professor (LAT)
Department of Biology
University of New Mexico
Albuquerque, NM 87131
(505) 277-9262
Fax (505) 277-1351

Chair, Systematic Collections Committee, American Society of Mammalogists
Latin American Fellowship Committee, ASM
UNM Institutional Animal Care and Use Committee
UNM Museum Council

MSB Mammals website: http://www.msb.unm.edu/mammals/index.html
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/MSBDivisionofMammals

Shipping Address:
Museum of Southwestern Biology
Division of Mammals
University of New Mexico
CERIA Bldg 83, Room 204
Albuquerque, NM 87131
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260217/423f11dc/attachment.html>

From mtaylor at andover.edu  Wed Feb 18 13:22:03 2026
From: mtaylor at andover.edu (Marla L Taylor)
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:22:03 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Indigenous Collections Care Webinar Series - March 3rd
In-Reply-To: <BL0PR01MB5123E1392CE7DE0F3C5440EAB56AA@BL0PR01MB5123.prod.exchangelabs.com>
References: <e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636.__test_email__.20260108205526.73e6636fd8.344e9d5e@mail16.suw151.rsgsv.net>
 <SN6PR02MB558432B1431DE5E2C75F838CFE85A@SN6PR02MB5584.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
 <BYAPR02MB557512ECC4470AE4DD0AB347FE6AA@BYAPR02MB5575.namprd02.prod.outlook.com>
 <BL0PR01MB5123E1392CE7DE0F3C5440EAB56AA@BL0PR01MB5123.prod.exchangelabs.com>
Message-ID: <BL0PR01MB5123E8EBD076B69D842A6399B56AA@BL0PR01MB5123.prod.exchangelabs.com>

Please join us for the second session of the Rethinking Collections Stewardship Speaker Series - March 3rd at 2pm Central - for a conversation on physical care of Indigenous collections.

Register here<https://gilcrease.org/icc-speaker-series/>

Recordings will be made available on the School for Advanced Research (SAR) YouTube page within a few weeks of each presentation.
[https://gallery.mailchimp.com/e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636/images/dc9af8a2-ba64-4ae9-b36f-aeb4361916f9.png]<http://gilcrease.org/>

[https://mcusercontent.com/e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636/images/b8b30a09-2c7f-8ae7-9a5d-36f50b9a3a72.png]<https://gilcrease.org/icc-speaker-series/>

Indigenous Collections Care (ICC) Speaker Series


In partnership with the Indian Arts Research Center (IARC) at the School for Advanced Research and Gilcrease Museum, we present the Indigenous Collections Care (ICC) Speaker Series, a four-part webinar series examining Indigenous-centered approaches to museum collections stewardship.

Developed in advance of the forthcoming Indigenous Collections Care Guide, the series brings together leading practitioners to explore consultation, conservation, access, and relationship-building through Indigenous knowledge and values-reflecting our ongoing leadership in this work across the museum field.

Museum professionals and colleagues across the field are invited to register or learn more about the series.

Register<https://gilcrease.org/icc-speaker-series/>


Webinar Schedule

Intellectual Care of Collections
Feb 3 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM Central
Featuring: Kara Vetter, Evan Mathis, Meghan Dorey

Physical Care of Collections
Mar 3 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM Central
Featuring: Dyan Youpee, Rebecca Rupe, Amy Covell-Murthy

Relationship Building & Consultation
Apr 7 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM Central
Featuring: Laura Elliff Cruz, Chance Ward, Marti Only A Chief

Use & Access of Collections
May 5 | 2:00 - 3:30 PM Central
Featuring: Amanda Lancaster, Sarah O'Donnell, Ed Jolie, RaeLynn Butler


[https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/dark-facebook-48.png]<http://www.facebook.com/gilcrease.museum>

[https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/dark-twitter-48.png]<http://www.twitter.com/GilcreaseMuseum>

[https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/dark-instagram-48.png]<http://instagram.com/gilcreasemuseum/>

[https://cdn-images.mailchimp.com/icons/social-block-v2/dark-youtube-48.png]<https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCi4Hym-mx53CMFY-fS66gOg>


Copyright ? 2019 Gilcrease Museum, All rights reserved.

Our address is:
800 S Tucker Drive
Tulsa, Oklahoma 74104

Want to change how you receive these emails?
You can update your preferences<https://gilcrease.us9.list-manage.com/profile?u=e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636&id=21b2c6e81c&e=__test_email__&c=73e6636fd8> or unsubscribe from this list<https://gilcrease.us9.list-manage.com/unsubscribe?u=e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636&id=21b2c6e81c&t=b&e=__test_email__&c=73e6636fd8>.


View this email in your browser<https://us9.campaign-archive.com/?e=__test_email__&u=e400d2ac86b96559d288dd636&id=73e6636fd8>.


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260218/d2eb21d3/attachment.html>

From lls94 at cornell.edu  Wed Feb 18 13:46:34 2026
From: lls94 at cornell.edu (Leslie L Skibinski)
Date: Wed, 18 Feb 2026 18:46:34 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Second call for John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research
 Applications - Deadline March 2, 2026
Message-ID: <PH0PR04MB723848809488C8BCAA001D65AB6AA@PH0PR04MB7238.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>

John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research Program

The Paleontological Research Institution (PRI) invites applications from undergraduate students, graduate students, and post-doctoral researchers for the 2026 John W. Wells Grants-in-Aid of Research Program to support collections-based research in any field of paleontology. The program awards grants of up to $500 to visit PRI's collections.

This grant honors John W. Wells (1907 - 1994), past President of the PRI Board of Trustees, a long-time geology faculty member at Cornell University, and one of the world's leading authorities on fossil and living corals.
PRI houses one of the largest collections of invertebrate fossils in North America, with particular strengths in Cenozoic mollusks from the Western Hemisphere, and marine invertebrates of the northeastern U.S., especially the Devonian of central New York.
 Applications should include a brief (one-page) description of the research project, a budget justification, and a letter of recommendation.

 Application deadline is March 2, 2026.

 Please e-mail your application material or any questions to Dr. Gregory P. Dietl, Curator of Cenozoic Invertebrates at gpd3 at cornell.edu<mailto:gpd3 at cornell.edu>.


Leslie L. Skibinski
Collections Manager

Paleontological Research Institution
1259 Trumansburg Road
Ithaca, New York  14850

(607) 273-6623  ext. 128

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260218/1d285eda/attachment.html>

From eric.schultz at uconn.edu  Thu Feb 19 17:16:14 2026
From: eric.schultz at uconn.edu (Schultz, Eric)
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2026 22:16:14 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hoyer's mounting medium?
In-Reply-To: <PH0PR05MB79788F8D573ED475DE6FAB16966BA@PH0PR05MB7978.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
References: <PH0PR05MB79788F8D573ED475DE6FAB16966BA@PH0PR05MB7978.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <SN6PR05MB63196E355E53A68A05C52F5C856BA@SN6PR05MB6319.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>

I wonder if the fine subscribers of the Natural History Collections Listserv nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu<mailto:nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu> might be able to help

From: --- Make sure that you have read the Documentation --- <EEBDEPT-DL at LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU> On Behalf Of Knutie, Sarah
Sent: Thursday, February 19, 2026 4:50 PM
To: EEBDEPT-DL at LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU
Subject: Hoyer's mounting medium?

