WORKSHOP ON

A NATIONAL PLAN FOR PRESERVING ASTRONOMICAL PHOTOGRAPHIC DATA

PROGRAM

The workshop will open with a tour of the PARI facilities.  The potential and limitations of PARI as the site for a national photographic data repository bear importantly on how the national plan will be framed. 

Each workshop session will be a discussion of a specific topic, with the discussion guided by a “guiding questions to which an answer is needed.  Several secondary questions are posed to provide additional structure to the discussion.  Workshop participants will be organized into a round table format so that all can easily participate in the discussion and debate, which will be  moderated by a session chair. 

Thursday, November 1, 1:15 pm – 5:00 pm

1:15 pm     Welcome, introductions, and orientation

1:30 pm     Tour of the PARI plate storage facilities

2:30 pm     SESSION I:  Discussion of the current situation

Guiding question:  Where are the significant collections of photographic data in North America?

·       What are the details?   (number of plates, telescopes used, types of plates, …)

·       What are the current states of these collections?  (present storage conditions)

·       What plans have been made to preserve these photographic data?

Reports from institutional representatives on their collections

4:45 pm     Preview of subsequent sessions

7:00 pm     Evening program

Friday, November 2, 9:00 am – 5:00 pm

9:00 am     SESSION II:  Discussion of why the photographic data should be preserved

Guiding question:  Are the photographic records worth preserving?

·       What are potential uses of the photographs: scientific, historical, commercial, other?

·       What types of observations are most important to preserve?

·       What specific priorities should there be for preservation?

·       What actions are needed to ensure preservation of endangered collections?

10:30 am   Break

10:45 am   SESSION III:  Discussion of practical aspects of photographic record preservation

Guiding question:  What are the recommended protocols for preserving the photographic data?

·       What should be the ultimate goal of the preservation efforts?

-        Web accessible catalogues of images?

-        Web accessible digital images?

-        Links in the National Virtual Observatory?

·       How should the plates be stored and for how long?

·       What metadata is needed, i.e. what should be available in on-line catalogues?

·       What supplemental written records should be kept?  (e.g., observing logs)

·       What practices should be followed in converting to electronic records?

-        Priorities:  catalogues or digitizing, which data sets, …?

-        Digitization:  important data sets or on demand, what digitization resolution, clean plates of markings before scanning, …?

12:15 pm   Lunch        

Friday, November 2, (continued)

1:15 pm     SESSION IV:  Discussion of other initiatives to preserve photographic observations

Guiding question:  What can be learned from other plate preservation initiatives?

·       What other projects are underway and what has been accomplished?

·       What protocols and priorities have been adopted?

·       How are these projects being supported?

Reports from those involved in other initiatives

2:30 pm     Break

2:45 pm     SESSION V:  Discussion of how to finance plate preservation

Guiding question:  How should the plate preservation initiative be supported?

·       What are potential sources of revenue?

·       Should plate preservation centers be “national facilities” and funded like NOAO?

·       How can we involve the astronomical community in making funding available?

·       Who should pay for shipping to an archival center?

4:00 pm     SESSION VI:  A national plan for photographic data preservation: recommendations I

Guiding question 1:  Can PARI be recognized as the national photographic plate repository and the preservation plan be built around this decision?

·       Is PARI seen as suitable for a national long-term plate repository?

·       Should this be the archive to hold spectroscopic data as well as direct images?

·       Should an aggressive campaign to have plates archives at PARI be initiated or use an “if needed” approach?

·       Should plates be placed on long-term loan or grant PARI ownership of them? 

·       What staff, measuring instruments and/or digitizing equipment should PARI have?

·       How can we have PARI recognized at the national plate repository?

Guiding question 2:  What are the priorities for archiving?

·       What are the priorities for types of observations and data sets?

·       What are the priorities in archiving:  collecting the plates, on-line catalogues, digitizing important data sets, ….?

Saturday, November 3, 9:00 am – 12:15 pm

9:00 am     SESSION V:  A national plan for photographic data preservation: recommendations. II

Guiding question:  What should be the archiving standards?

·       What are acceptable standards for physical plate storage?

·       What are acceptable standards for on-line catalogues?

·       What are acceptable standards for preserving the information in logbooks, on plates and plate envelopes, and other observing records?

·       What are acceptable standards for digitization of plates?

10:15 am   Break

10:30 am   SESSION VII:  Disseminating the workshop findings and recommendations

Identifying the tasks and assignment of responsibilities

·       Who will prepare a formal plan document with its recommendations?

·       Who will prepare a summary report for the astronomical community?

·       Who will serve or be asked to serve on a national plan implementation committee?

·       How do we achieve endorsement by the AAS and other professional groups.

MEALS

Dinner on Thursday (November 1), all meals on Friday (November 2), and breakfast on Saturday (November 3) will be provided in the PARI cafeteria. The cafeteria will also be available for the following meals, but costs are the attendee’s responsibility: 

      Thursday (11/1)   Lunch ($8.00)

      Saturday (11/3)    Lunch ($8.00)

Breakfast time 8:15 – 9:00 am, Lunch time Noon – 1:00 pm and Dinner time 6:00 – 7:00 pm.