Policies
Collection Contact Information
Inquiries regarding Vertebrate Paleontology Collections loans or collections visits should be directed to the Collections Manager:
J. Chris Sagebiel
Email: sagebiel@austin.utexas.edu | Phone: 512-232-5514 | Fax: 512-232-5518
All other requests should be directed to the Director of Museum Operations:
Matthew Brown
Email: matthewbrown@utexas.edu | Phone: 512-232-5515 | Fax: 512-232-5518
Mailing address:
J. J. Pickle Research Campus
10100 Burnet Road
PRC 6-VPL, R7600
Austin, Texas 78758
Citation of Specimens in Publications
The acronym for Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections fossil specimens is TMM. This supercedes all other acronyms, including UT, VPL, BEG, and UTBEG.
The acronym for fossil specimens from the Texas A&M collection (now held by UT) is TMM-TAMU.
The acronym for fossil specimens from the East Texas State collection now held by UT is TMM-ETSU.
The acronym for fossil specimens from the Midwestern State University (now held by UT) is TMM-MWSU.
The acronym for Recent specimens from the collections is M (e.g., M-8357).
Collections Access
The Vertebrate Paleontology Collections are a research, teaching and conservation branch of the Jackson School Museum of Earth History. Access is by appointment only, or through organized tours offered by staff.
We welcome researchers, students and educators to use our collections. However, arrangements must be made in advance to visit the Collections. Students arranging to visit collections must also submit acknowledgement of the intended visit by their supervisors. Non-academic and commercial use of collections, archives and other resources requires prior written approval by the Director, in accordance with more general collections policies. The Director shall judge whether a proposed use of its collections is non-commercial or academic.
Specimen Loan Policies
Loan Definition
Loans of specimens from the collections are temporary physical transfers of objects to another professional institution, with no transfer of ownership.
Internal Loans: The Director must be informed prior to removal of any specimens from the building. This is achieved by filling out an Internal Loan Form (formerly referred to as a “Blue Sheet”) available from the Collections Manager. This document is required for the loan of specimens utilized in Bldg. 6 or the Jackson School of Geosciences. All other uses require a formal external loan. External loans are initiated through the collections manager. Internal loans are for a maximum of one semester or the duration of the summer. Loans must be renewed each semester. The information on this loan form is vital to the management of the collections. Providing complete and accurate data on this form will speed the loan process. The data from this form provides the statistics needed to maintain collections funding.
External Loans: Loans of specimens from the collections are temporary physical transfers of objects to another professional institution, with no transfer of ownership. Requests for specimen loans are approved by the Director. Requests for loans must be made in writing through the collections manager (email is sufficient). Students requesting loans must also submit acknowledgment of the loan request by their supervisors.
Loan Requests
Requests for specimen loans are approved by the Director. Requests for loans must be made in writing through the collections manager (email is sufficient). Students requesting loans must also submit acknowledgment of the loan request by their supervisors.
Loan Approvals
Loans generally are approved only to professional researchers employed by academic and non-profit institutions. Loans approved on behalf of graduate student research will be made to supervisors rather than to the students directly. Supervisors borrowing material on behalf of students must guarantee the fulfillment of loan policies and conditions as set out below. Loans generally are not made to individuals or for-profit organizations. Requests to cast, prepare, repair, renumber, transfer or otherwise manipulate collections specimens require prior written approval by the Director (see below).
Loan Duration
Unless otherwise stipulated, loans are authorized for periods of one year. Loan extensions must be requested in writing prior to loan expiration. It is the borrower’s responsibility to return the specimen on time and in good condition. Subsequent loans will not be approved to any borrower in possession of an overdue loan.
Loan Transfers
Transfers of loans to third parties generally are not permitted. Specimens must be returned to collections before they can be sent to another borrower. Any questions regarding transfers should be directed to the Director.
Type and Figured Specimens
Type specimens, specimens figured in publication, fragile specimens, or sole representatives of a taxon are not generally available for loans.
Loans for Display
If a specimen is to be placed on public display, the borrower must obtain written permission from the collection manager in advance. Specimens placed on display must be protected from physical access by the public. If a specimen is to be physically modified in any way for the display, this must be arranged in advance, in writing, and collections conservation staff must be consulted about the proposed modifications. Specimens placed on public display must also receive proper acknowledgement (see below).
Loan Shipment
The cost of shipping and insurance must be arranged with the borrower in advance through written communication with the Director. Loan material being returned must be packed in a manner comparable to that as received, and it must be adequate to insure the safety of the specimen. We request loans to be returned via a professional carrier (e.g., Federal Express) that provides for minute tracking (either by electronic signature or hand-signed documents at every station) from the moment it leaves the sender until it is received at the other end. In other cases we may require loans to be hand-carried, by a person approved by the Director. Borrowers who violate the terms of the loan agreement or who return an object with unacceptable damage or alterations may be restricted from future use of collections.
Loan Receipts
Upon receiving a loan, recipients must sign and return to the collection manager a form acknowledging the arrival and condition of the specimens, and that confirms the accuracy of the specimen manifest. When a loan is returned to collections, its arrival is acknowledged by a written receipt.