Hi Everyone!

Our Hoyer's mounting medium to mount mites is running out and we cannot find a US vendor that sells it anymore, likely because of regulations with one of its ingredients... chloral hydrate.

Does anyone have any Hoyer's mounting medium that they are not using anymore?
Or do you have a US vendor that we have not found yet?
Or do you have a recipe for good mounting medium that rivals Hoyer's?

Unfortunately, the mounting medium from most big name scientific vendors does not work well for us.

Thanks!
Sarah


Sarah Knutie (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor

Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology

Institute for Systems Genomics

University of Connecticut

75 N. Eagleville Road, Unit 3043

Storrs, CT 06269-3043



Office: Gant West 321

Office Phone: 860-486-1890

Cell Phone: 218-213-0008
Lab website: http://www.knutielab.com<http://www.knutielab.com/>


Land Acknowledgement: I acknowledge that UConn is on the territory of the Mohegan (Mo-he-gan), Mashantucket Pequot (Mash-un-tuck-it Pea-kwaht), Eastern Pequot (Pea-kwaht), Schaghticoke (ska-teh-COKE), Golden Hill Paugussett (paw-GUS-it),  Nipmuc (Nip-muck), and Lenape Peoples (Leh-NAH-pay), who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. I thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.



Interested in sending us bird nests from your nest boxes? Please e-mail us at nestparasitestudy at gmail.com<mailto:nestparasitestudy at gmail.com>



NOTE: I regularly send e-mails outside of standard business hours due to my schedule. Please do not feel obligated to respond to my e-mails outside of your normal working hours.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260219/4c500f36/attachment.html>

From dyanega at gmail.com  Thu Feb 19 18:01:50 2026
From: dyanega at gmail.com (Douglas Yanega)
Date: Thu, 19 Feb 2026 15:01:50 -0800
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hoyer's mounting medium?
In-Reply-To: <SN6PR05MB63196E355E53A68A05C52F5C856BA@SN6PR05MB6319.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
References: <PH0PR05MB79788F8D573ED475DE6FAB16966BA@PH0PR05MB7978.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <SN6PR05MB63196E355E53A68A05C52F5C856BA@SN6PR05MB6319.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <32e706c8-6805-4422-a96f-6757198c0aca@gmail.com>

On 2/19/26 2:16 PM, Schultz, Eric wrote:
>
> I wonder if the fine subscribers of the Natural History Collections 
> Listserv nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu might be able to help
>
> Our Hoyer's mounting medium to mount mites is running out and we 
> cannot find a US vendor that sells it anymore, likely because of 
> regulations with one of its ingredients... chloral hydrate.
>
> Does anyone have any Hoyer's mounting medium that they are not using 
> anymore?
>
> Or do you have a US vendor that we have not found yet?
>
> Or do you have a recipe?for good mounting medium that rivals Hoyer's?
>
> Unfortunately, the mounting medium from most big name scientific 
> vendors does not work well for us.
>
>
I cannot answer this in the way Sarah wants, but I do recall that 
something has been explained to me about mites on slides: there is 
something odd about the optical properties of mite cuticle that means 
that they are only fully and properly visible when mounted in Hoyer's. 
This is a serious problem because Hoyer's has terrible archival quality, 
so mite collections that are not routinely re-mounting their slides with 
fresh Hoyer's become unusable after a few decades of neglect because of 
the deterioration of the slides (ours being one such collection). 
Archival mounts made with (e.g.) balsam last forever, but the mites 
become invisible. A veritable "damned if you do..." scenario, as it was 
explained to me. This was from a fairly experienced and knowledgeable 
colleague who was looking at the slides in our mite collection, so it 
should be accurate and verifiable, but I admit it is second-hand.

Peace,

-- 
Doug Yanega      Dept. of Entomology       Entomology Research Museum
Univ. of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314    phone: 951-827-4315
FaceBook: Doug Yanega (disclaimer: opinions are mine, not UCR's)
              https://faculty.ucr.edu/~heraty/yanega.html
   "There are some enterprises in which a careful disorderliness
         is the true method" - Herman Melville, Moby Dick, Chap. 82
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260219/1500e399/attachment.html>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Fri Feb 20 14:20:44 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 19:20:44 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Webinar: A Conversation about Sustaining digitization
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB533401C92E94C66E6BCB92F7EE68A@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

Join us for a conversation about sustaining digitization!

We invite you to take part in an upcoming community webinar focused on practical, experience-driven strategies for keeping digitization efforts strong and sustainable. This is an opportunity to engage directly with leaders across institutions, learn from real-world examples, and contribute to a broader discussion about how we can collectively support and sustain digitization programs beyond individual grants and funding cycles. See below for the registration link.

The leaders of this webinar are deeply experienced in collections digitization and data mobilization and invite you to share in the discussion.

February 24, 2026: Sustaining Digitization: A Community Perspective (2:00-4:00pm ET)

Speakers:
Libby Ellwood (President-Elect, SPNHC; Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, iDigBio)
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)
Regina Wetzer (National History Museum of LA County)
Jason Best (Botanical Research Institute of Texas)

Abstract: This webinar highlights practical strategies from leaders in the digitization community who are addressing common challenges in creating and sustaining digitization programs. Speakers will share approaches to diversifying funding beyond federal sources, stretching limited budgets, developing cost-effective workflows, and staffing efforts with work-study students, volunteers, and community scientists. Strategies for outreach, inreach, and sustaining activities beyond grant periods will also be discussed. Drawing on experience at a large natural history museum, within an R1 university, and at botanical research institute, the session will explore leveraging work-study programs, volunteers, collection rescue initiatives, state funding opportunities, and cross-departmental coordination to support collection needs. It will also address engaging donors around specific digitization priorities, sharing clear progress updates, and prioritizing active research use to ensure long-term sustainability. A discussion and Q&A will follow.

Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series


We hope to see you there!




Gil Nelson PhD, Director

Integrated Digitized Biocollections (iDigBio)

Immediate Past President, Natural Science Collections Alliance (NSCA)

Florida Museum of Natural History

University of Florida

gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu<mailto:gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu>

[FM_logo_horizontal_CMYK]


-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260220/99009213/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
Type: image/png
Size: 10269 bytes
Desc: Outlook-FM_logo_ho.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260220/99009213/attachment.png>

From bmhess at umich.edu  Fri Feb 20 14:35:47 2026
From: bmhess at umich.edu (Benjamin Hess)
Date: Fri, 20 Feb 2026 14:35:47 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Hoyer's mounting medium?
In-Reply-To: <SN6PR05MB63196E355E53A68A05C52F5C856BA@SN6PR05MB6319.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
References: <PH0PR05MB79788F8D573ED475DE6FAB16966BA@PH0PR05MB7978.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <SN6PR05MB63196E355E53A68A05C52F5C856BA@SN6PR05MB6319.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <CAL=eu_pT3MDTFR4Ckye8KDEvOh3T04O+_YWhvu4MPzWxeewLUQ@mail.gmail.com>

We are using Hoyer's Mounting Medium for our mite collection, and have not
noticed much deterioration of slides created with this for multiple
decades. We have details for the composition and making Hoyer's, but have
not needed to make any new medium for several years.

