Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute

The Pisgah Astronomical Research Institute will improve collections management and facilitate access and discovery for 50 astronomical photographic plate collections. The collections include more than 350,000 photographic plates, collected from more than 50 observatories and institutions around the world. The project will enable the institute to assess the completeness of each collection's catalog; create a master metadata record that will include metadata from each collection; compile all catalogs into a single database; and create finding aids with digital tools to allow expanded access online. The results of the project will benefit scientists and science historians, providing opportunities for multi-disciplinary research including research into the evolution of the Earth's atmosphere, library information science, trends in local weather patterns, and the effects of urbanization on telescope use.