PACSCL is unique among library consortia. It was born out of the conviction that the extraordinary collections of Philadelphia area libraries deserved greater visibility and broader support. In 1985, sixteen institutions came together to create PACSCL as an informal cooperative group with a shared agenda ranging from access to public programs and development. Incorporated in 1993, and now over thirty years later, PACSCL has more than doubled in size and has compiled an impressive track record in developing projects and programs that have greatly benefited member institutions and their diverse constituencies.
Principal Consortial Functions
Cataloging services
Electronic content loading/presentation
Training
Union lists/shared online catalogs
Other Functions
This Philadelphia Area Archives site, formerly the Philadelphia Area Archives Research Portal (PAARP) and PACSCL Finding Aids Site, provides access to descriptions of more than 5,000 collections from over 200 regional institutions documenting the region's vital role in our collective history, from colonization to the present day, from the everyday citizen to some of America's best known thinkers and celebrated citizens. On this site, researchers will find catalog descriptions, or "finding aids," to collections relating to local, national, and world history; the natural and social sciences; medicine; literature; religion; art and architecture; business and industry; the performing arts; and other topics. Go to https://findingaids.library.upenn.edu/