Open-File Report 2018–1100

Collections Management Plan for the U.S. 

Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and 

Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
Cover. Upper left: The K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the U.S. Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. Upper 

right: View of rolling storage racks inside the walk-in freezer. Lower right: Sample NA052-039 from USGS field Activity 2014-018-FA. 

Lower left: Close up look at split cores in D-tubes in the walk-in refrigerator. Photographs by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
Collections Management Plan for the 

U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole 

Coastal and Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository

By Brian J. Buczkowski

Open-File Report 2018–1100

U.S. Department of the Interior

U.S. Geological Survey
U.S. Department of the Interior

RYAN K. ZINKE, Secretary

U.S. Geological Survey

James F. Reilly II, Director

U.S. Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia: 2018

Supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2006–1187

For more information on the USGS—the Federal source for science about the Earth, its natural and living 

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Although this information product, for the most part, is in the public domain, it also may contain copyrighted materials 

as noted in the text. Permission to reproduce copyrighted items must be secured from the copyright owner.

Suggested citation:

Buczkowski, B.J., 2018, Collections management plan for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal 

and Marine Science Center Samples Repository: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2018–1100, 12 p., 

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181100. [Supersedes USGS Open-File Report 2006–1187.]

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)
iii

Preface

The U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository was formed in late 2002, beginning as a dedicated effort to catalog and organize scientific 

samples collected by researchers at the Woods Hole Science Center, as it was then known. U.S. 

Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006–1187, “Archival Policies and Collections Database for 

the Woods Hole Science Center’s Marine Sediment Samples,” was released in 2007. Open-File 

Report 2006–1187 documents the collections management policies and procedures initially 

developed by the Samples Repository as well as provides a collections inventory that represents 

the samples that were available through the Repository at that point in time.

The Samples Repository has since grown as research and field work have continued, with new 

facilities built to house the sample collections, improved collections management procedures 

developed, and new acquisitions accepted into the collections. This report provides an overview 

of the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository facilities, describes 

of the types of samples preserved and managed there, and details the collections management 

procedures implemented by the Samples Repository to ensure the preservation and usefulness 

of these samples for future research.

This report, as well as the companion data release, “Collections Inventory for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository,” supersedes 

the information and inventory provided by U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Report 2006–1187.
iv

Acknowledgments

The completeness, clarity, and usability of this report have benefitted from critical reviews by 

Betty Adrian, Mike Torresan, Zafer Defne, and Lindsay Powers, all at the U.S. Geological Survey.
v

Contents

Preface ...........................................................................................................................................................iii

Acknowledgments........................................................................................................................................iv

Abstract...........................................................................................................................................................1

Introduction to the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository.............1

Mission Statement................................................................................................................................2

Repository Facilities ......................................................................................................................................2

Security and Safety ..............................................................................................................................2

Types of Samples Preserved and Maintained in the Samples Repository...........................................3

Cores ....................................................................................................................................................3

Grabs ....................................................................................................................................................3

Dredges ..................................................................................................................................................3

Slides ....................................................................................................................................................4

Subsamples............................................................................................................................................4

Other Samples.......................................................................................................................................4

Sample Acquisition........................................................................................................................................4

Reserving Storage Space....................................................................................................................4

Evaluating and Accepting Samples Submitted to the Repository ................................................4

Health and Safety..................................................................................................................................5

Sample Storage and Organization ..............................................................................................................5

Accessing Samples and Scientific Collections ........................................................................................7

Requesting Samples.............................................................................................................................7

Notification of Request Status............................................................................................................8

Conditions of an Approved Loan ........................................................................................................8

Term of Loan .................................................................................................................................8

Use of Samples and Scientific Collections..............................................................................8

Alteration of Samples..................................................................................................................8

Loss or Damage............................................................................................................................8

Commitment to Long-Term Preservation ...................................................................................................8

Transfer of Custody to the National Museum of Natural History..................................................9

Collections Management Across the U.S. Geological Survey...............................................................9

The USGS Collections Steering Committee......................................................................................9

For More Information ....................................................................................................................................9

References Cited............................................................................................................................................9

Glossary.........................................................................................................................................................11
vi

Figures

1. Photograph showing storage vans, referred to as the “Freezer Farm,” outside 

the U.S. Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (2004)........................1

2. Photograph showing the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the U.S. Geological 

Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (2018) ...........................................................2

3. Photograph showing rolling storage racks installed in the U.S. Geological Survey 

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in 

freezer.............................................................................................................................................3

4. Photograph showing d-tubes containing split cores are labeled and archived in 

the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository walk-in refrigerator..................................................................................3

5. Decision tree used to evaluate scientific collections considered for inclusion in 

the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository......................................................................................................................6

6. Screen capture showing geographic information system interface available to 

search the collections inventory for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole 

Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository.....................................................7

Tables

1. Available storage locations in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal 

and Marine Science Center Samples Repository and the abbreviated codes used 

to identify these locations. .........................................................................................................7

2. U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples 

Repository collections inventory search fields and their definitions...................................8
vii

Conversion Factors

U.S. customary units to International System of Units

Multiply By To obtain

square foot (ft2) 0.09290 square meter (m2)

Temperature in degrees Celsius (°C) may be converted to degrees Fahrenheit (°F) as 

 °F = (1.8 × °C) + 32.

