Database Input Fields: Content and Rating Criteria

Significance

principle investigator(s) responsible for getting support/funding, administration of project,
$ spent collecting specimens and data,
grants and agencies which funded the collection
institution at which collection was housed before being deposited at LACM
publications resulting from collections

brief description of collection (wet, dry),
is there a voucher collection, if so where?,
bulk lots, pre-sorted, rough sorted, fine sorted, lots identified to what taxonomic levels?,
what was original fixative, what was original preservative, what is present preservative?,
present location of collection at LACM (e.g., LACM Polychaete Collection Range (basement), first bank of compactors, aisle 4, shelves 2-5; North Grand Warehouse, 3rd floor, NW corner)

collection inventory: numeric data will be gathered in a separate database, but initially descriptive text will be entered here (e.g., 120 buckets containing bags of vials or heat sealed bags, 3 buckets containing debris, both sorted and unsorted, gallon jars, boxes, etc.)
how many lots, buckets, barrels, jars, sizes, shelf feet?, etc.

4. New alcohol needed immediately (specimens will otherwise be irreparably damaged).
3. Containers need to be "topped-off".
2. New alcohol needed within next 6-12 months.
1. No curation needed at present.

4. Immediate short-term (less than 5 years) storage container replacement needed. Present containers are inadequate. Curate in the short-term with plastic buckets, whirltop bags, or similar.
3. Transfer to museum-grade long-term storage containers. Replace or transfer to new jars and glass vials, replace cotton and closures.
2. Specimens contained in museum-grade long-term (greater than 5 years) storage containers. Jars need new closures (e.g., replace Bakelite and metal lids).
1. No curation needed at present.
Note: Unlike most other categories, "Container Condition" does not necessarily move through a progression from highest number to lowest number. The progression most likely would be 4 to 1, 3 to 1, and 2 to 1.

4. New labels needed immediately (original labels in poor condition, paper torn/worn, legibility poor).
3. New labels needed within next 1-2 years (original labels beginning to wear, pencil writing fading, low quality paper was used).
2. New labels needed as a result of curation and accretion of collection.
1. No new labels needed at present.

2. New label or additional label needed because original label data is incomplete and supporting documentation provides additional collection data which greatly enhances significance and value of each lot.
1. Label content complete. All collection data are contained on label.

5. Unpack, initial sorting of collection by locality.
4. Xerox/preserve existing label; photo document label/specimens and field notes.
3. Sort specimens from each locality into species lots.
2. Rehouse specimen lots into archival grade containers.
1. Rehousing complete.

4. Enter locality data into IP collection database.
3. Identify species.
2. Enter specimen lot identifications and specimen counts into IP collection database.
1. Data entry complete.

3. Place specimen lots, arranged by locality, into metal trays for final storage.
2. Integrate specimen trays into the main collection.
1. Specimen integration complete.