2. About the EcoTarium
Founded in 1825 as the “Worcester Lyceum of Natural History” to foster an appreciation and understanding of the natural world. Current mission to inspire a passion for science and nature.
The second oldest natural history society in the country (the Academy of Natural Science in Philadelphia was founded in 1812)
The EcoTarium engages families with kids by immersing them in an interactive and vibrant indoor/outdoor experience serving 150,000 visitors annually. We have 33 acres of exhibit grounds and approximately 50 full and part-time staff.

5. Emma Westling, Collections Assistant, EcoTarium
Presenters
Emma Westling, Collections Assistant, EcoTarium
Shana Hawrylchak, Manager of Exhibits and
Collections, EcoTarium
Teri Lynes, Manager of Volunteer Resources, EcoTarium
Nicole Thomas, Inventorying Volunteer, EcoTarium

6. About the Collection
Estimated at approximately 55,000 pieces
Contains numerous extinct and endangered specimens
Contains scientifically significant world class research specimens
As of 2014
No collections staff
Active infestations/hazards
Overcrowding and stacking damage
Fewer than 300 pieces searchable in our database

7. The Problem: Capacity
Like most institutions with collections we ran into the issue of more collections processing work than we could feasibly take on with the amount of staffing we could afford. Our issue was exacerbated by the fact that our collection is not the main focus of our mission-based activities, so it would never be a funding priority.
The Solution: Volunteer-Based Inventorying (VBI) Protocol
The VBI system was our solution to increase the rate at which we could inventory our collection while maintaining high quality and standardization. Our proposal was to achieve this through increasing staffing capacity by standardizing as many tasks as possible so that they could get tackled by volunteers, and having our limited staff focus their efforts on more technical tasks.

8. Upgrading Volunteer Infrastructure:
Volunteer Database
Selecting software
Installing and Training volunteers
Volunteer Recruitment
Volunteers vs. Interns
Creating job descriptions and setting expectations
Fitting personalities to tasks

9. Upgrading Collections infrastructure:
Installing New Equipment
Selecting equipment through utilizing local expertise
Determining software and system needs
Upgrading the database and associated IT
Database Cleaning and Upgrade
Evaluating work to date and identifying gaps
Cleaning the lexicon
Setting data entry standards

10. Designing the Process:
Pre-prepping Collections Materials
Identifying and organizing materials
Starting a Collections Committee
Basic cleaning, and preliminary re-housing
Creating a numbering system
Creating and Testing the Process
Deciding where to start and what to collect
Consistency checks and balances (paper logs and final staff review)

11. Training Volunteers:
What trainings are needed (formats, training lengths and timing)
Getting to know individuals, their work habits and motivations
Establishing work flow and schedules 
The Volunteer Experience
Benefits – Love of science museums, seeing behind the scenes, feeling productive and making a difference
Drawbacks – arranging childcare and inconsistency (visiting just once a week and intermittent use of computer systems)

12. Contact Information
Shana Hawrylchak, Manager of Exhibits and
Collections, EcoTarium
Teri Lynes, Manager of Volunteer Resources, EcoTarium
Casey McCabe, Collections Specialist, EcoTarium