Each specimen shall be accessioned in the AMNH master accession record. Catalog numbers shall be forwarded to the Museum Registrar to append to the accession record. The accession number shall be recorded along with the catalog numbers in the AMCC's electronic database of specimens. Exceptions include material from other AMNH collections that are already accessioned. In this case, the existing accession record will be amended to include AMCC catalog numbers associated with tissue specimens.
All objects acquired for the collection shall be catalogued to meet the professional standards of a modern biorepository and the recommendations of relevant professional societies.
The purpose of the AMCC specimen database is to allow for efficient inventory and tracking of samples. The database will also allow researchers to quickly and efficiently assemble complex information on the collections, as well as to produce a catalog of the collection.
Back-up copies of the database should be made regularly. Off-site back-up copies will be maintained to protect this resource in the event that the on-site copies are destroyed or damaged.
Each specimen shall be assigned a catalog number in the electronic specimen database. Regardless of the number of preparations that are derived from it, each individual specimen (or, in some cases, lot of specimens) in the collection shall be assigned a single number.
At the time that a specimen is assigned a catalog number in the AMCC, the catalog number shall be recorded on the specimen container by printing and affixing a barcode label.
The Museum's specimen-based and taxonomic databases, catalogues, and lists, like the collections from which they are derived, are property of the Museum. Release of collection data shall be upon the terms and conditions established in each of the scientific departments, and thus may require departmental approval.
In accordance with the Museum's Collection Policy, the staff of the frozen tissue facility shall use the database to create, retain, and regularly update an organization and physical map of the AMCC, so that specimens may be readily located.
The AMCC shall retain original documents relating to the specimens including, but not limited to, field notes, research notes, correspondence, reports, electronic files, illustrations, photographs, catalogs and lists. However, for samples derived from specimens cataloged in other Museum collections, such as departments within the museum, the department will retain such documentation.
These documents shall be permanently housed in the AMCC, or, where appropriate, in the Museum archives.