COLLECTIONS MANAGEMENT POLICIES
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH & PLANETARY SCIENCES
(FOR EXTERNAL USE)
Compiled For Use By
The Curatorial and Supporting Staff
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
American Museum of Natural History
July 2001 (rev. March 2007, December 2008)
1
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
The Collections
Collection Goals
5
5
5
SCOPE OF THE COLLECTIONS
Meteorite Collections
Mineral and Gem Collections
Mineral Deposit Collections
Petrology Collections
5-8
5
6
6
7
COLLECTIONS STORAGE, ACCESS AND ENVIRONMENTAL
MONITORING
8-10
Meteorite Collection Area
8
Main Mineral Collection Area
8
Other Mineral Storage
8
Petrology and Mineral Deposits Storage
8
Vault Storage
8
Radioactive Mineral Storage
9
Basement of Building 15
9
Brooklyn Army Terminal Storage
9
Out of State Storage
10
COLLECTION STORAGE
10-13
Meteorites
10
Minerals and Gems
10
Main Systematic Mineral Collection
10
Type Collection
11
Brooklyn Army Terminal Storage
11
Radioactive Mineral Storage
11
Radioactive Mineral Safety -Storage and Handling 11
Mineral Deposits
13
Petrology
13
COLLECTIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Accessioning
Accession Procedure
2
13-21
14
14
Cataloging Procedure
Databases
Meteorite collection database
Mineral and gem collection database
Mineral deposits collection database
Petrology collection database
Loans
Out-going Loans
In-coming Loans
Objects left in the care of the Department
Insurance coverage
Overdue loans
Exchanges
Purchases
Gifts
Deaccessions
Exchange
Sale
Discard
Visitor Policy for EPS Collection Areas
14
15
15
15
16
16
17
17
17
18
18
18
18
19
20
21
21
21
21
21
HANDLING, PREPARATION, AND PRESERVATION OF
SPECIMENS
22-27
Handling of Mineral and Gem Specimens
22
Preparation of Terrestrial Specimens
22
Cleaning
22
Clay Removal
22
Rust Removal
22
Lichen Removal
23
Surface Dust, Particulates, or Other Coatings
23
Cleaning Faceted Gems
23
Repairing Damaged Specimens
23
Preservation of Specimens
23
Chemically-Unstable Minerals and Ores
23
Thermal Conductivity and Expansion
24
Deliquescent and Efflorescent Minerals
24
Oxidation (Metallic and Non-Metallic)
24
Bacterial Activity
25
Photosensitivity
25
3
Preparation and Preservation Techniques
Specific to Meteorites
Triple Bagging
Spray Coating
Polishing
Phosphoric Acid Treatment
Waller Solution Treatment
25
26
26
26
26
26
DEPARTMENTAL ARCHIVES
Archival Materials
Photos and Prints
Books and Magazines
27-27
27
27
28
LABORATORY PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT
Laboratory Safety
Emergency Equipment and Procedures
Storage and Disposal of Chemicals
Chemical Paperwork
Chemical Storage
Chemical Disposal
Use of Organic Liquids
28-30
28
28
29
29
29
29
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REFERENCES
30
APPENDICES
Departmental Collections Forms
AMNH Trustees’ Collections Policy Document
AMNH Collections Security Policy Memo
AMNH Bequests Protocol Information
4
31-62
31-45
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The Collections
The collections of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Division
of Physical Sciences, of the American Museum of Natural History are comprised of
rock, meteorite, mineral, and gem specimens. The specimens are organized into 4
individual collections: meteorites, minerals and gems, mineral deposits, and
petrology. At present, there are about 152,000 specimens in the four collections.
The internationally renowned meteorite collection and minerals and gems collection
are systematically broad and have a long history at this institution. The mineral
deposits and petrology collections are comparatively young, but they are growing in
importance, size, and reputation.
Collection Goals
These collection goals and policies are in accordance with the institutional
collection policy detailed in a statement adopted by the Board of Trustees on June 5,
1996 (see Curator 1974, vol. 17, pp. 83-90). The following collection goals are an
adaptation of those guidelines as they relate to minerals, gems, meteorites, rocks, and
ores:
(1) To acquire specimens in each of the four collecting categories in order to
increase the utility and research potential of the collections on a global scale and to
anticipate the needs of future generations of earth and planetary scientists.
(2) To acquire specimens or extant collections from regions where future collecting
may be difficult (e.g., inactive mines or where political change may render collecting
infeasible).
(3) To accumulate significant holdings of specimens appropriate to the research
interests of present staff.
(4) To serve as a depository for scientifically valuable specimens or extant
collections donated from other research institutions or commercial organizations. In
addition, to accept specimens from such organizations/institutions no longer
dedicated to their care.
(5) To serve as a depository for type and described specimens requested by outside
investigators.
SCOPE OF THE COLLECTIONS
5
Meteorite Collections
The meteorite collection consists of about 5000 specimens, representing about
1300 individual meteorites. The emphasis of the collection over the past 25 years has
been on accumulating a wide diversity of scientifically important samples rather than
simply a large mass of fewer specimens or the more common meteorite types.
Consequently, the American Museum’s meteorite collection is among the top 5
collections in the world (either privately or publicly owned). It is also the most
active of the four main collections in the Earth and Planetary Sciences department,
with between 100-200 specimen loans or donations for research purposes per year.
There are a number specimens from the collection on exhibit within the museum,
including 125 specimens in the Arthur Ross Hall of Meteorites (including the 34 ton
Cape York meteorite), 3 specimens in the Gottesman Hall of Planet Earth, 7
specimens (including the famed Willamette meteorite) in the Cullman Hall of the
Universe, and 1 in the J.P. Morgan Hall of Gems.
Mineral and Gem Collections
The mineral and gem collections consist of about 130,000 minerals and gems,
approximately 3,000 of which are either faceted gems or gemstone carvings. The
scope of the collections is global, with an emphasis on American representation.
Important subsets include the two Tiffany-Morgan gem collections, major portions
of the collections of Charles and Norman Spang, Clarence S. Bement, and William
Boyce Thompson, the Columbia University Systematic Mineral Collection, and the
Columbia University Economic Mineral Collection; important regional or locality
collections include Sterling Hill/Franklin Mines (NJ); San Diego Co. (CA)
pegmatites; Mogok Stone tract (Burma); Harding Pegmatite (NM); and world-wide
jadeite-jades. Approximately 2,500 minerals are exhibited in the 8,000-square foot
Harry Frank Guggenheim Halls of Minerals and 1,000 gems in the J.P. Morgan Hall
of Gems. In terms of importance, size, and specimen-quality, the American
Museum’s mineral and gem collections place it among a select group of other
“world-class” institutional collections housed at the British Museum, the
Smithsonian Institution, and the Vienna Natural History Museum.
Mineral Deposit Collections
The mineral deposit collections consist of about 5000 specimens - the bulk of
which are research-grade rock and mineral suites. The scope of the collections is
global, with representative examples of rock samples available from the major
varieties of mineral deposits (as recognized and classified by W. Lindgren). Many
samples were made available through the former Sampson ore deposit collection of
6
Princeton University (acquired by AMNH in the early 1990's). The Sampson rock
collections are accompanied by several hundred polished ore sections.
As a consequence of collecting efforts in the past decade, the collections
involve a special emphasis on the mineralization genetically associated with felsic
magmatic rocks. This includes granite-derived tin, tungsten, molybdenum, and rare
alkali metal ores; volcanogenic lithophile metal ores and associated volcanic rocks;
volcanogenic massive sulfide ores; and mineralized granitic pegmatites. Drill cores
have been collected from mineralized granites and pegmatites of Scandinavia,
Canada, and the United States and from the metamorphosed massive sulfides of the
historic Ducktown, Tennessee, mining district.
There is minor overlap in the focus of the mineral deposits collections with
the petrology collections in that the former include sample suites from active
volcanoes including Mt. Somma-Vesuvius, Italy; Mt. Mazama, Oregon; and
volcanoes of Indonesia. At present, the set of volcanic rock specimens from Mt.
Somma-Vesuvius, Italy, held by the Museum is the second largest collection in the
world.
Many specimens include associated rock powders, mineral separates, and thin
sections.
Petrology Collections
The petrology collection consists of approximately 17,500 hand samples,
several drill cores, several hundred thin sections, rock powders, and mineral
separates. It also includes several large specimens weighing a ton or more. Except
for the specimens on display, it is primarily a research collection.
The petrology collection consists almost entirely of igneous and metamorphic
rocks. The scope of the collections is global, with an emphasis on the mafic,
ultramafic and alkaline rock suites, especially layered mafic intrusions, such as the
Bushveld, South Africa, and Stillwater, Montana, complexes. The collection
concentrates on materials that are probes to the constitution of the deep earth or
represent fundamental geologic process. An attempt has been made to collect
samples that are otherwise difficult to obtain and that are anticipated to be of
enduring value. For example, much of the material acquired during the 1990’s
consists of drill core and hand specimens collected underground from the walls of
working mines that were mapped by museum scientists. On display in the Gottesman
Hall of Planet Earth are 168 rock specimens from the collection, some of which
weigh several tons. Four samples are in the new acquisitions display case in the
Guggenheim Hall of Minerals and one sample is in the Cullman Hall of the
Universe. The HoPE collection has very high exhibition value because the samples
illustrate both the fundamental properties of the earth and how it works. They
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include the “black smokers” from the Juan de Fuca Ridge, recovered from 2200 m
depth from the northeast Pacific Ocean and are the only materials ever recovered
‘live’ from the ocean floor.
COLLECTION
MONITORING
STORAGE,
ACCESS,
AND
ENVIRONMENTAL
Note: Specific information on specimen locations and security procedures has been
removed from this document for security purposes. If required, such information is
available from the department chairman.
Meteorite Collection Area
The Meteorite Collection is stored in a single room which is temperaturecontrolled and contains a temperature and relative humidity monitor.
Main Mineral Collection Area
Except under unusual circumstances which have been prearranged with the
Curator, each visitor to the Mineral Collection Area must be accompanied by a
department member, i.e. a ratio of 1:1 EPS-member:visitor (or greater) must be
maintained. When visitors are present, only one cabinet can be open at any time.
The room is temperature-controlled and contains a temperature and relative humidity
monitor. Negative pressure is maintained within the area via forced-air venting to
the outside for prevention of radon circulation and buildup (see below).
Other Mineral Storage
Thirty-one steel cabinets house the Columbia University Systematic Mineral
Collection.
Petrology and Mineral Deposits Storage
The majority of the specimens constituting the petrology collections and the
mineral deposits collections are stored in building 4. Access to this area is limited to
Curators, Scientific Assistants, the Microprobe Manager and volunteers and students
of EPS working on the collections. The specimens are stored in locked metal
cabinets. The room is temperature-controlled and contains a temperature and
relative humidity monitor.
Vault Storage
Valuable specimens from the mineral collection as well as faceted gems and
gemstone carvings are stored in a vault. Vault access is restricted to the Minerals
8
and Gems Curator and to the appropriate Scientific Assistant. Neither the Curator
nor the Scientific Assistant can visit the vault without being accompanied by at least
one other individual from the department (including long-term volunteers).
Otherwise, access of visitors is controlled in the same manner as in the Mineral
Collection Area. Everyone who enters the EPS section of the Vault must sign the
visitors book, recording the date and time of entrance and departure. All specimen
cases in the Vault are checked as being locked before departure.
Radioactive Mineral Storage
The highly radioactive portions of the Mineral Collection and Mineral
Deposits Collection (Radioactive Collections) are stored in an area known as ‘The
Shooting Gallery’, which is a 940 square-foot, L-shaped room located near the
AMNH employee yard. This facility is shared with Vertebrate Paleontology (VP),
which occupies an 80 foot-long by 8 foot-wide corridor directly behind the outer
door and stores radioactive mineral-bearing fossils.
The door to this storage area is secured by a Yale lock. Keys are held by EPS,
VP, the museum Radiation Officer, and the Security department. A conventional
OSHA approved sign on the door, labeled ‘Caution Radiation Area’, is clearly
visible. An additional sign indicates that access to the room by pre-approved visitors
can be obtained by contacting the Minerals and Gems Curator, Mineral Deposits
Curator, or a Scientific Assistant. The sign further states that a ventilation fan
located to the left of the outer door must be switched on 30 minutes prior to entry.
