Summary of Recommendations of the GBIF Task Group on the Global Strategy and Action Plan for the Digitisation of Natural History Collections

Abstract

A Task Group to envision a Global Strategy and Action Plan for the Mobilization of Natural History Collections Data established by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) has formulated three basic recommendations in order to increase the rate of mobilization of natural history collections data and improve the usage of this information resource: (i) GBIF must facilitate access to information about non-digitized collection resources by publicizing the research potential of collections through metadata and assessing the number of non-digitized specimens; (ii) GBIF must work with collections to continue to increase the efficiency of specimen data capture and to enhance data quality by means of technical measures, by means of ensuring attribution and professional credit and influencing institutional priorities, and by engaging with funding agencies; (iii) GBIF must continue to improve and promote the global infrastructure used to mobilize digitized collection data through technical measures, outreach activities and political measures.