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Database Title

6.7 Te Kahui-Te Papa Tongarewa Collections Management
Keywords
Type1.
Type 11.		 Species; specimens ;taxonomy; distribution; New Zealand EEZ
Abstract

TE KAHUI was designed to facilitate the management of all types of Museum collections, ranging from historical artifacts and art works to natural environment specimens. Not all of the biological data is currently in the database although it is intended that it will be.

The database contains various modules that handle aspects of the work of the Museum. These modules allow the storage and manipulation of information about items and the collection management procedures affecting them, such as conservation, loans, movement, storage, insurance and exhibition.

The object-oriented database uses the text retrieval software BRS Search as the backend search engine with a Windows user interface written in Smalltalk. Images attached to records are stored in and drawn from Hyperwave software. The software has multimedia capabilities.
Geographical Coverage New Zealand EEZ
Dataset start date. 19th century
Dataset end date. In progress
Status/currency. Current
Update frequency. Ongoing
Maintenance. Te Papa. The structure of the database is currently under review.

 

Technical Evaluation

  
Parameters- what is measured For each record:
  • Taxonomic classification
  • Location of collection site (latitude, longitude, country, region, ecological district)
  • Habitat of collection site (substrate, depth sample and bottom temperature)
  • Habit
  • Associated biota
  • Collector, collection date and method
  • Specimen storage location (and a number of other parameters about archiving, exhibiting and loaning specimens)
Parameters- what is calculated N/A
Methods used to measure parameters Collection mangers, curators and collectors (if employed at Te Papa) enter data from specimen label.
Scale of use. N/A
Number of records Number of records currently entered onto database:
  • Fish(marine and freshwater)-35946
  • Marine mammals-1077
  • Seabirds- approx 18% of total seabirds collection (database not complete)
  • Molluscs- approx 37,700 (database not complete)
  • Plants- approx 16,528 marine (database not complete)
GIS compatibility. Collection site located using latitude and longitude. NZ map grid used.
Available formats for users. Data from database is usually exported to users using Excel. Data is used in a variety of published and unpublished reports
Access constraints. Database only available to Te Papa staff. Within Te Papa, only collections managers, curators, researchers and authorized others have access to the field collection data
Measurement Accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Completeness of dataset To be completed by database manager.
Positional accuracy To be completed by database manager.
Database steward Te Papa
Database custodian Te Papa
Database custodian contact person Trish Evans
Manager Collections Information
Database custodian Contact
Address
Phone
Fax
Email		 Cable Street
PO Box 467
Wellington
+64 4 381 7000
+64 4 381 7070
trishe@tepapa.govt.nz
References Te Papa Tongarewa Collections Information Management User Manual- Te Kahui Collections Information System. Te Papa Tongarewa. (regularly updated).
Many reports have used data exported from the database.

 

Management Evaluation

  
Original purpose.
  • To replace manual systems for recording collections.
  • To provide an information tracking/management system
Relationships with classification systems. Taxonomic classification
Relationships with other databases Stand alone database
Known relationships with proposed EPIP indicators. Unknown
Database uses? Te Papa staff and some external researchers on site. External users use extracted data
Public awareness of the database Low
Database strengths.
  • Advanced search capability
  • Database contains strict standards and field validation techniques (e.g. standardized pick lists, format for dates and names)
  • Can be used to produce labels
  • Can store images
Database limitations.
  • There are support problems because this is a 6 year old custom -built database
  • There are difficulties associated with combining natural science and humanities data
  • Slow processing time
  • Designing reports is cumbersome
  • There are size limitations on data exportation
  • There are some data quality problems because standards are not always followed.

 

What are the Current and Emerging Uses of the Database for:

  
Assisting with determining historic state/baseline. It is useful in so much as the database contains relevant information. There are limitations because the data was not collected in a systematic way.
Assisting with determining current state/baseline. It can identify localities where particular species have been found.
Assisting with modeling possible future outcomes. Not really
Risk assessment. Can identify the locations of threatened species although often this data is restricted in terms of who can see it.
Monitoring site selection and sample design. N/A
Aggregating and reporting data locally, regionally or nationally. Can report localities that different species occur in at the national/regional/local level