The portion of the area controlled by EPS is located at the end of the aforementioned
corridor use by VP. The EPS area is delineated by a plywood frame screened with
chicken wire to facilitate ventilation. A door, secured by a heavy-duty lock, allows
passage. Like the outer door, this door features an OSHA approved caution sign and
a sign listing the phone extensions of the Curator of Minerals and Gems and the
Scientific Assistant. It should be noted that non-museum employees granted access
to this area are required to wear radiation dosimeters for visits exceeding one hour.
EPS staff wears dosimeters when they enter the room.
Basement of Building 15
This roughly 500-square-foot storage area is used for core samples, extra large
rock samples, geological equipment, and will eventually house the Radioactive
Collections. There are no known environmental controls in this area. The room
contains a temperature and relative humidity monitor.
Brooklyn Army Terminal Storage
9
EPS occupies a section of floor, ~20 ft x 75 ft at the Brooklyn Army Terminal
site located on the Brooklyn waterfront at 1st and 58th Street. Access to the facility
is limited to the Curators, Scientific Assistants, and Microprobe Manager. The
facility is temperature-controlled (and is supposed to be humidity-controlled) and
contains a temperature and relative humidity monitor. Presently much of the
petrological core collection, oversized specimens, and the Columbia University
Economic Mineral Collection are housed at this facility.
Out of State Storage
A company was employed to cut and polish most of the samples for HoPE,
and many portions of these samples are presently being stored outdoors at their
facilities temporarily until arrangements are made at the Brooklyn Army Terminal or
space becomes available within the main AMNH campus. Many of the samples
weigh several tons. The samples are stored inside the company’s fence where only
the company staff has access. These should be relocated within the next two or three
years.
COLLECTION STORAGE
Meteorites
The Meteorite Collection Area stores roughly 5,000 meteorite samples which
are housed in 8 seven-foot high, steel cabinets (5 unsealed cabinets and 3 sealed
cabinets). The collection is divided into two portions, based on the type of
meteorite. All iron meteorites and stony-iron meteorites are stored in sealed
cabinets to minimize their degradation by oxidation and rusting caused by
changes in humidity. All stony meteorites are stored in the remaining cabinets,
as they contain much less metal and are less affected by changes in humidity.
The meteorites are organized alphabetically and by name (which is also their
official locality). Extra large (or heavy) specimens are stored separately on steel
shelving units mounted to the walls. A single iron cast of the Tucson meteorite
is presently being stored at the 131st St. storage facility.
Minerals and Gems
Main Systematic Mineral Collection
More than 50,000 minerals are housed in the Mineral Collection Area, the
bulk of which are stored in 78 6.5-foot high steel cabinets. The systematic mineral
collection is arranged in two hierarchical groupings: crystallochemical and
geographic. On a macro-level, the arrangement follows the Dana crystallochemical
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classification for non-silicates and the Strunz classification for silicates. Within the
adopted classification frameworks, specimens are arranged alphabetically by
American states followed alphabetically by foreign country. Heavier or somewhat
oversized specimens are stored in the lower drawers of the cabinets. Oversized
specimens (> 12-in. dimension) are stored on steel shelving along the length of the
area.
Type Collection
The type mineral collection is stored in a single cabinet in the Mineral
Collection Area. Specimens in the type collection are arranged alphabetically and
are restricted to holotypes and cotypes as defined in Embrey and Hey (1970). For
type specimens in mineralogy see Mineralogical Record, vol. 1, p. 102-104.
Metatypes and topotypes are maintained in the systematic collection.
Brooklyn Army Terminal Storage
The field collections of former AMNH Mineral and Gems Curators and their
support staff are housed at the Brooklyn Army Terminal facility. In addition the
former Columbia University Economic Geology collection of approximately 20,000
ore minerals was donated in the Summer of 2007 and deposited in the facility. It is
under the management of the Curator of Minerals and is currently being inventoried
and catalogued.
Radioactive Mineral Storage
The Radioactive Collection is stored in six triple-door steel cabinets doublestacked against a wall. Additional specimen-filled drawers covered by 4 mil thick
plastic tarps have been placed atop the cabinet - storage of radioactive specimens
outside of steel cabinets in this manner is problematic. However, a portion has been
relocated to the basement of building 15 (15-LL) to solve this problem. Completion
of the project is anticipated in 2009.
Radioactive Mineral Safety - Storage and Handling
For the purpose of this report, radioactive mineral species are those which
contain uranium or thorium, emit alpha, beta and gamma radiation or release alpha
emitting radionuclides of radon (see Lambert, 1994, Ionizing radiation with the
mineral collection of the National Museum of Wales, SPHNC Forum, v. 10, no. 2,
p.70). The storage, preservation, and handling of radioactive minerals require a
stringent protocol which meets guidelines set by OSHA (29 CFR 1910.1096). It
should be noted that USNRC guidelines for materials licensees, as set forth in Title
10 of the Code of Federal Regulations Part 20 [10 CFR 20], were aimed at
11
artificially produced materials and may not be directly applicable to naturally
occurring radioactive specimens in collections (Wilson, 1996). Furthermore,
incomplete compliance with applicable state and federal regulations may be focused
on potential rather than actual health risks (ibid.). The New York City Board of
Health schedules unannounced yearly visits to insure compliance with local
regulations. The last BOH inspection took place on 12/22/99.
Pursuant to federal and local regulations, a radon track monitor is placed in
the room for prescribed periods (usually six months) and returned to the
manufacturer for analysis. The manufacturer reports the radiation dose recorded and
submits a report to EPS. It should be noted that identical radon track monitors are
placed in the Mineral Collections Area where a limited number of radioactive
minerals are stored, the Guggenheim Hall of Minerals (8-1), an EPS storage area
which - in future - will contain the radioactive mineral collection (15-LL), and the
former EPS Conference Room (2A-4-05), a designated control area presumed free of
non-ambient radioactivity. EPS is required to maintain a radiation detector which
must be calibrated annually by a qualified radiation physicist.
EPS personnel are required to wear portable dosimeters when entering the
radioactive storeroom. The revised version of Title 10 of the Code of Federal
Regulations Part 20 [10 CFR 20], effective as of January 1, 1994, limits the exposure
of non-radiation works to 'An eye dose equivalent of 15 rems (0.15 Sv) per year' [10
CFR 20.120 (a)(2)(i)]." Outside contractors or in-house HVAC, plumbing,
electrical, or maintenance personnel are required to wear dosimeters if they request
access for periods in excess of one hour.
All radioactive specimens stored in the radioactive storeroom (8-LL-11) and
in the Mineral Collections Area are sealed in “Ziploc” polyethylene bags to ensure
that neither dust particles nor radon gas escape from the immediate vicinity. The
bagged specimens are stored in steel cabinets that significantly retard exiting gamma
radiation.
As radon reaches a steady state concentration in 2.5 days (rate of
formation is matched by rate of decay), radon buildup in the bags is minimal and all
daughter products are retained inside the bag. Radon gas released by radioactive
substances will attain dynamic equilibrium with its source within 2.5 days if not
dispersed (Lambert, 1994, ibid.). In our present facility (8-LL-11), most of the radon
is contained in the bags but prior contamination of the room and ambient soil-gas
radon require dilution of environmental radon in the working area. Dilution of
radioactive gases in the air is effected by a plenum fan located at the entrance
connected to ductwork that reaches the rear of the room. Appropriate air extraction
rates are used to vent the radioactive storeroom, properly, if the window fan is
activated 30 minutes prior to entry.
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Specific to the Mineral Storage Area, radon release is mostly the result of
trace uranium and thorium in numerous mineral specimens and in the granite walls
of the building. Negative pressure is maintained in the area by an exhaust fan that
vents to the exterior of the building which prevents mixing of air from the Mineral
Collection Area with the offices of EPS.
A different protocol is anticipated when the radioactive collection is relocated
to the basement of building 15 (15-LL). Radioactive minerals moved into this area
will be bagged (sealed in “Ziploc” polyethylene bags) and stored in metal
footlockers. Radiation levels will be monitored, in the area and outside of the
footlockers. For future access to these radioactive samples, the specimen-filled
footlockers will be examined outside of the new facility thereby minimizing
exposure to collective ionizing radiation. Venting the footlockers and bagged
specimens to air, outside of the museum in open air, before the specimens are
handled precludes accidental inhalation of radon and radioactive dust particles
contained in the polyethylene bags.
Mineral Deposits
The bulk of the mineral deposit research collections and two large metal
cabinets containing the polished ore sections are stored in 17, six-foot high, steel
cabinets. Drill cores from the massive sulfide deposits of Ducktown, Tennessee, and
from lithium pegmatite mines of central North Carolina are stored in wooden drill
core trays in the basement of building 15 (15-LL). A small number of ores
containing radioactive minerals are presently stored in the Radioactive Mineral
Storage (8-LL-11), but they shall be relocated soon to the basement of building 15.
Specific details on storage and safety procedures for radioactive specimens are the
same as those outlined above.
Additional specimens from the former Sampson ore collection of Princeton
University, yet uncataloged, are presently stored at the 131st St. storage facility in 4
ft high x 3 ft deep x 9 ft long foot metal cabinets. In addition, a small number of ore
samples acquired as display specimens for HoPE are held out of state.
Petrology
The petrology collections are stored:
a)
At AMNH, the collections are stored in 24 six-foot cabinets. Larger samples
(up to several hundred lbs.) are stored in the caged areas of the basement in building
15. The majority of these large samples will be moved to the 131st St. facility in the
near future.
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b)
Storage at the 131st St. storage facility includes a wide variety of rocks that
were collected on various expeditions early in this century, including rocks from the
1920-23 expeditions to Mongolia. These collections are stored in 15 (4 ft x 3 ft x 9 ft
long) metal cabinets. Several drill cores and heavy mineral separates are stored on
pallets. A number of large mineral samples, previously on display on the grounds
surrounding the museum are also stored here. In future, the drill core will be stored
on individual shelves on specially constructed racks.
c)
Most offcuts of the large samples collected for HoPE are stored out of state.
Many of these specimens weigh several tons. The samples are stored under plastic
inside the company fences. They will be relocated to the museum and the 131st St.
storage facility once space becomes available.
COLLECTIONS POLICIES AND PROCEDURES
Accessioning
All accessions will be relevant to the scope and purposes of the collections of
the department. The department must be able to provide storage, protection, and
security for the acquired objects. All accessions must comply with the applicable
laws at the time of acquisition and place of origin. All acquired objects will be
accessioned by filing a museum accession record as noted below. Prior to receipt of
a gift or bequest, the relevant Curator in the department must obtain letters of intent
from the prospective donor(s) or a copy of a will from a personal estate. Wills must
be forwarded to the office of the General Counsel to verify the terms of the bequest.
Donors should be advised of our procedures by receiving a copy of the EPS
“Guidelines for Gifts” (see attached). Purchases must be accompanied by invoices (if
there is no imprint on the invoice, a business card, address, and tax number must be
supplied), and exchange records must be completed in the case of exchanges.
Specimens received on loan are tracked with a unique identifier and are accessioned.
Samples collected in the field by museum personnel are the property of the
AMNH. Museum personnel will follow all applicable laws and policies of national
and local entities when collecting and will obtain permission before collecting on
private property. Accessioning and cataloging of material collected for research is
done at the discretion of the curator involved; specimens collected for active
research projects may not be accessioned immediately. However, if samples are
retained beyond the completion of an investigation, they should be accessioned and
catalogued into the appropriate collection.
Accession Procedure:
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(1) A museum accession record form which includes an abstract of the appropriate
catalog information is prepared.
(2) The chair signs the record, and a photocopy is made.
(3) The accession record is sent to museum Registrar, who assigns museum
accession number(s).
(4) The photocopy is retained until Registrar returns original to EPS, when it is filed.
Cataloging Procedure:
(1) Assign new consecutive AMNH catalog numbers to specimens for the mineral &
gems, meteorite, petrology, and mineral deposit collections. Unique numbers are
assigned to most specimens. An important exception is drill core, in which an entire
core may be catalogued as a single specimen. Ovals of flat white paint may be
applied to the appropriate surfaces of specimens. Numbers are inscribed to painted
surfaces with India ink. Alternatively, specimens are kept in labeled containers, such
as bottles or trays, as appropriate. For the mineral collection, numbers are printed on
acid-free paper, cut and affixed to minerals with water-soluble glue. No numbers are
attached to faceted gems; they are stored in standard gem papers with printed labels.
