This presentation addresses the types of content included in the Field Book Registry records, with a focus on the Encoded Archival Context (EAC) records used to describe persons, organizations, and expeditions. It also provides search tips for finding field book records and page scans in Collections Search.

1. &
Smithsonian Institution
Library, NMNH
Utilizing record connections between
collection, item, and creator level

2. FIELD BOOK PROJECT TO DATE
• Over the last two and a half years, NMNH and Smithsonian
Institution Archives have been working to create a Field Book
Registry
• December 2012, records were made available on Smithsonian
Collection Search Center
Continued updates include more than 300 new field book
records, expanded creator record content, and links to nearly
250 digitized field books.

3. SPECIMENS, FIELD BOOKS, &
PUBLICATIONS
Smithsonian’s ongoing efforts:
• Online specimen databases
• Biodiversity Heritage Library
• Field Book Project
Online description enables discovery of
connections across type of document &
discipline.

4. CATALOGING FIELD BOOKS
• Primary documents
• Various methods to describe
and organize
• Include a wide variety of
content
• Present a wide variety of
challenges
Connections across disciplines is
important because field books often
contain information relating to more
than one scientific discipline.

5. WHAT SEPARATES TYPES OF
DOCUMENTATION
When collecting documentation is separated by discipline,
important connections can be lost in the process.
This is true for specimens, field books, and
publications.

6. CATALOGING STRUCTURE
NCD Collection
CollectionId: NCDC78
Title: Edgar Alexander Mearns,
field books, 1890-1924
Owner: EACO15
Creator: EACP07
Description: 200 folders of Mearns's field
notes on ornithological collecting and
observations in the Philippines, Kenya, …
MODS Item
MODSId: MODSI1281
Collection: NCDC78
Title: Field notes and Journal, March
25 - April 5, 1885
Dates: 1881, 1885
Creator: EACP07
Expedition: EACE 0017
Abstract: Mearns uses this journal to
record his daily activities and lists of
mostly birds and mammals seen
during his natural history research …
EAC Person
PersonId: EACP07
Name: Mearns, Edgar A.
(Edgar Alexander), 1856-1916
Dates: 1856-1916
Biographical history: Edgar A. Mearns was
a military doctor and prolific naturalist
who collected birds, mammals, plants…
EAC Expedition
ExpId: EACE0017
Name: Smithsonian-Roosevelt African
Expedition
Dates: 1909-1911
Description: Under former President
Theodore Roosevelt, the Smithsonian
Institution-Roosevelt African Expedition …
EAC Organization
OrgId: EACO15
Name: Smithsonian Institution,
National Museum of Natural History,
Division of Birds

7. SMITHSONIAN’S COLLECTION
SEARCH CENTER
• Field Book
Project's Records
on SCSC
• Botany records
Primary ways to
Search…
• Online media
• Types
• Topics
• Names
• Places
• Date
To see only Field Book Registry records, limit Catalog record source.

8. ENCODED ARCHIVAL CONTEXT
• EAC-CPF
• Describes individuals, expeditions and organizations
• Social Networks and Archive Context Project (SNAC)
• Links records at multiple levels in registry
• Includes descriptive abstract and controlled subject fields
• Similar to Plant Collectors on JSTOR

9. ALBERT SPEAR HITCHCOCK
• Biographical history
• Controlled subject fields
A. S. Hitchcock

10. DEMONSTRATING THE
CONNECTIONS
Creator records offer explicit connections and
concise source of search terms and access points
EAC records
• Biological Survey of Panama Canal Zone
• A. S. Hitchcock
• U.S. Department of Agriculture

11. SURVEY OF THE PANAMA CANAL
Expedition record

12. FIELD BOOKS FROM THE SURVEY
• Years: 1910-1912
• Collections: 8 collections from 4 departments
• Field Books: 14 items (catalogs, journals, correspondence)
5 of the 8 identified collectors, several of whom were not
Smithsonian staff
search 1 (linked to Survey record)
search 2 (inferred connections)

13. PUBLICATIONS FROM THE
SURVEY
• 12 publications
found from
original
collectors
• Some were
published 10
years after the
Survey was
completed
• BHL/FBP blog
series
BHL advanced search

14. E. A. Goldman Record
Record link
Page 4

15. SPECIMENS FROM THE SURVEY
• Records include disciplines, location,
date, and creator. Other information
varies.
• Specimen 715729: gives no indication
it comes from Survey, even though
location, date and collector
correspond.
Specimen Databases

16. A. S. HITCHCOCK’S FIELD BOOKS
• Field Books: 45 items
• Collections: 4 collections in 2
departments (Acc. 12-054,
RU007067, RU000229, Acc.
11-093)
search 1 (all ASH records)
only ASH's field notes

17. US DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
• Organization record abstract may be complete
• Results for Organization search vary

18. WHAT’S COMING NEXT…
• Expanding Expedition record content
• Organization records like US Department of Agriculture
• Clarifying organization affiliations in controlled fields
• US National Museum and US Department of Agriculture
• Newly digitized field books

19. Thank you for attending!
Any questions???
Lesley Parilla
Cataloger,
Field Book Project
Smithsonian Institution Archives /
National Museum of Natural History
parillal@si.edu
202-633-2304