Managing information is extremely important in the mineral collecting hobby. Not only will good information management keep track of information you may forget, it will also ensure that localities attributed to your specimens will not be lost.

Components of a Collection Catalog

A catalog will need to be created to keep track of your mineral specimens. You can use the Mindat.org online collection cataloguing system, create your own using Microsoft Access/Excel or use a computer program specifically created for mineral collectors. I prefer making my own so I can have custom fields and have offline access to my database. I highly recommend keeping a paper copy, and some collectors have a friend keep a digital copy of their catalog as well.

Custom (Digital)
The specimen number is the foundation of your catalog. All specimens must have separate numbers and a moniker. The moniker should be your initials. The reason for this will be explained in the Labels section. Some field collectors have a second set of monikers to record specimens by locality. If you are ordering specimens by locality, 2 specimen number characters should be sufficient, allowing 99 specimens to be entered per locality. If you are using the moniker-number format, I recommend having a minimum of 3 characters for the number, 4 or 5 is preferable.

Now you need to choose which fields you will include in your database.
(Note that the zeros in the specimen number in the following picture have automatically been removed by the software.)



Hard Copy
Essential in the event that the digital copy is lost (from computer breaking, theft, etc). There are several ways to create a hard copy: you can make it fit in 8 1/2" using Excel, create a form to adapt the information in your Access database for printing, or make your own form in a word processing program (like MS Word). Print on acid-free paper for more document longevity.

Specimen Labeling

There are two types of labels that must be used to properly catalog a collection.

Loose label
This label has no attachment to the specimen. It should include at least species information, locality, specimen number and collection owner.

Affixed label
This label is permanently affixed to the specimen and comprises of only the specimen number and moniker. The moniker is of importance so that a. if the specimen has previous labels, you can recognize yours easily, and b. future collectors will be able to trace specimens back to your collection and may be able to retrieve lost data and have the ability to research the former owner. Attached labels can be made in two ways:

1. The specimen numbers (with moniker) are printed on acid-free paper in very small size (I use font size 3). They must be cut as small as possible and glued on a specimen using glue (white glue is often used). Choose an area on the specimen where the label will not be visible when the specimen is displayed and where it will hide any crystals or interesting features. Also make sure it is placed on a surface that is as flat as possible. After it is glued on, wipe a very thin layer of glue over it; it helps it stay in place and should not cloud the label. Note: Only do this last step with glues safe for direct handling.

2. Apply a small amount of white enamel paint on the specimen and let it dry. Again, this must be done with specimen aesthetics in mind. After the paint has dried, write the specimen number using a pen. Technique #1 is preferred by museums and collectors.

Keeping Track of Locality Information

Keeping track of occurrence locations and data does not seem very important at first, but as field collecting progresses you will visit an increasing amount of sites and invariably, important details will be forgotten.

Field Journal
Advantages of having a field journal are:
- Having written records of your past trips and finds.
- A source of important locality details you can consult while writing an article.
- Remembering how to get to the occurrences.

Locality Database
Having a locality database can help you keep locality details, lat/long, directions. It complements the field journal perfectly by being easy and quick to consult. A field in the locality database can be added to provide a list of pages where a locality has been described.



Acknowledgments
Thanks to Daniel Russell for providing useful suggestions and information.

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