Implementation of a relational database for the Sternberg Museum paleontology collection

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Fort Hays State University's Sternberg Museum of Natural History (FHSM) is awarded a grant to digitized, image, curate, and archive paleontology specimen data into a centralized and publically accessible database. FHSM serves as a major public fossil repository and educational institution. The paleontology collection represents over 100 years of fossil collecting and includes vertebrate and invertebrate holdings that are critical for understanding past life in the Great Plains. The specimens are used extensively in research and as the basis for educational programs and exhibits. Many specimens within the collection have been donated by local landowners and need to be fully curated and integrated into the collection. Additionally, the collection lacks a digital database and no specimen data are available online. This project will digitally preserve irreplaceable data and make specimen data (including images) available online for the first time. The digitization and sharing of these data will provide researchers, educators, students, and the general public with easy access to the collection, benefitting a broad audience. Funding ensures that digital records of FHSM specimens are properly achieved and easily accessible for research and educational uses. Project goals include transcribing hand-written records, building a relational database with online platform, integrating data and metadata into existing research databases, curating backlogged specimens, 2D and 3D imaging of fossil specimens, and developing educational resources. All paleontology specimens and specimen data will be digitized and databased into CollectiveAccess data management system, which is being adopted to house collection data. The application of modern collection management standards will enable researchers and educators from around the world access to specimen data. The Sternberg Museum provides science education for a large, yet rural, region, making online access to material imperative to the educational mission of the Museum. This project will also employ multiple Fort Hays State University graduate and undergraduate students over a three-year period. These students will be trained in curatorial and research techniques using the specimens digitized during the course of this project. Overall, this project will greatly enhance the significance of the FHSM paleontology collection by improving organization, accessibility, and research and education potential. Additional information about the paleontology collection at the Sternberg Museum can be found at http://sternberg.fhsu.edu/research-collections/collections/paleontology/.