The document introduces scratchpads as open-access, online platforms for scientists to share biodiversity data. Scratchpads allow researchers to create taxon pages, distribution maps, bibliographies and more. They are hosted websites created by local scientists and supported by various European Commission grants. Scratchpads aim to make more scientific knowledge available globally by allowing updates, community contributions and integration with other data sources.

1. An
Introduc+on
to
Scratchpads
Ed
Baker
Department
of
Life
Sciences,
Natural
History
Museum
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

2. Why
Scratchpads?
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

3. Science
is
global
• It
needs
global
standards
• Coopera+on
of
large
ins+tu+ons
and
organisa+ons
Science
is
carried
out
“locally”
• By
local
scien+sts
• Involvement
with
local
infrastructures
• Funded
locally
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

4. The
problems
with
tradi9onal
published
data
• Most
descrip+ons
are
under
copyright
(~1923)
• Limited
Open
Access
and
accessibility
• No
mechanism
for
updates
&
correc+ons
• LiUle
or
no
data
integra+on
(except
cita+ons)
• No
mechanism
for
community
engagement
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

5. This
leads
to:
• Vast
amounts
of
unpublished
taxonomic
“knowledge”
• The
knowledge
that
is
published
cannot
be
mobilised
• Low
scien+fic
impact
(but
long
half-­‐life)
• A
complex,
fragmented
&
hard
to
navigate
landscape
• Dispersed
data
sources
• Difficul+es
for
collec+ng
informa+on
for
research
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

6. The
Concept
Your data External data & services
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

7. What
is
a
Scratchpad?
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

8. Scratchpads
are
not
• A
single
biodiversity
database
• A
tool
just
for
taxonomists
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

9. The
Basics
• Hosted
websites
for
biodiversity
data
• Virtual
research
&
publica+on
pla^orm
• Completely
open
access
&
open
source
• Modular
&
flexible
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

10. Taxon
pages
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

11. Distribu9on
Maps
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

12. Literature
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

13. See
who
is
using
your
site
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

14. Coming
soon
• Matrix-based keys using the character project
• Publication tool - submit manuscripts made on your site to ZooKeys,
Phytokeys or the new Biodiversity Data Journal
• Checklists, multiple language support and more!
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

15. The
Scratchpads
project
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

16. How
are
Scratchpads
funded?
2007 2011 2014
ViBRANT!
Virtual
Biodiversity
Research
&
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

17. Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

18. Who
uses
Scratchpads?
• Professional scientists
• Amateur naturalists
• Citizen scientists
• Individuals, groups & societies
Users
Sites
ViBRANT SP 2
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

19. Protec+ng
your
data
• Nightly backups of database and files
• Off-site tape backup
• Whole-site archives available upon request
• Berlin mirror
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

20. Resources
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

21. Wiki
• help.scratchpads.eu
-­‐
training
manuals,
videos
Ambassadors
Programme
• scratchpads.eu
–
local
experienced
users
Issues
Queue
• Report
bugs
and
suggest
features
from
your
site
Sandbox
• Sandbox.scratchpads.eu
–
for
trying
things
before
doing
them
on
your
site
Introduc+on
>
Why
Scratchpads?
>
What
is
a
Scratchpad?
>
About
the
Scratchpads
project
>
Resources

22. Ques+ons?