Virtual Types: A Project to Digitize Specimen Data and Image the Types and Authentic Specimens at the Herbarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences (PH)

该项目将产生网络服务（即，可在互联网上获得）的图像和数据库记录的类型和真实的标本在标本馆的自然科学院，费城。 这些标本是了解植物科学家200多年来如何将科学名称应用于植物的关键。 在很大程度上，由于历史的深度和广度的持有，类型收集是大（约。37，000个样本）和多样性。 此外，由于早期的收藏家通常不会收集多张，因此这些标本中的许多都没有被其他标本馆的藏品所复制。 将使用高分辨率数码相机拍摄图像，并将输入植物标签的数据并与图像链接。 在线提供的图像和数据的类型收集在PH将随时提供一个独特的资源进行系统的研究。 通过互联网提供标本数据和图像极大地方便了无法访问大型研究标本馆和研究质量图书馆的研究人员的工作。 这些挑战在发展中国家尤为明显，可能会阻碍科学家的最大努力。 在线可用性也将导致减少标本的磨损，因为网络提供的图像和数据往往足以用于研究;这导致更少的处理和更少的标本本身的物理贷款。 最后，由于在线可用性将服务于许多研究目的，它将减少与借出标本有关的损失和损坏的风险。 为这个项目聘请的策展助理将获得一些技能和策展经验。 这些职位将广泛刊登广告，包括在费城附近的本科院校中的“历史上的黑人大学”。 来自代表性不足群体的高中生将通过ANSP妇女参与自然科学项目参与该项目。 该学院的教育计划将合作，利用该项目作为课程计划的重点，将非凡的标本纳入科学和历史课程，并鼓励在职教师参加该奖项下的活动。 科学家将广泛使用网上提供的数据，其他机构可以自由使用所创建的开放源工具并为其作出贡献。 我们收藏的历史性质也将导致许多历史学家使用。

This project will produce web-served (i.e., available over the internet) images and database records of the types and authentic specimens housed in the herbarium of the Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia. These specimens are key to understanding how scientific names have been applied to plants over more than 200 years of research by plant scientists. In large part because of the historical depth and breadth of the holdings, the types collection is large (ca. 37,000 specimens) and diverse. Further, because early collectors often did not collect multiple sheets, many of these specimens are not duplicated by holdings in other herbaria. Images will be captured using a high-resolution digital camera and data from plant labels will be entered and linked to the image. On-line availability of images and data from the type collection at PH will make readily available a unique resource for systematic research. Availability of specimen data and images over the internet greatly facilitates the work of researchers who lack access to a large research herbarium and to research-quality libraries. These challenges are especially keenly felt in developing countries and can impede the best efforts of scientists. On-line availability will also result in reduced wear and tear on the specimens because web-served image and data often are sufficient for research use; this results in less handling and fewer physical loans of the specimens themselves. Finally, because on-line availability will serve many research purposes, it will reduce risk of loss and damage associated with loaning of specimens. The curatorial assistants hired for this project will acquire a number of skills and curatorial experience. These positions will be advertised widely including at the 'historically black colleges' among the undergraduate institutions near Philadelphia. High school students from under-represented groups will be involved in the project through the ANSP WINS (Women in Natural Science) program. The Academy's Education program will collaborate, using the project as a focus for lesson plans that incorporate the remarkable specimens into science and history classes and inservice teachers will be encouraged to participate in activites under this award. The web-served data will be used extensively by scientists, and other institutions can freely use and contribute to the open-source tools created. The historical nature of our collection will result in use by many historians as well.