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The Library of Congress uploaded a couple photo archives to Flickr, a popular Internet photo sharing website. The photo archive includes thousands of historical photographs. Many are already on the library's own website, but it hopes the public will help them tag, or label, the photos on Flickr for easier accessibility.

Flickr discussed the new partnership with the Library of Congress, called The Commons pilot project, in its blog. The Library of Congress has an huge photo catalog, containing more than 1 million photos, and has chosen about 1,500 photos each from two of its more popular collections to show on Flickr.

Members of Flickr or non-members, too, can view the 1930-40s in Color photo collection or the News in the 1910s photo collection. Only Flickr members can help tag the photos or make comments on the photos.

"There are two main aims to The Commons project, starting with the pilot: firstly, to increase exposure to the amazing content currently held in the public collections of civic institutions around the world, and secondly, to facilitate the collection of general knowledge about these collections, with the hope that this information can feed back into the catalogues, making them richer and easier to search," said the Flickr blog posting "Many hands make the work light."

The Library of Congress team has also blogged about the project and NPR interviewed the Library of Congress on Monday during its "Morning Edition" show, available online.

In other Flickr news, PMA 08 Flickr group is launched, offering attendees an online community to share photos, discussions.

PMA 08 attendees are sure to snap lots of photos during the conference in Las Vegas, Nev., from Jan. 31 - Feb. 2, and now there is an online public Flickr group for attendees to view, post, and share photos of the trade show, receptions, hotels, parties, and more. The PMA 08 group, created earlier this month, already features several photos of past PMA shows in anticipation of the upcoming PMA 08. In addition to viewing and posting photos, group members can participate in discussions and connect with fellow show-goers. First-time attendees can get a glimpse of what the show looks like before attending, while networking with veteran attendees.

To view the photos, you do not have to be a member of Flickr. Just go to www.flickr.com/groups/pma08. Those who want to join the PMA 08 Flickr group to submit photos, comment on images, and participate in discussions, must have a Flickr account, which is free. After a Flickr account has been created, joing the PMA 08 group is easy. First, go to www.flickr.com/groups/pma08. In the upper right hand corner, click the "Join the group?" link, which will lead to a verification page asking: '"Do you really want to join the group PMA 08?" Click "Join this group," and begin uploading photos and discussing the upcoming show. Sign up for a Flickr account now if you don't already have one and prepare to show other attendees and members your perspective in and around PMA 08 in Las Vegas.