UNIVERSITY OF FLORIDA HERBARIUM COLLECTION CATALOGING MANUAL

Introduction

1. Data entry into the University of Florida Herbarium Collection Catalog is accomplished either by direct entry via PLArchiv into the main catalog on the herbarium database administrators computer or via user created data files with the PLImport section of a clone of PLArchiv. PLImport/PLArchiv is available on various herbarium computers. It is identified on the desktop with a fox icon and the name "PLArchiv Import". If it is not available through your log-in, consult with the database administrator.
2. Selecting Specimens. The database administrator will create a pull list of target specimens for cataloging. Pull the set of specimens from storage or the taxon from the main collection and take the specimens carefully to the computer. If you are pulling specimens from the collection leave a tag with your project, name, date, and exactly what folder/parts of a folder you have taken in the space from which you removed the specimens. Please be sure to follow our Specimen Handling Guidelines.
3. Determining which specimens to enter. Enter only specimens that are not in the catalog already. A print-out of existing collections may be provided. Also, the following clues will help you determine this:
   • A check mark on the bottom left of a specimen indicates it is already entered in the catalog as a full record.
   • A circle on the bottom left of a specimen indicates it is already entered in the catalog as a minimal record.
   • Specimens with computerized labels (generated at the University of Florida Herbarium) and certain sets are possibly already be in the catalog. The catalog must be checked to determine if they are already entered. Check the catalog in the "Main Catalog" tab of the PLImport/PLArchiv program. You may do a quick search by accession number (bottom of screen) or a full search via the search button. You may also search the online catalog (http://www.flmnh.ufl.edu/natsci/herbarium/cat/catsearch.htm).
4. Do not enter specimens already in the catalog. Segregate those specimens from the ones you will be entering. If the catalog has errors or is missing information, such as accession number, make a note on the cataloging sheet or put a note with the specimen to indicate the edits and put the specimen aside. Make sure all specimens in the catalog have checks or circles on them.
5. Missing specimens. If a specimen is in our database, but not in the collection, make a note of this.
6. Specimens with checks showing in the catalog. If a specimen has a check on it but you don't find it in our catalog it may be under a different name. Try looking it up under other names. Use Atlas of Florida Vascular Plants and theplantlist.orgto help you find synonyms. If you cannot resolve taxonomic synonymies, consult with the database administrator.
7. Open the PLImport/PLArchiv program. Double-click the program icon (a fox).
8. Choose your data file or create one. A selection box will appear asking you to open a working PLArchiv Import data file, or create a new one. If you have already started a file, choose this file by double-clicking it. To create a new file, click on "New" in the lower right-hand corner and enter a file name in the dialog box.

PLImport/PLArchiv Screens

• Import - Create and enter data files to be added to the main catalog. This the only table where catalogers may edit or add entries.
• Add - Not used.
• Main Catalog - You may search for example entries and to see if a specimen is already entered.
• Accession Info - Accession info. for specimens in the Main Catalog.
• Collectors - Collectors main file. If the collector tag does not appear in your record after entering a collector, check to see if you may have made a typo.
• Types - Type specimen info.
• Families
• Genera
• Taxa
• Common - Common names.
• Countries - Official ISO-3166 countries file. The country entered in the label data country field should match this.
• Regions - Regions of countries. The data entered in the second geographic level of a country should match to this.

Important Data Entry Standards

The following are basic data entry standards.

• Capitalize the first letter of the LabelInfo field and always end it with punctuation, usually a period.
• Add "implied" punctuation, e.g., if there is a line break with data and it would make more sense to have a period or comma.
• Data is mostly entered in the order as show on the label, EXCEPT:
  • Country, second, and, sometimes, third geographic levels are pulled out of the label text and fielded in the three geographic fields based on the standards for the country. The labels above the three geographic fields will show what is expected. The Country and Regions tabs also provide information. Use an asterisks in the GeoFlag fields to the right of each geographic field when the original label does not have the data you enter. E.g., if the original label says "Gainesville," but not "Alachua County," enter Alachua in the County field and an asterisks in the GeoFlag field to the right. (See: Geographic Elements
  • Common Names are placed in the Notes fields with the |CN| tag.
• Always put remove spaces from between initials of proper names. (See: Collectors and Collection Numbers)
• The IdInfo, LabelInfo and Notes field must begin with tags. All elements in those fields should be tagged. There should be no tags in any other field.
• Dates should be entered verbatim except extraneous dashes may be removed and replaced by spaces. E.g., 3-Mar-2012 should be entered as 3 Mar 2012.
• Dates will mostly autopopulate the Day, Month, Year numberic fields. Those data should be checked. Two digit years should be changed to four digit in the year field. Zeros may be used for missing day. month or year.
• Diacritical characters in the main label data should be entered using the ASCII character chart provided.
• Records in the Import data entry tab that turn red are already in the catalog!
• Specimens with the same collection number that are clearly two or more sheets of the same collection and have identical label and annotation data should be entered as one record. Enter the accession numbers in the accno, accno2 ... fields.

Specific Data Entry Standards and Examples

• Codes - data tagging codes, reproductive status codes.
• Collectors and Collection Numbers - guidelines for entering collector names, those collecting with the collector and collection numbers.
• Geographic Elements - how to enter geographic data including country, state, province, county, etc.
• Label Headings - commonly used label headings.
• Label Footings - commonly used label footings.
• Non-Label Notes - commonly used non-label notes.

University of Florida Herbarium collections: Vascular Plants | Herbarium Library Bryophyte and Lichens | Mycological Wood | Paleobotany (affiliated collection)