Small Collections Grant
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Digitizing and Conserving The Ruth O'Brien Herbarium
United States
Database, Digitally image, Process backlog, Conserve
Cost (USD):
2000
TAMUCC
The Ruth O'Brien Herbarium at Texas A&M University Corpus Christi
Objective:
The herbarium, due to a period of neglect, suffers from extensive insect damage. Currently, curators are working to amend and prevent future damage before digitization begins in spring 2020. As this collection is made more accessible through digitization it is extremely important that the actual physical specimens be properly preserved. This grant would be used to finance part of the conservation aspect of this project. Specifically, new cabinets needed to isolate the affected, prevent future infestations and store new specimens.
Timetable:
Fall 2019: Specimens are examined for damage and quarantined in sealed plastic bags until all specimens can be frozen
January-March 2020: packaged specimines are frozen for 2 weeks and kept in sealed bags until herbarium pests are eliminated
March 2020: digitization of herbarium specimens begins
April 2020: quarantining and mounting of backlogged specimens begins
May 2020: The herbarium should be operating smoothly as digitization and mounting of backlogged specimens continues.
Scoring Rubric
Reviewer's name:
Collection Improvement (max. 120 points)
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Facilitating access to the physical collections by digitization (e.g., data entry, setting up database structure with an outline of the platform to be used, purchasing equipment, and imaging specimens) – up to 30 points.
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Enhancing physical collections by improving the conservation status of specimens in the herbarium (e.g., better folders, protecting covers, mounting paper, labeling, etc.) – up to 30 points.
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Curating specimens (e.g., updating families, species identification, identifying types) – up to 20 points.
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Increasing our understanding of the flora or funga by making new herbarium specimens available, such as processing of backlog or collecting and mounting of new specimens from understudied sites – up to 20 points.
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Securing collections by distribution of duplicates (or orphan collections) to other regional or international herbaria or shipping endangered collections to another herbarium – up to 20 points.
This proposal scores:
/120
Methods & Funding (max. 40 points)
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Match between the proposed budget and methods for the aims described – up to 10 points.
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Perceived need, the extent to which the project will benefit from IAPT funding: e.g., due to active floristic work or contribution to poorly collected sites, due to threatened conditions of collections, and for the degree of involvement of others (outreach and education). We give more points for herbaria in low- and middle-income countries – up to 20 points.
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Sharing duplicate specimens with other herbaria – up to 10 points.
This proposal scores:
/40
Broader Impacts (max. 40 points)
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Degree of regional importance of the collection or the taxonomic importance of the targeted collection – up to 10 points.
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The project will yield durable benefits (specimens, digitized metadata, databases, websites) – up to 15 points.
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The project involves outreach/mentoring and broad dissemination – up to 15 points.
This proposal scores:
/40
Year of last successful SCG application:
Has applicant applied for SCG before?:
Plan:
Each specimen has been thoroughly examined for insect eggs and larvae. A paintbrush was then used to remove the insect excrement and dirt. The specimens were then sealed in an autoclave bag and put in one of our three cabinets that seal. We are halfway done and almost out of room in our sealing cabinets, the rest are going to be put back in the wooden cabinets. The final step is freezing the bags at -20C for two weeks after which the specimens will remain in the autoclave bags until digitization.
Institution:
IH Code:
Country:
Target areas:
Applicant First Name/s:
email:
"Other" target:
Lauren Snyder
Applicant Last Name/s: