Indicadores de crecimiento y de uso para las colecciones paleontológicas del IANIGLA-CCT CONICET Mendoza (Argentina)

Evaluation is a useful tool for the management of natural history collections; it will allow the curator or collection manager to know their attributes and prioritize resource investment. The literature has reported different profiling methods to define the condition of natural history collections. The aim of this contribution is to analyze the four paleontological collections at IANIGLA-CCT CONICET Mendoza in the period 2013-2017, employing growth (quantitative and qualitative) and usability profiling indicators. The parameters analyzed indicate a gradual, but constant increase of the Paleobotanical, Paleovertebrate and Paleoinvertebrate collections, and stagnation for the Ichnology collection. The usability indicators show that the four collections are primarily used for scientific research, which is consistent with institutional aims. Both results justify, through the use of a simple and reliable evaluation model, the rational allocation of resources to improve the management of collections.