Temperature in degrees Fahrenheit (°F) may be converted to degrees Celsius (°C) as 

 °C = (°F – 32) / 1.8.

Abbreviations

CMGDS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System

CMGP Coastal and Marine Geology Program

CSC Collections Steering Committee

FAN field activity number

GCMS Geologic Collections Management System

NGGDPP National Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program

NMNH National Museum of Natural History (Smithsonian Institution)

PI principal investigator

USGS U.S. Geological Survey

WHCMSC Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

WHOI Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution

Collections Management Plan for the U.S. Geological 

Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science 

Center Samples Repository

By Brian J. Buczkowski

Abstract

Since 2002, the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository has been supporting research 

by providing secure storage for geological, biological, and 

geochemical samples; maintaining organization and an active 

inventory of these sample collections; and providing researchers access to these scientific collections for study and reuse.

Over the years, local storage facilities have changed and 

new collections management strategies have been adapted 

as sample collections have grown and as research programs 

and focuses have shifted. The commitment of the Samples 

Repository to preserve and provide physical samples for future 

research, however, has remained the same. This report documents the collections management plan developed and implemented by the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository to manage its scientific collections.

USGS collections of marine cores, dredged rocks, and surface 

sediments within WHOI’s Core Lab repository. This was 

done to preserve these samples for further investigations and 

ensure that the scientific legacy of USGS research will not 

be lost.

D-tubes containing split cores, subsamples of dredges, 

and sediment grab samples (grabs) collected by USGS scientists are still housed in the WHOI repository; the cooperative 

agreement between the two institutions continues to this day. 

In addition to the protected storage provided by WHOI, the 

USGS acquired a number of outdoor climate-controlled vans 

to store grab samples, subsamples, split and whole cores, and 

smaller sample collections (see section “Types of Collections 

Preserved and Maintained in the Samples Repository” for 

detailed descriptions of these sample types) in refrigerated, 

freezing, and ambient temperatures (fig. 1). These outdoor 

vans became collectively known as the “Freezer Farm.” Upon 

acquiring these storage units, the USGS took steps to create 

Introduction to the Woods Hole Coastal 

and Marine Science Center Samples 

Repository

Located in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Coastal and Marine Science Center 

(WHCMSC) has been a member of the Woods Hole scientific 

community since 1962. From the beginning, samples1

 collected by USGS scientists in this office have provided invaluable insight into the nature and character of coastal, estuarine, 

and nearshore marine environments, as well as the sea floor—

a region that remains to this day one of the least explored 

places on the Earth. Many of these samples are unique and 

irreplaceable because of either the great difficulty and expense 

in their collection or the changing nature of these locations.

Early in its history, WHCMSC, then known as the Branch 

of Atlantic Marine Geology, established an agreement with the 

Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) to co-locate 

1

Terms in bold are defined in the glossary.

Figure 1. Storage vans, referred to as the “Freezer Farm,” 

sit outside the U.S. Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, 

Massachusetts (2004). Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. 

Geological Survey.
2 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

and maintain order among the vans and the samples housed 

within them.

The WHCMSC Samples Repository (hereafter referred to 

as the “Samples Repository”) was officially formed in 2002 to 

formally catalog and organize these geological, geochemical, 

and biological scientific collections and to establish policies

and procedures for their preservation and access. Since its 

inception, the Samples Repository has seen developments in 

collections management strategies, as well as the construction of the current storage facility, the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing (fig. 2).

Mission Statement

The mission of the Samples Repository is to

1. serve as the USGS repository for geological, biological, and geochemical samples collected through field 

research sponsored by the WHCMSC,

2. provide long-term storage of these samples collected 

byt WHCMSC scientists and affiliated researchers under 

controlled conditions to ensure optimum preservation, 

and

3. maintain an inventory of sample collections stored in 

the Samples Repository and promote the secondary 

usage of the sample material in its care by the scientific community.

The Samples Repository provides secure storage, 

processing, and resampling services to USGS scientists and 

researchers from government and academic institutions investigating the history, nature, and physical properties of geological, biological, and geochemical materials collected from 

coastal, marine, and nearshore environments. Legacy collections in the Samples Repository continue to be a resource for 

research and scientific investigation as a result of preservation 

Figure 2. The K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing of the U.S. 

Geological Survey offices in Woods Hole, Massachusetts (2018). 

Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.

efforts and access to the samples through the collections 

inventory (Buczkowski and others, 2018).

Repository Facilities

The Samples Repository is collocated on WHOI’s 

Quissett Campus in Woods Hole, Mass. The K.O. Emery 

Geotechnical Wing serves as the primary storage location for 

all geological, biological, and geochemical samples either 

collected through research sponsored by WHCMSC or in 

the permanent custody of the USGS. Local storage facilities 

within the Geotechnical Wing consist of walk-in refrigerated 

and frozen cold rooms, ambient storage space for dry samples, 

and an analysis and sampling facility.

