CollectiveAccess is free, open-source software for cataloguing and publishing museum and archival collections. We are currently evaluating and configuring the application for the INBO collections (https://www.gbif.org/grscicoll/institution/df2f787b-e54a-4902-8212-390bb2bc7b21), in the context of the DiSSCo Flanders project (https://dissco-flanders.be/).

This project includes code from "Collective Access (providence)" -- https://github.com/collectiveaccess/providence which is licensed under the GPL-3.0. Providence is developed by Whirl-i-Gig, Inc. and the CollectiveAccess community.

The INBO collections that will make use of this application

• The INBO soil archive (33k soil samples)
• The INBO plant analytical collection (2k dried plant samples)
• The INBO DNA collection (43k DNA samples)
• The INBO living plant collection (411 plots)
• The INBO seedbank (844 seedlots)
• The INBO stem discs (289 wood specimens)
• The INBO fish tissue collection (approx. 55 fish tissue samples)
• The INBO mammal tissue collection (approx. 19k mammal tissue samples)
• The INBO fish collection (151 specimens)
• The INBO mounted animal collection (12 specimens)

More information

• manual https://manual.collectiveaccess.org/providence/user/dataModelling/profiles/XMLSchema.html
• demo-website https://demo.collectiveaccess.org/
• collective-access https://www.collectiveaccess.org/

The basic functionalities this application covers

• provide an inventory (what + where is it stored) of all the objects archived at INBO
• log re-use of objects ~ loans, both internal and external

Additional functionalities that this application could cover

• log the value of the objects so future decision making can occur without the lead scientists' involvement
• log curatorial activities that can influence the quality of the objects