3. Strickland Virtual Museum - origins 1. Strickland reference collection - VM is a modern version 2. University of Alberta Museums and Collections Services 3. UC Berkeley CityBugs project (1997 - Sperling)
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5. 2,546 species pages 110, 265 specimens databased 894 collector records 4,576 distinct species names
6. Species pages as: - living documents - publication drafts (esp. Moths of Alberta) - course termpapers
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8. Strickland Virtual Museum - implementation Funding sources: CFI New Investigator grant to Sperling (hardware) CFI New Initiatives Fund: Canadian University Biodiversity Consortium (hardware and databasing) Friends of the University of Alberta Museums NSERC Discovery Grant to Sperling (student support) NSERC NCE Sustainable Forest Management Network University of Alberta Museums and Collections Services University of Alberta Department of Biological Sciences Young Canada Works (summer student databasing) Plus thousands of hours of volunteer time to database and identify specimens in Strickland Museum and other collections (esp. GG Anweiler, CD Bird, Alberta Lepid. Guild grantees)
12. Strickland Virtual Museum - challenges Funding, training, updating Keeping up with changes in database standards and network protocols Keeping a good supply of well-ID’d specimens for students to database Staying fresh and keeping interest Engaging graduate students to leave species pages as a legacy of their work Integration with DNA and other vouchers (e.g. contracts, theses, bioblitzes) Convincing visiting researchers, consultants to contribute to our databases Lessons learned that could apply elsewhere : Harnessing self interest for the greater good species pages Relentless self promotion is essential Explicit attention to community building