The refrigerated cold room measures 774.5 square feet 

and maintains a storage temperature of 39 degrees Fahrenheit 

(4 degrees Celsius). The freezer, measuring 420 square feet, 

maintains a storage temperature of –4 degrees Fahrenheit 

(–20 degrees Celsius). These temperature-controlled and 

monitored facilities have been partially built into a hillside to 

maximize insulation and efficiency, and they are designed to 

exclude the ambient environment, as fluctuations in air temperature and humidity can degrade the viability of the samples 

for scientific research and promote the growth of mold on and 

in the samples. Both rooms are equipped with rolling storage 

racks, which maximize available space for sediment and subsample storage and allow for future expansion as collections 

grow (fig. 3). Core racks and mobile storage carts are also 

available to organize and store samples in these rooms.

Security and Safety

Doors to the walk-in refrigerator and freezer are locked, 

and access is permitted only with the use of a proximity pass 

system administered by personnel at the WHCMSC. Key pass 

swipes are monitored and recorded to track personnel going 

into and out of these spaces. Refrigerator and freezer doors are 

operable from the inside with a proximity pass scanner and a 

“Push to Exit” button—measures designed to prevent anyone 

from being locked in. Panic buttons are located in each of the 

cold rooms in the event of injury or emergency. These panic 

buttons sound an alarm in the WHCMSC Gundersen Wing 

lobby. Users of the facilities are instructed to press and hold 

the panic button until help arrives; the alarm will only sound 

while the button is pushed.

Protective gear worn in the freezers is necessary for any 

activity exceeding 2 minutes. Steel-toed thermal boots, thermal union suits, glove liners, gloves, facemasks, and several 

types of hats and hoods are available to project staff accessing 

and working in these facilities. Detailed safety information, as 

well as updated job hazard analysis reports for facilities and 

equipment in the Samples Repository, is available through 

local WHCMSC safety officers.
Types of Samples Preserved and Maintained in the Samples Repository 3

Figure 3. Rolling storage racks installed in the U.S. Geological 

Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples 

Repository walk-in freezer. Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, 

U.S. Geological Survey.

Types of Samples Preserved and 

Maintained in the Samples Repository

The Samples Repository preserves geological, biological, and geochemical samples collected through research 

sponsored by the WHCMSC or given into the custody of the 

USGS. The bulk of these sample collections consist of marine 

sediment cores, grab samples, and dredged rock samples. Categories are defined by the devices with which samples were 

collected—corers, grab samplers, and dredges (see Hopkins, 

1964, for detailed descriptions of many of these devices); categories also include sample slides and subsamples, which are 

derivative products from these cores, grabs, and dredges. The 

Samples Repository maintains small collections of other sample types, such as corals, water samples, and peel samples, 

which are also accounted for in the collections inventory.

Cores

Cores are cylindrical samples of rock or unconsolidated 

sediment, collected vertically through the surface of the sea 

floor and into the substrate beneath. A core, when collected 

perpendicular to the stratigraphic layers below the surface, 

provides a cross-section of the depositional history at the specific location of collection.

Most cores are split in half longitudinally by researchers 

to view the sediment and character of the core for descriptions and to provide access for resampling. These split 

halves are stored in D-tubes horizontally in the Samples 

Repository (fig. 4).

Grabs

Grab samples consist of the unconsolidated substrate 

found on the surface of the sea floor. These samples usually consist of loose sediment, as well as any seashells, shell 

fragments, or other components of the sea floor captured by 

the grab device. Grab samples of loose sediment and shell 

material are bagged after collection and housed in refrigerated 

storage, or they are dried and stored in ambient temperature 

and humidity conditions in the Samples Repository.

Dredges

Rock samples plucked from the seabed by dredges 

towed behind research vessels are available in the Samples 

Repository. These samples are boxed and stored in ambient 

environmental conditions, either in the Samples Repository 

core laboratory or in long-term storage at WHCMSC’s Marine 

Operations Facility.

Figure 4. D-tubes containing split cores are labeled and 

archived in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and 

Marine Science Center Samples Repository walk-in refrigerator. 

Photograph by Brian Buczkowski, U.S. Geological Survey.
4 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

Slides

The Samples Repository maintains a collection of slides 

created for microscopic analyses. This slide collection consists 

of foraminifera and diatom tests picked by paleontologists and 

exploration geologists from marine and terrestrial sediment 

cores, thin sections of geological sample material, and smear 

slides of unconsolidated marine sediment.

Subsamples

Subsamples are samples taken from cores, grabs, and 

dredges that were previously described and analyzed. These 

subsamples may often be used again for further research and 

investigation. Subsamples are retained by the Samples Repository and stored according to their long-term preservation 

needs. They are available for further study upon request.

Other Samples

WHCMSC personnel may occasionally collect various 

other sample types and materials in the course of research. 

These samples are preserved and inventoried in the Samples 

Repository. They include coral skeletons, water samples, and 

peel samples and are available for research upon request.

Sample Acquisition

The majority of the samples and scientific collections 

preserved and maintained by the Samples Repository come 

from field activities sponsored by the WHCMSC. Field 

activities originating from all three USGS Coastal and Marine 

Geology Program (CMGP) science centers (Woods Hole, 

Mass., St. Petersburg, Florida, and Santa Cruz, California), as 

well as activities with participation from CMGP personnel, 

are assigned field activity numbers (FANs) by USGS data 

managers using the field activity management and data tracking tool, Compass. FAN registration includes documentation 

of all participating personnel, scientific objectives, equipment 

for acquiring data and samples, dates, and location of operation. These FANs are associated with every sample collected 

in the field and are used to identify key pieces of information 

required to catalog and organize them (see section “Evaluating and Accepting Samples Submitted to the Repository”). 

