Cave Mineral Database: A Joint Collaboration between Geologists, Librarians, and Programmers

<p> The Cave Mineral Database (CAMIDA) is a collaborative project of the University of South Florida Libraries, UIS&rsquo;s Cave Minerals Commission, the Karst Information Portal, &ldquo;Emil Racovi&tcedil;&abreve; Institute of Speleology (Romania), and the Karst Research Group at University of South Florida (USA). CAMIDA is an open-access collection of geological, mineralogical, crystallographical, and protection/conservation information on all minerals discovered in caves (including lava tubes) around the world. It holds and organizes large amounts of information (including polarizing, scanning, and transmission microscope photos), and makes any item immediately accessible. It also provides links to many other integrated database of Raman spectra, X-ray diffraction and chemistry data for minerals. CAMIDA was created under CollectiveAccess management application using PHP scripting language.</p><p> There are at least three reasons for creating such a Web-based mineralogical database: (1) the data (various information andimages) can easily be archived, (2) to keep the database updated takes a shorter time and less money than printing new book editions, and (3) being an ppen-access database, more cavers and scientists can add and use the data therein.</p>