Developing integrated workflows for the digitisation of herbarium specimens using a modular and scalable approach

Area of Science:

• Botany
• Digital Curation
• Information Science

Background:

• Digitisation programs often face inconsistent funding and diverse operational approaches.
• Existing methods lack integration, leading to inefficiencies in managing herbarium specimens.
• The Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (RBGE) sought a unified digitisation strategy.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a modular and scalable integrated workflow for digitising herbarium specimens at RBGE.
• To create a standardized process applicable to all digitisation projects.
• To enhance efficiency and consistency in herbarium collection management.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of a three-element integrated workflow: specimen, data, and image.
• Linking specimen workflow to curatorial processes, including conservation considerations.
• Developing distinct data workflows for label, curatorial, and supplementary data.
• Utilizing custom software for rapid curatorial data capture and optical character recognition (OCR) for label and supplementary data.
• Incorporating automated systems for efficient image processing.

Main Results:

• The integrated workflow provides a modular and scalable solution for digitisation.
• Custom software and OCR significantly improve data capture efficiency.
• Automated systems address the challenges of processing large image datasets.
• The workflow integrates curatorial processes and conservation aspects.

Conclusions:

• An integrated, modular, and scalable digitisation workflow is essential for efficient herbarium specimen management.
• Combining custom software, OCR, and automation enhances data and image processing.
• The developed workflow supports better prioritisation, selection, and preparation of specimens.