Compass is only accessible to USGS personnel in CMGP; 

however, field activity information is available online to the 

public through the USGS Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data 

System (CMGDS): https://cmgds.marine.usgs.gov/.

Often legacy collections that were collected by CMGP 

researchers no longer with the USGS or were collected as 

part of past research projects, discovered stashed away in 

offices and other locations outside the Samples Repository, 

can be traced to the field activity they came from. Information 

pertaining to collection and research history can be gathered 

by researching the available information in Compass, in the 

CMGDS, and from available data libraries (List and others, 2015). This information can be used to incorporate these 

legacy collections into the institutional collections managed by 

the Samples Repository.

Upon discovery, legacy collections may be determined to 

be in poor condition. Samples that have deteriorated or been 

damaged beyond any useful value for further scientific study, 

or are lacking essential information to identify their condition 

and origin will not be accepted into the Samples Repository.

Samples that do not have an associated FAN, but which 

are donated into the permanent custody of the USGS and are 

accompanied by sufficient information to identify them and 

their collection history, may be considered for inclusion into 

the Samples Repository. If these samples are accepted for 

inclusion, a new FAN is registered by using available information; these donated collections are evaluated in the same 

manner as legacy collections.

Reserving Storage Space

For samples originating from field activities sponsored 

by the WHCMSC, it is the responsibility of project scientists 

to ensure that there is storage space available to accommodate 

the incoming samples prior to any sample collection field 

activity. The principal investigator (PI) or collecting scientist will contact the Samples Repository Curator of Geologic 

Collections (hereafter referred to as “Curator”) with information pertaining to any sample collection at least two weeks 

before the field activity begins. The scientist will provide the 

Curator an approximate number of samples to be recovered 

and the type of storage required (ambient, refrigerated, or 

frozen). The Curator then makes arrangements to house the 

incoming samples. During this two-week period, the Curator 

locates and reserves space for the new samples and notifies the 

project scientist where the samples will be stored.

Evaluating and Accepting Samples Submitted to 

the Repository

The WHCMSC K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing provides 

secure storage for working collections: suites of samples 

actively used for scientific research which may be subject to 

consumptive analysis and are not initially intended for longterm preservation due to their expendable nature; as well as 

institutional collections: samples determined to have longterm scientific value to the USGS that should be preserved 

to ensure their scientific integrity and availability for future 

scientific research. Scientific collections are evaluated, and 

periodically re-evaluated, for their research potential, possible 

reclassification, appropriateness for acceptance and retention 

in the Samples Repository, and inclusion into the collections 

inventory. Those samples and collections with information 

(metadata) insufficient to identify them and their collection 
Sample Storage and Organization 5

history, and those that are not deemed appropriate for longterm retention on the basis of their iconic, historic, or further 

scientific value (which may be the case for some working 

collections), will not be formally accepted into the Samples 

Repository’s institutional collections, nor included in the collections inventory.

Sufficient information that identifies samples and 

scientific collections is defined in the USGS Geologic Collections Management System (GCMS) in what is called the 

4-point standard (Geologic Materials Repository Working 

Group, 2015). In order to be considered for acceptance into 

the Samples Repository, samples must have accompanying 

metadata that address the four necessary components of the 

4-point standard:

1. A sample name or some other identifier that is unique to 

that sample in the context of the field activity or greater 

collection to which it belongs;

2. Information about the specific location of collection, 

preferably as geographic coordinates (however, site 

names and geographic features can be used to approximate collection site locations) in order to graphically 

display collection origins for the samples managed in the 

Samples Repository; in the case of samples collected at 

sea, which most of the materials in the Samples Repository are, water depths recorded at the time of collection 

are also required;

3. Any and all available information relating to the field 

activity, cruise, or expedition the sample came from 

(at the most basic, the Samples Repository requires the 

name of the PI or collecting scientist); and

4. The date of collection for each sample.

For samples without an associated FAN, these four pieces 

of information can be used to initiate a FAN request. This 

newly assigned FAN is used to link samples in the collections 

inventory to all available information about them provided 

through CMGDS. Figure 5 shows the decision tree, modified 

from the one presented in the USGS GCMS (Geologic 

Materials Repository Working Group, 2015, fig. 3), used in 

the Samples Repository to evaluate incoming samples and 

scientific collections.

Samples in the Samples Repository will be periodically re-evaluated to ensure their continued preservation and 

usefulness for ongoing and future research. Re-evaluation will 

take into consideration storage availability and limitations, 

as well as the physical condition of the samples, and will be 

used to determine the appropriate disposition of the materials 

and to minimize the loss or destruction of otherwise valuable samples.

The recommended method to submit collections metadata 

to the Samples Repository is to electronically send all information directly to the Curator. A Microsoft Excel template is 

available through the Samples Repository Collections Management web page and can be used to organize and document 

this information: https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/

ia/samprepo/collectionsmanagement.html. This metadata is 

then formatted into a collections inventory database (Buczkowski and others, 2018), which provides search access to the 

Samples Repository’s holdings through the Samples Repository inventory search page: 

https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/samprepo/

searchcat.html.

