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<p class="MsoNormal"><a name="_GoBack"></a><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Hi all<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I am trying to resolve a philosophical conundrum brought on by the ever-increasing mountain of digital data being produces from and associated with natural history collections. My question is whether digital
representations of an object (images, CT scans, etc.) should be treated as preparations of an object in a collections database similar to other physical preparations or treated differently? For instance, in a fish collection like mine, you have a lot that
has a certain number of specimens. Some of those may be subsequently cleared and stained or have skeletons prepared. These are traditionally handled as preparations of the original lot with the same catalog number (although in some collections they are treated
as separate catalog numbers). Now, however, you have digital representations of those physical objects such as images, CT scans, etc. Should these also be treated as preparations or be treated differently - as digital products or linked as attachments to
the physical objects? To me, they are not physical objects but digital representations of the original object. As such, they are somewhat different to a preparation. This has implications when totaling traditional counts of objects in a collection as well
as when publishing data from a collection to the aggregator community. In some instances, this may be governed by the data model and business rules of the CMS you are using or by your personal preference.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">I would be interested in hearing your views on this and how you handle this in your collection as I am not sure there is any community consensus as to which way to handle these. I have heard of both methods
being used in various collections.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Thanks in advance<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt">Andy<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> A : A : A :<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> V V V<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Andy Bentley<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Ichthyology Collection Manager<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">University of Kansas<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Biodiversity Institute<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Dyche Hall<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">1345 Jayhawk Boulevard<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Lawrence, KS, 66045-7561<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">USA<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Tel: (785) 864-3863<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Fax: (785) 864-5335 <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black">Email: <a href="mailto:abentley@ku.edu"><span style="color:blue">abentley@ku.edu</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"><a href="http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu/"><span style="color:blue">http://ichthyology.biodiversity.ku.edu</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> A : A : A :<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> }<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<(((_°>.,.,.,.}<)))_°><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size:11.0pt;color:black"> V V V<o:p></o:p></span></p>
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<p class="MsoNormal"><o:p> </o:p></p>
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