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The Boeing Company supports the ZIMS Project
The Boeing Company has given ISIS an initial US $50,000 grant, and has promised an additional US $50,000 in matching fund in 2006 for the Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS) Project.
“We are very grateful to Boeing for their support of the ZIMS Project,” said ISIS Executive Director Nate Flesness. “Through partnerships with corporate leaders across the world, we can make a marked impact on the preservation of animal species whose existence has been threatened, and at the same time support the very best possible animal management in popular zoos and aquariums worldwide.”
ISIS has also secured US $500,000 from the US Congress, a US $500,000 National Leadership Grant through the US Institute of Museum and Library Services (IMLS), a US $300,000 grant from the US National Science Foundation and pledges totaling more than US $4 million from 146 members of the worldwide zoological community to build ZIMS. Building ZIMS: The Campaign for ISIS – has now reached US $5.5 million of the capital funding goal of US $10 million.
Meet the ZIMS Project volunteers
The ZIMS Project is one of the most ambitious online projects ever attempted – this project will span the entire globe. The ZIMS Project could not be completed without the help and support of the expansive volunteer network that has contributed to this project.
While there may be too many volunteers to highlight each individual fully, we are going to introduce you to as many of the team members as possible through upcoming issues of this newsletter. These volunteers are presented in no particular order – the work of each and every one of them is absolutely important to this project.
Dr. Ulrike Rademacher, Wilhelma Zoological and Botanical Gardens, Stuttgart, Germany
Ulrike is a member of the ZIMS Core Team, the International Animal Data Information Systems Committee (IADISC) and the European ADISC. She has attended design sessions all over the world and has been very involved in reviewing the documentation on which the system will be built. In addition, she has volunteered to translate ISIS News into German each month so that her colleagues can be more aware of the project.
When asked why she is excited about the ZIMS application, Ulrike said, “I like the idea that with ZIMS we will be able not only to exchange core data of an animal…but also exchange all kinds of information about husbandry, veterinary care, behaviour…in a way that is very easy and less time consuming than now.
“With ZIMS you will be able to get all kinds of more flexible and customized reports. This will make life so much easier. Instead of writing e-mails and phoning colleagues we can search for these kinds of information in ZIMS.”
She is also excited about the potential for an animal to have a lifelong ID, which will make it much easier to track the specimens.
Bob Gebert, Calgary Zoo, Canada
Bob has been involved in the ZIMS Project from the beginning, participating on the ZIMS Core Team and the ZIMS Technical Working Group (ZTWG).
Bob is involved in the ZIMS Project because he feels it is important for his organization’s interests to be heard, but also because of the opportunity the project presents for members to meet and talk with a group of very dedicated people and to be involved in this very large international project.
When asked what he expects the ZIMS application to offer his facility, Bob said, “The reduction of time spent maintaining accurate records and the ability to ‘see’ the world population in one consistent format will be awesome benefits.”
Bob added, “Whenever I get down on the project, I just phone Syed [Hassan, ZIMS Project manager] and his enthusiasm has consistently helped turn my attitude.”
Jean Miller, registrar, Buffalo Zoo, New York, USA
Jean joined the ZIMS Core Team recently, but has been involved in the project for some time, reviewing documentation and providing input
Jean started using the ISIS system before it was computerized. She decided to join the ZIMS Project because of the opportunity this project offered to “provide input in the first system designed by its users.” Jean added, “the result will be either our glory or our fault, so I'm trying to make sure it's the former.”
Jean is excited about the ZIMS application’s ability to allow users to see all facets of a specimen's records together -- to be able to see the overall picture.
Jean said, “I cannot wait until this program is in use -- my job will be so much easier, I won't know what to do with all the time I'll be saving!”/P>
Jean Miller
Robert Dulski, Director of Information Services, Brookfield Zoo Chicago Zoological Society
Robert serves on the ZIMS Core Team and as a co-chair for ZIMS Technical Working Group (ZTWG).
Robert’s institution was a founding member of ISIS. When asked why he decided to participate in the ZIMS Project, Robert said, “Lots of reasons.” Among them he listed: the potential this project has to have great impact on the management of endangered species and the quality of care for the living creatures for which we are responsible, and the unselfish collaboration of everyone involved in the project.
“It is in our institutions’ own best interest to have ZIMS succeed,” said Robert. “The ZIMS Project is one of the most interesting and challenging IT [Information Technology] projects out there and I get to interact with some wonderfully talented people from all over the world!”
Robert looks forward to ZIMS as a commercial, quality application that will have a support and development infrastructure to help him serve the clients he supports at the zoo. “There are many good accounting and human resources systems available,” said Robert, “but the animal care/management community has not had any good commercial quality options to meet their needs.”
Mobilizing our members for data cleanup/reconciliation
ISIS and the worldwide zoological community have requested that facilities and studbook keepers cleanup their data in the current ISIS system so that the information will be accurate when moved into ZIMS – and the community is making a commitment!