Health and Safety

Samples or suites of samples from environmental studies 

may contain preservatives, such as formalin or sodium azide, 

or trace amounts of heavy metals, such as mercury, that may 

be harmful to humans. Any samples submitted to the Samples 

Repository that may contain any concentration of toxic 

preservatives, heavy metal content, asbestos, radioactivity, or 

any other suspected hazard, must be explicitly identified as 

such before the materials are accepted. The Curator consults 

with local safety officers on the appropriateness of retaining 

these materials onsite, or, if needed, determine if these sample 

collections would be better kept elsewhere to prevent possible 

harm through exposure to toxic elements.

Sample Storage and Organization

Available storage in the Samples Repository is divided 

into six locations. Each location has been assigned an identifying code or word (table 1).

Specific storage within each space in the K.O. Emery 

Geotechnical Wing (RE01, FR01, and LAB) is further broken 

down to specify the precise location of sample collections, 

facilitating retrieval. Individual shelving units on the rolling 

storage racks, as well as stationary shelves, core racks, and 

mobile storage carts, have been assigned section numbers. 

Each shelf is numbered, starting at 01 on the top shelf and 

continuing downward. Visit the Samples Repository facilities 

page (https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/samprepo/

facilities.html) for updated information on the current layout 

and storage schematics of the K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing.

These three components (storage location, section number, and shelf number [where available]) are combined into a 

single storage identification number, which is assigned to each 

inventoried sample in the Samples Repository. As an example, 

samples stored in refrigerated space, in section 02, on the 

third shelf from the top, would be given the location identifier 

RE01.02.03. 

The Samples Repository uses barcode labels to identify 

samples, coordinate storage, and aid in retrieving samples. 

Barcodes are affixed to various containers in the Samples 

Repository and are related to individual entries in the collections inventory. Some containers may hold only one sample. 

For example, D-tubes may contain only one split half of a 

core. Other containers, such as milk crates and boxes, may 
6 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

AAXXXX_fig 01

Yes

No

No

No

No

No

No

No

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Yes

Samples are acquired in the field, or 

legacy collections are discovered, and 

are submitted to the Samples 

Repository for long-term preservation.

Were the samples collected 

by, or collected for, the 

WHCMSC?

Is there a field activity 

number associated with 

these samples and 

collections?

Coordinate with WHCMSC 

data managers to generate a 

field activity number for all 

sample collection activities.

Accept samples and collections into the 

Samples Repository and incorporate into 

the collections inventory.

Periodically re-evaluate samples and 

collections to determine their 

continued preservation value and 

usefulness for ongoing and future 

research, taking into consideration 

storage availability and limitations, as 

well as the physical condition of the 

samples.

Is it still appropriate to 

retain the samples and 

collections in the 

Samples Repository?

Transfer to the researcher, educational 

institution, or outreach function, with 

appropriate documentation.

Dispose of samples, with 

appropriate documentation.

Are the samples formally 

submitted into the custody 

of the Samples Repository 

for management and 

preservation?

Is there any other information available about the samples?

4-point standard of necessary criteria to accept samples 

into the Samples Repository:

1. Sample name or identifier that is unique to that 

sample (what?)

2. Specific location of collection (where?)

3. Name of the collecting scientist (who?)

4. Date of collection (when?)

Do the samples and 

collections have iconic, 

historic, or scientific value 

elsewhere in the USGS?

Contact the USGS Collections Steering 

Committee to determine the 

appropriate USGS repository for these 

samples. Transfer to the designated 

repository, with appropriate 

documentation.

Offer the samples and collections to 

the NMNH for permanent transfer of 

custody into the Smithsonian 

Institution’s collections as a right of 

first refusal.

Will the NMNH formally 

accept the samples and 

collections into the 

permanent custody of the 

Smithsonian Institution?

Are these samples valuable 

to research, education, or 

outreach outside the USGS?

Transfer the samples and collections to the 

NMNH, with appropriate documentation.

Figure 5. Decision tree used to evaluate scientific collections considered for inclusion in the U.S. Geological Survey 

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository, modified from figure 3 in the Geological Collections 

Management System (Geologic Materials Repository Working Group, 2015) and figure 1 in the collections management 

plan for the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Data Library (List and others, 2015). 

WHCMSC, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center; USGS, U.S. Geological Survey; NMNH, Smithsonian Institution 

National Museum of Natural History.
Accessing Samples and Scientific Collections 7

Table 1. Available storage locations in the U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples 

Repository and the abbreviated codes used to identify these locations. 

Storage location Location code used 

in the repository

Refrigerated storage space in the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center’s K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing RE01

Frozen storage space in the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center’s K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing FR01

Short-term dry storage space in the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center’s K.O. Emery Geotechnical Wing LAB

Long-term dry storage space at the Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center’s Marine Operations Facility MOF

Storage space in the Curator of Geologic Collections’ office CURATOR

Long-term dry storage space at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution’s Core Lab repository WHOI

contain numerous samples. The Curator can use barcodes in 

the collections inventory to track the physical locations of 

individual samples in the Samples Repository as well as those 

on loan.

Accessing Samples and Scientific 

Collections

The responsibility of the Samples Repository, and the 

Curator, is to provide samples and scientific collections for 

research and reuse and to oversee their preservation and security. Sample collections can be searched by using the inventory 

search interface (fig. 6) provided online at https://woodshole.

er.usgs.gov/operations/ia/samprepo/searchcat.html (Buczkowski and others, 2018).

