Browsing by Subject "map libraries"

Now showing 1 - 6 of 6
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    Creator Name Standardization Using Faceted Vocabularies in the BTAA Geoportal
    (Cataloging & Classification Quarterly, 2023-04-19) McElfresh, Laura
    Digital libraries incorporate metadata from varied sources, ranging from traditional catalog data to author-supplied descriptions. The Big Ten Academic Alliance (BTAA) Geoportal unites geospatial resources from the libraries of the BTAA, compounding the variability of metadata. The BTAA Geospatial Information Network’s (BTAA GIN) Metadata Committee works to ensure completeness and consistency of metadata in the Geoportal, including a project to standardize the contents of the Creator field. The project comprises an OpenRefine data cleaning phase; evaluation of controlled vocabularies for semiautomated matching via OpenRefine reconciliation; and development and testing of a best practices guide for application of a controlled vocabulary.
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    Ephemeral Geodata: An Impending Digital Dark Age
    (Journal of Map & Geography Libraries, 2024-09-12) Majewicz, Karen; Martindale, Jaime; Kernik, Melinda; Mattke, Ryan
    Despite the unprecedented rate of geospatial data (“geodata”) generation, we are paradoxically creating a potential “dark age” in geospatial knowledge due to a failure to archive it. In the 20th century, map libraries systematically collected and preserved government-issued maps. However, many have not expanded to include digital formats, which have replaced paper maps in most domains. Compounding this issue is the prevailing practice among government data providers to continuously update public data without adequately preserving previous iterations, thus overwriting the historical record. Consequently, a pronounced gap has emerged in the availability of geospatial information, spanning from the end of the paper map era to the recent past. If unaddressed, this gap is poised to widen, severely impeding future longitudinal research. This paper assesses the current and predicted availability of state and local geographic information across various locations and time periods, analyzing academic map collections and public geodata. Central to our argument is the role of academic libraries in bridging this gap by collecting and preserving yesterday’s geodata. We advocate for libraries to ensure that historical geodata will be accessible for future scholars.
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    The Library of Congress Geography and Map Division Special Map Processing Project, 1951–2003
    (Washington Map Society, 2023-12) McElfresh, Laura K.
    From 1951 to 2003, the Library of Congress Geography and Map Division hosted a summer project, primarily intended to assist the Division in processing maps and cartographic resources either for inclusion into the collection or for dispersal as duplicates to other libraries. This paper draws on research by Paige Andrew, Linda Musser, and Laura McElfresh, constructing a comprehensive history of the LC G&M Special Project.
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    MapHappy: A User-Centered Interface to Library Map Collections Via a Google Maps “Mashup”
    (Journal of Map And Geography Libraries, 2009-07-01) Johnston, Lisa R; Jensen, Kristi L.
    Providing users with the best possible access to the unique cartographic materials found in libraries has been a constant challenge formap librarians. In a Web 2.0 world, existing mapping APIs make it possible to extend the library OPAC past the text-based search and enable users to locate maps using a familiar interface, such as Google Maps. This article describes how librarians at the University of Minnesota developed MapHappy, a “mashup” of their existing map MARC records into a geospatial Web application providing unique access to the print maps in their collections. As expected, this project raised many questions and produced a new set of challenges and opportunities; two such problems, the issue of missing or faulty map coordinates and aligning the interface design with user expectations, are discussed. And while still in beta, a variety of future plans are considered for further development and improvement of MapHappy. This project demonstrates that the representation of library records in a geospatial format provides a more intuitive and streamlined method of identifying maps and makes accessible a wide range of data previously meaningless or invisible to users.
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    Mapping Prejudice: The Map Library as a Hub for Community Co-Creation and Social Change
    (Taylor & Francis, 2022-06-14) Mattke, Ryan; Delegard, Kirsten; Leebaw, Danya
    The John R. Borchert Map Library was the ideal incubator for an experiment that has changed how a wide range of people are thinking about structural racism and the history of race in American urban environments. Mapping Prejudice used a cartographic visualization of racial covenants as the intellectual nexus of a project that transcended disciplinary boundaries and invited community members into cutting-edge research work. The Map Library provided the physical space, resources, and geospatial expertise necessary for community-driven mapping work. It also served as an intersectional hub necessary for this transformative research initiative, illustrating the synergies between map librarianship and other disciplines. The work depended on the unique contributions of the map librarian: project management; experience networking with researchers, campus departments, and community groups; and knowledge of best practices surrounding data management, curation, and reuse. This article explains how Mapping Prejudice changed academic scholarship and public understandings by engaging volunteers in meaningful research. It concludes by providing a description of future directions for this project and calls on librarians to lead more work of this kind. The example of Mapping Prejudice suggests ways that map librarians can be leading new modes of inclusive, equitable and community-responsive research.
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    Mapping the Past: Inside the LC Geography and Map Division Special Map Processing Project, 1951-2006
    (2020-10-15) McElfresh, Laura K.; Andrew, Paige G.; Musser, Linda R.
    Following World War II, the Geography and Map Division at the Library of Congress (LC G&M) launched a summer internship program aimed at map librarians and others. The unpaid experience gave participants the opportunity to work with LC G&M personnel and collections while offering sending organizations the incentive of receiving free duplicate maps. This presentation traces the history of the program, describes participation and projects, and provides examples of duplicate maps distributed via the program.