“It is, unfortunately, too soon to report studbook/institutional data reconciliation progress as measured by the numbers,” said ISIS Executive Director Nate Flesness. “However, it is NOT too soon to report that WAZA President Ed MacAlister’s letter to all studbook keepers has had a real impact getting things started.”
Laurie Bingaman Lackey, ISIS SPARKS/studbook keeper support, has received requests for training and help with the studbook/institutional data reconciliation effort from studbook keepers around the world. We believe this shows that studbook keepers are ready to work with their institutional records partners on data quality, which will be a key factor in assuring that the information in ZIMS is accurate.
The Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks & Aquaria (ARAZPA) has also made a solid commitment to reconciling the data in their studbooks – the region has hired an intern to help their studbook keepers do this. As a region, ARAZPA has set a goal of 100% accuracy.
It will take all of our efforts to assure that the data in the ISIS system is ready for ZIMS. If you need help in reconciling your institution or studbook data, please contact ISIS support support@isis.org; +1.651.209.9250). If you have recently updated your studbook, remember to send a current SPARKS backup file to Laurie Bingaman Lackey (laurie@isis.org).
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Studbook Keeper Library CD ROMs
Does your institution still publish its own studbook? There may
be a better way…
ISIS has been publishing a comprehensive studbook library on CD ROM for eight years – and more and more zoos are using it as a primary means of publishing.
In this year’s edition, approximately 175 international and 950 regional studbooks will be published. In addition, the library will include more than 100 husbandry manuals.
What does that mean to you?
• On average, international studbooks include 900 animals (300 living), which translates to 180 pages of text that must be printed.
• This could cost your institution up to US $20 for each copy.
• Most institutions print close to 150 copies – totaling US $3,000 for each international studbook – or an annual community cost of about US $525,000.
• Printing of regional studbooks could cost the community more than US $1.4 million annually (which is equal to what ISIS receives in member dues annually).
The ISIS studbook CD will be mailed to all ISIS member representatives and all studbook keepers who submitted data.
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ZIMS Technical Working Group (ZTWG) reorganized
ZTWG Chairs Hans Keller (National Aquarium in Baltimore, USA) and Bob Dulski (Chicago Zoological Park, USA) have announced that the ZTWG will be reorganized under the ISIS Board's Technology Advisory Committee (TAC). This change will expand the ZTWG to allow involvement in the ZIMS Project by even more information technology professionals from around the world
The ZTWG has been working since early 2004 to ready the ISIS organization and its members for the new Zoological Information Management System (ZIMS). The ZTWG was responsible for putting together a “discovery document” on the project, which was invaluable during the Request for Proposal (RFP) process for a ZIMS vendor.
In addition, the ZTWG helped establish many of the processes for documentation review and reviewed much of the design documentation, participated in several development sessions and provided information back to the ZIMS team.
ZTWG member Kevin Johnson started a ZIMS dictionary to assist in data standards development, and Becky Bryning started a listserve moderators group.
ISIS would like to thank all of the members of the former ZTWG for their hard work and dedication. Many members put in extremely long hours and generated great ideas for the ZIMS Project. And many of these volunteers will continue with the new ZTWG under the TAC.
Thank you ZTWG members:
Allegra Hamer, Information Technology, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, New York USA
Andrew Teare, Veterinarian, Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens, Jacksonville, Florida USA
Becky Bryning, Systems Analyst, San Diego Zoo, San Diego, California USA
Bob Dulski, IT Director, Brookfield Zoo, Chicago, Illinois USA
Britta Scholz, Givskud Zoo, Denmark
Hans Keller, Chief Technology Officer, Baltimore Aquarium in Baltimore, Baltimore, Maryland USA
Ian Espie, National Zool.Gardens of South Africa, Pretoria, South Africa
John Inkson, Information Technology, Taronga Zoo, Mosman, Australia
Julie Calfee, Fort Worth Zoo, Fort Worth, Texas USA
Kevin Johnson, Manager, Information Technology, Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria (ARAZPA)
Matt Burden, Director of Information Technology, John G. Shedd Aquarium, Chicago, Illinois USA
Nilda Ferrer, Associate Curator & Registrar, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, New York USA
Paul Andrew, Curator, Taronga Zoo, Mosman, Australia
Paul Shoop, Smithsonian National Zoological Park, Washington, DC USA
Paula Simon, Information Technology Manager, Wildlife Conservation Society, New York, New York USA
Sue DuBois, Senior Systems Analyst, Disney's Animal Kingdom/The Living Seas, Lake Buena Vista, Florida USA
New ISIS employee
Aaron Lombard has joined the ISIS team as the newest member of our support staff. Aaron comes to us from HickoryTech Internet in Mankato, where he did Internet support. Aaron, who has lived in Minnesota for 16 years, has degrees as Microcomputer Support Technician and Network Administrator.
Welcome, Aaron!
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