The inventory search interface allows for search and 

selection either through a geographic information system 

(GIS) display or through a web form for searching known 

criteria (table 2). Both options query and export selected 

portions of the collections inventory. Search results are 

downloaded as comma-separated value (CSV) files and come 

with customized metadata.

Requesting Samples

Sample request forms, which include information about 

the Samples Repository’s policies on loan requests, resampling, and data return, are available through the Request 

Samples page (https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/operations/

ia/samprepo/request.html). The Samples Repository makes 

every effort to fulfill sample requests and aid in research 

whenever possible. All transactions are made and requests are 

Figure 6. Screen capture showing geographic information system interface available to search the collections inventory for the 

U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository (Buczkowski and others, 2018).
8 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

Table 2. U.S. Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and 

Marine Science Center Samples Repository collections inventory 

search fields and their definitions.

Search field Explanation

Platform Search by platform name or vessel used to collect 

the samples.

Scientist Search by the name, or partial name, of the pricipal investigator or collecting scientist.

Activity Search by the field activity number assigned to 

the cruise.

Sample type Select from a list of sample types available.

Device Select from a list of collection devices.

Date collected Select dates by using the calendar picker.

documented and tracked. Onsite resampling visits are initiated 

through these sample request forms; access to the Samples 

Repository facilities is coordinated through the Curator.

The Samples Repository maintains that PIs, collecting 

scientists, and project researchers have exclusive use of all 

samples and scientific collections for the tenure of the original 

project for which they were collected. For this reason, sample 

requests are evaluated in consultation with project PIs, if they 

are available, to determine the status of their research and the 

availability of associated samples. 

Notification of Request Status

All sample requests are addressed upon their receipt and 

the individual initiating the request is notified by email regarding the status of their request and of the samples’ availability. 

Once the request has been approved, the Curator completes 

and distributes a Sample Loan Agreement form, which the 

requesting individual signs and returns to the Samples Repository before any sample material is made available.

Conditions of an Approved Loan

By signing the Sample Loan Agreement form, the 

requesting individual acknowledges the following conditions and assures that they will be met during the duration of 

the loan. The Curator will return a copy of the Sample Loan 

Agreement form to the individual making the request after the 

sample request has been approved.

Term of Loan

All samples loaned out for research, along with any data 

derived from the analysis of these samples, will be returned 

to the Samples Repository at the borrower’s expense, no later 

than the agreed upon due date stated at the top of the Sample 

Loan Agreement form, or within one week after an earlier 

return is requested by the Curator. 

Use of Samples and Scientific Collections

Samples on loan are for the sole use of the person or 

persons stated on the Sample Loan Agreement form. The 

borrower will not loan, deliver, lease, or transfer the samples 

to any other group or entity. When displaying the samples or 

publishing the results of any resultant research, the borrower 

will clearly state that these samples belong to the USGS and 

give proper credit to the source of the sample.

Alteration of Samples

In the sample request web form or email correspondence, 

the requester should clearly explain all proposed tests and 

anticipated alterations planned for the samples while they 

are in the borrower’s care. Requests may be negotiated or 

denied if there is not enough sample material for the intended 

analyses. Samples on loan should be used only for the research 

and data extraction purposes stated on the Sample Loan 

Agreement form. If further analyses are needed, please contact 

the Curator.

Loss or Damage

The Samples Repository recognizes that many analytical 

methods are destructive in nature. However, unless it is agreed 

that the sample or any part of it will not be returned to the 

Samples Repository after analysis, the borrower is responsible 

for reporting any damage or loss of material to the Curator 

upon return of the samples. 

Commitment to Long-Term Preservation

Samples and scientific collections fulfilling the 4-point 

standard that are accepted and inventoried into the Samples 

Repository are the responsibility of the PI or collecting 

scientist, in cooperation with the Curator. These samples 

and scientific collections will be cared for and available for 

reuse indefinitely. Should storage conditions change or space 

considerations arise, it is the duty of the WHCMSC Center 

Director and Curator, in consultation with the PI or collecting 

scientist, if available, to locate alternate storage solutions for 

the samples. Alternate storage locations may be at another 

USGS facility, or in an appropriate repository outside the 

USGS. Final authorization for any transfer of custody of 

scientific collections to repositories outside the Bureau must 

come from USGS Associate Directors.
References Cited 9

Transfer of Custody to the National Museum of 

Natural History

The Sundry Civil Act of March 3, 1879 (20 U.S.C. 59), 

as amended, directs that

All collections of rocks, minerals, soils, fossils, 

and objects of natural history, archaeology, and 

ethnology, made by the National Ocean Survey, 

the United States Geological Survey, or by any 

other parties for the Government of the United 

States, when no longer needed for investigations in 

progress shall be deposited in the National Museum. 

(20 USC §59)

The National Museum, specifically the Smithsonian 

Institution National Museum of Natural History (NMNH), 

has been designated as the ultimate repository for all scientific 

samples and scientific collections collected by the USGS and 

other Federal agencies and deemed appropriate for permanent 

retention. If samples that have already been accepted into the 

Samples Repository are evaluated and decisions are made to 

remove samples from the custody of the USGS due to storage 

limitations, duplication of sample material, or if samples are 

determined to no longer meet the USGS scientific mission, 

the Curator is bound to offer these samples to the NMNH 

for permanent transfer into the Smithsonian Institution’s 

collections as a right of first refusal. If the NMNH declines the 

offer to accept the samples into their custody, the WHCMSC 

Center Director and Curator, in consultation with PIs, 

collecting scientists, and appointed WHCMSC advisors, will 

give due diligence to locating alternate storage and determine 

the final disposition for these samples by following the 

guidelines shown in figure 5. 

