Plant Information Center

PIC Team

Principal Investigators• Evelyn Daniel

ILS Professor

• Peter WhiteDirector, NC Botanical Garden

• Jim MasseyCurator, UNC Herbarium

• Jane GreenbergILS Professor

Staff Members• Michelle Fox

PIC Project Coordinator

• Peter BuchILS Grad Student

• Justin (Gus) DopkeILS Grad Student

• Mary JamesEcology Grad Student

PIC Partners

• Priscilla Dennison, Lead Science Teacher, McDougle Middle School

• Jake Lehrer, Librarian, Carrboro Branch Library

• Carolyn White, Library Media SpecialistMcDougle Middle School

Partnership

NC Botanical Garden

McDougle Middle School

Orange County Public Library

UNC Herbarium

School of Information and Library Science

PIC Advisory Board

• Debbie Berry

Science Teacher, McDougle

• Gregory Georges

Photographer

• Stephanie Haas

ILS Professor, UNC

• Jim Hardin (retired)

NCSU Herbarium Curator

• Gail Jones

School of Education Prof., UNC

• Anne Lindsey

Laurel Hill Press

• Gean McBane

Media Specialist, Stanback

• Jim Murphy

BOTNET Consultant

PIC Advisory Board

• Barbara PedersenScience Teacher, Guy B. Phillips

• Deborah PedersenInfo. Resource Specialist

• Milo PyneReg. Vegetation Ecologist

• Fiona RaeScience Teacher, McDougle

• Brenda Stephens

Librarian, Orange County

• Vin Steponaitis

Archaeology Professor, UNC

• Wendy Weiher

Rare Plant Initiative

NCWFPS

Vision

• To connect the research community and the general public.

• To nurture the interest and enthusiasm of the public in the study of trees, plants, and natural history.

Location Focus

• Generally, the Southeastern United States

• More specifically, the state of North Carolina

What Is An Herbarium?

A Herbarium is …

• A museum collection of plant specimens with associated label and research data.

• Herbaria are the fundamental documentation of plant diversity.

The UNC Herbarium

• Founded in 1908

• Includes 660,000 labeled museum specimens of plants, algae, fungi and fossils

• Largest collection in the Southeast

• Ranked 3rd among university collections by NSF

One Herbarium Specimen

NC State Tree

• Longleaf Pine (Pinus pallustris)

How Can We Acquaint Teachers and Students

With This Important Resource?

Objectives and Tasks for PIC

1. Demonstrate a successful cooperation between the university, the public school system, and the public library

Objectives and Tasks

2. Create and test an interactive Plant Information Center for the general public, libraries, and public schools.

PIC Features

• Search

• Images

• Glossary

• Ask an Expert

• FAQs

• Lesson Plans

• Prize Specimens

• Links

• Bibliographies

• Email

Objectives and Tasks

3. To develop educational experiences using primary research materials from the herbarium for 6th grade students.

Objectives and Tasks

4. Test the usefulness of digital images of herbarium specimens for plant identification and for inspiring the public and public school children with the aims and methods of professional botanical science.

Research / Evaluation

• Image access and use

Research / Evaluation

• Image access and use

• Metadata effectiveness

Research / Evaluation

• Image access and use

• Metadata effectiveness

• Electronic access to subject expertise.

Questions?