Introduction
The CPBC collections are, first and foremost, research collections. They are available to legitimate users from the national and international scientific community including students and post-doctoral researchers. Each division imposes more specific policies for use of its collections while at the same time operating under the general scope of the CPBC. Specimens may be used for research, exhibit, and educational purposes. Owing to their manner of preservation, specimens generally are not suitable for display in exhibits; nonetheless, scientific specimens may be used in exhibits when appropriate. Similarly, selected examples may be used in teaching university courses and public outreach programs and as models for preparing illustrations for publication. The governing consideration in any use of Museum specimens is the long-term conservation of specimens in particular and the collections as a whole.

Collection Access
Access to collections is permitted for research and educational purposes. Use of the collections is by approval of the Division Curator or his/her designee, usually the collection manager. Individuals or representatives of organizations who wish to use the CPBC collections for commercial purposes or who may profit financially from its use are given access at the discretion of the Division Curator. These users may be charged a service fee which will be deposited into the division’s discretionary fund.

The CPBC has the responsibility to deny access to individuals or representatives of organizations who propose to use the collections in ways that are contrary to the objectives of the CPBC. Reasons for denial may include: a history of misuse and mishandling of collections materials at the CPBC or other institution, unauthorized consumptive use of specimens, misrepresentation of credentials and affiliations, excessive costs to the CPBC in terms of staff effort and use of facilities, compromised security of the CPBC collections and buildings, a history of criminal activity, or disorderly or disruptive conduct.

Loans
Loans constitute a primary method of access for collection users. Specimens and other collections materials (such as collateral material) may be loaned to researchers at established, scientifically recognized institutions. Loan requests are made in writing and should include the nature of the research and must be approved by the Division Curator. Students may be asked to include the signature of their supporting faculty member (accepting responsibility) both for requests of collection information and for loans of specimen material. Electronic mail requests must be followed by a signed letter of request on institutional stationery. Facsimile requests on letterhead are sufficient.

Loans may be denied or limited because of size or number of specimens or because of the fragility, rarity, or uniqueness of the specimen(s). Borrowing institutions must meet minimal standards (as defined by professional organizations) for security, storage environment, and professional handling of specimens. Future loans are contingent on previous care provided to CPBC specimens. Shipping and handling costs may be passed on to the borrowing researcher or institution.

The duration of each loan is specified by the division making the loan, and will not exceed one year. A renewal period may be negotiated prior to the return date of loaned material. Loan shipments are made in accordance with the Lacey Act of 1900 and the United States Department of Interior regulations concerning the, "Import, export, and interstate transportation of wildlife", CFR 50.14 (Appendix I, II).

All CPBC specimens cited in published works must be identified by their catalog numbers and standard institutional code of registry: QSP (Division I and II specimens; fossils in the NPS Repository follow the federal NPS unit designation), CPBC (Arthropods, Fishes, Fungi, Herpetology, Ornithology, and Mammals); ASC (Arizona State College Herbarium); and NAK (Northern Arizona Kryovoucher, Division VI and VII materials). [Currently the Arthropod, Fish, Fungi, Herpetology, Ornithology, and Mammal collections are not officially registered. The CPBC will seek to register these collections under a single CPBC registry.]  The CPBC requests two copies of the resulting published work (one for the appropriate division’s publication files and one for the CPBC library) sent to the CPBC division that provided specimens for the cited research.

Loans to individual NAU faculty, students, and staff are allowed for research, teaching, and demonstration purposes with permission of the Division Curator. However, the NAU borrower is accountable for such specimens as described above for all borrowers. Any person removing specimens, materials, or equipment from the CPBC without following standard loan policy may be denied access to the CPBC's collections in the future. All students, staff, faculty, and visitors are subject to this Loan Policy.

Collection Visits
Visitors to the collection should call or write in advance of their visit to the CPBC by contacting the Division Curator or collection manager. First-time users of collections will be trained in specimen handling and collection arrangement before access to the collections is granted. All specimens used for study are reinstalled by CPBC staff. No food or drink is allowed in the collection areas.  Individual collections may have specific requirements to meet their curation needs.

Consumptive analysis
Requests for consumptive analyses of CPBC specimens will comply with the following restrictions: consumptive sampling is not allowed without prior written approval from the curator of the division where the samples are sought; researchers must refer to that division’s guidelines on how consumptive sampling is to be accomplished and documented; and residual products resulting from consumptive sampling (e.g., parasites, DNA strands, gut contents, karyotype test slides) are to be returned to the CPBC with two copies of any resulting data, written reports, and published results.

Exhibits
Loans of material for exhibits must comply with the CPBC Loan Policy specifically as it relates to long-term storage, security, and environmental conditions. Before it is displayed, material must be correctly identified to species (if possible), cataloged, and the CPBC must be acknowledged. CPBC specimen tags are to remain on specimens at all times; tags are never removed from CPBC specimens.