Collections Management Across the 

U.S. Geological Survey

The USGS has been collecting samples for research 

and analysis since its formation in 1879. These samples and 

scientific collections represent the scientific legacy of the 

USGS and are an invaluable resource for further study and 

investigations. It is the responsibility of USGS scientists and 

managers to preserve the scientific integrity of these samples 

and scientific collections to meet the USGS scientific mission 

(U.S. Geological Survey, 2009).

Following the establishment of the USGS National 

Geological and Geophysical Data Preservation Program 

(NGGDPP) in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (Public 

Law 109–58, Sec. 351), the USGS NGGDPP undertook the 

task of developing a uniform way to manage these collections, 

ensure their preservation, and ensure access to them by 

forming the Geologic Materials Repository Working Group, 

an assembly of researchers and collections managers charged 

with formulating a collections management plan that would 

be comprehensive and adaptable in order to accommodate 

the varied types of collections throughout the USGS. This 

working group produced USGS Circular 1410, “The U.S. 

Geological Survey Geologic Collections Management System 

(GCMS)—A Master Catalog and Collections Management 

Plan for the USGS Geologic Samples Collections” (Geologic 

Materials Repository Working Group, 2015), which proposes 

a set of collections management policies and procedures 

that can be applied to all USGS scientific collections. The 

collections management policies and procedures documented 

in this report were developed with the recommendations and 

resources provided in the GCMS in mind.

The USGS Collections Steering Committee

Following the publication of USGS Circular 1410, 

the USGS established a national governing body to advise 

USGS leadership and management on establishing scientific 

policies and protocols for the management of USGS 

scientific collections, as well as interfacing with local USGS 

Science Centers, researchers, and curators to facilitate the 

implementation of these policies. The USGS Collections 

Steering Committee (CSC), chartered in USGS Survey 

Manual Chapter 308.76 (U.S. Geological Survey, 2015), is 

this multidisciplinary governing organization charged with 

coordinating the management and stewardship of USGS 

scientific collections. The CSC is continuing to develop 

common vocabularies and common practices in collections 

management for implementation across the USGS, as well 

as promoting standards in databases and inventories for 

interoperability and access by the public.

For More Information

• U.S. Geological Survey Coastal and Marine Geoscience Data System (CMGDS): https://cmgds.marine.

usgs.gov/

• Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center 

Samples Repository: https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov/

operations/ia/samprepo/

References Cited

Buczkowski, B.J., Cross, V.A., and Schweitzer, P.N., 2018, 

Collections inventory for the U.S. Geological Survey 

Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples 

Repository: U.S. Geological Survey data release,

https://doi.org/10.5066/F7319TT0.
10 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

Geologic Materials Repository Working Group, 2015, 

The USGS Geologic Collections Management System 

(GCMS)—A master catalog and collections management 

plan for the USGS Geologic Samples Collections: U.S. 

Geological Survey Circular 1410, 108 p. [Also available at 

https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/cir1410 ].

Hopkins, T.L., 1964, A survey of marine bottom samplers: 

Progress in Oceanography, v. 2, p. 213–256.

List, K.M., Buczkowski, B.J., McCarthy, L.P., and Orton, 

A.M., 2015, Collections management plan for the U.S. 

Geological Survey Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science 

Center Data Library: U.S. Geological Survey Open-File 

Report 2015–1141, 16 p., accessed September 22, 2017, at 

https://dx.doi.org/10.3133/ofr20151141.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2009, Geology Discipline research 

records schedule: U.S. Geological Survey Manual 432–1–

S5, accessed September 22, 2017, at https://www.usgs.gov/

usgs-manual/schedule/432-1-s5/gd.html.

U.S. Geological Survey, 2015, USGS Collections Steering 

Committee: U.S. Geological Survey Manual chapter 308.76, 

accessed September 22, 2017, at https://www2.usgs.gov/

usgs-manual/300/308-76.html.
Glossary 11

Glossary

4-point standard The minimum standard 

information needed to evaluate samples and 

collections for acceptance into the Samples 

Repository: sample number assigned in the 

field (what), geographic location of field station (where), collector (who), and date

collected (when).

accept To formally receive a sample or 

collection into the custody of the Samples 

Repository and incorporate it into the 

inventory.

barcode A code in the form of numbers, 

which can be human- as well as machinereadable, and a pattern of parallel lines of 

varying width which can be read by an optical 

laser scanner. Barcodes are affixed to samples and sample containers to identify their 

contents.

catalog The act of classifying objects 

into categories and documenting them with 

descriptive detail and identifying or descriptive unique numbers. 

collecting scientist The researcher who was 

present for the sample collection in the field 

and who is responsible for recording any pertinent details, such as the location from which 

the sample was taken. This researcher may be 

the principal investigator, but is not always 

the same person (see principal investigator).

collection Research assets gathered 

together during the course of field work or 

scientific study and assembled according to a 

rational scheme, such as a common research 

project, principal investigator, or sample type. 