   - Per communication, "Regarding deterioration, slides that aren?t ringed
   will go bad fairly quickly. The community has found that Hoyer?s slides
   that are ringed twice with an appropriate sealant (we use red insulating
   varnish) will last for a very long time. One ring is not sufficient, so I
   need to remount specimens from back when this was the case."

If you are in a country (like the United States) that considers chloral
hydrate to be a controlled substance (CS), there are many steps to maintain
any chloral hydrate mixtures and use it. When regulated, you must comply
with the respective state and federal CS licensing and registration. Our
process through the university results in monitoring visits, inventories,
and usage logs among other requirements.

There used to be places to purchase this, but due to the CS requirements,
those seemed to disappear for purchases within the United States (based on
a very brief search). There seems to be international locations where you
may be able to purchase this, but the requirements to import this are quite
strict (movement within the country is also strict).

If you are interested to learn more, please contact me directly.

Sincerely,

Ben

On Thu, Feb 19, 2026 at 5:16?PM Schultz, Eric <eric.schultz at uconn.edu>
wrote:

> I wonder if the fine subscribers of the Natural History Collections
> Listserv nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu might be able to help
>
>
>
> *From:* --- Make sure that you have read the Documentation --- <
> EEBDEPT-DL at LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU> *On Behalf Of *Knutie, Sarah
> *Sent:* Thursday, February 19, 2026 4:50 PM
> *To:* EEBDEPT-DL at LISTSERV.UCONN.EDU
> *Subject:* Hoyer's mounting medium?
>
>
>
> Hi Everyone!
>
>
>
> Our Hoyer's mounting medium to mount mites is running out and we cannot
> find a US vendor that sells it anymore, likely because of regulations with
> one of its ingredients... chloral hydrate.
>
>
>
> Does anyone have any Hoyer's mounting medium that they are not using
> anymore?
>
> Or do you have a US vendor that we have not found yet?
>
> Or do you have a recipe for good mounting medium that rivals Hoyer's?
>
>
>
> Unfortunately, the mounting medium from most big name scientific vendors
> does not work well for us.
>
>
>
> Thanks!
>
> Sarah
>
>
>
> Sarah Knutie (she/her/hers)
>
> Associate Professor
>
> Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
>
> Institute for Systems Genomics
>
> University of Connecticut
>
> 75 N. Eagleville Road, Unit 3043
>
> Storrs, CT 06269-3043
>
>
>
> Office: Gant West 321
>
> Office Phone: 860-486-1890
>
> Cell Phone: 218-213-0008
> Lab website: http://www.knutielab.com
>
>
>
> Land Acknowledgement: I acknowledge that UConn is on the territory of the
> Mohegan (Mo-he-gan), Mashantucket Pequot (Mash-un-tuck-it Pea-kwaht),
> Eastern Pequot (Pea-kwaht), Schaghticoke (ska-teh-COKE), Golden Hill
> Paugussett (paw-GUS-it),  Nipmuc (Nip-muck), and Lenape Peoples
> (Leh-NAH-pay), who have stewarded this land throughout the generations. I
> thank them for their strength and resilience in protecting this land, and
> aspire to uphold our responsibilities according to their example.
>
>
>
> Interested in sending us bird nests from your nest boxes? Please e-mail us
> at nestparasitestudy at gmail.com
>
>
>
> *NOTE: I regularly send e-mails outside of standard business hours due to
> my schedule. Please do not feel obligated to respond to my e-mails outside
> of your normal working hours.*
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>


-- 

*Benjamin M. Hess | EEB Museums Registrar | **EEB Museums Safety
Representative to the RMC *

University of Michigan | LSA Ecology & Evolutionary Biology | Research
Museums Center

3600 Varsity Drive, Ann Arbor MI 48108-2228

bmhess at umich.edu | 734-764-2432
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260220/092cdcf4/attachment.html>

From debra-trusty at uiowa.edu  Sat Feb 21 18:47:26 2026
From: debra-trusty at uiowa.edu (Trusty, Debra A)
Date: Sat, 21 Feb 2026 23:47:26 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] VAP in Museum Studies at University of Iowa
Message-ID: <MN2PR04MB60964CDADAC0CDC3CC202A399569A@MN2PR04MB6096.namprd04.prod.outlook.com>

Link to job description: https://jobs.uiowa.edu/faculty/view/75864

The University of Iowa?s Classics and Religious Studies invites applications for a 100% Visiting Assistant Professor in Museum Studies for the 2026-2027 academic year. Duties of this position include teaching 4 classes per semester and includes one section of MUSM:2001 (Introduction to Museum Studies) each semester, as well as courses related to exhibition development, public education, and museum administration in fulfillment of the Museum Studies undergraduate certificate. The successful candidate will collaborate with colleagues and will serve on the Museum Studies Advisory Committee for the program, as well as other responsibilities as needed. The start date of this position is August 19, 2026.

The University of Iowa?s Museum Studies program has a long and proud history on campus with courses offered continuously since 1910. The undergraduate certificate in Museum Studies requires 18 s.h. of coursework, including an internship of 150 hours, with the flexibility to complete coursework in-person or online and the opportunity to engage with and learn from museum professionals and faculty. After completing this robust and interdisciplinary program, University of Iowa Museum Studies students have become directors, curators, educators, and exhibit specialists in museums throughout the country. On campus, faculty and students have access to a wide variety of museums and related resources, including the following University of Iowa museums: the Museum of Natural History, the Stanley Museum of Art, the Old Capitol Museum, the Medical Museum, and the Karro Athletic Hall of Fame. The Museum Studies program also maintains close connections with a number of local, community-based museums and organizations.

The program will be housed in the Department of Classics and Religious Studies which is a part of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Iowa. The program and college are strongly committed to fostering a welcoming and respectful academic and work environment; the strategic plans of the University and College reflect this commitment.

This is a one year, 100% time, non-tenure track position with benefits, with the possibility of extension up to a total of three years. Candidates must have the ability to teach undergraduate courses in Museum Studies (introduction to museum studies, museums and social justice, audience engagement, and museum evaluation) and be able to mentor students pursuing careers in a range of disciplines and institutions (e.g. museums of art, history, natural history, science, technology, etc.). Review of applications will begin on March 6, 2026, and will continue until position is filled.

To apply for this position, visit the University of Iowa jobs website at http://jobs.uiowa.edu, requisition #75864. Applications must include the following:


  *
Cover letter
  *
CV
  *
Teaching philosophy (no more than 2 pages)
  *
A list of three references

Education Requirement:??


  *
Applicants must have a terminal degree (i.e. PhD, MFA) in hand by August 15, 2026.

Required Qualifications:??????


  *
At least 2 years? professional experience (i.e. at a museum, gallery, repository, archives).
  *
Teaching experience at the university level.

Desirable Qualifications:?????


