How to Retire a Specimen Record
There are a few reasons we might retire catalogue specimen records from EMu: deaccessioning, superfluous barcodes, etc.
Deaccessioning a specimen (to send elsewhere or to toss):
-In Specimen Notes field (on the specimen tab), indicate to all users that X barcode number is retired and why (e.g., deaccessioned, sent to another institution, superfluous). Separate this note from other notes with a visual indicator (semicolon or pipe), and prepend it if there is any existing text in the field.
-Before retiring, check whether the catalog record is attached to anything else (View>Attachments>Current Record) to ensure the specimen is not attached to a narrative or other module that will lose functionality when no longer visible online.
-Before retiring, check whether the catalog record is attached to anything else (View>Attachments>Current Record) to ensure the specimen is not attached to a narrative or other module that will lose functionality when no longer visible online.
Superfluous barcodes: In addition to the steps above, all catalogue records with barcodes on the sheet should be pulled up. Decide on a barcode to keep (preference is to keep the older lower numbered barcode, but use your best judgement due to placement or ease of barcode removal). Remember to make a EditBarcode task in the Tasks tab for specimens whose barcodes need updating but you haven't physically removed the barcode yet.
-Before retiring, in addition to a note in the Specimen Notes field (on the specimen tab) for the retired record, make a note in Specimen Notes on the barcode that’s being kept to note the removed superfluous barcode number and why it was removed (especially if this is a barcode that has been in the database for a while and could be cited somewhere).
-Before retiring, check the Tasks tab.
Things to remember:
-There are three identifiers associated with specimen records: barcode number, irn number, and UUID/GUID (generated by Emu the first time a record is saved). GUIDs cannot be changed because they’re currently set to be uneditable.
-In addition to barcode numbers, GUID numbers are used by online aggregators and are important for getting back to our source record, so think about this before creating and modifying specimen records. - Preference to keep the older (lower number one) but this isn’t a firm rule - In Specimen Notes field, indicate to all users that X barcode number is retired and why, the rationale (e.g., deaccessioned, sent to another institution, superfluous) - Separate this note from other notes with a visual indicator (semicolon or pipe), and prepend it if there is any existing text in the field. - Leave the retiring barcode in the barcode field. - Check whether the catalog record is attached to anything else (View > Attachments > Current record). *You’re checking when it is attached to something else, NOT when something else is attached to it. You’re just checking, not changing, necessarily; if it’s attached to a narrative you might want to replace it with another specimen, if it’s a type proceed carefully, etc. - Security tab, publish: No and No, and dropdown for Record Status, toggle to Retired. Once you save that, it will modify the summary data to show Retired – Specimen (so searches for active records only will no longer return it). - Also need to communicate with Leanna about retiring the multimedia. - Also make a note in the Specimen Notes on the barcode that’s being kept (if you’re retiring a superfluous barcode) to indicate what was done and why.