CSBR: Natural History Collections: A Hidden Treasure in Northeastern Alabama - Revitalizing the Jacksonville State University Herbarium

杰克逊维尔州立大学的植物标本室由超过75,000个地区植物标本组成，使其成为阿拉巴马州最大（也是最多样化）的植物收藏之一，同时也在很大程度上不为一般科学界所知。该项目将缓解过度拥挤的存储，提供长期的收集安全，并充分实现访问和教育推广的现代化。具体行动包括：(1)安装新的植物标本室和移动储存系统；（二）购置数字文献设备；(3)整个JSU植物标本室馆藏的管理和计算机化；(4)利用新的互联网资源和跨学科举措，提高可视性和协同性。该项目代表了阿拉巴马州农村科学教育的动态资源，为研究生和本科生提供即时培训机会，并在服务不足的社区提供长期服务。积压管理和馆藏的全面整合将为自然历史研究提供一个功能齐全、易于使用的资源，计算机化将使科学家、教育工作者、学生和普通公众都能广泛地访问它。该项目将为互联网数据库增加大量新的标本记录和数字图像，包括阿拉巴马州植物图集，从而支持合作努力，为阿拉巴马州的植物群创建一个综合的在线数据库。

The herbarium of Jacksonville State University consists of more than 75,000 specimens of regional plants, making it one of the largest (and most diverse) botanical collections in Alabama while also being largely unknown to the general scientific community. This project will alleviate overcrowded storage, provide long-term collection security, and fully modernize access and educational outreach. Specific actions include (1) installation of new herbarium cases and a mobile storage system; (2) acquisition of digital documentation equipment; (3) curation and computerization of the entire JSU Herbarium collection; and (4) enhancement of visibility and synergy, utilizing new Internet resources and interdisciplinary initiatives.The project represents a dynamic resource for science education in rural Alabama, providing immediate training opportunities for graduate and undergraduate students and long-lasting outreach in an underserved community. Backlog curation and full integration of the holdings will result in a fully functional, easy-to-use resource for natural history research, and computerization will make it broadly accessible to scientists, educators, students, and the general public alike. The project will add a vast diversity of new specimen records and digital images to Internet databases, including the Alabama Plant Atlas, thereby supporting collaborative efforts to create a comprehensive online database for the flora of Alabama.