Published: March 26, 2025 Committees
Contents 1 About 2 Committee Members 3 Best Practices 3.1 Consensus Documents 3.2 Review Documents 4 Links 5 Committee Members 6 Committee Documents About The function of the web committee is the following: support the mission, goals, and activities of the society; provide and solicit appropriate content for the web pages; present that content in a timely and user friendly manner; encourage the…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management Policies, Collection Transactions, Field Collecting, Legislation and Regulations, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 USFWS Federal Migratory Bird Special Purpose Salvage Permits 4 Resources Statement of Purpose This page is for information on USFWS Federal Migratory Bird Special Purpose Salvage Permits. See also Permitting. Contributors Emily Braker USFWS Federal Migratory Bird Special Purpose Salvage Permits Federal Migratory Bird Special Purpose Salvage Permits are administered by the Department…
Published: March 26, 2025 Collection Management, Desired BP Content, Emergency Management, Health and Safety
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Staff Training Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about best practices for training personnel working with natural history collections. Contributors Content generated during The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) Annual Joint Meeting – 2016, during an iDigBio sponsored workshop by the following individuals…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Cryogenic Collections, Field Collecting, Specimen and Material Type, Specimen and Object Preparation, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Introduction 3 Contributors 4 Vial Considerations 5 Labeling and organizing vials 6 Tissue Collection Methods 7 Tissue Types 8 Tissue Preservation Methods 8.1 Freezing and Flash-freezing 8.2 Ethanol 8.3 DMSO 8.4 RNAlater 8.5 Tissue Piecing Protocol 9 Discipline Specific Information 9.1 Herpetology 9.2 Ichthyology 9.3 Mammalogy 10 References Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about best practices for tissue sample collection. Introduction Role of…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management, Collection Transactions
Contents 1 SPNHC Threatened Collections Toolkit 2 Contributors 3 What are endangered and orphaned collections 4 What natural history collections are at risk? 5 Why do collections become orphaned? 6 Warning signs of endangered collections 7 Taking in an orphaned collection 8 Preventing orphaned collections 8.1 Museum and university research collections 8.2 Private collections 8.3 Corporate collections 9 Deaccessioning an orphaned collection in a museum or university…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Botanical Collections, Collection Management, Curation Practices, Geology and Paleontology Collections, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Introduction 3 Contributors 4 General Taxonomic Resources 5 Botanical Resources 5.1 Online Nomenclature Resources 5.1.1 General Botany Resources 5.1.2 Vascular Plant Resources 5.1.3 Non-Vascular Cryptogam Resources 5.1.3.1 Bryophytes 5.1.3.2 Fungi and Lichens 5.1.3.3 Algae 5.2 Print Nomenclature Resources 5.3 Rules of Botanical Nomenclature 5.4 Botanical Latin 5.5 Assessing Specimen Names 6 Zoological Resources 6.1 Online Nomenclature Resources 6.1.1 Amphibians 6.1.2 Birds 6.1.3 Fishes 6.1.4 Invertebrates 6.1.5 Mammals 6.1.6 Reptiles 7 Geology and Paleontology 7.1 Online…
Published: March 26, 2025 Archaeology and Ethnographic Collections, Best Practices, Curation Practices, Health and Safety, Specimen and Material Type, Zoology Collections
Contents Statement of Purpose Contributors Links Highlighted Resources History of Taxidermy Taxidermy Storage Stabilization & Restoration of Taxidermy Taxidermy & Pest Control Taxidermy & Disaster Recovery Health & Safety Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about the care and preservation of skin and taxidermy collections. There is a wealth of information on…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Storage, Curation Practices, Preventative Conservation Book, Specimen and Material Type
This page is an initial listing of useful supplies and vendors for curation activities Curation Supplies & Vendors Category 1 Category 2 Item Description Mfg Supplier Pricing Unit size Cmt Image Curation Storage Jars (flint & paragon) withpoly-propylene lids with F217 poly-ethylene, alcohol resistant liners N/A O’Berk/Kols containers $xx.xx/jar 8 oz – 1 gallon Also…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Storage, Curation Practices, Preventative Conservation Book, Specimen and Material Type
Chapter 33: Plastic Storage Products Scott Williams, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada Contents 1 Chapter 33: Plastic Storage Products 1.1 Introduction 1.2 Basic Terminology 1.3 Suitability Criteria for Plastic Storage Products 1.4 Hazards Associated with Plastic Storage Products 1.5 The Nature of Plastics 1.5.1 Polymerization 1.5.2 Thermoplastics and Thermosets 1.6 Degradation of Plastics 1.6.1 Chemical Degradation 1.6.2 Oxidation 1.6.3 Moisture and hydrolysis 1.6.4 SIDEBAR 1 – How to Interpret the…
Published: March 26, 2025 Conference Proceedings, Desired BP Content
