TDWG 2017 Collections Description Interest Group Meeting

The Collections Description Interest Group is dedicated to developing and supporting the Natural Collections Description (NCD) data standard for describing entire collections of natural history materials. Examples include collections of specimens, observation data, original artwork, photographs, and materials from the many voyages of discovery that have been conducted. The standard was brought up to the draft stage in 2008, and we are re-forming the interest group to attempt to finish it. Collection description records contain information about the collection, access and usage of the collection and where to get more detailed information. The meeting this year will focus on the formation of the Task Group to work on the standard itself, with the goal of leaving the meeting with a working draft of the task group charter, including an outline of goals and deadlines.