Assistant State Paleontologist's correspondence, research, and publication files

Arranged by topic in no particular order.

This series consists of correspondence, drafts of publications, research, and photographs compiled by Lawrence V. Rickard, Assistant New York State Paleontologist (1955-1986). Much of the material concerns the preparation and publication of articles written for a variety of State Museum publications, such as "Geogram," as well as journals of professional scholarship.

Topics of the material vary widely and include descriptions of strata, classifications, and descriptions of fossil flora and fauna; geology of specific localities throughout New York State; tectonics; and geological nomenclature. Much of the research and subsequent articles center on Rickard's research in the stratigraphy of the Devonian time period.

The records also include published copies of geological publications prepared by the Geological Survey staff in the State Museum; copies of articles writen by other authors; project or article proposals; material related to professional conferences; administrative files; and other subject and research material apparently unrelated to publication topics.

Types of material in the series include correspondence and memoranda; drafts, working copies and proofs of museum publications; photographs, printed maps with notations and corrections, tracings; drawings; field notes, typed copies with notations and corrections and reprints of published articles.

Most of the correspondence relates to publications, including letters and replies to publishers, editors, coauthors and members of the geological community; and comments by Rickard and colleagues on manuscripts and published articles.

Most of the graphic materials (maps, tracings and photographs) were prepared to accompany scientific articles or monographs published by the State Museum.

B1596-01: This accretion consists of one additional correspondence file compiled by Assistant State Paleontologist Lawrence V. Rickard. The file contains the following items: correspondence received from Dr. William A. Oliver of the United States Geological Survey and Dr. John B. Richardson of the British Museum (Natural History) regarding the Frasnian/Famennian Boundary; a photocopy of an article entitled "The Origin of the Oceanic Ridges," from the journal "Scientific American"; a press release announcing the formation of the Buffalo Association of Professional Geologists; and correspondence received from Stephen Marshak of the Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory of Columbia University regarding tectonic subsidence in Cattaraugus County.

Folder list.

B1596-01: This accretion was transferred to the State Archives from the New York State Geological Survey in November 1994 and accessioned in May 2001.

There are no restrictions regarding access to or use of the material.