PA Photos and Documents

What is PA Photos and Documents (PaPD)?

• In cooperation with other Pennsylvania agencies, the Office of Commonwealth Libraries is working toward universal access to digitized Pennsylvania historical materials
• PaPD enables the storage and retrieval of digitized collections created by libraries and other organizations throughout Pennsylvania
• The primary focus of PaPD is historic, cultural, and other collections of interest to the citizens of Pennsylvania
• PaPD utilizes the Islandora open source platform to provide access to its collections, and is considered a “work in progress” as additional collections are added and new access points are created

• Please note:  This FAQ is intended for public users of the service.  PaPD Collection Managers should contact the HSLC Digitization Specialist or local collection manager for all assistance requests.

How can the collection be accessed?

• Access to the collection is available for free, without the need for a library card or other form of authentication
• The primary access point for the repository is through the POWER Library PaPD Discovery page:
  • https://powerlibrary.org/collections/
    • The site can also be reached by visiting https://powerlibrary.org/ and clicking on the PA Photos & Documents link in the header

How can my organization participate?

• Participation in this program is open to institutions that participate in POWER Library or who partner with an institution that participates in POWER Library
• For complete information on participating, including contact information, please visit: https://powerlibrary.org/librarians/pa-photos-and-documents/participation