(2) Enter data related to above specimens in respective databases.
Databases:
The Meteorite Collection database is organized into three parts: handwritten records,
computer-generated records, and museum accession records. The handwritten
records are kept in a four-volume set of ledgers and are largely kept for historical
posterity and continuity. The ledgers cover all of the meteorites in the collection,
with the first meteorites being recorded in 1896. For each meteorite specimen, the
name, department catalogue number, weight, date of fall or find, locality, original
collection or donor, number of specimens, date of acquisition, and any additional
remarks are recorded. The ledgers are kept in the Meteorite Scientific Assistant's
office. The computer database is organized, using FilemakerPro Version 5.0. The
database contains all of the details within the ledgers, as well as additional details,
such as temporary loan information, museum accession numbers, how specimens
have been prepared, and in some cases, where they are stored. The records are
backed up as necessary (generally after any changes). The computer records are
stored on the Meteorite Scientific Assistant's computer and are also kept on two
separate sets of floppy discs. There are also three sets of printed copies within the
dept (Meteorite Curator's office, Meteorite Scientific Assistant's office, and
Meteorite Collection Area). Finally, the museum accession records and any
15
accompanying paperwork, after being signed and returned by the Registrar, are kept
in the Meteorite Scientific Assistant's office in a filing cabinet.
The Mineral and Gem Collection database is founded on a custom software design
by Joe Nagel of KUSTOS, utilizing the software SUPERBASE for WINDOWS. The
“Mineralogical Collection Database System” is a multiuser (up to 5 users
simultaneously) relational database that offers the features of several flat file
databases plus other capabilities including data validation and one-to-many
relationships, such as one specimen (number) representing several mineral species.
In-house modifications of the KUSTOS-supplied platform have enhanced its
usefulness. Included transactional databases include all loan histories, specimen
disposition, images, citations, and analytical data. Future modifications may yield
additional benefits for generating semi-annual collection reports and for collectionactivity reports required for the departmental annual report. This database is backedup weekly, and the resultant copies are stored on the SAN and off AMNH premises.
The Mineral Deposits Collection database is combined with the petrology database
in a five-volume set of hardbound books entitled American Museum of Natural
History Catalogue, Geological Collections. In the past 15-20 years the museum has
acquired samples through expeditions and donated collections, such as the Sampson
and Hamilton Collections. Written records on specimens are kept in the mineral
deposits Scientific Assistant’s office and the curator’s office containing references
and any research that has been done on these collections. The written records contain
the catalogue number, accession number, locality, source, and nature of specimen,
collector, remarks and the old catalogue number of each sample that we have
acquired since the early 20th century. The catalogue of the mineral deposits
collection is also kept in a computer database generated with FilemakerPro 3.0. The
database contains the same information in the hardbound books as well as loan
activity, cabinet and drawer numbers, and scientific references important for a
particular locality. A volunteer and the Scientific Assistant are currently cataloguing
the Sampson and Hamilton Collections. The computer database catalogue is backed
up on SAN storage weekly, and CD/DVD copy is stored off the AMNH premises.
The Petrology Collection database is stored in FilemakerPro 3.0 and is contained
within the five-volume set, American Museum of Natural History Catalogue,
Geological Collections. The hardbound books include collections such as the
Mongolian collection and gifts donated by J.P. Morgan. The written records contain
the catalogue number, accession number, locality, source, and nature of specimen,
collector, remarks and the old catalogue number of each sample acquired since the
16
early 20th century. The petrology database presently has the HoPE collection
separated out from the remainder of the petrology collection. The HoPE collection
database is entirely catalogued. The remaining portion of petrology collection
database is still in the process of being transcribed into a FilemakerPro 3.0 format.
Information and labels on the rocks are continuously added to the database, and a
volunteer performs this task weekly. To date, 13,600 of 17,500 entries have been
made. All entries are initially typed into a spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel), and then
converted to a 'sylk' (Symbolic Link) file before importing them into the
FilemakerPro database. The earliest acquisitions were converted first, and the current
process involves transferring data for materials collected between 1937 and 1980.
The entire database is backed up on a weekly basis. One copy is stored on and one
copy off the AMNH premises. All hardcopy forms concerning loans, donations,
acquisitions, accessions and deaccessions are printed from the petrology collections
databases.
Loans
The department is responsible for both incoming and outgoing loans related to
specimens within the scope of each collection. Loans are made for research,
exhibition, and education.
(1) Out-going Loans: Specimens and portions thereof will be loaned to qualified
scholars and their students within the ability and based on the judgment of the
department staff.
a)
Loans are generally made to authorized staff of educational and
research institutions including other museums for the purpose of scientific research;
the policy for loans for research is described in the attached "Information for Users
of Specimens..." Even though loaned material may be consumed by the activities of
the borrower, the transaction is considered a loan.
b)
Loans may also be made to institutions for exhibitions, educational
programs, and for commercial photography. Such loans are negotiated by the
appropriate curator on a per event basis.
c)
A record of each loan, including an itemization, catalog numbers,
specimen description, weights, terms, etc. is made by the department. Two copies,
signed by an authorized department staff member, are sent to the borrower, one of
which is to be returned to the department upon receipt of the loan. Records of loans
are maintained by the department.
d)
Loans of AMNH specimens are the responsibility of the borrower and
his/her institution. Borrowers of loans with a fair-market-value (as determined by
the department) in excess of $1000 are required to insure such loans "wall to wall"
17
under an All-Risk Fine Arts policy and issue Certificates of Insurance naming the
AMNH as the additional insured.
e)
It is up to the department's discretion to demand special arrangements
for transportation, security, care, and condition reports of such loaned specimens by
a borrower's institution. Conditions will be stated in writing on the loan agreement.
f)
The department assesses no fees for non-commercial use of objects
from the collection. Commercial users of the collection are charged according to
museum guidelines.
(2) In-coming Loans: In-coming loans are usually requested by the department for
research or exhibition. Loans will not be accepted without departmental approval. If
a loan record is not provided by the lender, a loan record will be made and
maintained in the department. The department will take all necessary actions and
precautions to properly care for and handle in-coming loans. Condition reports will
be completed for and an archival photograph taken of incoming objects valued in
excess of $1000.
3)
Objects Left in the Care of the Department: Except for incoming loans,
objects cannot be left in the care and custody of the department except under special
circumstances for study or potential donation, at the determination of the appropriate
curator. A written receipt from the curator or the chairman will be provided.
(4) Insurance Coverage is provided automatically on museum-borrowed material
by the museum's blanket insurance policy. However, a specific insurance rider will
be arranged through the Office of Financial Operations and a Certificate of
Insurance will be provided to lenders of objects in excess of $5000 or at the lender's
request.
(5) Overdue Loans: As mandated by the museum’s Registrar, the status of loans
are noted periodically and letters requesting return of AMNH samples are sent to
recalcitrant borrowers.
Exchanges
Exchanges are necessary to improve the collections by replacing duplicate or
no-longer-needed specimens. The departmental exchange policy is as follows:
(1) Exchanges involve specimens of like kind under the management of a single
curator. Exchanges involving unlike materials require the approval of the appropriate
curators and the department Chair.
18
(2) Any trade with an aggregate value of $5,000 (an amount determined by the
Administration) or greater must be approved by an academic administration
representative, such as the Dean of Collections or the Provost of the museum.
Trades with value in excess of $25,000 will probably be reviewed by the Collections
Committee of the Board of the Trustees, so detailed justification may be required.
(3) Any specimen can be traded; however, specimens that are type materials, are
on display, are one of a kind, or are covered by a gift restriction will not normally be
considered and must be justified in the trade record.
(4) All material in a trade is given a dollar value mutually agreeable to both
parties; these values are intended to provide an approximation of market value to
assure equity in the trade.
(5) Mineral and gem trades must be approved by two curators in the department invariably the Minerals and Gems Curator and usually the Mineral Deposits Curator.
(6) A record of the exchange, itemizing all specimens coming in and going out, is
signed by the appropriate curator and is kept as a permanent record. An accession
record is also completed and forwarded to the Registrar's office with a copy of the
exchange record.
Purchases
Purchases are made for all the collections, based on the judgment of the
curator of the collection and availability of funds.
The global scope of the AMNH Mineral and Gem collection and the Meteorite
collection and the highly commercial nature of these natural history materials
precludes the possibility of limiting future acquisitions to materials collected in the
field or donated by philanthropic parties. Meteoriticists, in particular, are constrained
by the ephemeral nature of meteorite falls or finds and the difficulties encountered in
identifying and collecting meteorites in the field. In recent years, hundreds of
meteorites have been recovered on ice- and snow-covered expanses of Antarctica.
All meteorites collected in Antarctica are consigned to the national museums of
countries claiming sovereignty over the coastal regions of that continent. For
example, all meteorites collected in that portion of Antarctica claimed by the United
States are considered the property of the Smithsonian Institution. Museumsponsored expeditions to sub-Saharan regions in northern Africa or to the interior of
the Indian sub-continent have been discussed within the Department of EPS to
19
counteract the Antarctic advantage enjoyed by the Smithsonian. Until such
expeditions are mounted, dispatched, and successfully concluded, meteoriticists have
little choice but to participate in the commercial meteorite market. The large pallasite
slice installed in the Rose Center falls into this category.
The acquisition of minerals and gems is also governed by the dictates of the
marketplace, but the criteria used to determine the usefulness of particular minerals
or gems differ from those used by meteoriticists. The potential or actual scientific
value of meteorites offered for sale largely determines its suitability for acquisition
(notwithstanding the example cited above). Mineral and Gem Curators not only
purchase specimens suitable for scientific research, but also buy extraordinary
‘flowers of the mineral kingdom’ for exhibition purposes (Desautels, 1968).
Fundamentally, the context of crystallization and association is an important
attribute of the natural science of mineral forming environments, but equally the
shear beauty, intricacy and exquisite geometry of fine crystallized specimens provide
the visual cue for interest by museum visitors. Consequently, the acquisition of
esthetic specimens is designed with the goal of exhibition, either permanent (at some
date) or for rotating and traveling exhibitions. Knowledge about the diversity of
esthetic specimens and their distribution in public and private collections does
become a part of the curator’s responsibilities for the mineral collection. Likewise,
representation of gem diversity in “viewable” stones is important both to the science
of gemology and the exhibition of gem materials.
The purchase of minerals, gems, or meteorites collected on foreign soils is
subject to any and all laws enacted by foreign governments to regulate the export of
minerals, gems, and meteorites.
Gifts
The department has improved its collections through the addition of new
specimens as gifts. There are several applicable requirements. First, the department
must approve a gift before it will be accepted; the specimen(s) must be within the
scope of our collections, must represent a useful addition, and must be within the
department's ability to house and maintain. Second, the donation must be made as an
unrestricted gift. The department cannot make promises about the indefinite future
of a specimen once it belongs to the museum. However, the department does not
accept specimens that it does not intend to keep for the foreseeable future.
Furthermore, the department must make an effort to exhibit display-quality
specimens and maintain three cases in the Mineral and Gem Hall and one in the
Meteorite Hall where new acquisitions can be displayed. The department normally
includes an acknowledgment of the donor within the cases.
20
Particularly significant additions will be added to the permanent display
collection, although this can take a long time to accomplish, as the permanent halls
are revised infrequently.
In order to donate a specimen(s), approval must be obtained first from the
curator of the relevant collection within the department. Once approval is received, a
letter designating transfer of ownership and stating the unrestricted nature of the gift
should be sent to the curator and the specimen(s) sent or delivered to the museum.
The donor will be sent an acknowledgment from the curator after both the gift and
the letter of decision to donate is received. The acknowledgment letter is the official
document of receipt from the museum.
In the case of a gift, which is, being given as a tax deductible contribution and
the value is in excess of $500, an IRS Form 8283 must be filed with the Federal
income tax return. If the value of a gift is in excess of $5000, the donor will need an
appraisal from an accredited appraiser and the donor will need to advise department
staff so that they can fill in the necessary information on the 8283 Form—the
appropriate curator is authorized to sign for the receiving institution on the form.
The form is sent to the donor and his/her appraiser to complete.
Deaccessions
Specimens are retained by the department as long as they retain their physical
integrity and continue to be relevant to the scope and purposes of the collections.
