Computerization of Invertebrate Paleontology Collection Records

洛杉矶县国家历史博物馆无脊椎动物古生物部的规模和重要性在北美排名第六，被古生物学会评为北美第六大古生物馆，收录了来自2.6万个编目地点的约350万个标本，以及在约570篇已发表的论文中引用的8000多个模式标本和图形标本。该藏品构成了重要的国家古生物资源，但分类数据无法快速检索。为了缓解这种情况，该机构调查了一个程序，该程序使用在DOS平台上内部运行的关系数据库软件(Paradox 3.5)将其收集记录计算机化。1991年底完成了计算机化的规划阶段，不久将完成数据输入和报告表格的执行、用初步数据集测试数据库设计以及对表格和字段定义、数据词典和程序手册进行微调。该项目将为购买硬件(计算机、打印机、大容量存储和通信设备)提供一次性援助，以协助进行这些采购，并为一名为期两年的全职馆长助理提供经费，以输入数据并对构成分区收藏记录的地点、模式标本和书目数据库进行验证。这类收藏品有些被视为重要的国家资源，不仅用于基础研究，还用于一般公共展览、针对所有人口阶层的教育方案，作为测试的来源材料，验证旨在模拟过去的生物/气候历史并对未来进行预测的模型。

The collection of the Invertebrate Paleontology Section of the National History Museum of Los Angeles County, ranked sixth in North America in size and importance by the paleontological Society, contains about 3.5 million specimens from 26,000 catalogued localities, and more than 8,000 type and figured specimens cited in about 570 published papers. The collection forms an important national paleontological resource, but one from which taxonomic data cannot be quickly retrieved. To alleviate this situation, the institution investigated a program to computerize its collection records using relational database software (Paradox 3.5) running inhouse on a DOS platform. The planning phase of computerization was completed in late 1991 and implementation of data entry and report forms, testing of database designs with preliminary data sets, and fine tuning of table and field definitions, data dictionaries, and procedural manuals will soon be completed. This project will provide one-time assistance for purchase of hardware (computers, printers, mass storage and communication devices) to assist in these acquisitions and funding for a full-time curatorial assistant for two years for data entry and validation of the locality, type specimen, and bibliographic databases that constitute the sectional collection records. %%% Collections of this type some as important national resources not only for fundamental research but also for general public exhibition, educational programs aimed at all sectors of the population, and as source materials for the testing are validation of models designed to emulate past biological/climatological histories and make projections for the future.