Review of the State of Digital Collections Management

Abstract:

Paleontological collections are the only record that preserve the diversity and evolution of past life on Earth. Museum collections bring together the history of life on Earth in a more accessible place where gaps in the fossil record can be filled. The continued management and preservation of these collections is imperative because once these collections are gone, they will be gone forever.

During the time of COVID-19, many museums have realized that their collections are not easily accessible. A collection that is accessible includes one that can be visited by people who cannot travel or those who have limited funding. Digitization of collections is a major way that museums are combating this issue. The digitization of museum collections will also make them more accessible to the general public, through the use of 3D scanned specimens that are able to be 3D printed and manipulated without damaging the original specimen.

Digitization efforts vary from institution to institution; some are just beginning to move their catalog to an Excel spreadsheet while others have partnered with data aggregators and are working on providing 3D images of their specimens. Nonetheless, every digitization effort, whether it is advanced or just a digital catalog, is a significant advancement in the accessibility of fossil specimens and should be encouraged.

Here we summarize the state of digitization of paleontological collections and what steps can be followed in order to successfully begin to digitize. We will stress the importance of using data standards such as Darwin Core, which will make sharing data between institutions and researchers much more standardized. We will focus on which types of information are the most beneficial to digitize first and will highlight other types of information that the field is beginning to focus on during digitization projects.

Our goal is to create a comprehensive digital data resource that is accessible for institutions to use for their digitization efforts. We also hope to provide a manageable breakdown of steps for which parts of the collection to digitize, how to prioritize specimens, and how to get funding. Paleontological collections are imperative to the understanding of evolution and the effects of climate change; but if our collections are not accessible to everyone, then they are of little value.