  *
Hold a PhD in Museum Studies, Anthropology, Art History, or other relevant field.
  *
3 or more years? professional experience (i.e. at a museum, gallery, repository, archives).
  *
Experience teaching undergraduate courses in Museum Studies topics in-person and online.

Link to job description: https://jobs.uiowa.edu/faculty/view/75864

Thanks,

Debra A. Trusty, PhD (she/her/hers)

Associate Professor of Instruction, Department of Classics, University of Iowa
Museum Studies Program Coordinator, Division of Interdisciplinary Studies
Department of Classics Honors Coordinator

224 Jefferson Building, Iowa City, Iowa 52242  (video directions to my office from downtown IC<https://uicapture.hosted.panopto.com/Panopto/Pages/Viewer.aspx?id=6b11e33c-9661-400e-bb4a-afb80115c748>)
Office: 319-335-0624
Drop-in Hours (spring 2026, central time zone):
Tuesdays????????2:00-3:00 PM
Wednesdays?????3:00-4:00 PM??
Thursdays??????  12:00-1:00 PM
Fridays????????? 12:00-1:00 PM
How to attend drop-in hours (2 options):
- Via Zoom: https://uiowa.zoom.us/j/99489033484
- In person: 224 Jefferson Building
?????Can't make my drop-in hours? Schedule a one-on-one appointment (online or in-person) HERE!<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/f6adfc1b4abe42dc9d8a5e2a1bbfec62 at uiowa.edu?anonymous&ismsaljsauthenabled&ep=plink>

[cid:1409ebbe-1959-41ce-9aee-75b25168b2a9]<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/f6adfc1b4abe42dc9d8a5e2a1bbfec62 at uiowa.edu?anonymous&ep=signature&ismsaljsauthenabled>
Book time to meet with me<https://outlook.office.com/bookwithme/user/f6adfc1b4abe42dc9d8a5e2a1bbfec62 at uiowa.edu?anonymous&ep=signature&ismsaljsauthenabled>
[cid:fed02969-1fbd-4eb3-9618-df189e4449c5]

*Please know that I honor and respect boundaries around personal time, well-being, and rest. Should you receive this correspondence from me after your usual working hours or during a time that you are engaging in any of the above, please protect your time and respond when you are comfortable.*

Stressed? Enjoy this picture of my dog, Daisy! Fun fact, looking at pictures of cute animals can reduce stress and anxiety by 35% according to a study by the University of Leeds.

[cid:f347ed25-2abd-425c-b014-268edf123e74]
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260221/75001b40/attachment.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-2pfj5w44.png
Type: image/png
Size: 528 bytes
Desc: Outlook-2pfj5w44.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260221/75001b40/attachment.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-sw4t4nfb.png
Type: image/png
Size: 30018 bytes
Desc: Outlook-sw4t4nfb.png
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260221/75001b40/attachment-0001.png>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: Outlook-ym1vohkc.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 642861 bytes
Desc: Outlook-ym1vohkc.jpg
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260221/75001b40/attachment.jpg>

From bauerjen at umich.edu  Mon Feb 23 12:07:54 2026
From: bauerjen at umich.edu (Jennifer Bauer)
Date: Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:07:54 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Applications Due March 2nd: Undergrad Natural History
 Digitization Workshop June 2026
Message-ID: <CAC3ZwD=UQtvFboEh6CfHmW2B9riVRpcAb8k0D3q1oRawHQHh6g@mail.gmail.com>

Greetings colleagues,


Our NSF-funded grant and the University of Michigan are hosting a
five-day workshop: Expanding Expertise and Providing Access
through Natural History Digitization (ExPAND). This workshop will be fully
funded and focus on various aspects of collection management
and natural history careers.


Who: Undergraduate students enrolled or recently graduated from a 2- or
4-year accredited institution

Where: Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA

When: June 15, 2026 to June 19, 2026 (with travel days on either side)


Application due on March 2nd:
https://csustan.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_bpgjqQBJTgCyVoy

More details:
https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Wikidata:WikiProject_Echinodermata


Please share broadly with your communities. If you have any questions
please reach out to me directly.

Thank you kindly,

Jen

-- 
Jennifer Bauer, Ph.D.
She/Her/Hers
Research Museum Collection Manager
University of Michigan Museum of Paleontology
Office phone: 734-615-2735
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260223/c3e9b533/attachment.html>

From gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu  Tue Feb 24 08:45:29 2026
From: gnelson at floridamuseum.ufl.edu (Nelson,Gil)
Date: Tue, 24 Feb 2026 13:45:29 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Reminder: Sustaining Digitization Webinar Today!
In-Reply-To: <IA0PR22MB4259F81CB8EBAA38AE2E4B32B674A@IA0PR22MB4259.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>
References: <IA0PR22MB4259F81CB8EBAA38AE2E4B32B674A@IA0PR22MB4259.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>
Message-ID: <SJ2PR22MB53348FFD00C23D54F285CF6FEE74A@SJ2PR22MB5334.namprd22.prod.outlook.com>

We invite you to take part in an upcoming webinar focused on practical, experience-driven strategies for keeping digitization efforts strong and sustainable. This is an opportunity to engage directly with leaders across institutions, learn from real-world examples, and contribute to a broader discussion about how we can collectively support and sustain digitization programs beyond individual grants and funding cycles. See below for the registration link.

February 24, 2026: Sustaining Digitization: A Community Perspective (2:00-4:00pm ET)

Speakers:
Libby Ellwood (Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, iDigBio)
Katja Seltmann (University of California - Santa Barbara, Cheadle Center)
Regina Wetzer (National History Museum of LA County)
Jason Best (Botanical Research Institute of Texas)

Abstract: This webinar highlights practical strategies from leaders in the digitization community who are addressing common challenges in creating and sustaining digitization programs. Speakers will share approaches to diversifying funding beyond federal sources, stretching limited budgets, developing cost-effective workflows, and staffing efforts with work-study students, volunteers, and community scientists. Strategies for outreach, inreach, and sustaining activities beyond grant periods will also be discussed. Drawing on experience at a large natural history museum, within an R1 university, and at botanical research institute, the session will explore leveraging work-study programs, volunteers, collection rescue initiatives, state funding opportunities, and cross-departmental coordination to support collection needs. It will also address engaging donors around specific digitization priorities, sharing clear progress updates, and prioritizing active research use to ensure long-term sustainability. A Q&A will follow.

Register here:
https://www.idigbio.org/content/webinar-series-importance-sustaining-biodiversity-specimen-collections-digitization-absence

For past recordings and upcoming events, visit the series Wiki page:
https://www.idigbio.org/wiki/index.php/Sustaining_Collections_Digitization_Beyond_NSF_Funding:_A_Webinar_Series


We hope to see you there!

