TDWG 2017

Abstract

The biodiversity informatics standards, tools, and resources developed by TDWG and its members are vital components in the daily work of curators and collections professionals in natural history museum collections. However, opportunities for communication and collaboration between these groups are too often rare and siloed. Therefore, building a mutual understanding of and solid collaboration about how biodiversity informatics concepts are developed and then how they are applied to the mobilization of collections data can be difficult. In 2018, the TDWG meeting will be held in conjunction with the Society for the Preservation of Natural History Collection (SPNHC) meeting, providing an invaluable opportunity to address these issues. In order to enhance the effectiveness of the 2018 meeting it is important for each group to develop a better comprehension of the vernacular of the other. This symposium aims to bridge gaps in understanding between the biodiversity informaticians and the ways collections professionals use their work. It will provide examples of how collections are using TDWG standards, applicability statements, and best practices, as well as exploring where this community, along with discipline specific experts, can work to provide more controlled vocabularies for existing terms, participate in development activities of interest and task groups, and identify and contribute solutions to needs as yet unaddressed by current standards.