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)

该项目将为费城自然科学院植物标本室的种类和真实标本提供网络服务（即在互联网上提供）图像和数据库记录。这些标本是了解植物科学家在200多年的研究中如何将学名应用于植物的关键。在很大程度上，由于馆藏的历史深度和广度，类型收集数量庞大（约37,000个标本）且种类繁多。此外，由于早期的采集者通常不会收集多张标本，因此许多标本无法在其他植物标本馆复制。图像将使用高分辨率数码相机捕获，植物标签中的数据将被输入并链接到图像上。从PH类型收集的图像和数据的在线可用性将为系统研究提供一个随时可用的独特资源。标本数据和图像在互联网上的可用性极大地促进了研究人员的工作，他们无法访问大型研究植物标本馆和研究质量的图书馆。这些挑战在发展中国家尤其明显，并且可能阻碍科学家的最佳努力。在线提供也将减少标本的磨损，因为网络提供的图像和数据通常足以用于研究；这就减少了对标本本身的处理和实物借阅。最后，由于在线可获得性将服务于许多研究目的，它将减少与借出标本相关的损失和损害的风险。为这个项目聘用的策展助理将获得一些技能和策展经验。这些职位将在费城附近的“传统黑人大学”的本科院校中广泛刊登广告。来自弱势群体的高中学生将通过ANSP WINS（自然科学领域的女性）计划参与该项目。该学院的教育项目将进行合作，将该项目作为课程计划的重点，将这些杰出的标本纳入科学和历史课程，并鼓励在职教师参与该奖项下的活动。通过网络提供的数据将被科学家广泛使用，其他机构也可以免费使用这些开源工具，并为之做出贡献。我们收藏的历史性质也将导致许多历史学家使用。

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.