The possible methods of deaccession are exchange, sale, or discard. Upon
deaccessioning, a deaccession record is transmitted to the AMNH Registrar and the
catalog is modified accordingly (see cataloging procedures).
(1)
Exchange: Discussed under Exchanges, above.
(2) Sale: Sale of specimens is a procedure to be avoided unless absolutely
necessary. Sales are subject to the following restrictions:
a)
Any offer of sale of specimens must be approved by the department
Chair and by an academic administration representative, such as the Dean of
Collections or Provost. A sale with potential price in excess of $5000 must be
approved by the Board of Trustees.
b)
A responsible effort must be made to sell specimens to museums and
other public institutions before considering private institutions or individuals.
c)
The proceeds from sale are to be restricted to the use of purchasing like
material, e.g., minerals sold to buy minerals, either directly or through a purchasing
fund or endowment.
21
(3) Discard: Specimens that have lost their value or relevance to collections
because of alteration, replication, or other reason and have no value for trade or sale
may be discarded with the approval of the curator in charge and the Chair of the
department. The rationale for discard must be recorded in the catalog.
Visitor Policy for EPS Collection Areas
With the EPS staff and volunteers excluded, visitors are required to sign the
visitor’s register. Visitors to this space are typically scientists from other institutions.
Casual visits by non-EPS personnel are discouraged. Tours of the collections areas
maintained by EPS are given on occasion at the discretion of the curators-in-charge.
See previous restrictions discussed above.
HANDLING, PREPARATION, AND PRESERVATION OF SPECIMENS
Handling of Mineral and Gem Specimens
The core of most mineral collections of global scope housed in the great
natural history institutions of the world were assembled by wealthy amateur
collectors whose collections were later purchased or donated to natural history
museums. Many of these collections were assembled on the basis of esthetic
considerations as much as mineral species diversity and so, exhibit a marked bias
towards well-crystallized minerals.
The preservation of crystallized specimens requires that they be handled with
extreme care. Most crystal groups possess a solid base from which the majority of
the crystals project and which constitutes a natural rest surface for exhibition or
handling. Such specimens should be grasped at its base for either examination or
exhibition purposes. Under no circumstances should crystal terminations be grasped
as the crystal may separate from its matrix. Extremely fragile specimens are stored in
cardboard trays lined with Volara, a cross-linked polyethylene foam, however, the
long-term goal is to store all crystallized specimens in Volara-lined boxes for both
physical and chemical (acid cardboard) protection.
Preparation of Terrestrial Specimens
Cleaning
Specimens collected in the field may require cleaning prior to storage or
exhibition. The three most common adhering materials are: pocket clay, rust, and
lichen encrustations. The decision to clean mineral specimens is made on a case-bycase basis. Tarnish and oxidation films that cover the surface of native metals,
sulfides and sulfosalts are usually not removed for a variety of reasons. The tarnish
removal process is ineffective and pitted surfaces may result. Secondly, preserving
22
the chemistry of rocks and minerals is a scientific imperative. If cleaning is deemed
appropriate, a record of the cleaning method used and date of treatment is entered
into the appropriate database.
Clay Removal
Pocket clay, the product of feldspar alteration, is endemic to crystallized
pegmatite occurrences. Its removal can be effected mechanically or chemically.
Mechanical removal, a method favored by mineral dealers, uses high-speed dental
drills. Buffing pads are charged with crushed walnut shells in lieu of toothpaste.
Most mineral curators favor the chemical removal of clay adherents. The Waller
technique is also used (Waller, 1980a; see details below).
Rust Removal
Superficial coatings of iron oxides and oxyhydroxides minerals, or those
deposited on samples collected in situ, are removed, particularly if said samples are
earmarked for exhibition. An oxalic acid solution or the Waller technique is
employed to clean them, depending on the specimen’s resistance to oxalic acid.
Lichen Removal
Lichen-encrusted rock samples may be collected in the field. Lichen may
obscure with well-preserved lineation, fault gouges, or other textures on rock
surfaces. Lichen coatings can be removed with dilute ammonia or with chlorine
bleach and mechanical brushing.
Surface Dust, Particulates, or Other Coatings
Surface contamination, herein defined as incidental dust, particulate matter
(linen threads dislodged from clothing) or fine-grained dirt particles clinging to
mineral surfaces or crevasses, are removed in an ultrasonic bath with a mild
detergent, followed by a second bath in distilled water. This cleaning treatment is
particularly effective for cleaning fibrous minerals like zeolites. Water-soluble
borates, nitrates, and sulfates are removed in an ultrasonic bath filled with pure
ethanol—care must be taken to be sure that the alcohol has not absorbed water from
the atmosphere as this may cause dissolution of water-soluble minerals.
Cleaning Faceted Gems
The adsorption of body oils is an inevitable consequence when handling gems.
Surface grime of this type are treated by tooth-brushing the affected gem facets with
soapy water followed by a rinse in distilled water. Tooth-brushing the surfaces with
23
a dilute ammonia solution is an effective remedy from the removal of grime. Jewelry
used in traveling exhibits is brought to AMNH conservators for treatment.
Repairing Damaged Specimens
Damaged specimens are sometimes encountered. Clean breaks in specimens
are repaired with a quick-drying epoxy (cyanoacrylate) which is rated acceptable by
the Canadian Conservation Institute.
Preservation of Terrestrial Specimens
Chemically-Unstable Minerals and Ores
Certain minerals, rocks, and ores that are stored in temperature-humidity
controlled areas are metastable. Factors inhibiting the preservation of metastable
minerals include thermal conductivity and expansion, deliquescence, efflorescence,
oxidation, bacterial activity, and photosensitivity (Waller, 1980b). The particular
requirements for the preservation of radioactive minerals are outlined in the section
dealing with their storage.
Thermal Conductivity and Expansion
Elevated temperatures cause thermal expansion in most minerals, and are
particularly deleterious to minerals with low thermal conductivity and high thermal
expansion coefficients, notably native sulfur, cerussite, and fluorite. Temperatures
below 0 °C can shatter crystals containing liquid-filled inclusions. If follows that
specimens must be protected from rapid temperature fluctuations.
Temperatures ranging between 0° and 30ºC are generally tolerable for rock
samples stored out-of-doors. In-door facilities should maintain a temperature of 21
°C +/- 2 °C.
Deliquescent and Efflorescent Minerals
Temperatures above 23°C coupled with relative humidity levels exceeding
70% relative humidity (RH) are harmful to both deliquescent and efflorescent
minerals. Deliquescent minerals, with or without accompanying decomposition, are
defined as any water soluble salt [capable of drawing moisture from the air and with
it form a solution when the RH of the air is higher than the water activity of a
saturated solution of that salt (Waller, 1980b)]. Minerals undergoing deliquescence
will reprecipitate and form powdery crusts. Factors affecting the extent of
deliquescence are the RH level, the duration of exposure, the rate of air flow, the
total volume of air from which moisture can be drawn, and characteristics of the
species involved (Waller, 1980b). Deliquescent mineral groups include halides,
24
sulfates, and nitrates. Such specimens should be placed in 4 mil polyethylene bags,
and when appropriate, a desiccant is added.
Efflorescent minerals are inorganic compounds with water as an essential
constituent. If the partial pressure of water vapor in the air falls below that of the
mineral, water will leave the mineral (Waller, 1980b). Sulfates, carbonates, and
borates are often efflorescent. They are bagged, in some cases, with their local
brines.
Oxidation (Metallic and Non-Metallic)
Inorganic substances are subject to varying degrees of oxidation. The
incorporation of oxygen into a mineral or meteorite is controlled by the material’s
oxidation state and by the temperature and relative humidity levels encountered in
storage. Elevated temperature and humidity levels accelerate oxidation. Native
metals like copper and silver, arsenides like realgar, and sulfides like pyrite and
marcasite (in concert with anaerobic bacterial activity) will oxidize in temperature
and humidity controlled environments if prudent precautions are not taken. Such
specimens are placed in 4 mil polyethylene bags to limit exposure to unforeseen
changes in temperature or humidity.
Bacterial Activity
The decomposition of the sulfides pyrite and marcasite are caused by
anaerobic bacterial activity, and bacteria thrive in humid environments. Both iron
sulfide minerals are stored in 4 mil polyethylene bags. The bags provide a moisture
barrier and encapsulate decomposition products. Desiccants should be used in
conjunction with bagging for specimens with incipient sulfide disease.
Photosensitivity
Photo-sensitive minerals, substances that are either decomposed by light or
that experience color changes when exposed to light are uncommon, but those that
are so affected often possess high monetary value. The decomposition process is
accelerated by oxidation, but air is not required for photodecomposition of minerals.
If exposed to light, the silver halides chlorargyrite, bromyrite, iodyrite and miersite
also decompose in a vacuum. These minerals are placed in 4 mil polyethylene bags
and stored in boxes with lids.
The sulfosalts proustite and pyrargyrite are highly prized for their distinctive
ruby red crystals; specimen valuations exceeding $25,000 are commonplace. If
exposed to light and air, the scarlet-vermilion color of proustite and pyrargyrite is
dulled by surface oxidation (tarnish) which if left unchecked, will blacken the
crystals. The lilac coloration of kunzite fades rapidly in sunlight, a problematic color
25
change when large, transparent crystals command six figure valuations. Properly
bagged and boxed, light sensitive minerals will exhibit little if any deterioration.
The exhibition of heat and light sensitive minerals requires the installation of
ultraviolet filters to protect such minerals and to arrest further deterioration and
prevent future occurrence. The Guggenheim Hall of Minerals and the J.P. Morgan
Hall of Gems were opened to the public in 1976, but no provision for UV filter
protection was initiated at that time. Present-day efforts to ameliorate this situation
continue.
Preparation and Preservation Techniques Specific to Meteorites
Preservation techniques vary from specimen to specimen in the Meteorite
collection. Iron (and stony-iron) meteorites require the most attention, and stony
meteorites the least. In general, rust is the major problem. Depending upon the
severity, one or all of the following methods below may be used to minimize
specimen degradation. Generally speaking, stony meteorites require little
attention beyond keeping them dry. All meteorites, at minimum, are placed in
plastic 4 mil Ziploc bags.
Triple Bagging
Triple bagging is an excellent maintenance technique. The sample is
placed in a Ziploc bag (this bag is left open initially). A small amount of
desiccant (silica gel) is placed in a second Ziploc bag. The bag containing the
sample (and is still open) is placed inside the bag containing desiccant. The
desiccant bag is sealed, minimizing the amount of air in both bags, and left for
20 minutes. Once the allotted time has passed, the interior sample bag is sealed
without opening the outer desiccant bag. The sample should no longer be in
contact with the desiccant. Finally, the desiccant bag is placed inside a third
Ziploc, which is then sealed, to ensure that there is no longer any air exchange.
Spray Coating
A spray acrylic coating on the surface of the iron or stony-iron meteorite
acts in a similar manner as the triple bagging to prevent further rusting. This is
useful for display specimens.
Polishing
A combination of wet, light grinding and polishing can be used to remove
rusted areas. Use in conjunction with mineral spirits as the solvent. Do not use
water or alcohol.
26
Phosphoric Acid Treatment
A treatment of dilute (10%) phosphoric acid (or Naval Jelly) will remove
a substantial amount of rust from an iron meteorite (after Waller, 1980a).
However, contamination of the surface will occur. Any subsequent analysis of
this surface will yield results that are not representative of the natural specimen.
This technique should be used sparingly and only on samples meant for display
purposes.
Waller Solution Treatment
A solution of sodium citrate, sodium dithionite (hydrosulfite) and sodium
bicarbonate in distilled water used to remove large amounts of rust. (After
Waller, 1980a). The Waller method was explored and modified by Henry
Silverstein (a former AMNH volunteer). See Silverstein, (1998). A copy of this
paper is kept in the Meteorite Scientific Assistant's office for reference.
DEPARTMENTAL ARCHIVES
Archival Materials
The mineral and gem collection accession log books for the period 1871present are stored in the Mineral Collections Area (4-4-15B). Also stored there are
catalog cards describing individual gem and mineral specimens. Cards like these
date from circa 1900 to the present.
Photos and Prints
A library of 35 mm slides generated by lectures conducted by EPS Gem and
Mineral Curator and Senior Scientific Assistant for this collection is maintained and
stored in 3-ring binders within the Mineral Collections Area. The slides, usually 35
mm color transparencies, are loaded in high-density polyethylene sheets. The curator
also maintains lecture sides, as do other EPS curators, in their respective offices.
