I want to echo Don Reynolds' comments.  Getting collection data into
databases  is a core issue for museums--all of our educational efforts
begin with our collections, and our ability to develop public programs
(especially flashy new stuff like Web pages) and to conduct research would
be greatly advanced by support for this activity.

Despite what Don said about the big guys getting support from NSF for this
sort of thing, my own experience is that NSF is only really interested in
funding pilot projects, not the expensive and time consuming retrospective
entry of massive amounts of collection data (note: at RSABG we have
approximately a million herbarium specimens to database, and we're a
mid-size collection compared to what other institutions are holding).

I think that, although its not sexy, support for collections databasing
would be enormously productive in the long run.  Perhaps support both for
new approaches to automating the process of data entry (not another new and
innovative data base, but rather the technology and protocols to make this
process faster and cheaper), and for the actual retrospective data entry
process (perhaps offered as matching grants to help raise other funds for
this difficult type of project).





Richard Chute ([log in to unmask])          Dir. of Corp. & Fndtn. Rel.

Rancho Santa Ana Botanic Garden         1500 North College Ave.
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