The Society of Friends of IRGO takes a stand for the Kempf Database Ostracoda (KDO)
History and relevance of the KDO
The KDO has its roots in 1974, when Eugen Kempf started to transform his bibliographic-taxonomic card index on marine and non-marine ostracods into a modern, relational database. Punch cards, magnetic tapes, long and lonely nights at the Cologne University Computation Center, cumbersome early personal computers and daisy-wheel-printers had to be overcome on the way to a platform- and project-independent taxonomic database. Regular spin-offs published as books and CD-ROMs give access to the handpicked data compiled in the KDO. For four decades, the database grew continuously, without financial support, just by the focussed work of a single, enthusiastic person.
Today, the KDO approaches 300,000 datasets, all controlled with highest scientific expertise. The source literature evaluated for the KDO now represents a library of more than 20,000 items – and it will grow continuously with the core database. The KDO is THE source of information when it comes to queries related to ostracod taxonomy, biogeography and biostratigraphy.
Plans for the future of the KDO
The SF∗IRGO takes a stand for the sustainable development of the Kempf Database Ostracoda. The SF∗IRGO will make every endeavor to raise funds for a stable, long-term continuation of the KDO, and maintain its well-known high quality standards.
Plans include the installation of an Ostracod Information Service Center at the University of Cologne, where the database will be kept up-to-date and queries from scientists will be replied to. The outstandingly complete library will also be hosted at the Ostracod Information Service Center.
What you can do for the KDO
- Provide your publications to the KDO for data compilation
- Spread the word on the KDO
- Help find potential sponsors for the KDO
- Become an active member of the SF∗IRGO