ACKNOWLEDGMENT OF HARMFUL CONTENT

UWYMV Acknowledgment of Harmful Content. The University of Wyoming Museum of Vertebrates (UWYMV) denounces all forms of racism, harassment, and discrimination and strives to be an inclusive environment. We acknowledge the existence of harmful content within the collection data available in the UWYMV collections and its online database and are committed to addressing this problem, including the presentation of racist and other derogatory language. The UWYMV will work to responsibly redact or replace harmful content in catalog records when the change does not violate collections best practices. When we encounter harmful content in external authorities we will make an effort to have the information addressed at the source. In some cases, the data must be preserved in its original form to retain authenticity and facilitate research. For example, collection records and their associated media may contain language that reflect historical place names or taxonomic identifications that are no longer acceptable or appropriate. This harmful content may go against the UWYMV’s values but is provided as part of the historical record.

We welcome feedback. The material found on the UWYMV online database is not a complete record of the museum’s holdings. Documentation for any cataloged item will vary due to when and how it was collected as well as how recently it was reviewed curatorially. While efforts are made to ensure the accuracy of the information available, some content may contain errors. The UWYMV will work with communities around the world to interpret their collections in order to promote a greater understanding of global heritage and, through consultation, will review information that is inaccurate or inappropriate. The UWYMV participates with museum and society committees, such as the Arctos Diversity and Inclusion Committee, to learn from broader and more diverse resources. We encourage and welcome members of descendant communities, scholars, and others to contact us (Dr. Matt Carling (mcarling@uwyo.edu) and Dr. Beth Wommack (ewommack@uwyo.edu)) to confirm or clarify data found here. Please contact curators if you notice an issue in our database or webpage to report.

For further reference please see:   Briscoe L, et al. 2022. Shining Light on Labels in the Dark: Guidelines for Offensive Collections Materials. Collections: A Journal for Museum and Archives Professionals 18(4). https://doi.org/10.1177/15501906221130535