Establishment of metadata digitization in the Colorado State University Biology Teaching Collection: literature review and applied outcome

Abstract

Digitization in natural history collections is essential in the pursuit of sharing information in the scientific field. However, this is an underutilized resource, and the absence of digital records increases barriers to entry in scientific research. This is especially true with small and teaching-focused collections, such as the Biology teaching collection at Colorado State University, which is underrepresented in digital databases. The collection houses more than 13,000 specimens with valuable scientific data, yet no data is accessible outside of the collection. These collections lack consistency and have a high turnover rate of volunteers, which poses a challenge to setting up and maintaining an effective and reliable system. This project aims to synthesize the current knowledge on digitization strategies, and implement an effective workflow through the platform of Symbiota for how volunteers can digitize collections in the future. I conducted a literature review examining peer-reviewed studies and case studies to evaluate the best approaches for accessibility and sustainability in digitization. This led to the creation of an official Symbiota guide, detailing how to input data in the system, along with the facilitation of a workshop for members of the different specimen collections on the CSU campus. Ultimately, small collections such as the Biology Teaching Collection hold great value in their specimens, particularly with locally significant data, but are frequently overlooked. Platforms like Symbiota, which are publicly accessible, make these data available worldwide and can significantly contribute to the field of scientific study. The establishment of digitization initiatives in smaller collections is essential for strengthening biodiversity data networks and expanding scientific knowledge.