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Archives month2011
The document outlines a collaborative effort by the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Archives to create a centralized online repository for field book content, which serves as primary source documents for biological specimen collection. Field books can include various records such as specimen lists, maps, journals, sketches, and photographs that provide detailed contextual information about the specimens collected. The initiative aims to support research needs while also encouraging the careful handling and preservation of historical field books, particularly those found in personal collections.
Archives month2011
- 2. • Joint initiativebetween the National Museum of Natural History and the Smithsonian Institution Archives • Mission: one online location for field book content. • Beginning as a Smithsonian-wide initiative and eventually including the entire biodiversity community.
- 3. What is aField Book? *Primary source document. A record of field events leading up to and including the collection of biological specimens. Typical Field books Less typical field books (may include) • Specimen Lists • Hand drawn Maps • Journals with descriptions • Sketches of collecting specimen • Photographs • Field Correspondence
- 10. What is aField Book? *Primary source document. A record of field events leading up to and including the collection of biological specimens. Typical Field books Less typical field books (may include) • Specimen Lists • Hand drawn Maps • Journals with accounts of • Sketches collecting specimen • Photographs • Field Correspondence
- 11. Other kinds ofnotes • Depict specimens and surrounding environment. • Illustrate precise location specimen was found. • Expound or comment on what was found. • Something extra.
- 12. Field books meetseveral research needs • Specific location information for specimen • Itinerary information • Environmental context • Historic snapshot
- 13. Presented by RustyRussell to the Society For The Preservation of Natural History Collections
- 14. Presented by RustyRussell to the Society For The Preservation of Natural History Collections Collected at Tucson May 15—this is a very common plant throughout southern Ariz. In many places it is a troublesome weed. The vine sometimes 30 feet long climb over bushes and small trees. It produces flowers until late in the fall. Most abundant along marshes and creeks.
- 15. Conservation and Management Photo credit: Photo Nora credit: Lockshin Anna Friedman Preservation efforts headed by Conservator Anna Friedman are funded by the National Park Service Save America’s Treasures grant.
- 16. What if thereare field books in my family papers? Illustration in a moldy Proceed With Caution and Care A book of 19th century scientific reports of book, by Shannon Ramos, national exploration Creative Commons: expeditions from SIA’s Attribution 2.0. Reference Room library, Retrieved from October suffering from a cracked 28, 2010 article by spine and brittle paper, Catherine Shteynberg on Courtesy of Michal Long. The Bigger Picture. Retrieved from September 30, 2010 article on The Bigger Picture: http://siarchives.si.edu/ Advise about caring for your collections The Bigger Picture : blog/taking-care-our- own http://siarchives.si.edu/blog/you-asked-we-answered-taking-care-your-own- archives Wikimedia Commons, retrieved September 13, 2011
- 17. What if thereare field books in my family papers? Learn More About the Field Notes and Creator • Who was your relative? • Was collecting a job or hobby • If collecting was part of their job, where did they work? http://www.ubio.org/portal/ • What locations and date http://Eol.org ranges are there? • What Kind of Specimen are they collecting?
- 18. What if thereare field books in my family papers? Is It Appropriate to Keep or to Donate? • Historical significance: • What condition are they locally, nationally, or in? internationally • Do the specimens belong • Do the field books match to an institution? the scope of the Check specimen catalogs of repository you want to institutions your relative worked donate to? for or contact the department’s collections manager.
- 19. Acknowledgements Rusty Russell Anne Van Camp Collections & Informatics, Botany Director, SI Archives Carolyn Sheffield, Project Manager Sonoe Nakasone, Cataloging Coordinator Lesley Parilla, Cataloger and Graphics Designer Emily Hunter, Cataloger Kira Cherrix, Image and Video Digitization Specialist, SIA Ricc Ferrante, Director of Digital Services, SIA Tammy Peters, Supervisory Archivist, SIA Nora Lockshin, Paper Conservator, SIA Sarah Stauderman, Collections Care Manager, SIA Kirsten Tyree, Conservation Technician, SIA
- 20. Please Visit OurWebsite at http://mnh.si.edu/rc/fieldbooks/ Blog: http://nmnh.typepad.com/fieldbooks / Flickr: http://tinyurl.com/fbpflickr Questions? Carolyn Sheffield, Project Manager sheffieldc@si.edu