Index Herbariorum Editor

Index Herbariorum (IH) is a continuously updated global directory of public herbaria and associated staff, maintained by the New York Botanical Garden.

All updates, whether registering new records or editing existing ones, are made through a single platform: Index Herbariorum Editor, https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/index-herbariorum-editor/.

All changes are made through the Index Herbariorum Editor. There are two types of records:

• Herbaria: https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/index-herbariorum-editor/herbarium/
• Staff: https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/index-herbariorum-editor/staff/

You can use these pages to:

• Register new herbaria or staff.
• Edit existing records.
• Update correspondent information for a herbarium (on the staff page for the person).

All submitted changes are reviewed by the IH Editorial team and once approved, will appear online after the next database update.

To register a new herbarium:

1. Choose a code.
   • Letters only (no numbers or symbols).
   • Maximum of 6 characters.
   • Must not already be in use.
   • Once accepted, codes cannot later be changed.
2. Create the herbarium record on the Herbarium Editor page by clicking the green “Register New Herbarium” button.
3. Create at least one staff record on the Staff Record Editor page by clicking the green “Register New Staff” button.
   • At least one person must be designated as a Correspondent.
   • Additional correspondents may be added as needed.

Important:

A new herbarium registration will not be considered complete without at least one associated staff member designated as Correspondent.

The “Current Status” code reflects the current operational status of the collection, as follows:

• Active: The herbarium is currently operating, with collections accessible and staff or contacts available.
• Temporarily Closed: The herbarium is not currently accessible, for example due to renovation, relocation, staffing gaps, or other temporary circumstances, but is expected to reopen.
• Permanently Closed: The herbarium is no longer in operation. Collections have been transferred, dispersed, or are no longer maintained as an active herbarium.
• Unknown: The current operational status of the herbarium cannot be confirmed with available information.

Herbaria that are no longer active, including those that were never previously registered in Index Herbariorum, should still be documented to preserve the historical record of collections and their disposition.

When to Register

Register a herbarium even if it is already closed if it was never previously included in IH, or its closure and/or transfer history is not yet documented.

Steps for Registration

1. Create a new herbarium record
   • Register the herbarium using the Herbarium Editor, following standard guidelines for assigning a valid herbarium code.
2. Set the status to “Permanently Closed”
   • Indicate the herbarium’s Current Status as Permanently Closed.
   • Include the year of closure, if known.
3. Document the disposition of the collection

   In the Notes field:

   • Indicate where the collection has been transferred (if applicable).
   • Include the IH code of the receiving herbarium.
   • Example: “Collection transferred to herbarium XYZ”.
4. Update the receiving herbarium record
   • Edit the record of the herbarium that received the collection.
   • Add the closed herbarium to the “Incorporated Herbaria” field.

Note on discoverability

The “Incorporated Herbaria” field is searchable in Index Herbariorum, allowing users to identify collections that have been absorbed into other institutions.

Use the Staff Editor to:

• Register new staff members.
  • Note, do not attempt to create a new record by overwriting an existing one. Always use the green “Register New Staff” button at the top of the editor page.
• Update existing staff records.
• Assign or remove correspondent status.
• Remove staff or change their status with a herbarium.
  • If a staff member has retired or is deceased, navigate to their record by searching on the Staff Record Editor page for the herbarium with which they were associated, and selecting their name from the list.
  • Select the appropriate entry from the “Current Status” drop down menu.

Important:

Each staff record describes a person’s relationship with a particular herbarium, including their current status with regard to that herbarium, and whether they are a correspondent for that herbarium. If a person moves to a new herbarium, their record for the previous herbarium should be updated to indicate they are no longer associated with it, and a new record created for the new institution they have become associated with. Changes to correspondent information is done on the staff pages for the individual people, not on the herbarium records.

• Correspondent status is managed only within staff records.
• To change a herbarium’s correspondent:
  • On the Staff Record Editor page, search for the herbarium’s code.
  • Select the staff person whose correspondent status you wish to change.
  • Update “Primary Correspondent” or “Secondary Correspondent”, as appropriate, to Yes or No.
• Multiple correspondents for one herbarium are allowed, by designating multiple people as Secondary Correspondent.

If you have information about a herbarium with which you are not associated:

• Use the comment function at the top of the page for that herbarium.
• Contact: IndexHerbariorum@nybg.org

If you are associated with the herbarium, use the appropriate editing function to update the record, as described above.

All updates and new registrations are:

1. Reviewed and manually entered by the IH Editorial team.
2. Published after any clarifying correspondence with the submitter.
3. Visible online after the next system refresh.

Please allow 5-7 business days for changes to appear online.

Index Herbariorum (updated continuously). Index Herbariorum: A Global Directory of Public Herbaria and Associated Staff. New York Botanical Garden. Published online: https://sweetgum.nybg.org/science/ih/ (accessed DATE).