Best,
Shyla


[UF]
Shyla Davison
Education and Outreach Corrdinator
Florida Museum of Natural History | iDigBio
University of Florida
sdavison1 at ufl.edu<mailto:sdavison1 at ufl.edu>



-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260224/0170e56c/attachment.html>

From ethicaltaxidermy at gmail.com  Thu Feb 26 02:41:51 2026
From: ethicaltaxidermy at gmail.com (Jazmine Miles-Long)
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 07:41:51 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Tiger tails- advice for Caspian Tigers
In-Reply-To: <CAPVvR4QQ8S+SsabzKJLSgT69EJCZ0i07K7kTZWUjWbZULxV2Og@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAPVvR4QQ8S+SsabzKJLSgT69EJCZ0i07K7kTZWUjWbZULxV2Og@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <CAOhdPjkdam_RqHAS6=paS3Qw=pVDCJqWvMHHo43oyr-WKse6+A@mail.gmail.com>

Dear all,

We are working on a taxidermy conservation project and are looking for
advice regarding tiger tails. The specimens in question are 2 Caspian
tigers, a smaller, extinct sub-species. We have only been able to find one
photo online which shows a very small tail compared to its overall size.

A previous restoration of these specimens has given them a much larger
tail, more like a Bengal Tiger. We would appreciate advice from a
mammalogist regarding the correct size for the tail of this species. We
will be making new replacements!

I attach 3 photos, one of the Caspian tiger reference and two of the
current tails.

Advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thank you,

Jazmine Miles Long

*Jazmine Miles-Long*
Taxidermist
07950589564
Website <http://www.jazminemileslong.com/> / Instagram
<https://instagram.com/jazmine_miles_long/>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/69c766d4/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 6901.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2018929 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/69c766d4/attachment-0003.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 6904.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2138764 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/69c766d4/attachment-0004.jpg>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: 6900.jpg
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 2215487 bytes
Desc: not available
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/69c766d4/attachment-0005.jpg>

From kj23v at fsu.edu  Thu Feb 26 14:58:16 2026
From: kj23v at fsu.edu (Kalina Jakymec)
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 19:58:16 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Digitization Academy | Digital Imaging for Biodiversity
 Collections | One week left to apply!
Message-ID: <SJ2P220MB1620066CA2ACA2A60940B883B672A@SJ2P220MB1620.NAMP220.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>

Hello all,

Friendly reminder that there is just over a week left to apply to the Digitization Academy?s<http://digitizationacademy.org/catalog> spring offering of Digital Imaging for Biodiversity Collections.

Please share this announcement with those who may be interested!
________________________________
Digital Imaging for Biodiversity Collections<https://www.idigbio.org/content/digital-imaging-biodiversity-collections-3>
April 6?29, 2026; Mondays and Wednesdays, 3?4:30p (Eastern time, United States)
(English language offering)

The aim of this free, online Digitization Academy course is to empower participants with the knowledge and skills to (1) identify and describe relevant facets of biodiversity specimens that can be captured and shared with common digital imaging modalities, (2) identify sources of digital imaging protocols and best practices, (3) identify and prioritize major differences among digital image file formats, hardware, and software options, (4) explain the workings of a digital single lens reflex (DSLR) or mirrorless camera/lens, camera control software, and image processing software, (5) archive and share digital images, and (6) anticipate new uses for digital images of biodiversity specimens, such as in artificial intelligence and immersive media.  Participation will require access to a digital camera.

The course will be delivered in English. Those from outside the United States may apply.

Applications are due by 9pm ET on Friday, March 6.
Click here to apply!<https://forms.gle/Hbg4nm2p9ihH8wc69>


Kalina Jakymec
iDigBio Workforce Development Manager
Florida State University
digitizationacademy.org | idigbio.org
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/ced97571/attachment.html>

From madeleine_mullon at fas.harvard.edu  Thu Feb 26 15:10:53 2026
From: madeleine_mullon at fas.harvard.edu (Mullon, Madeleine)
Date: Thu, 26 Feb 2026 20:10:53 +0000
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Tiger tails- advice for Caspian Tigers
In-Reply-To: <CAOhdPjkdam_RqHAS6=paS3Qw=pVDCJqWvMHHo43oyr-WKse6+A@mail.gmail.com>
References: <CAPVvR4QQ8S+SsabzKJLSgT69EJCZ0i07K7kTZWUjWbZULxV2Og@mail.gmail.com>
 <CAOhdPjkdam_RqHAS6=paS3Qw=pVDCJqWvMHHo43oyr-WKse6+A@mail.gmail.com>
Message-ID: <BL0PR07MB52180CE0458EBE735AEEC994A072A@BL0PR07MB5218.namprd07.prod.outlook.com>

Hi Jazmine,

Taking a look at some of literature, the original description of Felis virgata by Illiger in 1815 (=Panthera tigris virgata) simply notes the Caspian tiger as being smaller and grayer than the Bengal tiger, saying nothing about the tail in particular. The species account for Panthera tigris in Mammalian Species (no. 152, Mazak 1981<https://doi.org/10.2307/3504004>) does say the subspecies virgata is one of the largest tiger subspecies, along with the Bengal tiger (P. tigris tigris) and the Siberian/Ussurian tiger (P. t. altaica), which is consistent with Bergmann?s Rule. The description of Felis tigris trabata by Schwarz in 1916, a synonym of virgata, lists the tail length of the type specimen as 87 cm (in mammalogy, we measure tail length at being the length from the junction with the body when the tail is bent at an angle to the body, to the fleshy tip of the tail, excluding any hairs that may form a tuft or pencil extending past the fleshy tip). The description of Felis tigris lecoqi, another synonym of virgata described by Schwarz, lists the type specimen?s tail length as 100 cm, but notes that this measurement was taken from the tanned hide and so may be somewhat stretched. There is a note in the size section of the Wikipedia article on the Caspian tiger that notes a large individual with a tail length of 90 cm. The tail on the tanned hide of the specimen we have at the MCZ (MCZ:Mamm:42145<https://mczbase.mcz.harvard.edu/guid/MCZ:Mamm:42145>) measures approximately 87 cm from where it connects to the body to the tip of the skin, but again, this is on a tanned hide.

I hope this helps.

Best,

Madeleine Mullon (she/they)
Curatorial Assistant, Mammalogy
Museum of Comparative Zoology
Harvard University
617-495-2469
[https://huctw.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/huctw_email_sig_2012_white.jpg?download=1]


From: Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> On Behalf Of Jazmine Miles-Long
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2026 2:42 AM
To: The Natural Science Collections Association discussion list <NATSCA at jiscmail.ac.uk>; nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] Fwd: Tiger tails- advice for Caspian Tigers

Dear all,

We are working on a taxidermy conservation project and are looking for advice regarding tiger tails. The specimens in question are 2 Caspian tigers, a smaller, extinct sub-species. We have only been able to find one photo online which shows a very small tail compared to its overall size.

A previous restoration of these specimens has given them a much larger tail, more like a Bengal Tiger. We would appreciate advice from a mammalogist regarding the correct size for the tail of this species. We will be making new replacements!

I attach 3 photos, one of the Caspian tiger reference and two of the current tails.

