GUIDELINES FOR THE CURATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS

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SPECIMEN DOCUMENTATION: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDATIONS The information about specimens in museum collections. The crucial key to efficient specimen management. Principles B1. Be able to locate every specimen. Accurately record and retrieve all relevant information. Ensure that every specimen bears a number. Classify and identify every specimen as far as is possible. Record the past and continuing history of each specimen. Marks and Labels B1.3. Marks are on or applied to specimens. Labels are kept with specimens. B1.3.1. Field collecting requires simple and convenient labels andlor marks which link specimens to a field notebook containing locality and collection details. B1.3.2. Material 'entering' a museum should have temporary labels recording basic information, including an Entry Number. Take care not to lose! Do not mark the specimen at this stage. B.1.3.3. For 'permanent' documentation put a unique number on every specimen using an appropriate method. Write out a label giving basic information about the specimen. B1.3.4. Methods of marking and labelling have varied. For marks, use India Ink for writing directly on specimens, or glue the number, written on a tag of paper, on to the specimen using an appropriate adhesive: check up on which to use. Use a simple loose label with a specimen and ensure the specimen number is on each label. Entry documentation B2. The recording of specimens arriving in the museum. It is important to note down basic information about the specimen on arrival - quick and easy methods are best. Complete an 'Entry Form' or use a bound 'Daybook' or similar register and allocate a temporary Entry Number. Write out temporary labels including the Entry Number. Store 'entry' material separately until ready for further processing and documentation. Do not delay further work too long. Acquisition documentation B.3. The recording of the process by which specimens formerly come into the ownership of the museum authority. B.3.2. Use a 'transfer of title' form signed by the depositor of a specimen or collection to confirm the transfer of ownership. Specimen Cataloguing B4.2. Get a unique number on to every specimen. Some specimens pose problems e.g. very small; several identical etc. Check on handling methods.
Against the corresponding number in a catalogue or other medium, record all the information required. Consideration should be given to: . Terminology control: use a carefully compiled vocabulary of defined terms for the most important pieces of information. Classification: group your terms into a hierarchical classification where possible and useful. Follow advice given. Record information about specimens under the following headings: Classification: type of object or what class or group. Identification: what name(s) the specimen has been given. Description: what is the specimen's constitution, appearance etc. Provenance: geographic and geologic origins. Acquisition: from whom, how and when was the specimen obtained. Processes: what has happened to the specimen. Documentation: other relevant written information, Housekeeping: storage, cataloguer, value etc. Where information about specimens exists and which cannot be detailed in the catalogue entry, it should be collated and kept in Specimen History Files. These may, for example, contain photographs, reprints, correspondence etc. If you are thinking about applying computer technology to your documentation processes, obtain advice personally from other geological curators with experience. Moving Specimens B5. The location of every specimen should always be known. Any event affecting a specimen should always be recorded. B5.1. Specimen records should make it clear where each specimen is normally stored. B5.2.1. When a specimen is moved from store, leave a 'Removal Slip' in its place, saying where it has gone, why and who removed it. B5.2.2. Take great care not to lose or dissociate labels from specimens. Copy original labels when required. All labels should bear the specimen number. B5.3. The removal of specimens for specific purposes e.g. display, conservation, research, implies certain recording procedures: check on these. B5.4. In particular, take care to record carefully any preparation or conservation process applied to specimens. Material Leaving the Museum B6. The curator is responsible for the proper administration and care of specimens leaving the museum either temporarily or permanently. B6.1.1. B6.1.1.4. B6.2. Loans Devise a loans policy defining what may be lent and what provisos apply. Define a set of conditions under which the borrower of specimens must act. A specific loan agreement may be necessary in some cases. Devise and use a 'loan form' to document the process of lending a specimen. Check on the various methods available. Permanent removal Accidental or deliberate removal, transfer or destruction of material. Deliberate actions may have considerable legal and ethical implications.