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Annual Meetings 3.1 2023 – San Francisco, CA, USA – 38th Annual Meeting 3.2 2022 – Edinburgh, UK – 37th Annual Meeting 3.3 2021 – Virtual -36th Annual Meeting 3.4 2020 – Virtual – 35th Annual Meeting 3.5 2019 – Chicago, IL, USA – 34th Annual Meeting 3.6 2018 – Dunedin, NZ – 33rd Annual Meeting…
Published: March 26, 2025 Software Resources
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Software Resources 3 Contributors 4 References Statement of Purpose This page is a finding aid for users to discover information about software resources relevant to the SPNHC community. This includes but is not limited to collections/content management systems, specimen digitization tools, and tools designed to facilitate specimen-based research. Many of the resources below…
Published: March 26, 2025 Desired BP Content, Specimen and Material Type, Specimen and Object Preparation, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Links Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about preparation of skeletons. Links https://www.nps.gov/museum/publications/conserveogram/11-07.pdf https://research.amnh.org/vz/ichthyology/congo/other03.html https://lsa.umich.edu/ummz/mammals/Dermestarium.html
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management, Collection Transactions, Curation Practices, Geology and Paleontology Collections, Specimen and Material Type
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Shipping Small and Fragile Fossils 5 Packing Micro-Fossil Mounts for Shipping 6 Links 7 References Statement of Purpose This page presents recommendations on how to pack and ship small fossils to prevent damage in transit. Contributors Carrie Eaton Introduction These glass vials are packed with batting then nested into a box for…
Published: March 26, 2025 Collection Transactions, Desired BP Content, Geology and Paleontology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Shipping Large Fossils 4.1 Key points: 5 Custom Packing Options 6 Crates 7 Links 8 References Statement of Purpose This page presents recommendations on how to pack and ship large fossils to prevent damage during shipment. Contributors Carrie Eaton and Jessica Cundiff Introduction Packing large fossils properly is important to prevent damage in transit when shipping…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Botanical Collections, Collection Management, Collection Transactions, Curation Practices, Geology and Paleontology Collections, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Shipment Types 4.1 Dangerous Goods 4.2 Genetic Resources 4.3 Geology and Paleontology 4.4 Pinned, Dry Insects 5 Shipping Regulations 5.1 List of Regulations 5.2 Links to SPNHC Wiki Pages 6 Links 7 References Statement of Purpose This page contains an overview on shipping collections and links out to specific shipping resources an information Contributors Genevieve Tocci; Shelley A. James;…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Transactions
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Regulating agencies 4 Training 5 Dangerous goods/Hazardous materials 6 Regulations 6.1 Domestic Regulations 6.2 International Regulations 6.2.1 International Customs Requirements 6.2.2 Dangerous Goods Regulations of the International Air Transport Association (IATA) 7 Transport in personal baggage as carry-on or checked luggage 8 Natural history specimens 8.1 Problems and concerns 9 Source Material 10 Conference Presentations & Training Modules 11 References Statement of Purpose…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Botanical Collections, Collection Management Policies, Collection Transactions, Field Collecting, Legislation and Regulations, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Scientific Collecting Licenses 4 Resources Statement of Purpose This page is for information Scientific Collecting licenses for lethal take of wildlife, including plants. See also See also Permitting. Contributors Emily Braker Scientific Collecting Licenses Scientific Collecting Licenses authorize the lethal collection of wildlife, generally for purposes of survey, inventory, or targeted scientific research.…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management Policies, Collection Transactions, Field Collecting, Legislation and Regulations, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Salvage Permits 4 Resources Statement of Purpose This page is for information on US state-issued Salvage Permits. See also Permitting. Contributors Emily Braker Salvage Permits Salvage Permits are a type of Scientific Collecting License that authorize collecting of dead animals and their parts (skulls, feathers, etc.) for scientific research and educational purposes. These…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management, Emergency Management, Health and Safety
Contents 1 About 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Reopening Collections 4.1 Managing Collections After Closure Due to Public Health Emergencies 4.2 Receiving Incoming Collection Items After Closure Due to Public Health Emergencies 5 Links About Here we present a checklist of items to consider for reopening collections after institutional or departmental closures, specifically when circumstances do not allow some or all staff…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Storage, Curation Practices, Preventative Conservation Book, Specimen and Material Type
