Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію
Herbarium digitization is a strategic process that transforms physical collections into accessible, standardized, and interoperable digital format, thereby improving their preservation, accessibility, and scientific value. The paper emphasizes that successful digitization requires long-term planning...
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M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine
2026
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Plant Introduction| _version_ | 1862496224584663040 |
|---|---|
| author | Novikov, Andriy |
| author_facet | Novikov, Andriy |
| author_sort | Novikov, Andriy |
| baseUrl_str | https://www.plantintroduction.org/index.php/pi/oai |
| collection | OJS |
| datestamp_date | 2026-04-14T19:21:13Z |
| description | Herbarium digitization is a strategic process that transforms physical collections into accessible, standardized, and interoperable digital format, thereby improving their preservation, accessibility, and scientific value. The paper emphasizes that successful digitization requires long-term planning, including clear objectives, workflows, resource allocation, quality control, and sustainable data management. It proposes organizing digitization through three complementary teams (i.e., Digitization, Archiving, and Implementation) and frames their roles through the DIPA2 concept, which covers data, imaging, publishing, archiving, and application. |
| doi_str_mv | 10.46341/PI2026002 |
| first_indexed | 2026-04-15T01:00:13Z |
| format | Article |
| fulltext |
© The Authors. This content is provided under CC BY 4.0 license.
Plant Introduction, 109, 65–68 (2026) ISSN 1605-6574, e-ISSN 2663-290X
SHORT COMMUNICATION
Short notice on choosing the herbarium digitization strategy
Andriy Novikov
State Museum of Natural Historyof the NAS of Ukraine, Teatralna str. 18, 79008 Lviv, Ukraine; novikoffav@gmail.com
Received: 18.03.2026 | Accepted: 03.04.2026 | Published: 14.04.2026
Abstract
Herbarium digitization is a strategic process that transforms physical collections into accessible,
standardized, and interoperable digital format, thereby improving their preservation, accessibility, and
scientific value. The paper emphasizes that successful digitization requires long-term planning, including
clear objectives, workflows, resource allocation, quality control, and sustainable data management. It
proposes organizing digitization through three complementary teams (i.e., Digitization, Archiving, and
Implementation) and frames their roles through the DIPA2 concept, which covers data, imaging, publishing,
archiving, and application.
Keywords: herbarium digitization, digitization strategy, digital specimen, DIPA2 concept, biodiversity data, collection management
https://doi.org/10.46341/PI2026002
UDC 57.082 + 57.087.3
Funding: None.
Competing Interests: The author has declared that no competing interests exist.
Herbarium digitization has become an
essential direction in the modernization
of natural history collections. Its primary
aims are to improve access to collection-
and collectors-based information, support
the long-term preservation of collection
knowledge, and increase the scientific,
educational, and social value of herbaria.
By converting physical specimens and
their associated data into digital resources,
institutions can reduce barriers to access,
facilitate collection management, and enable
broader participation in biodiversity research.
The digital transformation of herbaria and
the growing interoperability of collection
data have facilitated the development of a so-
called metaherbarium, defined by accessible,
standardized, and interconnected data
resources (Davis, 2023).
The prospects of herbarium digitization
extend far beyond the creation of digital copies.
Digitized collections can serve as a foundation
for taxonomic, ecological, biogeographical,
conservation, and historical studies, while also
supporting education, public outreach, and
international data exchange (Heberling et al.,
2019; Paton et al., 2020, 2025). In this sense,
digitization should be understood not as an
end in itself, but as a strategic process, which
transforms herbarium collections into active
and interoperable research infrastructure
(Davis, 2023). The long-term profit of
digitization therefore depends not only on the
efficiency of data capture, but also on how well
digitized materials are preserved, published,
integrated, and applied in future work.
Before initiating any herbarium
digitization project, it is essential to define
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0112-5070
66 Plant Introduction • 109
Novikov
not only technical parameters but also the
overall strategy that will guide the entire
digitization lifecycle. Digitization is not
simply the mechanical conversion of physical
specimens into digital format. It is a long-
term commitment that requires combination
of infrastructure, workflows, quality control,
and sustainable data management (Nieva de la
Hidalga, 2020; Borsch et al., 2020; Dillen et al.,
2024). Therefore, strategic planning should
address several interconnected aspects: the
objectives of digitization, overall digitization
scope, prioritization within the collection,
data standards, resource allocation, and the
intended long-term use of the derived digital
materials.
In large or distributed collections, strategic
planning becomes even more critical (e.g.,
Thiers et al., 2016; Dillen et al., 2024). A formal
digitization plan should define clear timelines,
resource requirements, responsibilities, and
expected outcomes for each stage of the
process. It should also specify how digitized
assets will be stored, curated, and made
accessible both for internal use and public.
Without such planning, digitization efforts
risk becoming fragmented, unsustainable, or
underutilized.
A practical approach is to structure
digitization activities around three
complementary teams with distinct
responsibilities. The Digitization Team focuses
on capturing data and producing digital
surrogates, ensuring standardized acquisition
and metadata capture. The Archiving Team
ensures long-term preservation, integrity,
and security of digital assets, including
backups and preservation formats. The
Implementation Team works to maximize
the value of digitized materials through data
integration, publication, research, education,
and secondary dissemination. Such division of
labor helps to ensure both efficiency and long-
term sustainability.
