Policies & Procedures
The herbarium is interested in receiving material from students, staff, researchers, agencies, and other herberia. Please reach out to our curators to arrrange for drop off, to ensure specimens have all associated label data, and to review the material.
Requests for removal of samples from herbarium specimens should be addressed to the Curator of the Herbarium, Bailey Hortorium, 412 Mann Library Bldg., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853 U.S.A. Please read this policy statement, complete the agreement outlined, and attach it to your request.
If you are studying any taxon listed on any of the CITES Appendices, please familiarize yourself with the Text of the Convention and the resolution regarding herbarium specimens that pertain to the use and transport of the specimens and their parts and products (e.g., DNA extracts). In brief, specimens (incl. parts and products) may be used only for scientific study (not for commercial purposes) and may be transported internationally only between institutions registered with CITES.
As a rule, no material may be removed from specimens without prior consent of the Curator of the Herbarium or a designated member of the Herbarium staff. Permission for removal of material, when given, is contingent upon adherence to the guidelines.
We currently are in the transition of making our internal specimen database public. Until we do, all specimen inquires will go to our curators to arrange. However, we have a small set of African specimens live on the Symbiota Africa Portal.
Intra-institutional Loan Guidelines: As a general rule, the examination and study of herbarium specimens, whether those belonging to BH or those on loan to BH from other institutions, shall be conducted within the herbarium. Permission for removal of specimens from the herbarium to a pre-approved location for closer study or analysis may be granted, but the following additional rules and guidelines will apply:
Before IIL is granted:
Borrower must specify where specimens will be housed.
Borrower must assure that specimens will not be removed to any other location during the loan period.
Borrower must assure that specimens will be stored and handled according to normal herbarium protocol.
- Specimens must be stored in airtight cases at all times.
- Case doors must be kept closed at all times except when removing and replacing specimens.
- Borrower will agree to report any signs of insect infestation or other specimen damage to the Curator.
- IIL agreement must be dated and signed by Borrower and, if Borrower is a student, his or her major advisor.
The Curator and Borrower will identify specimens requested for intra-institutional loan and compile a list of specimen count by source institution. This list must be appended to IIL agreement.
During IIL period: The Curator will periodically inspect IIL materials for insect or other damage.
At conclusion of IIL period: Specimens must be returned to the herbarium prep room for freezing before re-filing in the main collection. The Curator and Borrower will confirm that all IIL materials have been returned in good condition.
The collection is worldwide in its scope and we would like to continue in that trajectory. We are interested in all plant groups and localities, depending on specimen condition. We have a special interest in increasing our alpine specimen coverage. Please contact us to arrrange.
- Sign in when you arrive.
- You will be assigned an empty case in which you may store the specimens you are working with. You should also use this case to temporarily store any specimens that require the attention of the staff (see below).
- Do not bring any fresh plant material, or any dried material that has not been frozen, into the herbarium.
- Specimens may not be removed from the herbarium at any time.
- When working in the herbarium, we ask that you close case doors at all times, except when removing or re-filing specimens. Similarly, do not prop open any doors, or open any windows while you are working. This is a precautionary measure, to prevent entry of dermestid beetles. If you detect any insect damage during the course of your work, please segregate the specimen and notify the staff.
- Please bring to the attention of the staff any specimen that you believe has been misidentified. You may leave the specimen in an appropriately labeled folder in your case.
- Annotation slips, archival ink pens, and glue will be available if you need them. Do not write directly on any label. If you need to mark the sheets in some way, as with a rubber stamp, consult the staff about placement.
- Do not remove parts from specimens without permission. If you notice broken pieces, place these in a fragment folder, attached to the sheet temporarily with a paper clip.
- Set aside in your case any specimens that need repair.
- Switch off microscope illuminators and cover microscopes when you aredone with them.
- Clean up workspaces, turn off herbarium lights and sign out when you leave.