An extensive photographic survey of select gems and mineral specimens from
these collections was undertaken in 1990 by Harold and Erica Van Pelt, whose 4x5
color transparencies of mineral and gems have graced the covers of Gems &
Gemology, the Mineralogical Record, the Lapidary Journal, and most notably,
within the pages of Gems & Crystals from the American Museum of Natural History
co-authored by former Associate Anna S. Sofianides and curator George E. Harlow.
A second publication, Minerals and Gems from the American Museum of Natural
History, co-authored by George E. Harlow and Joseph J. Peters, the Senior Scientific
Assistant, utilizes the Van Pelt images and numerous 4x5 and 35 mm color
27
transparencies of AMNH minerals and gems by photographers in the AMNH Photo
Studio.
Books and Magazines
A collection of books about minerals and gems assembled by Leonard
Feldman, a past President of the Brooklyn Gem & Mineral Society, is maintained in
room 4-4-13. Most of these books were intended for amateur enthusiasts and, as
such, provide useful information when EPS staff members answer public inquires
pertaining to rock and mineral collection. Partial runs of the Mineralogical Record
magazine, the Lapidary Journal, and the Journal of Gemology, donated by former
EPS volunteer Joe Rothstein, are used in a similar fashion. These items are shelved
in room 4-4-16.
LABORATORY PROCEDURES AND EQUIPMENT
Laboratory Safety
EPS staff participate in safety training as required and provided for by the
museum. EPS staff are requested to use safety gowns, safety gloves, safety eye
protective devices, and ear protection as necessary.
Emergency Equipment and Procedures
Safety equipment available for use in the laboratories (Sample Prep Lab and
Experimental Petrology Lab) includes the fume hoods, flammable storage cabinet
for organic liquids, flammable storage cabinet for acids, lab coats, lab goggles, lab
face shields, gloves, and masks.
Emergency equipment available in the labs includes fire extinguishers, fire
blanket (located in the hallway between the two labs), faucet eye wash, and first aid
kits. Department staff and visitors are requested to familiarize themselves with the
location and proper use of emergency equipment.
Emergency procedure information is posted on the doors to the labs.
Department staff and visitors are requested to familiarize themselves with
departmental emergency procedures. The documents include 1) procedures to follow
in case of hazardous chemical spills, and 2) laboratory specific procedures in case
fire, flood or injury.
28
Storage and Disposal of Chemicals
Chemical Paperwork
Material Safety Data Sheets (MSDS) are kept for all hazardous chemicals.
These forms are located in notebooks in the experimental petrology laboratory (room
2A-4-03).
Chemical Storage
The two principal storage areas for chemicals in the department are:
(1) The Sample Preparation Lab contains a flammable storage cabinet for organic
liquids, a separate flammable storage cabinet for acids, and a cabinet for bases. All
bottles are clearly labeled with their contents. Waste organic liquids (small
quantities) are stored in clearly marked bottles inside the fume hood.
(2) The cabinets of the Experimental Petrology Lab store the stock (dry)
chemicals. All bottles are clearly labeled with their contents and ACS numbers.
Chemical Disposal
The Maintenance and Engineering Dept (X5363) is contacted annually, and its
representatives pick up hazardous chemicals that need to be disposed of.
Maintenance/Engineering solicits this information annually.
Use of Organic Liquids
All organic liquids are decanted into non-breakable bottles for use in the labs.
Caution should be used at all times when handling these liquids. Adequate
ventilation (fume hoods, etc.) and safety equipment (eye protection, gloves, etc.) are
used as recommended.
REFERENCES
Desautels, P. (1968). The Mineral Kingdom. Ridge Press, New York, 252 pp
Embrey, P. and Hey, M.H. (1970). "Type" specimens in Mineralogy.
Mineralogical Record, 1:102-104..
Lambert (1994). Ionizing radiation with the mineral collection of the National
Museum of Wales. SPHNC Forum, v. 10, no.2, p. 70
Silverstein, H. (1998) Methodology for rust removal and prevention in iron
meteorites. Meteorite, August issue, 28-30.
29
Waller, R.R. (1980). Notes for collectors--A rust removal method for mineral
specimens. Mineralogical Record, 11:109.
Waller, R.R. (1980). The Preservation of Mineral Specimens, preprint, 8th
Annual Meeting of the American Institute for Conservation of Historic
and Artistic Works. pp. 116-128.
Wilson, M. (1996). Radioactive Specimens in Collections. The Society of
Mineral Museum Professionals (on file).
APPENDICES
1. Sample exchange agreement form
2. Sample specimen transfer form
3. Sample accession record form
4. Sample deaccession record form
5. Sample collection visitor record form
6. Photographic image(s) loan agreement form
7. Information for use of specimens
8. Guidelines for gifts information
9. AMNH Trustees’ collections policy document (6-5-96)
10.Collections security policy memo (Provost Novacek – 3/18/98)
11. Protocol for bequests
30
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Instructions to recipient:
Please date, sign, and return one copy of this invoice. Retain one copy for your records.
TO:
Date
The listed material is sent as:
( ) Loan at your request, for
request.
( ) Exchange
( ) Research material. Return unused portion.
( )For examination at our
( )
Loans are for a period of three months unless otherwise stipulated. Loans may not be exchanged
with other parties or removed to another institution for any reason without prior permission of
the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences. Please acknowledge the use of these specimens
in publications and reports, and send copies to the department.
Catalog No.
Data
Est. Value
Confirmation by recipient
Shipping instructions:
No. of packages____
Shipped via
Date shipped
Received above in good order on:
(1st class, etc.)
__________
(Date)
Insure for
Signature
By
(E.& P. Sciences)
For E.&P. Sciences use only:
Loan returned:
Date
Cost
Signature
1
___________
(Date)
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
SPECIMEN TRANSFER FORM
The objects described below have been sold/given to AMNH by:
Name
Tel:
Institution of Affiliation, if relevant:
Address:
Fax:
email:
To the American Museum of Natural History, Department of
. These specimens
are hereby transferred with no limiting conditions or restrictions. I hereby represent that I have
full right and title to the objects hereby transmitted and authority to dispose there of.
Specimen # or Number of Specimens with Description.
I collected/obtained the material through legal means from:
If the material was obtained from outside the United States of America, I verify that it was
imported into the US by legal means. Where possible, I have provided copies of all relevant
documentation (permits, sales receipts, etc.)
If these specimens were collected on United States State or Federal Lands, please specify below
where and when. Please include copies of all permits or receipts of purchase.
Date of Delivery of object(s) to the AMNH:
Seller’s/ Donor’s Signature:
Date:
Curator’s Signature:
Date:
Gift
Exchange
Purchase
1/99 rev’d 12/99
2
Other
AMNH Accession #________________
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
Accession Record
SECTION I
DEPARTMENT OF ________________Division of ________________
Date of Receipt __________________
Department File/Accession # __________________
Dept. Catalogue #'s _________________________________
Donor
_________________________________________________________________
Address
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Telephone __________________________ Fax_______________________
E-mail _________________________
Donation to be kept
anonymous________________________________________________________
_________
GIFT _________
INTERNAL TRANSFER _________
BEQUEST
___________
PURCHASE
______ (Fund and Price)
____________________________________________________________
EXPEDITION ______ (Name)
_____________________________________________ Date
_________________
FIELD TRIP
______
(Place)
_____________________________________________ Date
_________________
EXCHANGE (Record Catalog #'s & value of specimens given in
exchange)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________
(Please attach copies of collecting permits and USFW 3-177 forms)
DESCRIPTION OF MATERIAL (Include # of specimens, place of origin,
vendor, etc.)
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
Does Department have a transaction record on file showing legal
ownership by owner? YES _____
NO _______
3
Does Department have a transfer of ownership record on file
giving ownership to AMNH? YES
NO
(Please attach copies)
Explanation if No to above
RESTRICTIONS (Describe fully)
_________________________________________________________________
_
SIGNIFICANCE OF MATERIAL
_________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________
_________________________________________________________________
VALUE
_________ Less than $1000
_________ $1000 - $5000
internal purposes) __________________
_________ More than $5000
Estimated Value (for
IF MORE THAN $5000 AND AT REQUEST OF DONOR:
IRS FORM COMPLETED _______
SENT TO DONOR _______
CC: REGISTRAR ________
ADMIN. ACKNOWLEDGEMENT REQUESTED ______________
SIGNATURE OF DIVISION CHAIRMAN
____________________________________ DATE
_________________________________________________________________
Send all accession forms to registrar for processing
(Gifts evaluated over $5000 will be forwarded by registrar to
Management Board for approval)
SECTION II
REGISTRATION. SIGNATURE
____________________________________________ DATE
_________________________________________________________________
___________________________
SECTION III
BOARD MEETING ______________
CC: DEPT. ____________
(Date)
APPROVAL RECEIVED ______________
(Date)
4
(Date)
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
DEACCESSION RECORD
the following material has been deaccessioned and
As of this date
removed from the catalogue.
AMNH
Accession No.
Dept. Accession/
Catalogue No.
Division/
Dept.
Description
Value
Less than $5,000
More than $5,000
Reason for Deaccession
Disposition (describe where object is transferred to and name of contact)
Method of disposal/transfer
The Department Chairman and one Curator have made the evaluation and decision for this action. Their signatures
appear below.
Chairman
Date
Curator
Date
VALUE OVER $5,000 ------------------------------------- APPROVED BY BOARD OF TRUSTEES
5
Authorized signature
Date
xc: Registrar
Dept.File: 3/1/91
6
DEPARTMENT OF EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES - AMNH
Date
COLLECTION VISITOR RECORD
Name of Collection
Time in: Time out:
Visitor's Name
1
Purpose of visit
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
LOAN AGREEMENT (PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES)
Instructions to recipient:
Please date, sign, and return copy of this invoice. Retain copy for your records.
TO:
Date
The listed material is sent as:
( ) For examination
( ) Loan at your request, for
at our request
( )
Loans are for a period of three months unless otherwise stipulated. Images are for
"one-time" use and may not be exchanged with other parties for any reason without
prior permission of the Dept. of Earth & Planetary Sciences. Please acknowledge
the use of these images in publications and send copies to the department. Consult
attached sheet for further information.
Image No.
Data (Spec. Cat. No., Locality, Photographers, etc.)
Confirmation by
Shipping instructions:
recipient
No. of packages
good order on:
Shipped via
Date shipped
Received above in
(1st class, etc.)
(Date)
2
Insure for___________________________
By
Signature
(E.&P. Sciences)
For General Services use only:
Sciences use:
For Dept. E. & P.
Processed by________________________
returned:___________
Loan
(Date
)
Date____________
Cost
Signature____________________
3
LOAN AGREEMENT (PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES)
Photographic images of American Museum of Natural History minerals, meteorites and
gems are archived in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences and in the Museum’s
Library. Requests for images not archived by our Department will be directed to Library
Services.
Images archived in the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences include color
transparencies (8x10 and 4x5) and 35mm color slides. Particularly noteworthy are 4x5
color transparencies used in the 1990 Simon & Schuster book Gems and Crystals from
the American Museum of Natural History. Authored by Anna Sofianides and George
Harlow, this publication features 150 magnificent photographs by Harold & Erica Van
Pelt of AMNH gems, crystals and carvings.
The loan period for images is 90 days or less (renewable at our discretion). Rental
fees are negotiable. Borrowers will be assessed a $300.00 fee for lost, stolen or
damaged 4x5 or 8x10 transparencies. Van Pelt photographs should be credited as
follows: “Photographed by Harold and Erica Van Pelt. Photo courtesy of the
American Museum of Natural History.” All other photographs should be credited:
“Photo courtesy of the American Museum of Natural History.” Locality and other
information related to the photographed specimen(s) will be supplied by the
Museum. All loan agreements are based on a “one-time use” of the supplied images.
For further information contact:
Dr. George E. Harlow, Curator
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences
American Museum of Natural History
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5319
(212) 769-5378
[email protected]
4
Information for Users of Specimens
from the Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences of
The American Museum of Natural History
In accordance with the policy of the American Museum of Natural History, the
Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences supplies materials from its collections of
minerals, meteorites, rocks and mineral deposits to scientists and other qualified persons in
support of their research. It is up to the judgment and resources of the Department's staff to
determine whether a loan of material can be made. To evaluate the qualification of people
seeking material and to facilitate the handling of requests, we ask for three items as part of a
formal request for research material.
