Resource Identification for a Biological Collection Information Service in Europe

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Workshop "Access to Biological Collection Information in Poland - a European Perspective"

Dziwnówek,"Róza Wiatrów". November 26th-27th, 1999

Scope and Motivation

Over the last years, biological collections (herbariums and other museums collections, botanical and zoological gardens, culture collections etc.) have started to utilize information technologies to catalogue and administrate their collections. Technological advances, particularly in the fields of databases and the internet present a remarkable opportunity for the collections to make real their crucial potential in biodiversity research. However, the exchange of data between institutions is rendered difficult because of a general lack of standardisation and compatibility of the data captured.

BioCISE is a Concerted Action project financed by the European Commission within the Biotechnology Programme of Directorate-General XII. Its final objective is to develop a common electronic access system that connects various databases of biological collections in the European Community and its partner countries. A previous project (CDEFD) has developed a general information model valid for all types of biological collections. Project proposals have been drawn up for the implementation of a publicly accessible collection information service in Europe.

The workshop has three main objectives: 1) To introduce the BioCISE project to the Polish scientific community, 2) to spread information on existing plans, projects and systems in Poland, and 3) to provide a starting point for the co-ordination of such actions on a national and regional level.

The workshop addressed all institutions holding biological collections (national parks, universities, museums, zoological and botanical gardens, etc.) which have or plan to implement a collection information system. It should be emphasised that the BioCISE is not to be limited to large collections: small collections, especially when highly specialised (e.g. nomenclatural type collections, culture strains of micro-organisms) are of equal interest.

The agenda was divided into two sections: After an introduction of the aims and activities within the BioCISE project, Polish institutions had the opportunity to present their activities in the realm of collection information systems in a series of brief presentations. This was followed by a general discussion.

[Workshop index | Scope | Introduction to BioCISE | Presentations | Discussion and conclusions | Participants]

The workshop was organized by Prof. Dr. Andrzej Witkowski, Uniwersytet Szczecinski, witkowsk@univ.szczecin.pl

This page last updated March 09, 2000

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