Reorganization of the University of Iowa Paleontology Repository

爱荷华州大学古生物学知识库在规模和重要性方面名列北美十大收藏之一，并支持最近在全国排名第七的古生物学研究生课程的研究活动。 该标本库存有约25，000种模式标本和参考标本，总标本超过100万件。 长期以来，它一直是该州古生物学和地质学收藏品的主要保存设施，是地球科学系古生物学系研究和教学活动的焦点。存储处已达到有效运作能力，迫切需要进行全面重组。 该项目是一个更大项目的第一阶段，最终将涉及策展和计算机化。 第一阶段（策展）的重点是：（1）对馆藏，特别是古生代和中生代非爱荷华州地层收藏和新生代软体动物的完整评估;（2）完成一系列促进重组的策展项目，包括策展退休教师的研究收藏和几个对广大社区有潜在兴趣的特别收藏，特别是Strimple棘皮动物和Belanski泥盆纪收藏;和（3）物理重组，包括购买新的标本柜。 将邀请访问专家对缺乏内部专门知识的收藏品进行评估，虽然这些收藏品已经被大量使用，但项目完成后将导致更大的使用。 收集的长期计划包括在万维网上提供收集的数据。

The University of Iowa Paleontology Repository has been ranked among the top ten collections in North America in terms of size and significance, and supports the research activities of a paleontology graduate program recently ranked seventh in the nation. The Repository contains some 25,000 type and referred specimens and over one million specimens in total. It has long been the primary holding facility for paleontological and geological collections in the state, and is the focal point of the research and teaching activities of the paleontology faculty in the Department of Geoscience. The Repository has reached its effective operating capacity and is in urgent need of comprehensive reorganization. This project represents the first phase of a larger project, which will ultimately involve both curation and computerization. This first phase (curation) focuses on: (1) a complete evaluation of the holdings, especially the Paleozoic and Mesozoic non-Iowan stratigraphic collections and Cenozoic molluscs; (2) completion of a range of curatorial projects facilitating reorganization, including curation of retiring faculty members' research collections and several special collections of potential interest to the community at large, especially the Strimple echinoderm and Belanski Devonian collections; and (3) physical reorganization, including purchase of new specimen cabinets. Visiting specialists will be invited to evaluate those collections where in-house expertise is lacking.Although the collection already is heavily used, completion of the project will result in even greater use. A long-term plan for the collection includes making collection data available on the WWW.