GUIDELINES FOR THE CURATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Specimen-based publications
Published information on specimens in museum collections, and its consequent
wide availability, adds to geological knowledge and provides a strong reason for
allowing access to and loan of material to established researchers and their
associates. A condition of lending or otherwise giving access to researchers should
be that a copy of any publication which cites those specimens, or, failing that, full
bibliographical details, should be sent to the museums concerned. In addition,
full documentation of any specimen preparation, together with all replicas,
derived specimens or remaining parts of sectioned specimens must be returned to
the originating museum.
It is important that curators amend their specimen documentation in the light
of publications in which material is figured or cited. Specimens, and their labels
or containers should be marked in an identifiable way, showing their status (see
B4.4.2.6). Files of information about such specimens should be collated and
maintained and eventually used as the basis of a type, figured and cited specimen .
catalogue. In general, it is very important that museums let the world at large
know what they have in their collections. This is partly achieved by exhibitions
(see E3), partly by word of mouth, and partly by popular publications. Published
museum catalogues usually include only the most important specimens, such as
type and figured specimens, but these are of great value to researchers unable
easily to visit the particular museum. The compilation of catalogues should
increase the accuracy and completeness of the museum's own records and may
expose specimens of great scientific value, previously unrecognised.
Biographical and collection-based publications
In publishing a collection it is important to include historical information on both
the collection and collector. Biographical research is a major subject on its own,
and beyond the scope of these Guidelines. ,Sources and advice are available
through Records Offices and from library services with relevant local history
reference sections. Published sources specific to geology and related subjects are
listed below:
Bassett, M. G. 1975 'Bibliography and indexes of catalogues of type, figured and
cited fossils in museums in the British Isles'.
Bridson, G. D. R., Phillips, V. C. & Harvey, A. P. 1980. 'Natural history
manuscript resources in the British Isles'.
Chalmers-Hunt, J. M. 1976 'Natural History Auctions 1700-1972'. A chronological
listing of auctions of natural history collections, detailing name of
collectoriinstitution selling, contents of sale, auctioneer and where the catalogue
may be found. A useful index lists names of collections, vendors and
collectors in alphabetical order.
Cleevely, R. J. 1983 'World Palaeontological Collections'. A major work
comprising an alphabetic listing of major fossil (and some mineral) collectors
and societies, giving brief biographical notes. A useful introduction includes a
'History of Earlier Guides to Geological Collections'.
Desmond, R. 1977. 'Dictionary of British and Irish botanists and horticulturalists'.
Includes palaeobotanists.
Doughty, P. S. 1981 'The State and Status of Geology in U.K. Museums'. A
survey of museums with geological holdings, including a list of collectors in
Appendix 2.