Page 1 and 2: A . GUIDELINES FOR THE CURATION '-
Page 3 and 4: CONTENTS Part A INTRODUCTION ACQUI
Page 5 and 6: GUIDELINES FOR CURATION OF GEOLOGI
Page 7: involved at all stages of curation
Page 10 and 11: ACQUISITION: SUMMARY AND RECOMMENDA
Page 12 and 13: environomental (i.e. site) conserva
Page 14 and 15: PRIMARY ACQUISITION: COLLECTING AND
Page 16 and 17: clearly and indelibly labelled with
Page 18 and 19: 2.1.3.2. Geochemistry 2.1.3.3. Geop
Page 20 and 21: 2.2.1.3. Purchase 2.2.1.4. Exchange
Page 22: 2.2.2.2. Private collectors This ca
Page 25 and 26: ACQUISITION DOCUMENTATION INTRODUCT
Page 27: DOCUMENTATION OF SPECIMENS DURING P
Page 31 and 32: DOCUMENTATION GENERAL INTRODUCTION
Page 33 and 34: measurements, descriptions, photogr
Page 35 and 36: Fig. 3. Cataloguing a specimen usin
Page 37 and 38: Specimen Identity Numbers may be su
Page 39 and 40: ldentn Comment Object(s) OBJECT EXA
Page 41 and 42: Cooper (1982), Mayer (1974, 1976),
Page 43 and 44: its entitlement to retain a specime
Page 45 and 46: or otherwise borrowed. Those which
Page 47 and 48: must be that in which a specimen is
Page 49 and 50: must be used. An extendible numberi
Page 51 and 52: Multiple classifications and cross-
Page 53 and 54: itself the task of describing, figu
Page 55 and 56: 4.4.1.2. Minerals 4.4.1.3. Rocks ne
Page 57 and 58: 4.4.2. Identity and identification
Page 59 and 60: The MDA Geology Specimen Card allow
Page 61 and 62: 4.4.2.6. Status A specimen acquires
Page 63 and 64: 4.4.3.3. Colour Colour is a notorio
Page 65 and 66: Regis, Charmouth; for Whitby, Saltw
Page 67 and 68: Redundant or shifting countries and
Page 69 and 70: 4.4.4.3. Collection This system, al
Page 71 and 72: at tracing the history and fate of
Page 73 and 74: Of immediate concern is the questio
Page 75 and 76: other information of significance m
Page 77 and 78: y documentation, development, techn
Page 79 and 80:
The movement of a specimen is an ev
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When a specimen is replaced in its
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the nature of a specimen and within
Page 85 and 86:
5.4.2. The documentation of complex
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6.1.1.2. conditions of loans a lett
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description of borrowed items (incl
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ecome separated from their accompan
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paragraphs above. It should be note
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6.2.2.4. Outlineprocedure for dispo
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SPECIMEN PRESERVATION SUMMARY AND R
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3.8.2. Photographic materials 3.8.
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Archives C3.8.1. The care and maint
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protection and specific treatments,
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field. The excavation of unstable f
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to storing the broken pieces unasse
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Borates. Most alter (dehydrate) to
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strength. Dental silicone moulding
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solution of the particular mineral.
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Fig. 11. Table of materials which m
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all exterior doors and windows requ
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locks of rock, for later laboratory
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Both the nature of the geological m
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ideal (e.g. BM(NH) London; Nat. Mus
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a considerable commitment from the
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of all of these specimens in the ev
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Stony meteorites should be doubly b
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obscure the sectioned material. By
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mould, fungi or bacteria, fluorish
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3.8.1.4. Repair 3.8.1.5. Binding Th
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The National Reprographic Centre fo
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Museum safety OCCUPATIONAL HAZARDS:
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gives regulations for the design an
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2.1.1. Storage 2.1.2. Display While
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mineral is a minor constituent are
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appears to be the dimensions of the
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Secondary types Figured specimens C
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USES COLLECTIONS PREAMBLE In this P
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The criteria for selection of speci
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definition of a locality here is di
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museum on completion or abandonment
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Specimen-based publications Publish
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For details of palaeontological nom
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2.4.5. Referred specimens When an a
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the visitor. Either way, it fails t
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methods but do remember the need fo
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EXHIEITIONTITLE "LOST WORLDS " UNIT
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REFERENCES AND APPENDICES
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REF 2 BRUNTON, C. H. C. 1980. The u
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REF 4 persons exposed to ionising
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REF 6 OBRUCHEV, D. V. 1964. Agnatha
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REF 8 TAYLOR, H. A. 1980. The arran
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APP 2 .Museum use. NB. These glues
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APP 4 Tufskin. Alfred Adams & Co. L
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APP 6 0 Silicones and thermosetting
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APP 8 BARBOLA MODELLING PASTE Alec
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APP 10 GAUZE, cotton (B.P.B. Absorb
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APP 12 PLASTONE self-hardening mode
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APP 14 SEPARATORS and RELEASE AGENT
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APP 16 STORAGE SHELVING Bruynzeel S
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APP 18 Road, Linlithgow Bridge, Lin
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APP 20 FERRY PICKERING BOXES LTD.,
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APP 20 FERRY PICKERING BOXES LTD.,
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FERRY PICKERING BOXES LTD., 53 Mead
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APP 22 MONEY HICKS LTD, 49 Clapham
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APP 24 SOLMEDIA LTD, 31 Orford Road
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APPENDIX 3 NATIONAL SCHEME FOR GEOL
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APP 29 a resource for internal use
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29. AVON, SOMERSET. GLOUCESTERSHIRE
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