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)

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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.