GUIDELINES FOR THE CURATION OF GEOLOGICAL MATERIALS

Of immediate concern is the question: which pieces of ,documentary evidence
should be specifically referred to in the catalogue entry, and which should be
merely available as background information, perhaps in the History File (see
B4.4.7.3)? Palmer (1977) refers to the latter as 'stored data', recognising both the
dangers and impracticality of storing all relevant data with a specimen. The
importance of any stored data is the measure by which a curator determines
whether or not it is mentioned in the catalogue entry or indeed written on a label
with the specimen. It is difficult, therefore to recommend which particular kind of
documentary supporting evidence should be directly referred to. In general,
however, there are two significant classes of document:
m a document used in the production of a record,
e.g. field note book
old catalogue listing
examination label
m any published document specifically referring to an object, particularly fossils
with a taxonomic status.
Both these classes should be recorded in the catalogue, using standard bibliographic
conventions whenever possible. It should be made clear in what way a
document referred to in such a record relates to the specimen. The MDA
Geology Specimen Card achieves this by the use of code letters L (link), D
(document) and H (history); see the MDA 1980 Instructions for details. The
documents concerned should have their relevant parts copied and placed in the
History File, or, where this is impossible, their location recorded.
4.4.7.2. Cross references
In addition to bibliographic references, others may be required which link
specimens with records kept in other filing systems. The MDA distinguishes
between two kinds of cross-reference.
Explicit references are those which correspond to information held under a
special number, e.g. a site file number in a geological locality record centre. Such
references should always be recorded in the catalogue entry. Implicit references
are those corresponding to information held under numbers or headings already
given in the catalogue (e.g. Specimen Identity Number for History Files, donor's
name for Collection Files, etc.). Implicit references need not necessarily be
specifically recorded; their existence is implied.
4.4.7.3. Specimens historyfiles (see Fig. 6)
It is frequently the case that item recording about a specimen will result in the
accumulation of an archive both during and after the processing of that specimen
into a museum collection: detailed conservation records, photographs, correspondence,
etc. -may of those items to which only brief reference might be made in
the catalogue. This archive is difficult and time-consuming to use if split between
the various filing systems of a museum, conservation department files, correspondence
files, etc. History Files are large envelopes or wallets designed to contain
all the two-dimensional material or copies of it, relevant to individual specimens.
Each envelope should be marked with the Specimen Identity Number, specimen
name, collection name, date of file opening and name of responsible curator. Any