Collections Manager Survey Instructions

NSF Scientific Collections Survey

COLLECTIONS MANAGER SURVEY
INSTRUCTIONS
This survey collects information about major object-based scientific collections maintained by
your organization. One “Collections Manager Survey” should be completed for each major
collection in your organization. Each survey should be completed by the individual with
responsibility over that major collection. To the degree possible, information on collections of a
single type should be aggregated into a single response (e.g., marine worms, arthropods,
echinoderms, corals should be reported together under Invertebrate Zoology).
Traditional collections should be separated into the following major categories:
1. Anthropology
2. Archaeology
3. Botany
4. Entomology
5. Ethnography
6. Geology and Mineralogy
7. Herpetology
8. Ichthyology
9. Invertebrate Paleontology
10. Invertebrate Zoology (Apart from Entomology)
11. Living Cell/Organismal Lines
12. Mammology
13. Microbiology
14. Ornithology
15. Paleobotany
16. Physical Anthropology
17. Vertebrate Paleontology
18. Other, please specify _________________

This survey can be completed online or writing your responses on the attached forms. To access
the survey online, go to [http:// xxx] and log onto the site using the [user id xxx] and the
[password xxx]. A Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section is provided online, in which you
will find definitions for terms used in the survey.
COLLECTIONS INCLUDED IN THIS SURVEY
This survey is being distributed to institutions supporting object-based scientific collections that
have received Federal funding from the National Science Foundation.
“Object-based scientific collections” are defined as collections primarily acquired, maintained
and used for scientific research, such as natural and physical science specimens, living animals
and plants, archaeological and ethnographic objects, or technological objects of current or
contemporary design.

NSF Scientific Collections Survey
“Ancillary collections” include important materials that are associated with an object-based
scientific collection, but only if the material is directly used for scientific research, such as
archival and library materials, audio and visual media, and data that might reside in databases.
COLLECTIONS EXCLUDED FROM THIS SURVEY
Historic and artistic collections that do not function as scientific collections are excluded from
the survey. For example, a collection of wreckage from an aircraft accident would fall outside
the scope of the survey if it were part of a current investigation, maintained for historical
purposes only, or otherwise closed to access. However, this same collection would be within the
scope of the survey if it were being maintained for the use of researchers who are researching
metal fatigue, fire dynamics, failure propagation, or other related phenomena.
Library collections are also excluded unless the collection is in support of the research objects
themselves.
Collections of data (both analog and digital) or databases containing such data are excluded from
this survey unless those data collections are associated with an object-based scientific collection
and are used directly to support the conduct of scientific research, in which case they may be
treated as ancillary collections. (See “Ancillary collections” definition above).
STRUCTURE OF THE SURVEY
The survey is divided into 10 sections:
1. Organizational Information
2. Collection Characteristics
3. Staffing
4. Funding
5. Facilities
6. Ancillary Materials
7. Uses and Users
8. Accessibility of the Collections
9. Intellectual Property Rights
10. Analytic Instrumentation
INSTRUCTIONS FOR COMPLETING THE ONLINE VERSION
[TO BE DEVELOPED.]
We suggest that you print out a copy of the survey and review all the sections prior to
completing the on-line version.

NSF Scientific Collections Survey

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
If you have any questions about this survey, please contact xxx [xxx @ xxx], telephone number
[xxx].
DEADLINE
In order for us to include your response with those of all other participating organizations, we
ask that you complete this survey no later than xxx.