Olga Hartman Specimen Log Books

Olga Hartman was a distinguished marine biologist known for her extensive work on polychaetes, a class of annelid worms. Her career was marked by significant contributions to marine biology and taxonomy, particularly in cataloging and identifying polychaete species. Hartman's work was primarily associated with the Allan Hancock Foundation (AHF) at the University of Southern California, where she curated and expanded the polychaete collection starting in 1941. In 1988, the University of Southern California transferred the polychaete collection to the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, including Hartman's entire Polychaeta library and eastern Pacific specimens. This collection, one of the largest of its kind in the U.S., is renowned for its comprehensiveness and accuracy. Hartman logged each specimen she examined, giving the taxon name, collection information, and other notes. The serial numbers from the log books were used as the catalog numbers for the specimens and were used to label the specimens in their jars and vials. The Handbook of Zoology (2019) praised Hartman's cataloging as "an amazing achievement and remarkably accurate given its ad hoc construction from original handwriting." Hartman's meticulous work and dedication to her field have left an enduring legacy in marine biology. By helping to transcribe these log books, her contributions will be more accessible, reusable, and will continue to support and advance scientific research.