[Nhcoll-l] Workflows, Standards & Vocabularies for Digitising Geoscience Collections

[Liath Appleton]

Hi Michael, have you received any response from this email? I manage
diverse collections that include almost everything on your list. I have
different protocols depending on the type of specimens and the kind of data
that is available to me when it is given to us. Each accession is
different. We photograph as we catalog whenever possible, and I upload data
and photos at the same time. All of our collections are housed in a single
Specify database. We do not use barcodes. Classifications and vocabulary of
the various types of specimens are a headache, but we manage, knowing that
classification systems will most likely change over time. I am always
interested in discussing new protocols and techniques with folks, and would
love to hear from others who have similar collections.  ---Liath
---
Liath Appleton, Collections Manager
Non-vertebrate Paleontology, Jackson School Museum of Earth History
The University of Texas at Austin, PRC 122
3310 Clyde Davis Trail
Austin, Texas 78758 USA
https://www.jsg.utexas.edu/npl/

SPNHC Connection Editor (newsletter at spnhc.org)
SPNHC Web Manager (webmaster at spnhc.org)
www.spnhc.org



On Wed, Aug 13, 2025 at 11:50 AM Michael Howe - BGS <mhowe at bgs.ac.uk> wrote:

> Hi NHCOLLers,
>
> The UK Geoscience Collections Community has come together to evaluate the
> various workflows, equipment, standards and vocabularies used for
> digitising geoscience collections and make best practice recommendations,
> highlighting gaps needing further work..
>
> We are aware in general of various workflows referenced on the DiSSCo-UK,
> DiSSCo-EU and iDigBio websites, but given the wide range of geological
> samples to be digitised, we would appreciate your help. We would like to
> hear from digitisers about the actual workflows, equipment and standards
> they are using - those that work well and those that cause problems.
>
> We need workflows that cover the wide range of material types in
> geological collections,
>
> *       Rock & mineral hand specimens
> *       Meteorites
> *       Mineral micromounts
> *       Thin sections, thick sections, wafers, polished blocks, etc.
> *       Borehole cores, samples and cuttings
> *       Vertebrate fossils - both mounted and discrete bones
> *       Micro-vertebrate fossils
> *       Invertebrate fossils
> *       Slide sections of fossils - e.g. corals
> *       Micropalynology, including acritarchs, etc
> *       "Calc-micro", including conodonts, etc.
> *       SEM stubs
> *       Etc.
>
>
> Many collections (e.g. herbarium sheets, pinned insects) can be imaged
> first and the metadata extracted from the images. In contrast,  geological
> samples often hide their labels and are probably best databased before
> being imaged - indeed, many collections already have digital catalogues.
> Are most institutions imaging or databasing first? (Presumably barcoding
> before imaging? - Data Matrix, QR or other barcode format?)
>
> Vocabs are also a problem. The British Geological Survey makes a number of
> controlled vocabularies available (e.g. RCS - Rock Classification System
> and the BGS Stratigraphic Lexicon) - but these are UK centric and UK
> Collections are worldwide. What vocab systems are in popular use?
>
>
> If all goes to plan, we intend to produce a report in a year or so
> detailing our recommendations, which we will be happy to share with the
> community.
>
> Many thanks in advance for your help,
>
> I know this is a big ask!
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> Dr Mike Howe
> Principal Curator
>
> Working days: Tuesdays - Thursdays
>  Phone: 0115 9363105  Email: mhowe at bgs.ac.uk
> Web: http://www.bgs.ac.uk/staff/profiles/3858.html
> GIH030  - British Geological Survey
> Keyworth, Nottingham, NG12 5GG
>
>
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