This content is excerpted from Preventive Conservation: Collection Storage (2019), Elkin and Norris, eds. Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Boards and Papers 4 Foams, Padding and Support Materials 5 Film and Sheet Products 6 Fabrics and Soft Products 7 Adhesives 8 Tapes 9 Mechanical Fasteners 10 Sewing 11 Products for Metals Storage 12 Inappropriate Materials Statement of Purpose This list of materials is primarily drawn from Chapter…
Published: March 26, 2025 Committees
About The Recognitions and Grants Committee administers the nominations, evaluation, and selection of recipients for SPNHC awards and the Faber Research Grant. Committee Members Up-to-date membership for committee. Committee Documents Recognition and Grants Committee Description from the Leadership Manual
Published: March 26, 2025 Committees
About The Publications Committee is responsible for the wide range of publications, including text and general information books, Collection Forum (the journal of SPNHC), and the SPNHC Newsletter, which benefit and assist the natural history collections community. The committee evaluates the future direction of these publications in order to best serve the community. Committee Members…
Published: March 26, 2025 Committees
Contents 1 About 2 Committee Members 3 Travel Grants 4 Workshops 5 DemoCamp 6 Mentorship 7 White Papers and Relevant Sites About The Professional Development Committee facilitates development needs for audiences of museum professionals, from those starting in the field to established professionals seeking continuing educational opportunities. When appropriate, it supports the planning, organization and delivery of workshops, democamps and mentorship activities.…
Published: March 26, 2025 Botanical Collections, Conference Proceedings, Cryogenic Collections, Desired BP Content, Field Collecting, Specimen and Material Type, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 About 2 Contributors 3 Specimen Preparation Types by Collection Type 3.1 Botany 3.2 Herpetology 3.3 Ichthyology 3.4 Ornithology 4 Links 4.1 Community Standards About These links and documents contain information about best practices for the preparation of different types of natural history specimens. Contributors Content generated during The American Society of Ichthyologists and Herpetologists (ASIH) Annual Joint Meeting – 2016, during an…
Published: March 26, 2025 News
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Poster Guidelines & Sharing 3 2022 Gallery 4 2020 Gallery 5 2019 Gallery 6 Contributors 7 References Statement of Purpose This page offers SPNHC members a permanent place to share and expand the reach of posters shared at SPNHC events such as our yearly conference. Otherwise, posters tend to be ephemeral. Poster content aggregates a LOT…
Published: March 26, 2025 Digitization and Imaging
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Introduction 3 What is a Persistent Identifier? 4 Types of Identifiers 5 Assigning PIDs 6 Contributors 7 Further Reading 8 References Statement of Purpose This page was originally created to expand the scope of content from the section on Persistent Identifiers as they relate to Numbering Natural History Collections. Introduction As we increasingly digitize specimens and share digital…
Published: March 26, 2025 Archaeology and Ethnographic Collections, Best Practices, Botanical Collections, Collection Management Policies, Collection Transactions, Field Collecting, Legislation and Regulations, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Permitting Checklist for Researchers 4.1 When Preparing for a Collection Trip 4.2 While on a Collection Trip 4.3 After the Conclusion of a Collecting Trip 5 Tracking Permits Associated with Specimens 6 Categories of Legal/Compliance Documentation 6.1 Access and Benefit-Sharing Agreement 6.2 Authorization to Possess 6.3 Collecting Permit 6.4 Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Curation Practices, Specimen and Material Type
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction: Paper as an element of natural history collections 4 Definition of Paper 4.1 Permanent and Archival Papers 4.2 Highlights in the history of papermaking 4.3 Fibers Used in Papermaking 4.4 Considerations Regarding Removal/Replacement of Historical Papers 4.5 References Statement of Purpose Paper is frequently associated with natural history collection and herbaria specimens. It can be…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Cryogenic Collections, Field Collecting, Specimen and Material Type, Specimen and Object Preparation, Zoology Collections
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Contributors 3 Introduction 4 Study Skin Preparation 5 Skeleton Preparation 6 Fluid-specimen Preparation 7 Spread Wing Preparation 8 Preparation Procedure Resources 9 References Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about ornithology specimen preparation. Contributors Emily Braker Introduction Bird specimens are prepared in multiple formats depending on anticipated collection needs and utility. Study skins are the…
Published: March 26, 2025 Best Practices, Collection Management Policies, Curation Practices
Contents 1 Statement of Purpose 2 Introduction 3 Catalog Numbers 3.1 Best Practices 3.2 Legacy Numbering Systems 3.3 Lot-based Systems 3.4 Numbers for Specimens Prior to Accession 4 Accession Numbers 5 Persistent Identifiers 6 Barcodes 7 Contributors 8 References Statement of Purpose These links and documents contain information about numbering systems for natural history collections. This content was generated after several email threads on Nhcoll-l indicating…
