Curating Biocultural Collections. 2014. 100 col. photogr. X, 406 p. gr8vo. Paper bd.

A must for libraries, museums and professional associations dealing with collections (herbaria, zoology, natural history, geography, anthropology, paleontology, and art collections), students, scientists. The only curation manual for biocultural collections, filling a longstanding and real need / Specific chapters covering curation products, DNA, horticultural, and seed collections/ Chapters on the curation of related reference collections including databases, books and archives, photographs and images, linguistic and audioinformation, and ethnographic information / Packed with real-life case studies and a carefully-chosen bibliography, with many references to online resources / Includes multiple perspectives, particularly from indigenous communities . -Biocultural collections cross the boundary between nature and culture, documenting the remarkable richness and diversity of human engagements with the natural world. They come in many formats, such as ethnobiological specimens including herbal medicines, clothing or basketry, herbarium sheets, germplasm, DNA, or archaeological seeds and bones. Biocultural collectionsalso encompass information, in the form of books and manuscripts,and now in electronic forms such as digital images and sound, and databases. This book demonstrates the central importance of such collections for research, and draws on a wide range of expertise and case studies to show how they should be cared for. Throughout there isa strong emphasis on meeting the needs of collection users, and for ethical and equitable engagement with source communities. The book will be of interest to readers in a wide range of fields including ethnobiology, anthropology, agriculture, botany and zoology, and museum curation. Written and edited by experts from around the world, this book demonstrates that with proper curation,data basing, and on-line and physical access, these valuable resources can be used in research, conservation, development andeducation, and preserved for future generations.