GAINING GROUND ON THE DIGITAL ROUNDABOUT: PROJECT TO ARCHIVE TO PROJECT

Digital handling of geological data, including georeferencing of collection sites, opens the door to an exciting new use of geological collections. Specimens are collected in the field and locations are captured using digital mapping. Once primary research is completed, the specimens along with their data are archived and placed in a physical repository. Within the archive those specimens are themselves digitally mapped to a specific repository location and attendant data relating to the specimen are entered into a database. The database is linked to a repository map generated in ArcGIS that can be also linked back to an original project map. The researcher has access to the field site data and to the location of physical specimens and any related analyses or imagery. In turn, through the database connection, the repository can be searched for other relevant specimens, pertinent to a particular research topic, perhaps collected historically, and a new map project can be generated. In this instance the holdings of the repository form the resource for a basic dataset for new research. One relevant and important caveat is data quality, any inherent biases or errors that are reflected in the archived specimens and/or their data need to be factored into any re-use of that material. This approach promotes geological collections, too often regarded as dusty shelves of specimens, to fulfill their true potential as a vital hub and resource for future research.