What if these all went away?

1. What if these all went away? Specimen Search Museum of Vertebrate Zoology Data Access University of California, Berkeley CalPhotos Essig Specimen Database Query

2. Berkeley Natural History Museums / Museum Informatics ProjectStrategic Planning Project Open Forum May 25, 2005 Berkeley Natural History Museums

3. What has been achieved? • In-house Specimen Databases for all museums (MIP, NSF, etc.) • Online Specimen Databases for all museums (MIP, DLP) • Calphotos image repository (DLP) • Personal Library document scanning repository (DLP) • AmphibiaWeb (DLP, Turner) • Specimen search across all BNHM (BNHM) • Specimen distribution mapping with BerkeleyMapper (BNHM) • Connection to Global Networks, e.g., MaNIS, ORNIS, HerpNet (NSF)

4. How has this been achieved?

5. Problems with Current Informatics Development Model • Chaos mode - individual based development of projects • The “Rotten Core” (Radical Ongoing Tweeking of Core Systems with no hard $ support) • Need hard-money support spread out

6. Goals of Planning Project: • Plan for long term informatics support for BNHM • Increase competitiveness for obtaining extramural funding for further Biodiversity Informatics grants • Identify informatics components to support the proposed Center for Biodiversity Science • Help MIP/Interactive University better understand the needs of BNHM • Develop models of future BNHM and MIP/IU partnerships • Develop a foundation for a campus budget request to support a joint BNHM and MIP service partnership • Keep existing projects running without interruption

7. The Planning Process (3 months) • Formation of BNHM/MIP Strategic Planning Committee (BNHM, MIP/IU, DLP, MVZ, Herbaria, UCMP, Field Stations represented) • Web site http://iu.berkeley.edu/bnhmplanning/ • IT Surveys: • current systems and support in the BNHM • historical survey of technology in the BNHM • vision survey (BNHM Curators, Staff, Students, etc.) • IT services and groups on the Berkeley campus • Regular committee meetings and retreats – issues, prioritization, organizational structure • Open forum for input from BNHM community • Draft of Strategic Planning Document

8. What’s in it for researchers? • Data access and analysis tools • Increased competition for NSF funding • Criteria I: Intellectual Merits • Criteria II: Broader Impacts (i.e., data sharing, outreach) • Data curation • Networking with field stations

9. What’s in it for museums & field stations?(top 10 priorities) • Storage & archiving • Specimen management system maintenance/development • Network connectivity of field stations • IT education and training • Database management and development • Security and systems administration • Portal/ interface development and management • Digital repositories and asset management • GIS data library, WMS Services, Mapping • Museum websites & outreach

10. 1. BNHM IT 2. SIMS, IST, CCDL IBS MIP/IU 3. 4. MIP/IU IT (BSCIT) BNHM MIP/IU BNHM MIP/IU BNHM IT Other Campus Units (e.g., SIMS, IST) IT Options for Organizing Staff

11. Advantages of a CollaborativeIT Unit • Common systems are more sustainable • Ability to leverage funding, more financial stability • More responsive to priorities • Better tools and larger capacity

12. Risks of a collaborativeIT group • May not get what you want and/or when you want it • Involves cultural change (Individual control vs. joint priority setting) • IT positions may shift or consolidate

13. Strategy and Outcomes • Ongoing support for collaborative informatics positions (FTE) • 3 year timeframe to build collaborative group using funds from: • Fundraising (extramural) • Units (provide matching funds) • Campus

14. What’s Next? • June 30, 2005 -- Final Report from planning committee • July, 2005 -- Meet with senior administration to present report & vision plan • September, 2005 -- Meet with senior administration to discuss resources issues and work to secure commitments to fund essential personnel from Jan 1, 2006 onwards • May, 2006 -- Review progress in relation to milestones