1.
A short description of the proposed research or project supported by
evidence that the borrower can do the project.
2.
An exact description of the type, quality, and the minimum quantity of
material needed; it is helpful to cite a catalog number(s) if it is known. In some cases
a trip to the Museum may be required to review the collection catalog and select the
specimens.
3.
The request should be written on institutional letterhead and state the
potential borrower's affiliation. In some instances, particularly for those who are not
known to the Department's staff and have no institutional affiliation, a supporting
curriculum vitae from the researcher will be requested.
Whereas support of student research is important to the scientific community and
supported by the Museum, the Department requires students to involve their research
advisers in requests for research material so that institutional responsibility for loans can be
maintained. Users of samples from the collections of the AMNH are expected to assume
several responsibilities:
1.
Any data obtained during the research on Museum specimens will be
reported to us so that we may cross-reference the data with the specimen, thereby
building a valuable collection of referenced material for science. We expect that
copies of any reprints, preprints, or the like, of papers including information obtained
on the Museum's specimens will be sent to the Department.
2.
Museum specimens will be properly acknowledged in publications,
including the catalogue number of the specimen(s), and a statement acknowledging
the American Museum of Natural History as the source.
3.
Research material that is unused or unconsumed should be returned.
Because the Museum's collections are an important resource to the scientific
community, we encourage borrowers to contribute specimens they describe, both in support
of the Museum's activities and for the service the Museum offers for curating described
materials.
5
GUIDELINES FOR GIFTS
American Museum of Natural History
Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences
Central Park West at 79th Street
New York, NY 10024-5192
The Department of Earth & Planetary Sciences is always interested in improving its
collections through the addition of new specimens as gifts. There are two major
requirements. First, we must approve a gift before it will be accepted; the specimen(s) must
be within the scope of our collections, must represent a useful addition, and must be within
the Department's ability to house and maintain. Second, the donation must be made as an
unrestricted gift. We cannot make promises about the indefinite future of a specimen once it
belongs to the Museum. However, we do not accept specimens we do not intend to keep for
the foreseeable future. Furthermore, we make an effort to exhibit display-quality specimens
and have three cases in the Mineral and Gem Halls and one in the Meteorite Hall where new
acquisitions are displayed. We normally include an acknowledgement of the donor in these
cases. Particularly significant additions will be added to the permanent display collection,
although this can take a long time to accomplish, as the permanent halls are revised
infrequently.
If you decide to donate a specimen(s), approval must be obtained first from the
curator of the relevant collection within the Department. Once you have received approval, a
letter designating your transfer of ownership and stating the unrestricted nature of the gift
should be sent to the curator and the specimen(s) sent or delivered to the Museum. The
donor will be sent an acknowledgement from the curator after both the gift and the letter of
decision to donate is received. The acknowledgement letter is the official document of
receipt from the Museum.
In the case of a gift which is being given as a tax deductible contribution and the
value is in excess of $500, an IRS Form 8283 must be filed with your Federal income tax
return. If the value of a gift is in excess of $5000, you will need an appraisal from an
accredited appraiser and you will need to advise us so that we can fill in the necessary
information on the 8283 Form. We will send this for you and your appraiser to complete.
The Museum appreciates the generosity of donors of gifts-in-kind in their support of
the collections. All donations valued in excess of $5000 are reported to the Management
Board of Trustees; such donors are sent a letter on behalf of the Trustees acknowledging the
gift and expressing appreciation for the donor's generosity and support. Such donors are also
listed in the annual report and become members of the Natural History Society. A
description of the Society and its benefits is available from the Development Office of the
Museum.
If there is an opening of a new exhibition featuring the activities of the department or
its collections, we attempt to provide friends and supporters of Earth & Planetary Sciences
with invitations to an opening event
6
American Museum of Natural History
Collections Policy
Adopted by the Board of Trustees, June 05, 1996
PURPOSE
MANAGEMENT
Collections Committee
Curators
Scientific Chairs and Department
Directors
ACQUISITION
Conditions
Approvals
Compliance with Laws
Title
Permanent Loans; Custodial Arrangements
CARE
Conservation Plan
Facilities and Treatment
Safety
DOCUMENTATION
Inventorying
Cataloguing
Primary Documents; Study Materials
Data
USE
Encumbrances
Research
Exhibition
Destructive Sampling
LOAN
Exhibition Loans
Study Loans
Intramural Loans
DISPOSITION
Reason
Approvals
Restrictions
Use of Proceeds
ETHICS
Identifications and Appraisals
Use of Museum Property and Services
Personal Collecting
______
PURPOSE
7
The American Museum of Natural History’s 1869 charter created the Museum for the
purpose of establishing and maintaining“...a Museum and Library of Natural History; of
encouraging and developing the study of Natural Science; of advancing the general knowledge of
kindred subjects, and to that end of furnishing popular instruction.”
Since then, over 30 million specimens, artifacts, and documents have been collected from
sources worldwide, in the field by the Museum’s staff and representatives, and through purchase,
gift, and exchange. They make up comprehensive collections of value for research, exhibition,
and education for curators, students, and visitors to the Museum and for scholars nationally and
internationally. They comprise a heritage of the earth, its living things, and its human culture,
held by the Museum for present and future generations to research and disseminate knowledge of
the earth and life upon it.
This policy updates and supersedes the Museum’s collections policy published in Curator in
April 1974 to take account of developments over the last two decades. It continues the structure
of an institution-wide umbrella policy governing the more detailed collection policies and
practices of the Museum’s 8scientific departments: Anthropology, Earth and Planetary Sciences,
Entomology, Herpetology and Ichthyology, Invertebrates, Mammalogy, Ornithology, and
Vertebrate Paleontology. The scientific departments shall review, and revise if necessary, their
existing collection policies and practices for consistency with the requirements hereby established,
and shall file their policies with the Provost.
This policy also applies to the departments of Education, Exhibitions, Library Services, the
Hayden Planetarium, the interdepartmental laboratories (the Scanning Electron Microscope
Facility, the Molecular Systematics Laboratory, and the Monell Molecular Laboratory), and the
Office of the Registrar to the extent they handle specimens, artifacts, data, or records from the
collections.
This policy shall be observed by Museum employees unless modified or rescinded by the
Board of Trustees. Where applicable, this policy also applies to officers of the Museum and
members of the Board of Trustees and Collections Committee.
MANAGEMENT
Collections Committee
The Board of Trustees hereby delegates oversight of collection matters to the Board’s
Collections Committee and delegates the administration of this collection policy to the President
and Provost, working with each scientific department through the curators and department chairs.
The President, Provost, and Collections Committee shall report on the status of the collections to
the Board of Trustees no less often than annually.
Curators
Management of each collection shall be assigned to a curator-in-charge. The curator-incharge shall have sufficient expertise to assume responsibility for identification, acquisition,
preparation, sampling, conservation, maintenance, and documentation.
Curators are directly responsible for supervising the work of those scientific assistants,
technicians, preparators, conservators, students, and postdoctoral researchers to whom they are
assigned and for ensuring their adherence to department and Museum collection policies.
Curators are similarly responsible for visiting scholars and other outside users of collections under
their care.
Scientific Chairs and Department Directors
8
Each chair shall continue to file with the Provost an annual summary of department activities.
The annual summaries shall include a synopsis of all acquisitions, dispositions, and loans during
the year. The report shall advise of the appointment o curators-in-charge for the coming year and
identify the segments of the collection for which these curators are responsible. The Provost shall
comment on these summaries in the Provost’s annual report to the President, the Collections
Committee, and the Board of Trustees.
Each scientific department chair shall assure that conservation responsibility is assigned and
accepted within the department, principally according to the duties of those staff members directly
involved with specimens and artifacts: curators, collection managers, scientific assistants,
technicians, preparators, and conservators.
The directors of other museum departments that handle specimens, artifacts, records, or data
from the collections shall be responsible for their departments' compliance with this policy where
applicable.
ACQUISITION
Conditions
Objects accepted or otherwise acquired for the Museum’s collections shall meet the following
conditions:
a) The objects are relevant to and consistent with the purposes and activities of the
Museum.
b) The Museum can provide for the storage, protection, and preservation of the objects
under conditions that ensure their availability for Museum purposes and in keeping with
professionally accepted standards.
c) It is intended that the objects shall remain in the collections as long as they retain their
physical integrity, their authenticity, and their relevance for the purposes of the Museum.
Approvals
The Museum may acquire specimens or artifacts by gift or bequest, exchange or purchase,
and by field work. All acquisitions shall require the approval of the scientific department arrived
at through the procedures detailed in the department’s collection policy. This may include
approval by the chair or curator-in-charge or by consensus among the curatorial staff. A major
acquisition shall be accompanied by a scientific department evaluation of its impact on the
resources available to curate and care for the material.
In the normal management of the collections, scientific departments may, in accordance with
department policy, accept donations, collect through field work, make exchanges, and purchase
specimens or artifacts using current amounts from acquisition funds made available to the
department, subject only to the following:
a) The approval of the Provost and the President shall be required for i) an acquisition
entailing a restriction on the Museum as to title, right of possession, care, exhibition, loan, or
requiring special restrictions such as attribution beyond the records of the department, and ii) an
acquisition requiring special expenditures (beyond the acquisition amount).
b) The additional approval of the Collections Committee shall be required for an acquisition
9
where the price and special expenditures exceed $25,000 or where the acquisition entails
restrictions that the Provost or President deem material.
Compliance with Laws
Direct acquisition during field research and expeditions shall be conducted with the
agreement of and according to the laws of the host state or country. In the case of field work
conducted jointly with other museums, universities, or similar research organizations, a written
agreement regarding allocation and use of field collections shall be sought and obtained, where
possible, prior to the field work.
The Museum shall not knowingly and willfully accept or acquire any object that was illegally
imported into the United States or that was collected or recovered under circumstances that would
support or encourage irresponsible damage to or destruction of biota, collecting sites, cultural
monuments, or human burial places. However, the Museum may accept objects that have been
legally confiscated and offered to the Museum by government authorities.
Material proposed for acquisition shall be reviewed for ethical and legal collection procedures
by the curator involved in the acquisition and the department chair and, where questions arise, by
the Provost and legal counsel.
Title
Title to all objects acquired for the collections should be, where possible, obtained free and
clear, discouraging restrictions as to use or future disposition. Where restrictions are attached to
an acquisition, every effort shall be made to place a reasonable limit on the time for which the
restrictions may apply and to define the conditions under which their force may terminate.
Restrictions shall be adequately documented and retained as part of the permanent title records.
A legal instrument of conveyance, setting forth an adequate description of the objects
involved and the precise conditions of transfer, shall accompany all gifts, bequests, purchases, and
exchanges and shall be signed by the seller or donor. In addition, evidence that has been gathered
to establish right of possession and the appropriateness of the acquisition within the context of the
legal guidelines given above made a part of the record. These records and title documents
(invoice, bill of sale, deed of gift, correspondence offering a gift, receipts and acceptances, IRS
form8283, and the like) shall be retained permanently.
Permanent Loans; Custodial Arrangements
The Museum shall not hold material on an undocumented basis indefinitely. Each scientific
department shall include in its department collection policy a procedure for inventorying material
brought into the department for research or as a potential acquisition. In general, such material
shall be either recorded as are search loan to the Museum, or documented with a receipt as under
consideration as a gift, or processed as an acquisition if brought in from the field and retained for
a period longer than specified in the department policy.
“Permanent” loans to the Museum generally shall not be accepted but are allowed for objects
and collections owned by government agencies and institutions whose own collection policies do
not allow transfer of title. These loans shall require the same approvals as an acquisition.
Permanent and long-term loans or custodial arrangements shall be documented in writing and
signed by the lender and shall address, in accordance with each scientific department’s policy:
a)
the purpose of the loan (exhibition, research, or education);
b) the rights to use and publish the material;
c)
financial obligations to be borne by each party;
10
d) the duration of loan and right of the Museum to return the loan; and
e) the legal and ethical responsibilities of the Museum during custody and upon termination
of the loan.
CARE
Conservation Plan
The Museum acknowledges that care of the collections must consider the reality of large
quantities of specimens and artifacts. Therefore, each department shall establish a conservation
plan that sets priorities for the care of the collections as a whole and for the care and treatment of
individual specimens, artifacts, and documents of particular scientific, educational, historic, or
aesthetic value. The plan shall provide for prevention and treatment of pests. It shall include
procedures for treatment of specimens and artifacts entering the buildings, prevention of
infestation from outside sources, a survey and regular inspection for pests, and restriction of
nutrients and living organisms in collection areas.