Advice would be greatly appreciated,

Thank you,

Jazmine Miles Long

Jazmine Miles-Long
Taxidermist
07950589564
Website<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=http-3A__www.jazminemileslong.com_&d=DwMFaQ&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=c8DCf3D8vJdkDqggyvXc9_RiBxCFt0yASHER3Q8JFjzfjMt5m7E6JdGKsu-rMtZd&m=5p65RULw_xjKAX3fxoxJJJs971XSq9tBs6933a2M5RWdyZwqE1K0fMihGWklwxU4&s=5ItMqi1geXWbHNS8PHaprKS_k4Vc1e2jNkLaYy4hkbw&e=> / Instagram<https://urldefense.proofpoint.com/v2/url?u=https-3A__instagram.com_jazmine-5Fmiles-5Flong_&d=DwMFaQ&c=WO-RGvefibhHBZq3fL85hQ&r=c8DCf3D8vJdkDqggyvXc9_RiBxCFt0yASHER3Q8JFjzfjMt5m7E6JdGKsu-rMtZd&m=5p65RULw_xjKAX3fxoxJJJs971XSq9tBs6933a2M5RWdyZwqE1K0fMihGWklwxU4&s=O4PDHtwiiM0KdIqXGpl_WL4FS-eb7phrZ9vvhG0sHkM&e=>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260226/0260b06e/attachment.html>

From cwthomp at umich.edu  Fri Feb 27 17:52:43 2026
From: cwthomp at umich.edu (Cody Thompson)
Date: Fri, 27 Feb 2026 17:52:43 -0500
Subject: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
 history collections
In-Reply-To: <PH0P222MB0318C982F4EC2F0301CC80D6EB9AA@PH0P222MB0318.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
References: <CAH3cGkcUCGNnOcC+iNwz+RumW06iKBCoCqSq8dff8NnQ3sbBsQ@mail.gmail.com>
 <DS7PR14MB6953DE5EE80D5634434F924DA99AA@DS7PR14MB6953.namprd14.prod.outlook.com>
 <CH0PR05MB10203DF8684FF6B1B34CE0B5D839AA@CH0PR05MB10203.namprd05.prod.outlook.com>
 <CAH3cGkfEqJ2jBiCOKve7gMcWx14imjUaquSnK7ie0n1dTrYiCg@mail.gmail.com>
 <9c56c9ab-c9da-448b-962e-dabce033f58b@leibniz-lib.de>
 <CAN6iX81NE-pBHsAYqg9Ycy4epnnjLgnUfm1PV4yhWaT5-0k7OA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CA+z5smxDS+3ToxXzrysKZNFF31xOXBN0ok1X96J84TJeGHn6JA@mail.gmail.com>
 <CAF7GCDaL-8rC-zXkoY+AUktti_HUCHDmHe8n+5G4oHD5rGMavw@mail.gmail.com>
 <PH0P222MB0318C982F4EC2F0301CC80D6EB9AA@PH0P222MB0318.NAMP222.PROD.OUTLOOK.COM>
Message-ID: <CAMaB+fGKouCz5hTqQiD+7+66fFptPkDbV5cJ7hG6nB8Q7f_sbQ@mail.gmail.com>

Following up on John's and James's comment about charging for loans, this
has been happening in tissue collections in the US for several years
now, especially in vertebrate tissue collections that are accessed
frequently by biomedical researchers.  From my understanding, the fees are
used to support the time for pulling, subsampling, packing, and shipping
material.  Generally there is also a way to avoid the loan fees, e.g.,
documentation showing contributions to collections.  So, researchers that
reciprocate collection access are not affected.

In the past, I know researchers have often been asked to cover shipping
costs for tissue loans.  However, I am wondering if it is becoming more
acceptable to assess these additional fees to support the time of
collection personnel.  And if so, how does that track with the constraints
of Nagoya, or potential limitations on commercial use found in collecting
permits?

Take care,
Cody

Cody W. Thompson, PhD
Mammal Collections Manager
& Associate Research Scientist
University of Michigan
Museum of Zoology
3600 Varsity Drive
Ann Arbor, Michigan 48108
Office: (734) 615-2810
Fax: (734) 763-4080
Email: cwthomp at umich.edu
Website: codythompson.org

*Please click here to support the UMMZ Mammal Division, its collections,
and research mission!!!*
<https://lsa.umich.edu/ummz/mammals/donate-to-the-mammal-division.html>


On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 6:47?PM Mickley, James <james.mickley at oregonstate.edu>
wrote:

