iCollections methodology: workflow, results and lessons learned

By

Blagoderov, Vladimir Aleksandrovich 1968-
Penn, Malcolm
Sadka, Mike
Hine, Adrian
Brooks, Stephen J. (Stephen John), 1955-
Siebert, Darrell
Sleep, Chris
Cafferty, Steve
Cane, Elisa
Martin, Geoff
Toloni, Flavia
Wing, Peter
Chainey, John
Duffell, Liz
Huxley, Rob
Ledger, Sophie
Mclaughlin, Caitlin
Mazzetta, Gerardo
Perera, Jasmin
Crowther, Robyn
Douglas, Lyndsey
Durant, Joanna
Scialabba, Elisabetta
Honey, Martin
Huertas, Blanca
Howard, Theresa
Carter, Victoria
Albuquerque, Sara
Paterson, Gordon
Kitching, Ian

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2017-09-28

Original Publication

Biodiversity data journal

Volume

5

Pages

1--25

Subjects

collection , database , digitisation , georeferencing , Museum , Sites , workflow

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia Pensoft Publishers [2013]-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/BDJ.5.e21277
eLocator: e21277

 

Abstract

The Natural History Museum, London (NHMUK) has embarked on an ambitious programme to digitise its collections. The first phase of this programme was to undertake a series of pilot projects to develop the workflows and infrastructure needed to support mass digitisation of very large scientific collections. This paper presents the results of one of the pilot projects – iCollections. This project digitised all the lepidopteran specimens usually considered as butterflies, 181,545 specimens representing 89 species from the British Isles and Ireland. The data digitised includes, species name, georeferenced location, collector and collection date - the what, where, who and when of specimen data. In addition, a digital image of each specimen was taken. A previous paper explained the way the data were obtained and the background to the collections that made up the project. The present paper describes the technical, logistical, and economic aspects of managing the project.