Supporting insular research and development through the ‘Archipelago’ information system

Information systems play a crucial role in supporting decision-making for managing and administrating territories at different levels of authority. Unfortunately, most such information systems are not dedicated to or customized for the special needs imposed by islands. In this work we describe the design, implementation, and operation of the ‘Archipelago’ digital repository, an integrated information system for supporting island research and development. The main objectives of the system are the storage, documentation, and dissemination of any kind of data regarding islands, as well as the provision of cartographic facilities for searching, visualization, and comparison. The basic principle of the system is the ability to geographically designate any stored material. The system is compatible with the standards for digital information documentation and interoperability, and it is based on free and open-source software tools.