The Transformation of Library Cartographic Collections to GIS Centers and Online Data Repositories

Abstract:

The development of map libraries in academic institutions has a long history, and one that isn’t complete yet, as libraries embrace technological changes to adapt to millennial’s technology driven needs. From purchasing map cabinets, and acquiring a separate room in a library, to replacing the map cabinets with GIS stations, both collections and skills have evolved, number of staff and expenditure has increased, therefore transitioning the traditional map library to a more data-centered entity. Even though GIS services have been offered in many university libraries since the early 1990s, it hasn’t been until only recently that libraries have been shifting their attention away from print maps to focus almost entirely on geospatial data collections and software. This paper examines 340 university libraries in Canada and the U.S. that offer maps and/or GIS services, and reviews their service points (part of a collection vs standalone room), their collection names (map room vs GIS Center), the type of material they house, and the kinds of software they use, concluding that the shift from paper to digital is evident as seen through organizational developments, and name changes. As geospatial data continues to be more readily accessible, and open, the future of GIS services in libraries will continue to evolve

Notes:

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