Browsing by Subject "Collection management"
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Item Data management in recent mammal collections(Texas Tech University, 2000-12) King, Raegan DeanneCurrent trends in museum practices show increasing awareness of the important role complete and accurate data play in collection management. Careful integration of computer technology into data management procedures can reduce the effort associated with multiple transcriptions of data, increase the accuracy and consistency of data, and result in a more useful electronic database. WildCat is a relational database management system developed in 1997 to facilitate data management in the Recent mammal collection of Texas Tech University. WildCat consists of four distinct parts, the third of which, WildCat III, is a data entry application for use in-house and in the field. WildCat III allows a new approach to data management by introducing computerized data entry into the first stages of data gathering rather than at the more traditional final stage. This thesis determines the effectiveness of WildCat III in the capture of field-generated data, provides information concerning the use of computers in field situations, and discusses the impact electronic data capture has on mammal collections management.Item The use of modern digital technology to store and serve biodiversity data for research and educational purposes(2015-12) Brenskelle, Laura Marie; Rowe, Timothy, 1953-; Bell, Christopher J; Brown, Matthew; Karadkar, UnmilHerein I describe two different projects I completed during the course of my Master’s at The University of Texas at Austin. These projects broadly focused on the application of technology to maintain scientific data for research and education. The first chapter is a case study of a website I developed as part of a group project in a graduate database management course. Our group took a module from proprietary instructional software developed in the 1990s, and moved it into an online format with a MySQL database on the backend. In chapter one, I provide the appropriate documentation for this project to be expanded in the future. The second chapter describes a project where I interviewed collection managers of natural history collections about their database practices. These practices have implications for the downstream use of these data for research, education, and conservation. As technology inevitably advances, this thesis will serve as a historical snapshot of modern practices, and today, it can provide a starting point of how to further the emerging discipline of biodiversity informatics.