Experiences with a collection move?

[cynthia a ramotnik]

I am preparing a presentation on my recent experience with the move of a
natural history collection and would like to get some idea of the
prevalence of this activity within the museum community.  For my purposes
I am defining a "move" as the relocation of part or all of a natural
history collection from one building to another (over any distance).  If
you have been involved in the move of a collection, I would appreciate
your answers to the questions listed below.  If you have had multiple
experiences with a move, either with the same collection or different
ones, I would appreciate a separate response for each move.

 1. Name of collection (optional).
 2. Nature of the collection (e.g., geology, herbarium, vertebrates).
 3. Size of the collection (number of specimens or lots).
 4. Distance moved and mode of transportation.
 5. Length of time to complete the move (beginning and ending dates).
 6. Who did the work: Museum staff? Contractors? Professional Movers?
        Others? (use all that apply).
 7. What resources or expertise did you find useful in the move:
        Experienced staff? Contractors? Literature? Other?
 8. Biggest problem(s).
 9. Biggest unanticipated problem(s).
10. Cost (optional).
11. Do you anticipate another move of the collection (in whole or part)
        that you are currently associated with?
12. Do you know the "move" history of the collection you are currently
        associated with?

Please respond directly to me via my email address: ramotnik at unm.edu.  If
you are unable to provide answers to all the questions, I would still
appreciate responses to as many as possible.  If you would like to share
any of your experiences in greater detail, I would be happy to hear from you.

For those of you who do not have collection move experience but who
anticipate a move in the future, I would also like to know this.

Thank you for your time and consideration.

Cindy Ramotnik
Collections Manager
National Biological Service
Museum of Southwestern Biology          phone (505) 766-2811
University of New Mexico                FAX   (505) 277-0304
Albuquerque, NM 87131                   email  ramotnik at unm.edu