Martha
A lot of shellers use Access to catalog their collections, I might do the
same if I get Microsoft Office 2000 (which has Access on the CD) from
The Commission for the Blind.  As for storage I bought some trays from a
sheller/business friend.  The trays (from Jack Odenwald on Long Island) were
loose and the 15 trays are in 3 "cabinets" I built.  Cardboard trays are good
to move and keep specimens and data together (basic data, more detailed data
in Access or other databases).  Avoid soft plastic as the fumes it gives off
can harm shells.  The most info. you can get on a shell the better, author,
were collected, surface collected on, etc., etc.  Don't use common names
because a Periwinkle in the US is a Mud snail in England so Latin names are
universal.  I suggestion, keep a backup copy of the shells on the computer
because if the computer is off you can still access the shell names quickly.
Also a backup is good if a new computer is bought or if the software program
haw problems.  The backup can always be scanned into a new computer/program.
I might be of further help if you email me privately at; [log in to unmask]  I
think I said enough, by.
Jordan *