Computerization, Integration and On-Line Accessibility of Exceptional Invertebrate Fossil Research Collections: Florida Museum of Natural History

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The invertebrate fossil collection at the Florida Museum of Natural History ranks among the ten largest in the nation and is heavily used by scientists and students at all academic levels, receiving over 4,500 online visits per month. During this two-year project, approximately 436,000 specimens will be curated and computer-cataloged into the collection database which is searchable on the internet. These specimens come from two sources: A microfossil collection from the Florida Geological Survey and a collection of macrofossils from Florida and the Carolinas assembled by Dr. Jules DuBar following a half-century of NSF-sponsored fieldwork. Both suites of fossils are in high demand by researchers because over 50 scientific publications are based on them, yet they have been unavailable for study for decades.In addition to professional scientists and university students whose research will benefit from online access to these important specimens, fossil enthusiasts and members of the general public, searching for information for science projects, term papers, photo presentations, etc., using internet search engines will also benefit as this project seriously expands the data available to the public. Museum exhibits, public outreach activities and fossil identification guides will help to make the newly cataloged data accessible to a public that is increasingly thirsty for information about fossils.