> Dear all:
>
> I have also heard of institutions in the USA requiring authorship as a
> loan condition. We have also discussed charging a fee for loans, and this
> at a major herbarium. There are obvious reciprocity issues with both, and
> we have opted not to do this for now. However, these discussions may come
> from a position of necessity and perhaps survival rather than simply
> padding CVs. My institution values publications and cashflow; they don't
> otherwise value loans fulfilled, or collections as a public good,
> especially given that our faculty do not often request loans from other
> institutions for their research. Even pointing to the large number of
> outside publications that cite our collections seems to get a lukewarm
> response.
>
> We often caution each other about not undervaluing ourselves as a
> collections community, and I think that's a worthwhile conversation to
> have. I'd suggest that authorship or fees are maybe not the best way to
> accomplish this, but looking across campus at similar service providers
> (e.g., imaging, genomic, diagnostic), the standard is to charge for time,
> data, access, and the like.
>
> Cheers
> - James Mickley
>
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
> ------------------------------------------
>
> *Dr. James Mickley *(he/him/his)
>
> *Assistant Professor of Practice (Herbarium Curator) *
>
> *Senior Instructor*
>
> *Oregon* *State University *| *Botany and Plant Pathology*
>
> Office: 2511 Cordley Hall | OSU Herbarium
> <https://bpp.oregonstate.edu/herbarium> | OregonFlora
> <https://oregonflora.org/>
>
>
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of John E
> Simmons <simmons.johne at gmail.com>
> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 12:55 PM
> *To:* Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca>
> *Cc:* nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] [EXTERN] Re: Access and authorship in natural
> history collections
>
>
> [This email originated from outside of OSU. Use caution with links and
> attachments.]
> This is a very interesting discussion, and I appreciate all of the
> viewpoints expressed so far. It is an important discussion to have.
>
> I have worked with natural history collections for nearly six decades
> (since my freshman year in college in 1969) so I have seen a lot of changes
> in the field, particularly in who collects specimens, who has collections,
> and who uses collections. I was a full-time collections manager at the
> California Academy of Sciences (4 years), at the Natural History Museum at
> the University of Kansas (26 years), I have been an independent collections
> consultant since 2008, and I have published widely on collections and
> collection care.
>
> FIRST--the idea that a staff member of an institution should be
> automatically included as an author simplify for making a loan of specimens
> or access to specimens possible is hogwash. If that was a standard, I would
> have an astounding publication record. A simple acknowledgement is
> appropriate, but nothing more. The very idea seems to go along with the
> ridiculous trend of having 15 or 20 authors on a single publication. Enough
> with authorship inflation already.
>
> SECOND--Back in the Pleistocene when I first started working collections,
> there was an informal quid pro quo among collecting institutions. Staff or
> students from institution A would borrow B, who would loan to C, and so
> forth so that the costs of preparing loans or providing access  (which can
> be very high) were evened out over time. This has not been true since the
> advent of molecular systematics in the late 1980s. Most (but not all) of
> the people borrowing specimens or accessing specimens in collections today
> do not work for collecting institutions and do not collect specimens that
> others might use, so the system is out of balance. Passing along the costs
> of borrowing specimens, in particular, is reasonable. Most curators can
> easily determine which institutions are reciprocal  (e.g., offer collection
> access or loans themselves) and which are not. This is only fair. The
> collecting institutions are already burdened with the cost of upkeep of
> collections; they should not be expected to bear the cost of loans to
> researchers who do not have collections to loan. Researchers without
> collections would not expect cost-free use of scanning electron
> microscopes, etc., and should not expect cost-free collection loans,
> either.
>
> Yes, collections belong to all of us, but no, we do not all help support
> collections, do we?
>
> --John
>
> John E. Simmons
> Writer and Museum Consultant
> Museologica
> *and*
> Research Associate, Earth and Mineral Sciences Museum & Art Gallery
> Penn State University
> *and*
> Investigador Asociado, Departamento de Ornitologia
> Museo de Historia Natural, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, Lima
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 2:42?PM Erika Natarajan <erika at natarajan.ca> wrote:
>
> I think this discussion highlights a broader ethical distortion in
> scientific publishing and research culture. Publications were originally
> meant to disseminate discoveries and advance knowledge. Over time, however,
> institutional reward systems have shifted the focus toward authorship as a
> metric, sometimes regardless of the actual quality, rigor, or originality
> of the data. In that context, authorship risks becoming a form of currency
> rather than a reflection of genuine intellectual contribution.
>
> I would also like to gently challenge the assumption that collections in
> ?wealthier? or ?first-world? countries are inherently better supported or
> better managed than those in countries such as Colombia. I am currently
> volunteering in a large museum in a high-income country, and what I observe
> daily is that heavy bureaucracy, rigid administrative structures, and
> institutional inertia often hinder good collection care and research access
> ? even when there is an excellent and highly committed curator.
>
> Conversely, many collections in Colombia operate under severe material
> constraints, yet are sustained by extraordinary scientific dedication, deep
> local expertise, and strong engagement with regional biodiversity. Their
> main limitation is not a lack of competence or commitment, but a lack of
> institutional recognition and structural support. These are fundamentally
> different challenges.
>
> For these reasons, I think it is misleading to frame this issue as a
> simple dichotomy between ?rich country? and ?LMIC? collections. Both
> operate under systemic pressures that can distort ethical practices in
> different ways. Mandatory or expected authorship, however, remains
> problematic in any context if it is not based on real intellectual
> contribution.
> Supporting underfunded collections should be achieved through fair and
> voluntary collaboration, shared research agendas, funding, training, and
> infrastructure ? not by redefining authorship as compensation. Ultimately,
> what matters most is not who signs the paper, but the discovery itself and
> its contribution to scientific knowledge. Perhaps emerging tools, including
> AI, can help us refocus evaluation on scientific content and impact rather
> than on name accumulation.
>
> Erika Isabel Natarajan
>
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 11:16?AM Andrew J. Crawford <crawfordaj at gmail.com>
> wrote:
>
> What a great question and interesting topic for discussion.  Several
> issues have been brought up and points of view shared, to which I will add
> one more I haven't seen in this threat.
>
> In principle, I am against the notion that me providing a service as
> curator implies I should be on your paper. I am providing a service to the
> community, and I hope to enjoy reciprocity in my own work and maintain good
> relationships with other collections, as someone already mentioned in this
> thread.  Also, the collections are not mine, I am only the temporary
> custodian of this national or global patrimony.   Most curators are already
> being paid to support the collections and increase their use, and probably
> were hired without the expectation of being on papers developed by users of
> the collection.  If the visitor is asking too much of the curator, beyond
> their normal duties, the curator can always say "No, come do that yourself,
> we cannot offer that service at this time."
>
> That said, now imagine you coming from a relatively rich country and you
> visit a developing nation, like Colombia, and you invoke the principle of
> reciprocity.  The problem is that most collections in Colombia, and likely
> in Lower to Middle-income countries (LMIC) generally, just do not have the
> institutional support you find at a larger institution in a wealthier
> country.     In Colombia, I know of collections with really valuable
> material that receive basically no institutional support with literally no
> salaries -- functioning by student volunteers and professors paid to teach,
> with no institutional recognition of their curatorial dedication.
> Sometimes the curator is not paid to curate.  Likely no one is paid for
> their expertise, or to process permits, take measurements, or ship
> packages. The individual grant paying for the research by the visitor from
> a wealthy country is likely many times bigger than the entire annual budget
> for many collections in LMICs.  (I know all collections in the world are
> short-staffed and short on resources, but the difference between "less than
> you need" and "nothing" is harsh.)
>
> Thus, if I want to access for example tissues from a collection in
> Colombia, especially a smaller collection with little support, and the
> curator asks to be on my future paper, perhaps this is the least I can do
> to support them and thank them for their personal sacrifices towards
> maintaining these valuable regional collections that support biodiversity
> inventories & systematics, and train a population of deserving students. If
> the tissues are from a taxonomic group they have experience with, my future
> paper will only be that much improved by having them on board as a true
> collaborator, anyway.
>
> And if I had a decent-sized grant, I might take the next step and say,
> "Thanks for sharing and helping me make my own research better.  Now let's
> talk about your ideas. What's interesting to you as a biodiversity
> scientist or how can we help you as a curator?"