Facilities and Treatments
A scientific department may either maintain its own facility for preparation and conservation
or make cooperative arrangements to use the facilities of another Museum department or
institution. Treatments shall reflect the currently accepted conservation methods and practices in
the field. Treatments shall be undertaken only by qualified Museum personnel, within the limits
of their area of expertise and the facilities, or by conservation experts outside the Museum. In
either case, treatments shall adhere to professional ethics and guidelines. Conservation techniques
and materials shall be fully documented by individuals who use, prepare, and manage these
materials and shall be recorded in the department’s files.
While collection care is principally the responsibility of scientific staff directly involved with
the collections, other departments are also responsible when handling specimens and artifacts on
loan to them, and preventive conservation is the responsibility of all staff, including those in the
departments of Building Services and Maintenance, Exhibitions, and those responsible for events,
conferences, and development functions.
Safety
The scientific departments shall implement a hygiene plan with appropriate safety procedures
and training for staff, volunteers, and researchers to follow. In addition, it is the responsibility of
those staff members directly involved with specimens and artifacts that are inherently hazardous
or have been made so through preparation or fumigation practices, to clearly identify these
conditions if known and to report them to the department chair and individual in charge of
conservation for warnings to staff handling these specimens.
DOCUMENTATION
Inventorying
Each scientific department shall maintain an inventory of its collections, consisting of a) a
record that immediately and permanently identifies a specimen or artifact for which the institution
has assumed permanent or temporary custody, and that identifies those objects or groups of
objects which have been accepted into the collections, and b) an organization and physical map of
the collections that permits objects to be readily located.
Cataloguing
11
Evidence of the identity, condition, history, or scientific value of a specimen, artifact, or
collection when recorded in a permanent manner enhances its value. Also, this record may need
to substitute for a specimen or artifact should, for example, the object deteriorate or be destroyed.
All objects or groups of objects acquired for the collections shall be catalogued to meet the
professional standards of the pertinent scientific discipline and recommendations of relevant
professional societies.
Primary Documents; Study Materials
Originals of field notes, maps, research notes, correspondence, reports, electronic files,
illustrations, photographs including negatives, catalogues and lists related to the preparation and
study of the specimens and artifacts are organic to the collections and shall be the physical
property of the Museum. These materials shall be maintained as part of the collections in the
department or in permanent storage, special collections, and books held by Library Services as
well as models, photographs, and illustrations created by or for Exhibitions are part of the
permanent records of the Museum. These shall be retained unless and until written permission to
dispose of them is received from the relevant scientific department chair or the appropriate
committee of the Senate of the Scientific Staff.
Data
The Museum's specimen-based and taxonomic databases, catalogues, and lists, like the
collections from which they are derived, are the property of the Museum. The Museum shall
exercise responsible stewardship over this data so as to maximize the usefulness of these
resources to the research community, while protecting the resources for the future.
Release of collection data in any media, including hardcopy, CD-Rom, on-line service, or
other electronic media, to another research institution or scholar shall be upon terms and
conditions established in each scientific department policy. The department policy shall establish
when it is appropriate that these terms be in writing or in a data release agreement that addresses
the following:
a) the intended use and its scientific merit;
b) restrictions on publication, if any, including release of sensitive information (e.g. locality
data for endangered species, and restricted donor identification);
c) agreement by the borrower to acknowledge the Museum as the source of the data in all
publications (if authorized);
d) the borrower’s rights and restrictions to reproduce the data through photography or other
means;
e)
provision for reciprocity and in-kind services, as appropriate; and
f) prohibition on the transfer of data or documentation to a third party without the
Museum's consent.
USE
Encumbrances
The Museum shall not grant any lien or security interest against the collections.
Research
12
Collections shall be made available on-site to bona fide scholars, subject to the discretion of
each scientific department. Requests must be recorded in the form of written application
describing the purpose and duration of the use. The department shall maintain a visitor’s register.
Access to the collections shall be granted only under the supervision of a curator, and under the
normal Museum security procedures and any special procedures established by the scientific
department.
Exhibition
Specimens, artifacts, and documents require the approval of the curator-in-charge to be
placed on exhibit. While on exhibit within the Museum, they are the direct responsibility of the
Department of Exhibitions for maintenance and preservation but remain under the supervision of
the curator-in-charge.
Destructive Sampling
The Museum has an obligation to balance the demands placed on natural history specimens
and artifacts for current research and educational uses with the need for preservation for future
use. This obligation applies to the physical and chemical integrity of the specimen as well as to
associated data.
Accordingly, each department’s collection policy shall establish an approval procedure for
destructive sampling by staff members for research on the collections.
The department collection policy shall also establish a process for the evaluation of outside
research. Outside requests shall be evaluated on the basis of written information provided by the
researcher. The department policy shall also establish general standards for carrying out the
sampling process and fulfilling documentation requirements where destructive sampling is
permitted. These procedures shall be undertaken in a controlled manner with approval by a
curator and the department chair or curatorial committee. If the specimen or artifact will be
completely destroyed during sampling or so damaged that its significance for the collections shall
be substantially compromised, procedures for approval shall follow those below for “disposition”
and shall include the approval of the curator-in-charge and scientific department chair.
Criteria to be used in evaluating destructive sampling requests by staff members and outside
researchers shall include:
a)
the intended use and its scientific merit;
b) the rarity, scientific importance, and monetary value of the material;
c)
the quantity of material necessary and limitations on the quantity made available;
d) the researcher's competence with the proposed methods and the appropriateness of these
methods as the least intrusive and the most likely to yield the intended results;
e) the researcher's resources, including availability of relevant specimens at the requesting
institution, to carry out the study without sacrificing all the available material of the particular
collecting event or compromising the future utility of the specimen or artifact for other
investigations;
f) the possibility of the Museum receiving an exchange of other materials from the
researcher or institution in situations where the specimen or artifact is to be completely destroyed
or extensively damaged;
g) where the sampling includes DNA sampling, whether the DNA extraction will be
returned to the Museum for reference to decrease the need for additional extractions by other
13
researchers; and
h) the willingness of the researcher to abide by the Museum's operational standards for
processing, documentation and for the dissemination of the results of the work within a reasonable
time period.
Failure of a researcher or institution to comply with Museum requirements and standards in
previous transactions may be grounds for denying new requests. Open transactions shall become
a part of the record of the current request.
Upon the approval of a request for destructive sampling, a letter of agreement shall be signed
between the scientific department and the researcher and his or her institution. The agreement
shall stipulate the scope of the material to be sampled, methods of evaluation, standards for
processing and documentation, and timeframe for publication. It shall record department
standards for sampling and address the following:
a)
the documentation of the methods and extent of sampling;
b) return to the Museum of unused portions of specimens or artifacts and DNA extractions;
c) what, if any, resulting analytical data and duplicates of tangible products such as
photographs and slides shall be provided to the Museum to become part of the specimen or
artifact’s permanent record, and the date of deposit;
d) what, if any, period of confidentiality the researcher may be granted during which the
data may not be made available by the Museum to others;
e) what, if any, gene sequence data shall be deposited in relevant public access databases,
with Gen Bank accession numbers provided;
f) the responsibility of the researcher or his or her institution for all costs associated with
the sampling, including curatorial and collections management time in handling the request; and
g) that the Museum shall receive credit in publications and databases for providing samples
to the researcher and shall receive copies of all publications and notices of database deposits.
Original data, documentation, and records of specimens or artifacts that have undergone
destructive sampling shall be preserved in department files.
LOAN
Exhibition Loans
The Museum borrows and lends objects and specimens for exhibitions in furtherance of its
educational, scientific and non-profit purposes. Incoming exhibition loans shall be managed by
curatorial staff, under the direction of a full-time scientific staff member, and by such other
administration personnel as may be assigned by the Provost. Incoming exhibition loans shall be
processed to comply with the following:
a) insurance values, as determined by the lender, shall be obtained to procure sufficient
coverage under the Museum’s insurance, lender’s insurance, or federal indemnity;
b) condition reports shall be prepared and kept on file upon each packing and unpacking,
and any damage or loss shall be reported promptly to the lender;
c)
immunity from seizure shall be sought for international exhibitions when appropriate;
and
14
d) the requirements specified in the loan agreement shall be met; loan renewals shall be
sought when required; and loans shall be returned promptly at the end of the loan period.
Outgoing exhibition loans shall be considered only upon written request specifying the
purpose of the loan. Loans shall require at least the approval of the department's chair or its loan
committee and shall be discretionary with each scientific department evaluated according to the
following criteria:
a)
the rarity, scientific importance, and monetary value of the material;
b) the nature of the material and the conditions of preservation and security under which it
will be kept;
c)
the impact of the material’s absence on research and exhibition;
d) the impact of the material’s absence on education programs;
e)
the potential risk of relocating the material;
f)
the cost to the Museum of preparing the loan;
g) legal restrictions on the object’s loan;
h) concerns of indigenous peoples; and
i)
the institutional affiliation or representation of the person(s) requesting the loan.
All outgoing exhibition loans granted shall be documented in a loan agreement, signed by the
borrower. The loan agreement shall specify date of return and shall require written permission for
pest treatment, preparation, restoration, dissection, casting, photography, publication, destructive
sampling, and transfer to a third party. The signed loan agreement shall be in the possession of
the Museum upon the shipment of the object out of the Museum. The department shall make and
retain a permanent record of the return or other disposition of the object.
Outgoing exhibition loans shall also require the following:
a)
An acceptable facilities report shall be secured for all venues.
b) The stability of the material for loan and transport shall be evaluated and any necessary
preparation and conservation shall be carried out prior to the loan.
c) The identity of the party paying the costs of conservation, insurance, mounting,
appraisal, packing and shipping, including the costs of a hand-courier when demanded by the
status or condition of the object, shall be explicit in the loan agreement.
d) A condition report shall be prepared to accompany each object on shipment out. The
loan agreement shall require reports to be filed by the borrower upon receipt and upon shipment
and return and shall require prompt notice to the Museum of any loss or damage.
e) An insurance value shall be determined, by a qualified appraiser if necessary. A
certificate of insurance shall be issued to the Museum by the borrower.
f) A borrower outside of the United States shall be required to furnish an official document,
or an equivalent assurance, certifying that loans are granted immunity from seizure, unless a
determination has been made that immunity is not required.
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g) All applicable government regulations on transportation, importation, and exportation
shall be met.
h) The loan agreement shall require the Museum to receive credit in labels, brochures, and
publications for providing materials for the exhibition and to receive copies of all publications for
its archives.
Study Loans
Study loans shall be processed and managed under the care of a full-time scientific
department staff member.
Incoming study loans shall be subject to the terms and conditions of borrowing within the
collections policy of the department. A record of the loan shall be maintained in department files.
Outgoing study loans shall require approval of the curator-in-charge or a curatorial
committee, in accordance with departmental policy, and shall be limited to research and
educational institutions and museums in the care of a staff member of the borrowing institution
who is deemed qualified by the Museum curator-in-charge. Except under circumstances
stipulated by department policy, loans shall not be made to individuals, and then only with
approval of the department chair. In cases where a department routinely loans material to
independent scholars whose expertise are not represented on the department’s curatorial staff or to
scholars at related institutions, a general contract may be used to govern the terms of the
relationship in lieu of individual loan agreements; in either case, the following shall be required:
a) a shipping record shall accompany each loan, and accurate and complete records of the
loan shall be maintained by the department;
b) a facilities report and a statement on the care required of the specimens or artifacts shall
be required where appropriate; and
c) the Museum shall receive credit in publications and databases for providing samples to
the researcher and shall receive copies of all publications and notices of database deposits.
Ownership of the products of research shall also be addressed where required by department
policy.
Intramural Loans
Loans of specimens, artifacts, and documents for off-site use by curators and to other
departments in the Museum, including other scientific departments, shall require the approval of a
curator-in-charge or department chair and shall be accompanied by a letter of transmittal to be
signed and returned by the borrower. The letter shall stipulate: a) a description of the material; b)
the conditions under which it may be kept; c) the length of the loan; and d) that the material may
not be transferred to a third party, within or without the Museum, without the approval of the
lending department.
