Program areas at PAL
Cultural resource surveys are performed in project areas that require state and/or federal permitting or funding in order to assess if impacts from the project will affect any historic buildings, archaeological sites, historic landscapes, or objects. Surveys also are performed at the request of municipalities and private parties, such as local historical commissions and societies, to inform them of any historic properties and archaeological sites in their cities and towns or on individual properties. Technical reports detailing the results of the cultural resource surveys are prepared and disseminated to federal, state, and local agencies, historical commissions and societies, libraries, universities, professional colleagues and other companies similar to Pal. Educational materials (see continuation on schedule o)specifically geared to the Public and grades k through 12 are often prepared on the types of historic properties and archaeological sites in specific geographic regions.
Pal's primary mission of performing scientific research that benefits the Public in accordance with the national historic preservation act of 1966, as amended, results in the identification and preservation of history and historical artifacts. The product of this research is provided to state historic preservation offices for research and educational purposes. Pal also engages in Public education itself, creating programs tailored to audiences of all ages, including grade schools, high schools, universities, colleges and adult community education venues. This may include school programs, workshops, lectures and field activities that educate the Public about our nations' history. Pal also disseminates information to other professionals on a regional and (see continuation on schedule o)national level through its participation in professional conferences and publications.
In the course of Pal's work, cultural data and artifacts are identified and recovered. All such materials are maintained in Pal's Laboratory, where they are cataloged and curated, and preserved for future research. Pal's Laboratory is run by professionally-qualified staff who specialize in cultural material identification and analyses. Records are maintained in a custom-built, searchable database and all cultural materials and records are curated in accordance with the secretary of the interior's standards (36 cfr 79) for curation of federally-owned and administered archaeological collections. The full collection also includes extensive lithic, post-contact ceramic, bottle, faunal and floral type collections that aid in cultural material identification and are used as teaching collections (see continuation on schedule o)for Public outreach activities including Public exhibitions and educational programs. All data and artifacts stored at Pal are available to professional archaeologists, students and other qualified individuals interested in using the materials for scholarly research.in addition, Pal assists several governmental and other entities that do not have the means to properly preserve and maintain their own materials by cataloging and curating their artifacts.