LOANS OF HERBARIUM SPECIMENS
Loans of specimens
for the purposes of scholarly study to herbaria recognized in Index Herbariorum
upon approval, by the Curator of the Herbarium, of a request for the loan.
Researchers should list the taxa (including synonyms if appropriate) that are
sought, whether material from specific geographic locations is needed, and
whether a particular number of specimens are being requested. Researchers who
seek to remove material from specimens (e.g., for pollen studies or DNA
extraction) should request permission at the time of the loan and identify the
amount and kind of material to be removed.
When the specimen
loan arrives, the researcher should count the number of sheets that were
received and check this against the number reported to have been sent. This
number and the condition of the specimens must be reported to the TROY
Herbarium as soon as possible. Specimens must be stored in herbarium cabinets
during the duration of the loan. Loans are typically made for one year and
specimens should be annotated prior to their return.
USE OF SPECIMENS BY TROY FACULITY
Faculty wishing to use specimens
deposited in the herbarium for research should generally follow the guidelines
for loans. Researchers should contact one of the Curators with a list the taxa
(including synonyms if appropriate) that are sought, whether material from
specific geographic locations is needed, and whether a particular number of
specimens are being requested. Researchers who seek to remove material from
specimens (e.g., for pollen studies or DNA extraction) should request
permission at the time of the loan and identify the amount and kind of material
to be removed. No specimens should be
remove from the herbarium without the permission of one of the Curators.
Specimens must be stored in herbarium cabinets
or insect proof boxes while they are under study. It is the faculty members duty to insure that
specimens are handled in an appropriate manner by students under their
guidance. Specimens should be returned to one of the Curators at the end of the
study. Once specimens have been checked and any annotations made in the data
base, the specimens must be frozen for 24 hours before they are refiled in the
collection. NO SPECIMENS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE CABINETS AND RETURNED
WITHOUT BEING FROZEN.
Due to the fragile nature of
herbarium specimens and their importance as vouchers for research studies, they
are not generally available for use by classes. Instructors should assemble a
“teaching collection” of common species they use in their class for general use
by students. The Curators may be able to assist with obtaining these specimens.
EXCHANGE PROGRAM
Unmounted vascular
plant specimens from various southern Alabama localities are available on an
exchange basis. In order to increase the diversity of our collection, we are
interested in receiving specimens primarily from central and north Alabama and
also from throughout the Southeastern United States. For inquiries about
possible specimen exchanges, please contact the appropriate Curator.