Restoration of the Invertebrate Paleontology Collection, Oklahoma Museum of Natural History, Phase 1

俄克拉何马州自然历史博物馆的无脊椎古生物收藏馆在经历了20世纪60年代到80年代初的快速扩张之后，在馆长帕特里克·k·萨瑟兰（Patrick K. Sutherland）退休后，经历了一段增长缓慢的时期。由于没有馆长，收藏活动大大减少，许多原始木箱因白蚁侵扰而损坏。然而，这个收藏是博物馆中最大的收藏之一（250,000个标本），其中包括来自俄克拉何马州和邻近州的一些具有里程碑意义的古生物学研究的数千个类型和图形标本。俄克拉荷马大学（University of Oklahoma）再次承诺将为这些藏品聘请一位新的策展人，他将得到一位新的全职策展专家的协助。萨姆·诺布尔自然历史博物馆（Sam Noble Museum of Natural History）的一个大储藏区（约3,200平方英尺）已被分配给这些藏品，这是一个将于1999年初投入使用的新设施。收藏品的修复将是一个多年的项目，第一阶段将确保标本迅速打开包装，并适当地安置在金属箱中。随后的阶段将包括制作一份传统印刷和电子（网络）媒介的标本类型和图形目录，并将目前储存在一套索引卡上的收集记录电脑化。该项目将完成用新的金属箱替换陈旧的木制储物柜，并支持雇用临时工作人员，以协助在搬迁到新设施后对藏品进行拆封和重组。这个项目显然对后续修复阶段的成功完成至关重要。

After rapid expansion in the 1960 to early 1980s, the Invertebrate Paleontology Collection of the Oklahoma of Natural History underwent a period of minimal growth that followed the retirement of the curator, Patrick K. Sutherland. Without a curator, collection activity declinced significantly and many of the original wooden cases have been damaged through termite infestation. And yet, the collection is among the largest in the museum (250,000 specimens) and contains several thousand type and figured specimens from a number of landmark studies on the paleontology of Oklahoma and contiguous state. The University of Oklahoma has renewed its commitment to the collection with the hiring of a new curator who will be assisted by a new, full-time curatorial specialist. A large storage area (approximately 3,200 square feet)has been allocated to the collection in the Sam Noble Museum of Natural History, a new facility which will be available early in 1999. Restoration of the collection will be a multi-year project, the first phase of which will ensure that the specimens are unpacked promptly and adequately housed in metal cases. Subsequent phases will involve production of a catalogue of type and figured specimens in both conventional print and electronic (web-based) media, and computerization of collection records, which are currently stored on a set of index cards. This project will complete the replacement of antiquated wooden storage cabinets with new metal cases and support the hiring of temporary staff to assist with the unpacking and reorganization of the collection following the move to the new facility. This project is clearly critical to the successful completion of subsequent phases of the restoration.