Aggregating collection information. This is a useful way to share collection data from multiple institutions in a centralized database, and mineral databases are far behind our biological sciences colleagues. With iDigBio and GBIF, they help educate best practices for digitization, provide infrastructure for database management and a place to deposit data, and promote usage. IDigBio, has researcher highlights, best practices on collecting and sharing data, education & outreach working groups, K-12 integration, community science initiatives, and much more. The biological databases are good examples, as they work very well.
There needs to be an open and accessible centralized repository of information that has data on where specimens are housed, and scientific data on those specimens, plus all the needed education to keep mineral collecting and the related sciences moving forward. I understand that open databases can be abused, but an active user community can serve as an overseeing body to get things mostly accurate. Examples of some databases where geologists can contribute data are EarthchemCrystallographic Open DatabasePangea, but they typically only house data, and are not user-friendly.

How A Researcher Can Increase Their Impact

Help Your Museum Through …

Part Two: Public Trust & Education

Museums are among the most trusted sources of information to the public. Just google “Do people trust museums?” and “Do people trust universities?” and you will see a stark contrast of results. People trust Google above all else, so you know these results speak the truth. Sarcasm aside, keeping that trust, and also bringing the collection to the public is constant work.