Loan Service Fees
We reserve the right to assess a loan fee in certain circumstances including, but not limited to, occasions where labor-intensive requests for loans unduly burden the normal operation of the collections. Shipping costs must be worked out in advance for each loan request.
Handling of Loaned Specimens
Specimens must be stored at the institution to which they are loaned, in climate controlled, secure rooms. The borrower agrees to conserve and protect the materials entrusted to their care, to pay for the repair of any damages to the specimens while in their care or a result of their handling, packing and shipping of the specimens. Preparation, repair and other modifications to the specimens may not be made without prior written approval of the Director. Please report any specimen damage immediately to discuss the appropriate means of repair. Destructive analysis of specimens is not permitted without prior written approval of the Director.
Destructive Sampling
Requests for destructive or consumptive sampling of permanent collections must be made in writing to the collections manager and approved by the Director following consultation with Collections Manager, Laboratory Managers, and appropriate research staff. The requestor must provide a detailed description of research objectives and the protocols to be followed, as well as a justification for the sampling techniques to be used. Evidence of past results, including previously published research, should be included when available.
Molding, Casting, and Scanning of Loaned Specimens
Molding, casting, and CT scanning of loaned specimens are prohibited without prior written consent of the Director. The collection maintains an active casting and CT scanning program. We may already have casts or datasets of the specimen of interest. Alternatively, we may prefer to mold and cast, or to CT scan the specimens ourselves. Requests regarding molding and casting material should be sent to the Director.
Cataloguing Changes for Loaned Specimens
The borrower is asked to notify the collections manager of any errors or or changes in specimen data. If one or more specimens from a lot bearing a single catalog number are to be figured, included in a table, or otherwise referred to by number in a publication, and not all specimens from that lot pertain to a single individual, then the published specimens must be individually renumbered. Do not subdivide a lot by adding letters or other suffixes to the numbers. Do communicate directly with the collections manager, who will provide new numbers and amend the catalog and database to accurately reflect any changes.
Acknowledgment for use of Loaned Specimens
The Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections must receive appropriate acknowledgment in any publications and presentations based on the use of materials from its collections. Presentations of items from the collections (or reproductions thereof) in exhibit, publication or other venue must bear the following credit line: From the Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections, The University of Texas at Austin. The Collections must be given a copy of any publication (in any medium) that makes use of its material (or reproductions thereof).
Reproduction of Specimens
Reproduction (casts, molds, photocopies, photographs, CT and surface scanning, digital images, photogrammetric models, etc.) of objects loaned from the collections is subject to the general rules governing reproduction of University holdings. In addition, the following clauses apply to our specimens:
- Written permission from the Director is required by the borrower to make any reproductions of objects for academic non-commercial purposes.
- Any negatives or molds made must be given to the collections or destroyed if a reproduction is made in limited numbers.
- Permission to reproduce photographs, publications, or other material for which the collections or the University does not hold the copyright will be granted only if the applicant demonstrates that s/he has obtained permission from the copyright holder.
- The applicant will defend and hold harmless the Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections against all claims, demands, costs, and expenses incurred by copyright infringement arising from the use of collections material.
- Staff must be assured that the proposed use of items from its collections (or reproductions thereof) results in an appropriate presentation of the original item. Superimposition of text, cropping, bleeding, the addition or changing of color and other alterations are not permitted without specific prior approval of the Director. Items from the collections (or reproductions thereof) must not be used for any purpose deemed offensive by the Texas Vertebrate Paleontology Collections or The University of Texas at Austin.
- The applicant agrees not to make or allow to be made unauthorized copies of any materials provided by the collections.
- Reproduction of collection specimens may be subject to fees (see below).
Collections Use by Non-Academic Interests
In certain circumstances, we permit commercial interests to access materials in its collection and archive. A fee will be charged for all commercial usage. Requests for access must be made in writing (email is sufficient), and approved by the Director. The Director will determine which requests represent commercial use of its resources.
| Commercial Access Fees | ||
|---|---|---|
| Collections use | $200 per hour | 2hr minimum |
| Database searches | $200 per hour | 2hr minimum |
| Reproduction of Photographs | $250 per photo | |
| Casts of Specimens | priced individually | |
| Specimen Identification | see below | |
| Locality Evaluations | request cost estimate | |
| Environmental Impact Assessments | request quotation | |
Locality Evaluations
In certain circumstances we can make site visits to evaluate the nature of fossil vertebrates that are still in the ground. We charge $200/hour onsite, plus expenses. Written requests for site visits should be made to the Director.
Requesting Copies of Published Works of Carl Gans
This PDF list is a complete record of the published works of Dr. Carl Gans. Many of these titles are available as offprints for distribution. Many others are not. Members of the scientific community are welcome to request copies of publications that are available for distribution. Please follow instructions carefully for placing requests. Please place orders by email to Chris Bell <cjbell@mail.utexas.edu>. Copy the full citation(s) you are requesting from the list (including the reference number) and paste it into the body of the email. Provide your name and a complete postal mailing address where you would like materials sent.