Tours
Educational tours of the collection may be provided at the discretion of the Division Curator and as staff time allows.

Special Collections
These would include any collection of specimens isolated for special purposes. Examples could include: a division’s teaching collections, cryptogam collection, collection of os genitalia, synoptic collection, or other special collections. Most divisions maintain teaching collections. Representative taxa in these collections are used on a regular basis by students in courses or in exhibits and demonstrations. Specimens in teaching collections are documented (usually with their own, separately maintained catalog) and stored separately from the main accessioned collections.

Reference collections are a treated as a loaned portion of research collections that may be on loan for periods of time in excess of the normal loan period. For instance, a reference collection may be maintained at any of the Research Stations administered by the Merriam-Powell Center for Environmental Research, for personnel to verify specimens collected locally. Although this collection is remote from the main collections, users must comply with the Loan Policy relative to care and management of the specimens (e.g., proper storage and handling, adequate security, acceptable environmental conditions, and commitment to long-term preservation). Reference collections can be recalled at any time if CPBC staff determine proper care and management are not provided or the collections are no longer being used at their loan location.

Unprocessed or Uncataloged Research Material
All unpublished products of research activities (for instance, data sheets, owl pellet remains, electrophoretic gels, field books, blood samples) may be loaned to another organization or researcher after a reasonable length of time, with written permission by the original researcher or her/his designated agent (e.g., major advisor). Researchers must cite CPBC catalog numbers in published reports even if that material was uncataloged at the time it was loaned to that researcher.

Collection Care
Collection care and conservation are the responsibility of each CPBC Division Curator and their staff members directly involved with specimens: associate curators, collection managers, curatorial assistants, and technicians. Division Curators are ultimately responsible for the collection, determining direction of growth, and assisting the CPBC Director in securing adequate funding for normal museum operations. Collection managers are under the supervision and guidance of the curator. Collection managers are responsible for the care, management, and maintenance of the collection, loan activity, access to specimens and data, and coordinating the activities of curatorial staff.

Procedures for care and maintenance shall be consistent with current conservation information and meet professional standards within the discipline. CPBC staff shall be instructed by collection managers how to recognize potential threats to specimens and to initiate appropriate conservation techniques. Collection managers shall receive appropriate training, and attend meetings and workshops as needed to keep current on matters pertaining to collection care.

Food, drink, and living plants and animals are not allowed in the collection areas. All collection areas shall be kept pest-free. An Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan shall be designed by each Division and adhered to in order to monitor pest invasion and to execute localized eradication efforts. Necessary division-wide fumigation will be implemented as needed by trained personnel with the consent of the responsible curator.

A primary risk to the long-term care of organic specimens is consumption by beetle larvae in the family Dermestidae, also known as carpet beetles. A common genus in Arizona is Antherenus. These beetles as well as book lice in the order Psocoptera and various molds can be substantially controlled by limiting their access to specimens and through regulation of temperature and humidity. CPBC Divisions will monitor and do their best to control temperatures and humidity levels in collections storage areas.

Temperatures should be low enough to reduce (or eliminate) the risk of insect pest damage and, to a lesser degree, chemical aging reactions such as oxidation and hydrolysis. This is balanced by wanting a temperature high enough to permit work to be done in the collection area without undue discomfort to collection workers. Obviously it is better if most collection work can be done in laboratories or examination rooms that are kept warmer than the collection area but this is not always possible in current CPBC collection areas. A temperature specification of 60°F should preclude rapid development of pest infestations. Other regional museums have reported elimination of dermestid beetle activity even at 65°F. A specification of +/- 2°F should be easy to achieve with modern equipment.
 
Relative humidity (RH) levels should be low to retard insect pest activity, reduce chemical reactions such as hydrolysis and oxidation, reduce corrosion of vulnerable pins, etc. The practical limits to low RH levels are human comfort, possible static electricity problems and the cost of controlling below a certain level. In our region it is generally easy to keep RH levels low, but it is also critical to keep them steady across day/night and seasonal boundaries. RH levels of 5-15% are ideal and can generally be achieved with current HVAC equipment.

The CPBC will strive to keep temperatures and humidity levels within these parameters in those areas housing dried organic specimens.

Each division holding Type or otherwise irreplaceable specimens recognizes their extreme importance and takes extra precautions in their limited use, protection, care, and conservation.

Many specimens are preserved in fluids which are less affected by temperature and humidity. However, these preservation fluids are flammable and the CPBC will strive to house all such collections in approved fire resistant cabinets.

All CPBC specimen labels, folders, and boxes are made of acid-free, non-buffered, museum quality papers. India ink and laserjet inks are used in order to minimize off-gassing, bleeding, and fading issues. Cabinets and drawers are also made of materials that will not interact with specimens in any harmful ways.

Rights