Digitization efforts have been instrumental in increasing access to biodiversity data for multidisciplinary research, education, and conservation. Collections data are served by online portals made accessible through the following avenues.

Collection Management Information Systems: Database platforms and collection management tools for accessioning, cataloging, updating, georeferencing, and tracking specimens and their usage in museums.

Data aggregators: Database platforms that aggregate data from different providers and make those data available through a single portal. Data aggregators have been instrumental in helping collections get their data online, either directly or by harvesting data from Collection Management Information Systems.

  • CSVColl: Consortium of Small Vertebrate Collections
  • GBIF: Global Biodiversity Information Facility
  • iDigBio: Integrated Digitized Biocollections
  • VertNet: Vertebrate Network of Digitized Collections