Herbarium use guidelines

Herbarium Use

Anyone new to the Herbarium must receive an orientation tour. Contact Nicole or Matthew (Phan.) or Ellen (Crypt.) to set this up.

Visitors to the Herbarium: 

For visitors coming to the herbarium, see our Herbarium Visitor Information page on our main website.

For staff who are hosting or orienting a visitor, see our Guidelines for orienting visitors

Handling the compactors and cabinets properly:

Please only move one bank of cabinets at a time and do not open an aisle halfway. To unlock an aisle please do not slam the button! Gently push it in halfway, when you feel tension you may then use more force to unlock it completely. When you are finished, please make sure nothing is left in the aisles and also that cabinets are completely closed, with latches at top and bottom of the doors engaged and both handles in the closed position.

After removing specimens for study:  

Please do refile any genus and species covers and any specimens that you did not annotate. 

Please do not refile any specimens that you have annotated, we must record new identifications and name changes for many of the specimens. There are cubbies on each floor of the herbarium to leave such specimens. Visitors may also leave them on the half-high counters. 

Annotations:

If you are annotating many specimens, you may use this template to make annotation labels, or use your own pre-printed annotation labels.

We also have herbarium supplied annotation labels that can be found in multiple baskets on each floor of the herbarium (generally near the microscopes). If we are running low on annotation labels, please ask a member of the staff to refill the baskets.  Annotation labels for types can be found on the third floor (near the type collection). 

• Phan: We ask everyone to please glue all annotation labels onto the sheets.  
• Crypt: 

Please do not refile any specimens that you have annotated, we must record new identifications and name changes for many of the specimens. There are cubbies on each floor of the herbarium to leave such specimens. Visitors may also leave them on the half-high counters.

Sampling specimens:

If you need to sample specimens, please read the destructive sampling policy [link to policy] and consult Matthew or ask the herbarium staff member providing your orientation. 

Curating herbarium:

If specimens need to be shifted or new folders made, please contact Nicole (Phan.) or Ellen (Crypt.)and also consult How to request genus covers

Supplies: If you need glue, annotation slips, destructive sampling slips, genus/species covers, label paper, packets, microscope bulbs, etc., or if you notice that they are running low in the herbarium or visitor offices, please contact Nicole.

Microscopes: If there is a problem with any of the scopes in the Herbarium, or in the visitor offices, please contact Nicole. Please do not move scopes or lamps to different stations.

Computers: If there is a problem with any of the computers in the Herbarium or in the visitor offices, please contact Stella. If it is an EMu or Virtual Herbarium problem, please contact one of the Information Managers ( Melissa, Kim, Joel).

Organization of the Herbarium

There are documents for maps, layout of each floor, the NY family list (Phan.) and Genera lists for the Crypt. They can be found in Z:\Pub \Herbarium Info\Intro to Herbarium\

Pest Control

Everyone should be concerned about insect infestations in the herbarium and work areas in this complex of buildings.  Specimens that have been out of the herbarium and held in offices or work areas must be frozen before being used or refiled in the herbarium building.

 

Freezing Specimens:  Specimens in the Phan. are to be frozen for three days.  Available freezers, on the first and fourth floors of the Library Building, can be opened Tuesday and Friday afternoons, between 2pm and 5pm.  Do not open the freezers to drop off or pick up specimens at any other time, to ensure the specimens go through the entire freezing cycle. Ask Lucy, Edgardo, or Nicole for an introduction to this process.

Specimens in the crypt are frozen for a week, those freezers can be opened Wednesdays, contact Ellen.

Pheromone traps:  The most common pest is the herbarium beetle (Lasioderma serricorne).  To monitor for the presence of this beetle, pheromone traps are used. The monitoring is directed by Edgardo, who requests periodically by email that each of us check our traps. You can get a trap from him to assess your office or herbarium cabinet.

Cold storage room:  On the first floor, the cold room is maintained at a temperature that inhibits feeding by herbarium beetle larvae.  The room houses specimens received on exchange and awaiting mounting, specimens to be sent on exchange, and staff collections awaiting identification.  Any collections to be placed in this room must first be frozen.