The specimens themselves are irreplaceable, so you must be constantly careful not to drop, bang, crush, or otherwise damage them. Most damage to fossils occurs by inattention, or haste, or ennui. If you feel you are at the point of falling asleep, or are getting silly and careless, stop what you are working on and do another step in the process. There are several steps that all need constant updating. If you ever have a question about any of the steps in the process, ask the Collections Manager or Supervisor. It is better to ask many questions, even questions that you may think are stupid, rather than make even one irreversible mistake.

Good motto for working in collections: Minimum intervention and Maximum reversibility.

Keeping things together

The label and specimen must not be separated until a definite link has been established that can always trace that unique label back to that unique specimen. This is done through several steps. The specimen must have a valid, complete specimen number printed, in ink, on the surface of the specimen, or on a label in the specimen vial, or on the specimen slide. Also, the specimen number must be printed on an Conservator (formerly Inventory) Label that is placed in a plastic zipper bag with the label and other documents from the specimen tray.

PPE, or Personal Protection Equipment

• Disposable white cotton gloves or vinyl gloves are available to protect the specimens from body oils and perspiration on the hands of the worker, and to protect the worker from the dehydrating and irritating effects of the dust and specimen matrix.
• Particle masks for personal protection from airborne irritants stirred up during cleaning of the specimens. These should always be available. If you can not find any, ask the Collections Manager or Supervisor.

Moving Specimens

• Determine where you want to put the specimen down. Is the space clear? What obstructions are on the floor near this space? Don't move a specimen without a plan of where you are taking it, and how you'll get it there.
• Stacks of pink cafeteria trays are kept in each of the cages, as well as in the Curation room. Moving trays of specimens carefully arranged on one of these trays is much safer than trying to hold them all in your hands while walking across the room! Specimens should not be moved unless they are stable enough to be moved. Always use both hands, and never carry just the specimen- it should always be on or in a tray!

Transporting whole drawers

• Before you pull the drawer from the cabinet, make sure you know where you are going to put it down. The area should be free of debris, specimens or other materials.
• Don't move a drawer that is too heavy for you to move alone.
• If you are bringing a drawer from one building to another, you must do this by car. Drape a towel over the specimens. This way, a stiff breeze on the way from the cage to the car won't end in the transporter chasing down loose labels as they blow around campus.
• Don't transport whole drawers on rainy days.
• Drawers moved from the cages to Main, for the purpose of letting a research have easy access to the specimen, are treated as a loan.
• Don't leave the JJ Pickle Center campus with a drawer of specimens unless you have express permission from the collection manager.