The Samples Repository manages samples in 

scientific collections, which are classified into 

institutional collections, legacy collections, 

and working collections based on their purpose, physical condition, and potential for use 

in further scientific investigations (see institutional collection, legacy collection, scientific 

collection, and working collection).

collections management The ongoing 

process of acquiring and maintaining a collection. It involves defining the policies and 

procedures that govern sample handling, 

labeling, storage, cataloging, conservation, 

and access.

curator Individual responsible for the organization, preservation, and maintenance of 

sample collections and inventories.

D-tube A tube-shaped container, usually 

some sort of plastic, used to store sediment 

cores that have been split longitudinally. This 

container is usually semicircular to accommodate the split cylinder of the core and 

resembles the capital letter “D” in shape.

data library A facility that provides access 

to and retrieval of data and data-derived 

products.

disposition The outcome of the collection 

evaluation process that determines if a collection, or portion thereof, is to be transferred, 

or disposed of in accordance with applicable 

Bureau requirements. 

field activity Any activity sponsored by 

and tracked by the U.S. Geological Survey 

(USGS) Coastal and Marine Geology Program for the purpose of collecting data and 

making observations in the field.

field activity number A unique identifying 

number assigned by data managers in the 

USGS Coastal and Marine Geology Program 

to track a field activity and link it to any 

samples, data, and derived records to which it 

is associated.

geographic information system (GIS) A 

system designed to capture, store, manipulate, 

analyze, manage, and present all types of 

spatial or geographical data.

institutional collection A collection of samples determined to have long-term scientific 

value to the USGS and preserved to ensure 

their scientific integrity and availability for 

future scientific research and to verify analytical results. Institutional collections are housed 

appropriately for long-term preservation and 

storage, inventoried, labeled, made accessible 

to all qualified users, and made available on 

request to qualified parties through formal 

loan procedures for research and education. 

These collections are re-evaluated periodi-
12 Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository

cally to determine if all or a portion of the collection continue to possess scientific integrity 

and remain essential to the USGS research 

mission (see scientific collection).

inventory A complete list of samples 

and scientific resources available from a 

repository.

legacy collection A suite of samples collected by a research scientist who is no longer 

with the USGS, or collected as part of past 

research projects. Additional investigation 

may or may not be required to determine 

the minimum standard information needed 

to evaluate these samples and collections, 

reclassify them as institutional collections, 

and accept them into the Samples Repository 

(see institutional collection and scientific 

collection).

metadata Documentation about a sample or 

collection that describes pertinent background 

information, including field information 

(original geographic location, collector, date, 

sample identification number), the nature of 

the material, and any associated descriptive 

characteristics.

peel sample A sample derived from a split 

sediment core. Peel samples are generated 

by applying an adhesive to the cut surface of 

a split core and backing that adhesive with 

a flexible screen or other suitable material. 

Once the adhesive has dried, the backing is 

peeled back, removing the adhesive as well as 

the surface of the split core that was in contact 

with the adhesive.

policy A guiding principles designed to 

influence and determine decisions and actions.

preservation Various steps necessary to 

care for geoscientific data and collections, 

including data acquisition, organization, and 

maintenance; promoting user awareness of 

samples and data; ensuring data accessibility; 

and assurance that the data are useful and of 

sufficient quality.

principal investigator (PI) The researcher 

responsible for the collection of the samples 

and the research performed on them.

procedure An established action or method 

for implementing policy.

repository A facility that assumes responsibility for the long-term management of 

scientific collections.

sample Any material collected for research 

purposes as a representative example of the 

field location.

sample name Alphanumeric identifier (ID) 

assigned to an individual sample to differentiate it from other samples in its collection 

group. Different IDs may accrue to the same 

sample as a result of processing performed by 

various analytical labs.

sample type A categorization of samples 

based on the general method used to collect 

or obtain them. Samples collected in the field 

are divided into the categories of “cores,” 

“grabs,” “dredges,” and “other.” The Samples 

Repository also maintains collections of 

derived samples, categorized as “subsamples” 

and “slides.”

scientific collection Collections that are 

used for research, resource management, education, and other scientific purposes. Management and preservation of scientific collections 

is determined by their evaluation and classification, either as institutional or working 

collections (see institutional collection and 

working collection).

working collection A suite of samples 

being used actively for scientific research. 

Samples in working collections are subject 

to consumptive analysis and not initially 

intended for long-term preservation due to 

their expendable nature. Working collections 

that have long-term scientific value to USGS 

research beyond their original purpose will 

be evaluated to determine their potential to 

be reclassified as institutional collections and 

accepted in the Samples Repository (see institutional collection and scientific collection).
For more information about this report, contact:

Director, Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center

U.S. Geological Survey

384 Woods Hole Road

Quissett Campus

Woods Hole, MA 02543–1598

WHSC_science_director@usgs.gov

(508) 548–8700 or (508) 457–2200

or visit our website at

https://woodshole.er.usgs.gov

Publishing support provided by the Pembroke Publishing 

Service Center
Buczkowski—Collections Management Plan for Woods Hole Coastal and Marine Science Center Samples Repository—Open-File Report 2018–1100

ISSN 2331-1258 (online)

https://doi.org/10.3133/ofr20181100