Conference notebook: Alternative sources of meteorological data

Initiatives to locate sources of historic weather data are not new. Most previous projects in this area rely on observations from official observers and weather bureaus in place during the time in question and whose reports can be located in the collections of the premier meteorological libraries of the world. Such reports are rich sources of meteorological data, but they are by no means the sole source of meteorological data available. Much data remain untapped, scattered in historic sources such as newspapers, diaries, and letters. Fortunately, many libraries and archives are now digitizing these resources and making them available to a broader user community.