■#
by Mike 5hchepanek & Rob Waller
Illustrations by Joe Oilman
Canada
‘ The whole world here unlocks the experience of the past to the builders of the future”
— Inscription above east entrance to the Main Library building,
dedicated in 1929
Center for Biodiversity
© 1999 Canadian Museum of Nature P.O. Box 3443 Station D Ottawa, Ontario K1P6P4
Herbarium 1 740 Pink Road Aylmer, Quebec J9H 5E1
Natural History Survey ■ Library
0.1 ^7/^3 5h tfh
/V
Welcome to the Herbarium
The Herbarium of the Canadian Museum of Nature contains 600,000 vascular plant specimens collected and preserved over the past two centuries. It offers an irreplaceable portrait of the plant kingdom in Canada.
The Rules
To realize its value, the Herbarium’s specimens are made available for study. 3ut as handling (or mishandling!) is the major cause of specimen deterioration, it is crucial for the long-term survival of the collection that the following guidelines be meticulously followed.
Herbarium Rules!
3
Entering the Herbarium
Come clean
Don’t bring food or drinks into the Herbarium. Don’t smoke in the Herbarium. And don’t bring in any plant specimens that have not been decontaminated.
At the Cabinets
Use the carts and shelves
When studying specimens at the cabinets, place the folders on the pull-out shelves or on a Herbarium cart. Remove the specimen sheets one by one. Don’t flip through them.
4
Herbarium Rules!
Keep compactor aisles free
If the Herbarium has compactors, open the aisles as wide as possible. Give yourself space.
Don’t leave specimens unattended as the aisles could be closed and the specimens crunched.
Close the door
Don’t leave cabinets open unnecessarily; insect pests may get in.
Herbarium Rules!
5
Moving Specimens
One at a time
Vo not remove and carry more than one shelf of specimens at a time. Don’t be rough with them. Don’t drop them. Use a Herbarium cart to transport specimens, with the specimens on the cart shelves and not on top where they might fall off.
Handling Specimens
Keep it clean
Use two hands when handling specimen sheets. Don’t let them bend or flex. Don’t make a messy pile of them. Don’t put books or notepads or anything else on top of them. And don’t leave them out unnecessarily long.
6
Herbarium Rules!
leave specimens and specimen sheets intact
Do not remove specimens from the Collection Room without permission from the Collection Manager. Do not remove any part of a specimen without permission from the Collection Manager. If you find a broken fragment, notify the Collection Manager.
No graffiti, please
Do not write on specimen sheets or labels. If a specimen is incorrectly identified, notify the Collection Manager.
Herbarium Rulesl
7
Get permission
If you want to photocopy specimens, check first with the Collection Manager.
Putting
Specimens Away
Go easy
When putting specimens away, open the folder and place the specimen sheet neatly on top of the pile. Never insert a specimen sheet into the stack.
S>
Herbarium Rulesl
be meticulous
Replace specimens in their proper folders and the folders in their proper cabinets. Misfiled specimens are as good as lost.
Look out for bugs
Do not replace specimens that have live insects or insect debris on them. Notify the Collection Manager.
Herbarium Rules!
9
Remember...
The Herbarium must be used to be valuable. E5ut it must be used correctly or its value is lost.
10
Herbarium Rules!
Notes
Herbarium Rulesl
11
Notes
12
Herbarium Rules!
Notes
Herbarium Ku\ee\
13
About the authors
Mike Shchepanek is the Chief Collection Manager at the Canadian Museum of Nature’s Herbarium. He has been building and caring for the collection for over 30 years.
Rob Waller is the Chief of Conservation at the Canadian Museum of Nature. He is a member of the Canadian Association of Professional Conservators and a fellow of the International Institute for Conservation of Historic and Artistic Works. He has spent 25 years evaluating risks to collections and guarding Canada’s national collection from all kinds of dangerous pests.
How to order copies of Herbarium Rules!
Herbarium Managers! Finally, an instructive bookletthat gently, and with a touch of humor, reminds your visitors to go easy on the specimens. To order copies of Herbarium Kuieel (customized with your institution’s logo, introductory text and contact numbers) call the Publishing Division of the Canadian Museum of Nature at (613) 566-4292, fax (613) 566-4763, email rmartin@mus-nature.ca.
14
Herbarium Rules!
Canadian Museum of
Mus6e
canadien de la
O NATURE
Herbarium Staff
Michael Shchepanek, Chief Collection Manager
(613) 364-4076 mshchepane^mus-nature.ca
Pak Yau Wong, Collection Manager
(613) 364-4062 pywong@mu0-nature.ca
Micheline Bouchard, Collection Technician
(613) 364-4061 mbouchard@mu0-nature.ca
Potany Research Staff
Susan Aiken, Research Scientist (vascular plants)
(613) 364-4073 0aiken@mu0-nature.ca
Irwin Brodo, Research Scientist (lichenology)
(613) 364-4072 1brodo@mu0-nature.ca
Laurie Consaul, Research Assistant (vascular plants)
(613) 364-4074 Icon0aul@mu0-nature.ca
Lynn Gillespie, Research Scientist (vascular plants)
(613) 364-4075 lgillespie@mus-nature.ca
To make an appointment to visit the Herbarium at the Canadian Museum of Nature, call (613) 364-4076 or fax (613) 364-4027.
For Museum general information call (613) 566-4700 or visit the Museum’s website at www.nature.ca
Herbarium Rules!
15
= I