DISPOSITION
The Museum recognizes that collections are not static and must be continually improved to
reflect new research directions, to complete the record of life they represent, and to support new
exhibitions. Improvement includes growth through new acquisitions and exchanges. It also
includes judicious removal of materials from the collections through exchange, gift, or sale to
other institutions or agencies. In such transactions, the Museum must rely on the competence and
judgment of its professional staff -- those who are entrusted with the selection, care, and use of the
collections – or other experts acceptable to them.
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Reason
Specimens and artifacts are normally retained in the collections, as long as they retain their
physical integrity and continue to be relevant to the scope and purpose of the collections. When
these conditions no longer prevail, objects may be removed by exchange, donation, sale, or
destruction. Reasons to approve a disposition request shall be:
a)
the specimen or artifact is damaged beyond the point at which it can be used;
b) the material does not relate or is tangential to the Museum's scope of collections, research
or educational activities;
c)
the data are insufficient to document the specimen or artifact;
d) the specimen or artifact is a health hazard;
e)
the specimen or artifact has little scientific or educational value;
f) the specimen or artifact will be destroyed during sampling;
g) ownership of the specimen or artifact has been determined adverse to the Museum;
h) repatriation is required or requested and deemed appropriate;
i) the Museum is unable to provide proper care, and another repository has been
determined to be more suitable.
Approvals
In the normal management of the collections, curators may exchange, donate, sell, or
otherwise dispose of specimens and artifacts, pursuant to the above reasons, subject to the
approval of their department chair and to any additional approvals required by the department's
collection policy.
The additional approval of the Provost and the President shall be required for a) a sale or
donation of an object whose monetary value might reasonably be expected to exceed $2,500,
b)disposition of a restricted gift or bequest, or c) disposition of a gift within 10 years of receipt or
within the donor’s lifetime. Where the value exceeds $25,000 or the restrictions are deemed by
the Provost or President to be material, then the further approval of the Collections Committee
shall be required. In considering the removal of specimens and artifacts from the collections, the
judgment of the department chair and the curator-in-charge and other appropriate members of the
curatorial staff, to the extent practical, shall be followed. Documentation of the basis for
disposition shall be recorded in department inventory records.
Restrictions
Material proposed for disposition shall be reviewed to determine if it is under any restrictions.
Where restrictions exist as to use or disposition of an object, the Museum shall act as follows: a)
mandatory conditions shall be observed unless deviation from their terms is authorized by a court
of competent jurisdiction; b) objects to which non-binding restrictions apply shall not be disposed
of until reasonable efforts are made to comply with the restricting conditions; c) if the value of
any such object exceeds$2,500, the Museum will make reasonable efforts to notify the donor if it
intends to dispose of the object within ten years of receiving the gift or within the donor's lifetime,
whichever is less. If there is any question as to the intent or force of restrictions, the Museum will
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seek the advice of its legal counsel. The unique and special nature of human remains and funerary
and sacred objects shall be considered in disposition decisions concerning such collections.
Preference shall be given to placing material that is part of the historical, cultural, or scientific
heritage of New York State or of the United States at institutions within the state or nation,
respectively. Alternatively, the object may be transferred to the Museum’s Department of
Education for use in public programs. If the object is offered for sale, preference shall be given
for sale at public auction or the public market place in a manner that will best protect the interests
of the Museum.
Use of Proceeds
The proceeds realized from a sale must be used for acquisitions to the collections or for direct
management, care or preservation of the collections. Objects that have lost their value to the
collections because of alteration, replication, deterioration or other compelling reason and have no
value for exchange, sale, or donation may be discarded or destroyed. Objects shall not be given
or sold privately to Museum employees, officers, members of the Board of Trustees or
committees, or their representatives, except under extraordinary circumstances and when
approved as provided above.
ETHICS
Identifications and Authentications
Museum employees shall not, in their official capacity, give appraisals for the purpose of
establishing the tax-deductible value of gifts offered to the Museum, nor shall they appraise,
identify, or otherwise authenticate for other persons or agencies natural history specimens or
artifacts under circumstances that could encourage or benefit illegal, unethical, or irresponsible
traffic in such materials.
Aside from those prohibitions, it is beneficial to the Museum for staff members to assist
collectors and other museum professionals in identifying, authenticating, and assessing the quality
and condition of natural history specimens, artifacts, and documents. Information of this kind,
provided in writing as a part of an employee’s official capacity at the Museum, must be
accompanied by the Museum's disclaimer that the information is an opinion, subject to change
upon acquisition of new information, and is not to used in a purchase or sale transaction, nor
published without the consent of the Museum employee. All assistance, whether written or oral,
shall be provided free of monetary or other compensation, unless otherwise approved by the
Provost.
Use of Museum Property and Services
Museum employees, officers, trustees, and committee members shall not use Museum
facilities or staff for appraisals, conservation of objects, or storage of their personal collections.
Use of Museum collections, collection data, documentation, and illustrations by Museum staff
shall be in accordance with Museum standards of professional practice.
Personal Collecting
While employed by the Museum, scientific staff members must not compete with the
Museum in creating personal collections in the discipline in which their Museum responsibility
lies. All collecting made within scientific staff's discipline during field research sponsored or
financed by the Museum shall be the property of the Museum.
An employee should not seek to add to his or her collection within his or her discipline while
employed by the Museum. An employee who joins the Museum with a personal collector with a
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list of specimens or artifacts in that collection. In the event that the employee should seek to add
to his or her collection, any purchase valued at $500 or more shall be offered by the employee to
the department prior to acquisition into the individual’s personal collection. All purchases shall
be reported to the department chair on an annual basis. For the purposes of this policy, a personal
collection is taken to mean: specimens, artifacts, documents including photographs, prints, rare or
out-of-print books, and the like. Although it is understood that an employee is not restricted from
selling objects from his or her collection, an employee may not act as a dealer, buying and selling
natural history objects for profit.
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March 18, 1998
TO:
FM:
cc:
Scientific Staff
Michael Novacek, Provost
Craig Morris, Dean of Science
Darrel Frost, Associate Dean of Science for Collections
Ellen Futter, Barbara Gunn, Steven Hollowell
RE:
Collection Security Policy
Curators are responsible and accountable for the use, care, and conservation of the
collections, a responsibility delegated to them by the Trustees. This is a role that curators all
value and take seriously. However, standards of what constitutes appropriate security are
changing rapidly concomitant with the rapid increase in the scientific and monetary value of
natural history collections generally and Museum collections specifically. Depletion of
natural populations means that fewer and fewer specimens in our zoological collections can
ever be replaced. Many species of animals considered common a generation ago are now
threatened, endangered, or extinct. Other collections (e.g., fossils, minerals and gems,
ethnographic and archeology collections), always valuable in the monetary sense, have seen
their values in recent years driven to stunning levels by private collectors. In light of this
increasing irreplaceability, value, and the importance of protecting our collections for future
generations, we are taking, in consultation with the Trustee Committees on Collections and
Buildings and Grounds, steps to improve security while balancing these measures with a
need to support and promote ongoing scholarly use and development of the collections. The
policies and procedures presented in this memo represent moves in this direction.
Nevertheless, an institution as large and complex as the Museum with its enormous number
of ongoing educational and academic activities requires some supervised flexibility in the
application of any policy. To accomplish this, and to help us refine this policy, all requests
for specific exemptions should be directed, well in advance of the needed exemption, by the
chairs in writing to the Office of the Provost.
In-house Collection Access:
Compensated and uncompensated scientific staff and in-house graduate students constitute
the category of highest access to the collections. (‘Collection’ is defined throughout to
include departmental libraries and archives.) Only these researchers may have keys to
collection space and even in these cases, chairs are cautioned to pay close attention to who is
provided access. Chairs will be provided with a list of all keys out to their departmental
areas, and in the case of collection storage areas (and with the exception of Security), all keys
must be approved by the chairs.
Volunteer and part-time employee access to collections must be restricted and supervised.
All volunteers must be registered through the Volunteer Office, including those whose initial
association with the Museum predates the Volunteer Office. Volunteers and part-time
employees may be used to assist in curation and arrangement of collections, but they may not
have general access to the collections nor keys to collection space, and they must work under
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the direct supervision of a scientific staff member at all times. Off hours work by volunteers
or part-time employees will not be permitted without appropriate on-site supervision by a
member of the scientific staff.
Visitor Collection Access:
Unannounced visits to collections by visitors will not be permitted. Visits to collections shall
involve a formal documentation process comparable to that for specimen loans to other
institutions. Requests for visits must be made in writing, and made sufficiently prior to the
anticipated visit to allow the relevant curator (or chair) time to evaluate carefully the request
and approve or disapprove it in writing. For graduate students, it will be expected to have the
request to visit countersigned by their major advisor. When approved visitors present
themselves at the Museum they will be interviewed by a curator and must fill out a
departmental request form for collections use within the department. The design of this form
will be made by the departments so as to allow flexibility in other information required but in
all cases must include: name of visitor, institutional affiliation and address, home address,
appropriate phone number(s) and email, the nature and duration of the requested usage, and
the precise collection(s) accessed. The relevant curator (or Department Chair) must sign the
form at the time of the visit, which then counts as a statement of permission for visitor access
which further indicates the curator’s responsibility for permitting access as well as insuring
supervision. Any permission for modification of an item (e.g., dissection, casting) must be
appended in writing as part of this record. At the time of departure the visitor must sign out
on the same form, with date and time of exit, which shows that the visitor exited the
collection under staff supervision. The initial letter (or copy) of request for collection access
will be filed attached to the visitor forms in the departmental office. All visitors working in
any part of the collections must have an identification badge or visitor identification.
All visitors must be directed by the scientific staff to go through a checkout procedure by
security which will include examination of such items as computer cases, briefcases, and
backpacks. Regardless, no such items should be allowed in collection space.
In the case of scholarly visitors from other recognized academic institutions, including
graduate students with countersigned requests, access must be monitored and supervised by a
member of the scientific staff. Moreover, visiting scholars should be restricted to only the
areas of collections they have requested to visit.
Private collectors, dealers, or amateurs, the category of users of most concern from a security
standpoint, will have only indirect access to specimens and then only under direct
supervision. Without exception, access to specimens by this category of user will be limited
exclusively to only during regular weekday work hours.
Other security:
All collection cabinets that can lock must be locked; all doors to collection areas must be
locked and kept locked. Keys to these cabinets should be restricted under the same criteria as
keys for collection space. Departments should evaluate their cabinetry needs to meet this
requirement and convey this information as soon as possible to the Associate Dean of
Science for Collections, as well as attempt to get extramural funding for their replacement or
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repair.
Office space and collection space should not be mixed. Where they are already unavoidably
mixed due to design decisions made years ago, departments should move towards having all
collection cabinets in these areas locked and appropriate thought given to improving
collection security. No new office space may be developed in areas shared with collections.
Departmental plans should be drawn up by for priority collections (types, high value objects,
rare material) that should be photographed for documentation purposes.
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AMNH Protocol for Bequests:
•
A bequest is still an acquisition and must be subject to the normal procedures for
acquisitions (i.e. review) including customs procedures, clear title by the deceased, in
addition to the following:
•
Determine the nature of the bequest, i.e. contents and its suitability to the collection.
The Museum is not obliged to take the collection if it does not fit with the Museum’s
mission. Carefully consider any “conditions” of the bequest.
Obtain a copy of the section of the Will (or the entire Will) which pertains to the
bequest for verification.
Obtain the name of the attorney representing the Will or the executor of the Will.
Correspondence concerning the bequeathed object (s) should be sent to the attorney if
one is assigned or to the executor, whoever is the official representative of the estate.
Correspondence from AMNH may come from the General Counsel’s office.
If there are any items that are offered to the Museum which are NOT mentioned in
the Will, the Museum must be sure that the person making the offer has title to the
object (s). If title to these objects is successfully transferred to the Museum, these
items will be treated as a Gift, not a part of the bequest.
The Museum should request to see the potential bequest or images of it.
Due to estate tax implications, the Museum may be asked to verify its tax status
(copies of these determinations may be obtained from the Development Office).
Attach copies of all pertinent documentation to the accession record and proceed to
accession.
Remember that title does not officially pass until a court finalizes or closes the estate.
The Museum may not wish to take possession of the bequeathed object (s) until this
stage.
The AMNH attorney should be kept apprised of all eventualities concerning the
bequest.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
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