>
> Anyway, all these issues are context-dependent, and the world is much more
> complex than what I outlined above.   I just wanted to mention this
> additional variable where we might make slightly different decisions as
> contexts change.
>
> All best wishes,
>   -Andrew
>
> Andrew J. Crawford
> Museo de Historia Natural C.J. Marinkelle (ANDES)
> Department of Biological Sciences, Facultad de Ciencias
> Universidad de los Andes, Bogot?, Colombia, South America
> @crawfordaj.bsky.social?
> IG: @craw.crawdad
>
>
> On Mon, Feb 2, 2026 at 10:07?AM Dirk Neumann <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>
> wrote:
>
> Hi Luis,
>
> the case I mentioned was real scientific input (i.e. prior determination
> of faunal remains to species level be sure that requested species are
> included in the bone rubble and the taxonomic IDs are correct). This is
> justified, especially if this material is used for stable isotopes or aDNA
> (because the bones are previously undetermined and unrecognised in the bags
> with the archaeological material).
>
> Also for tissues MTAs - as in our case - this can be justified. Depending
> on the contractual conditions the material war originally accessioned under
> the respective access laws of the Provider Country / Nagoya Protocol. In
> this case, it can be that co-authorship is a contractual requirement that
> arises independent of the scientific input.
>
> Of course, the latter raises questions towards agreed principles for
> co-authorship for publications, and I am not sure if this is the case her,
> just wanted to mention that such linkages with MTAs for tissue request can
> occur.
>
> With best wishes
> Dirk
>
>
> Am 02.02.2026 um 15:27 schrieb Luis Cer?aco:
>
> Thank you all for your input.
>
> It is not strange to have curators and collection managers from the
> different institutions we work with or consult specimens as co-authors. In
> many cases it makes sense and it is completely legitimate. This can be
> discussed between the leading author and the staff.
> As Dirk said, in some situations there are extra efforts that the staff
> needs to make to make the collection accessible and that can be recognized
> by the authors (while not necessarily as authorship). In other situations,
> when someone cannot physically visit the collection and request the
> collection manager to, let's say, count the scales of 200 lizards, that
> most likely can turn into what we envision as a collaboration and thus
> deserves authorship.
> What shocked me the most in this case is that it is written in the
> official documentation (in this case a MTA for tissues), that a "demand of
> 50 specimens justify co-authorship" of the local staff.
> I'm aware of some curators that "force" themselves into papers that used
> their collections, but having this into official policy is a whole other
> situation...
>
> Em seg., 2 de fev. de 2026 ?s 14:11, Taylor, Sarah <sarah.taylor at uconn.edu>
> escreveu:
>
> I have been offered authorship on publications (which I declined) twice
> after researcher visits to our herbarium. From the researchers'
> perspective, the contributions I made to their research (time, expertise on
> recommending specimens they might want to examine, assistance with
> equipment, and assistance accessing publications) merited recognition above
> mention in the acknowledgments section. From my perspective, I didn't offer
> original ideas, contribute to analysis, or write the resulting papers.
>
> In my experience, asking for authorship in exchange for loans/research
> visits is definitely NOT common or a new trend. I also think it's likely to
> be ineffective - every collection I know of, including mine, asks
> researchers to a) acknowledge the collection in publications and b) send a
> pdf or, at the least, citation of publications, and the success rate of
> request (b) is well below 20%. The success rate of request (a) seems higher
> but I have definitely found peer-reviewed publications that use images of
> CONN specimens with zero reference to our herbarium anywhere in the paper.
>
> This is an interesting topic and two more replies have come in since I
> started typing - I'm looking forward to the discussion.
>
> Best,
> Sarah
>
> -----------------------------------------------------------------
>
> 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/
> <https://biodiversity.uconn.edu/herbarium/>*
>
>
>
> Pronouns: she/her or they/them
>
>
> ------------------------------
> *From:* Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Scott A
> Schaefer <schaefer at amnh.org>
> *Sent:* Monday, February 2, 2026 8:55 AM
> *To:* Luis Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>; NHCOLL-new <
> nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject:* Re: [Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history
> collections
>
> *External sender: This message was not sent through the UConn email
> system. It might be safe, but use caution before interacting with links,
> attachments, or requests.*
>
> This sounds like an egregious abuse of the principal of reciprocity
> inherent to research use of museum collections and is not something I?ve
> heard of in my 40+ years of museum work. Whether or not such collections
> were built and are now maintained by ?public money?, the understanding of
> reciprocity (= you do for me, I do for you) is part of what facilitates
> research use of museum collections and extends from loan approvals and
> processing to shipping and packaging. I would hope this example is isolated
> to some misplaced thinking by uninformed people.
>
> I am also aware of other recent practices that threaten the reciprocity
> agreement, such as charges levied for permit applications required for both
> the loan approval and the export. In response, curators and collection
> managers may be encouraged to avoid such lending practices by refusing to
> participate? both in borrowing and lending to these institutions.
>
> The community would be served by hearing from others that have been
> impacted by these practices.
>
> Scott
>
> __________________________________________
>
> Scott A. Schaefer, Ph.D.
>
> Dean of Science for Collections and the
>
>        Public Understanding of Science
>
> Director, Institute for Comparative Genomics
>
> Curator and Professor
>
>
>
> *American Museum of Natural History <https://amnh.org/>*
>
> 200 Central Park West
>
> New York, NY 10024-5192 USA
>
>
>
> Office: 212-769-5652
>
> Mobile: 215-570-2943
>
> Email: *schaefer at amnh.org <schaefer at amnh.org>*
>
>
> *From: *Nhcoll-l <nhcoll-l-bounces at mailman.yale.edu> on behalf of Luis
> Cer?aco <luisceriaco at gmail.com>
> *Date: *Monday, February 2, 2026 at 8:23?AM
> *To: *NHCOLL-new <nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu>
> *Subject: *[Nhcoll-l] Access and authorship in natural history collections
>
> *EXTERNAL SENDER*
>
> Dear colleagues,
>
> Recently I've learned through a colleague that was requesting access to
> specimens from a big European natural history institution, that it was
> expected for him to include staff members for that given institution in the
> authorship of any research that would come from that access, especially if
> the access was above a certain number of specimens. This is apparently now
> part of the official loan/access agreement of that institution.
>
> I was quite shocked. In the last 15 years I've been an active user of
> natural history collections and had my share of curatorship/collection
> management work, in different countries and different continents, and I've
> never encountered such "in-your-face" and abhorrent demand. Collections
> have been built with public money and are kept through public money (most
> of the times) - thus they should be seen as a public good, not a way to
> enrich the CV of staff members.
>
> That got me curious - is this a new trend or I've been really lucky so far?
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________
> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
> University of Porto, Portugal
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>
>
>
> --
> _________________________________________________________
> *Luis M. P. Cer?aco, Ph.D.*,
> Commissioner  International Commission on Zoological Nomenclature
> Invited Curator of the Herpetological Collections at Museu Nacional de
> Hist?ria Natural e da Ci?ncia, Lisbon, Portugal
> CIBIO/InBIO - Research Center in Biodiversity and Genetic Resources
> University of Porto, Portugal
> https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Luis-Ceriaco
> ORCID ID: 0000-0002-0591-9978
> Scopus Author ID: 51260938100
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing listNhcoll-l at mailman.yale.eduhttps://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
>
> --
>
> ******
>
>
>
> *Dirk Neumann*
>
> Collection Manager, Hamburg
>
>
>
> Postal address:
>
> *Museum of Nature Hamburg*
> Leibniz Institute for the Analysis
>
> of Biodiversity Change
>
> Dirk Neumann
>
> Martin-Luther-King-Platz 3
>
> 20146 Hamburg
> +49 40 238 317 ? 628
>
> *d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de <d.neumann at leibniz-lib.de>*
>
> www.leibniz-lib.de
>
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael Wappelhorst
>
>
> --
> Stiftung Leibniz-Institut zur Analyse des Biodiversit?tswandels
> Postanschrift: Adenauerallee 127, 53113 Bonn, Germany
>
> Stiftung des ?ffentlichen Rechts;
> Generaldirektion: Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof (Generaldirektor), Adrian
> Gr?ter (Kaufm. Gesch?ftsf?hrer)
> Sitz der Stiftung: Adenauerallee 160 in Bonn
> Vorsitzender des Stiftungsrates: Dr. Michael H. Wappelhorst
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
> _______________________________________________
> Nhcoll-l mailing list
> Nhcoll-l at mailman.yale.edu
> https://mailman.yale.edu/mailman/listinfo/nhcoll-l
>
> _______________________________________________
> NHCOLL-L is brought to you by the Society for the Preservation of
> Natural History Collections (SPNHC), an international society whose
> mission is to improve the preservation, conservation and management of
> natural history collections to ensure their continuing value to
> society. See http://www.spnhc.org for membership information.
> Advertising on NH-COLL-L is inappropriate.
>
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://mailman.yale.edu/pipermail/nhcoll-l/attachments/20260227/765fc0f8/attachment.html>