About the Specify Collections Consortium
The Specify Collections Consortium (SCC), founded in 2018, is committed to enhancing the management and accessibility of biological and geoscience research collections. Drawing on over 35 years of development and collaboration, we have partnered with natural history museums, biological repositories, and geoscience institutions to provide the open-source Specify Collection Management Platform and technical services related to the digitization, management, and sharing of specimen information. Specify facilitates the management of data related to specimens and samples, empowering institutions worldwide to digitize their collections, manage loans, gifts, and exchanges, handle associated multimedia, run important statistics for internal and external reporting, and share their data with GBIF and other data repositories.
Our community comprises a diverse range of member collections from around the globe, all striving to improve the handling of biological and geoscience data. Specify plays a crucial role in supporting these institutions by streamlining data management and ensuring that valuable research information is preserved and accessible.
Our Mission
The mission of the Specify Collections Consortium is to advance research and education uses of biological specimen and sample information through collaborative, open-source software development. Governed by a Board of Directors and Research and Technology Advisory Committees drawn from member institutions, the Consortium prioritizes the engineering, deployment, and support of software technologies that facilitate the creation, curation, discovery, and scientific utilization of the information associated with biological and geoscience collections.
The SCC informs member institutions’ long-term strategies with biodiversity data processing, responding to macrotrends affecting the collections community, such as economic pressures for collections consolidation, network security, national and international data aggregation, the move to cloud-based architectures, and the need for computational integration of collection curation and research. We focus on innovating analytical and integration capabilities within collections computing, developing tools for quantitative analysis of collection holdings to identify informational strengths across various environmental dimensions, including phylogenetic, geographic, climatic, and temporal aspects.
The Consortium collaborates with technical staff from member institutions to evolve computing strategies through research and the deployment of new integrations, standards, and internet technologies. For smaller institutions, SCC technology support can eliminate the need for local IT staff through hosting solutions with updated, secure database management in cloud-based services. Larger institutions and national initiatives engage with Consortium engineers to co-design larger information management architectures and contribute components to the Consortium’s open-source software repositories for the benefit of all Specify collections. By acting as an extension of institutional IT, the Consortium helps museums avoid the daunting costs of software engineering while meeting essential research data processing requirements.
Key Features of Specify
- Open-Source Platform: Specify is an open-source software solution that allows institutions to customize and adapt the platform to meet their unique needs.
- Global Reach: With a presence in various countries, Specify supports a diverse community of biological and geoscience collections, enhancing research collaboration and data sharing.
- Technical Support: We offer comprehensive technical services to assist institutions in implementing and optimizing their use of the Specify platform.
Join Us
We invite you to join our growing community of collections and contribute to the future of biological and geoscience research. Together, we can enhance the management of research data and improve access to vital resources.
Why Choose Specify?
Specify not only provides a robust platform for data management but also fosters a collaborative community of professionals dedicated to advancing biological and geoscience research. By choosing Specify, institutions gain access to a wealth of resources, expertise, and a network of like-minded organizations.
| Features | Benefits | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| Open-Source | Customizable | Tailored solutions |
| Global Network | Collaboration | Sharing best practices |
| Technical Support | Ongoing assistance | Training and resources |
Get Involved
Join our community today and help shape the future of biological and geoscience data management. Explore our resources, participate in discussions, and connect with fellow professionals in the field.
Contact Us
For more information about the Specify Collections Consortium, please visit our website or reach out to us directly. Together, we can make a difference in the fields of biological and geoscience research.