The roles and tasks of these teams can be
effectively conceptualized using the DIPA2
concept (Novikov, 2025; Novikov & Nachychko,
2025a), which distinguishes five functional
layers of work with digitized collections:
• D – Data (database creation, as well
as data mobilization, structuring, and
management);
• I – Image (imaging capturing,
structuring, and managment);
• P – Publishing (making data publicly
available);
• Ar – Archiving (long-term preservation
and storage);
• Ap – Application (use of data in research,
education, policy, etc.).
Depending on institutional priorities,
available resources, and strategic goals,
different combinations of these layers can
be implemented. The digitization pathway
chosen, e.g., Object-to-Data (OD), Object-to-
Image (OI), Object-to-Image-to-Data (OID),
or Object-to-Data-to-Image (ODI), strongly
influences the downstream workflows and
resource requirements (Nelson et al., 2015;
Novikov & Nachychko, 2025b). These four
digitization models define how physical
specimens are transformed into digital assets
and what type of information is prioritized at
each stage.
As summarized in Table 1, the DIPA2
framework yields 32 distinct scenarios
depending on the chosen digitization model
and the subsequent actions taken with the
digitized materials. These scenarios illustrate
the full spectrum of possible strategies,
ranging from simple data capture without
long-term storage or dissemination, to fully
integrated workflows involving publication,
archiving, and advanced application.
A key principle illustrated by these
scenarios is that intended use should guide
the digitization strategy. If long-term
archiving is not planned, producing archival-
quality images may be unnecessary. If public
dissemination is not anticipated, strict
adherence to international data standards
may be deprioritized at least at the initial
stages of the digitization process. However,
digitization projects often evolve over time,
and what may appear unnecessary at the
outset may later become critical. Therefore,
institutions are encouraged to adopt a future-
oriented approach and design workflows that
enable scalability, interoperability, and reuse.
In practical terms, this means aiming for more
comprehensive scenarios such as IDPArAp or
DIPArAp, which combine data mobilization,
imaging, publication, archiving, and their
active or prospective application.
Ultimately, a well-designed digitization
strategy enhances not only access and
preservation but also scientific collaboration,
Plant Introduction • 109 67
Short notice on choosing the herbarium digitization strategy
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68 Plant Introduction • 109
Novikov
Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію
Андрій Новіков
Державний природознавчий музей НАН України, вул. Театральна, 18, Львів, 79008, Україна;
novikoffav@gmail.com
Оцифрування гербаріїв – це стратегічний процес, який перетворює фізичні колекції в операбельний,
стандартизований та сумісний цифровий формат, тим самим покращуючи їх збереження, доступність
та наукову цінність. У статті наголошується, що успішне оцифрування вимагає довгострокового
планування, включаючи чіткі цілі, робочі процеси, розподіл ресурсів, контроль якості та стале
управління даними. У ній пропонується організувати оцифрування через три взаємодоповнюючі
команди (а саме, оцифрування, архівування та впровадження) та визначає їхні ролі за допомогою
концепції DIPA2, яка охоплює дані, візуалізацію, публікацію, архівування та застосування.
Ключові слова: оцифрування гербарію, стратегія оцифрування, цифровий зразок, концепція DIPA2, дані про біорізноманіття,
управління колекцією
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|
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| spelling | oai:ojs2.plantintroduction.org:article-16972026-04-14T19:21:13Z Short notice on choosing the herbarium digitization strategy Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію Novikov, Andriy Herbarium digitization is a strategic process that transforms physical collections into accessible, standardized, and interoperable digital format, thereby improving their preservation, accessibility, and scientific value. The paper emphasizes that successful digitization requires long-term planning, including clear objectives, workflows, resource allocation, quality control, and sustainable data management. It proposes organizing digitization through three complementary teams (i.e., Digitization, Archiving, and Implementation) and frames their roles through the DIPA2 concept, which covers data, imaging, publishing, archiving, and application. Оцифрування гербаріїв – це стратегічний процес, який перетворює фізичні колекції в операбельний, стандартизований та сумісний цифровий формат, тим самим покращуючи їх збереження, доступність та наукову цінність. У статті наголошується, що успішне оцифрування вимагає довгострокового планування, включаючи чіткі цілі, робочі процеси, розподіл ресурсів, контроль якості та стале управління даними. У ній пропонується організувати оцифрування через три взаємодоповнюючі команди (а саме, оцифрування, архівування та впровадження) та визначає їхні ролі за допомогою концепції DIPA2, яка охоплює дані, візуалізацію, публікацію, архівування та застосування. M.M. Gryshko National Botanical Garden of the NAS of Ukraine 2026-04-14 Article Article application/pdf https://www.plantintroduction.org/index.php/pi/article/view/1697 10.46341/PI2026002 Plant Introduction; No 109 (2026): Early view; 65-68 Інтродукція Рослин; № 109 (2026): Early view; 65-68 2663-290X 1605-6574 en https://www.plantintroduction.org/index.php/pi/article/view/1697/1587 Copyright (c) 2026 Andriy Novikov http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0 |
| spellingShingle | Novikov, Andriy Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title | Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title_alt | Short notice on choosing the herbarium digitization strategy |
| title_full | Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title_fullStr | Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title_full_unstemmed | Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title_short | Коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| title_sort | коротке зауваження щодо вибору стратегії оцифрування гербарію |
| url | https://www.plantintroduction.org/index.php/pi/article/view/1697 |
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