Collaborative Research: The Online Consortium of Pacific Northwest Herbaria Expanded to Include Taxonomically Diverse Specimens from Large and Small Regional Collections

我们项目的目的是将爱达荷州、蒙大拿州、俄勒冈州和华盛顿州近20所大学、学院和联邦草药机构的植物学研究标本数字化(即图像和数据库)。维管束植物、苔藓、地衣和真菌标本将包括在该项目中。一旦数字化，我们将通过现有的门户网站(http://www.pnwherbaria.org).)将这些记录放在网上供公众使用我们正在利用几所大型大学提供的网络基础设施(例如，以太网、服务器、技术人员)，与原本没有资源开展这项活动的较小机构建立合作伙伴关系。我们的项目为普通公众、本科生和研究社区提供了切实的好处。将标本数字化并在网上提供，可以让公众获得部分通过之前的联邦资金组装起来的藏品。标本数据可以从网站上下载，这样任何人都可以利用这些信息来追求独特的兴趣和问题。本科生将广泛参与成像和数据库活动，为他们提供适用于未来专业追求的技能和培训。近200万个太平洋西北地区植物标本的在线可获得性将增加使用这些标本的研究界的机会和效率。

The purpose of our project is to digitize (i.e., image and database) botanical research specimens at nearly twenty university, college, and federal agency herbaria in Idaho, Montana, Oregon, and Washington. Vascular plant, moss, lichen, and fungal specimens will be included in the project. Once digitized, we will place these records online for the public through an existing Web portal (http://www.pnwherbaria.org). We are leveraging the cyberinfrastructure (e.g., Ethernet, servers, technical staff) available at several large universities to build partnerships with smaller institutions that otherwise would not have the resources to undertake this activity.Our project provides tangible benefits to the general public, undergraduate students, and the research community. Digitizing specimens and making them available online creates public access to collections that have been assembled in part through prior federal funding. The specimen data will be downloadable from the Web site, so anyone can use the information to pursue unique interests and questions. Undergraduate students will be involved extensively with imaging and data basing activities, providing them with skills and training applicable to future professional pursuits. Online availability of nearly 2 million Pacific Northwest herbarium specimens will increase access and efficiency for the research community using these collections.