I, too, started an Access database for my collection, about a year ago.
In the main table I use separate Fields for Family, Genus, Subgenus (very
useful for allowing parts of a large genus like Helicostyla sensu latu to be
sorted, for different purposes, either all together or in their smaller
subdivisions), Taxon (species plus any lower rankings), Author, Year Descd,
Unique No of the Lot, Habitat, Location, Country, Collector, Date Colld,
Date Acq'd, Source, No. of Specimens, Size of Largest, Label Printed and a
few others. I create other tables for special purposes like to summarise
references, species data, but so far I haven't had need to learn about
'linking' tables.
I find the Size of Largest field very useful because it acts as a backup for
the inevitable occasional mixup. The exact measurement (by electronic
calipers, to plus or minus about 0.2mm) will most times quickly resolve
which shell goes back into which tray, if something careless happens. The
largest shell is used because I don't usually trade away the largest, and I
can make a point to remeasure if I do. This, for me, nicely does away with
the unattractive numbering of specimens I once used.
The unique number gives an option to write, on a very SMALL piece of paper,
an identifier to insert inside a smaller shell, another level of backup.
So..... all is going very nicely with my Access experience BUT for the
problem of how to print labels for the collection. I seek feedback!
Ideally, (if I knew how), I would write a Macro, that, on a given command,
would take the contents of all the required fields of my chosen candidates,
and drop them into a Word document in a predetermined format, like for
example, underlining the Family Name, bolding the Taxon name, and spacing
the  contents of the other required fields into an appropriate layout. Some
tweaking would be necessary to deal with fields being irregularly
represented, but the major work would be done by this Macro and a huge
amount of time would thus be saved.
But writing a Macro in Access is quite a challenge. I can sometimes write
them successfully in Excel and Word and I use a multi-step process by this
means but I don't like it and it slows me down. Any ideas? Am I on the right
track? How difficult would it be for an Access student to write this Macro?
Should I try to master macro's in Access?
Thanks all!
Martin

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